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Chevrolet HHR

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  • lsmith62790lsmith62790 Member Posts: 2
    I've had my 2010 HHR for a little over a month. I do NOT know why there isn't a recall on the power steering for these vehicles because from what I've gathered from other people, it's not just me having this issue. It was perfect until last weekend. I heard a chime and my dash lit up with "power steering" and I realized I had lost all power steering on the car. I pulled over and shut it off. Upon restarting it, everything was fine. Sometimes it'll go a day without messing up, other times it seems like right after I start driving again from shutting it off, it'll go right back out. I called the GM headquarters and the gentleman informed me, as I suspected, there was no recall for this. Let me just say this issue is VERY DANGEROUS. :mad: I've been in the middle of a sharp turn when it has went out. The only thing I keep getting told is to take it to my local Chevy dealer but that is my issue...I should not have to pay(or atleast dont think I should have to) seeing as how I just purchased this not even 2 months ago. I guess my question is has anyone else had this problem and did you find out what was going on? I'm almost ready to take it back to the dealer but it's about a 2 hour drive so that's why I haven't yet. Any input or help would be very much appreciated.
  • laserbluelaserblue Member Posts: 313
    Mine is a 2010 also (2LT) with 20,000 miles on it.
    Never had any problems what so ever with mine and I should add that it's my best in all my 8 vehicules that I owned during my 37 years of driving (7 of them where G.M. products).
    I read in your post that you are at a 2 hr drive of the dealer?
    You know that you can bring your car at any G.M. dealer for a warranty repair, doesn't need to be the dealer where you bought it.
    Good luck!
  • lsmith62790lsmith62790 Member Posts: 2
    I purchased mine used from the dealer on January 28. There were 39 some thousand miles on it. Hadn't had a problem until last weekend when the power steering started going out and now its an everyday problem. And yes, I have a local chevy dealer I could take it to but they want way too much just to look at it. Maybe I just expect too much outta people but I think if I've only had it this long and for the price I'm paying for it every two weeks, this shouldnt be on me. I tried taking it to just a local garage and nobody seems to know anything about hhr's around here.
  • laserbluelaserblue Member Posts: 313
    You bought it only 8 weeks ago... use cars must have a warranty of some kind?
    If I remember I think it's 90 days or 6 months warranty on a used car depending on its mileage...check it out.
    If so, bring it to your nearest G.M. dealer.
  • laserbluelaserblue Member Posts: 313
    My 2010 LT2 HHR will have 2 yrs next sunday. Today I received a recal note, this is what it'a all about...
    "We have learned that your 2010 model HHR may develop a binding condition between the ignition lock cylinder and the housing. If this occurs, it may be difficult to turn the ignition key and/or remove it from the ignition. If the vehicle is running, the driver may not be able to turn it off"".
    I have till May 31, 2014 to call any G.M. dealer to schedule an appointment to have them replace the "Ignition Lock Cylinder" (no charge).
    The problem is...everything seems to be in perfect working condition.
    Should I call to get it replaced even though it seems to be o.k.?
  • laserbluelaserblue Member Posts: 313
    I own a 2010 HHR LT2.
    Today I received a recal note, this is what it'a all about...

    "We have learned that your 2010 model HHR may develop a binding condition between the ignition lock cylinder and the housing. If this occurs, it may be difficult to turn the ignition key and/or remove it from the ignition. If the vehicle is running, the driver may not be able to turn it off"".

    I have till May 31, 2014 to call any G.M. dealer to schedule an appointment to have them replace the "Ignition Lock Cylinder" (no charge).
    The problem is...everything seems to be in perfect working condition.

    Should I call to get it replaced even though it seems to be o.k.?
  • ray80ray80 Member Posts: 1,655
    I would consider it a tough call. If the nature of the problem gives you an early warning (sometimes sticky, but gets over it) then it could wait. If its something that suddenly crops up and leaves you stranded at a bad time its better to get it fixed on your schedule.

    A Pontiac Grand Am I owned had a recall that involved ignition problem when it took a long time to start (something would overheat). Mine never took a long time to start, so I didn't have the recall done (had it for about 9 years and 247,000 miles before I gave it to SIL that drove it another year without a problem)
  • carthellcarthell Member Posts: 130
    The car rental clerk asks, "How do you like it?"

    "It's fine. It certainly has changed my opinion about how I think about this car."

    The clerk then tells me that that the car is fine to drive, but not to own. Hmm.

    I liked it! Previously, I didn't consider the HHR as a contender for purchase because it was classified as a SUV, a class of vehicles I don't have a high opinion about (gas mileage, cramped interiors, massive blind spots, battleship-like wobbly ride).

    The car has a fairy quiet passenger cabin. I don't need to turn up the radio to drown out the engine noise when cruising or accelerating, which I've been doing with my current car since it was new. It mutes pavement perturbations better than my current vehicle.

    Blind spots. The view out of the rear view mirror is tiny. There's not much side glass to see out of because the pillars are huge. The side view mirrors are oversized, which compensates for that. After driving the car for a while, I had no trouble judging who was beside me.

    Electrically-assisted steering. I believe that the HHR is the first vehicle I've driven where I devoted more attention to mentally tracking where the front wheels are going during low speed maneuvers, like parking. Otherwise, it seems to be fine.

    Fuel economy: it pretty much beats most everything I've driven in my life so far (~30mpg mixed, as opposed to 22-25 for my current ride, ~20 mpg for the rental P.T. Cruisers and Compass I've had, and ~26 mpg for a 2001 Sentra, my first car).

    Cargo capacity: interesting packaging. My car beats it on cubes, but the HHR's set-up appears to carry as much, if not more, with the back seats up. Unfortunately I could not use the full capacity of the car because one of the rear headrests stayed put.

    The HHR is gone, and I'm somewhat disheartened that GM (for now, anyway) doesn't want to consider a wagon that isn't built on stilts, or affordable to a ham-'n'-egger (substituting oatmeal and fruit sometimes) like me.
  • marlabmarlab Member Posts: 1
    YES>>>ABSOLUTELY......HAVE IT FIXED NOW!!!!
    I just had this happen at a most in-oppportune time !!
    It totally ruined an expensive outing. We had paid for Front Row Concert tickets, arrived at the venue, parked the car and THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN OFF !!! THE IGNITION WAS LOCKED.....This ahs happened to MANY THOUSANDS OF HHR OWNERS!! Everything is just fine and then all of a sudden you can't turn you vehicle off.
    We had to drive back home, missed the concert, and then had to have the car towed. It cost NOTHING to have it fixed under the recall. But thousands have had to complain to make the recall happen and many had already spent hundreds of dollars to fix the problem prior to the recall.
    DO IT NOW!!!
  • laserbluelaserblue Member Posts: 313
    I'm no mechanic, help wanted please.
    Yesterday, I went to my GM dealer to get a annual check up done on my 2010 HHR.
    They noticed that my brake pedal was low and told me that my rear brakes should me "cleaned and serviced" (without changing the brakes) and that would remedy the brake pedal being "low". When I went to get the HHR...no change in the brake pedal feeling.
    Now, the service technicien's story had changed by telling me that sometimes the "cleaning and servicing" of the rear brakes has an effect on the brake pedal and sometimes it doesn't.
    It's maybe psychologic but the brake pedal seems to be even "lower" than before the touched it.
  • angelkissangelkiss Member Posts: 8
    ISmith would it be possible to post the number for GM. My power steering quit working yesterday on my 2010 HHR. It only has 14,000 miles on it. I had no warning I heard the ding and I lost the power steering. I think this should be recalled. Mine is still under warranty. I agree I should not have to pay for this. I received a notice from GM that the ignition switch needed to be replaced because it locks up. I'm wondering if this causes the malfunction with the power steering? Anyone who has had this issue with a 2010 HHR please contact GM.
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Good afternoon angelkiss,

    Have you already been working with your dealership towards getting this taken care of? Please keep us posted on the progress of the repair, and if we can look into anything further we can be reached at socialmedia@gm.com (include your name and contact information, the last 8 of your VIN, and the name of your dealership).

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • angelkissangelkiss Member Posts: 8
    Thank you for your response Sarah. Im taking my car to the dealership for the ignition and power steering issues. As I said I have had the car for two years with 14,000 on it. The service manager at Fredricktown Chevrolet , Fredricktown, OH. was very rude when I tried to discuss this matter with him.I said both fall within the warranty.I tried to use the email you provided and it said it wasn't :cry: a good email. If I have a problem I will contact you through this site. Thank you
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Good morning angelkiss,

    I'm sorry that socialmedia@gm.com didn't work (I know that the Edmunds site will take the @ symbol and turn it into an image so as to prevent spamming - did you try to replace the @ symbol?). Alternatively, you can send an email to sarah_grace@gmexpert.com and I will forward it to our main email address so that Christina (my coworker who responds to inbound email from the forum) can look into this further.

    Kindest regards,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • marshalitmarshalit Member Posts: 6
    I have a 2008 HHR and I've had my "power steering" light to come on twice in the last week. I've never lost power and when I took it in, all they could say was that they could not replicate it. Why do I have to keep taking the car in for them to tell me the same thing when other people are having the same problem. Surely, someone from GM knows how to fix the problem or just tend to want to ignore it.
  • angelkissangelkiss Member Posts: 8
    I have a 2010 and I had the same problem. Mine did go out. The problem was the unit was fried for no apparent reason. I agree GM may want to consider the possibility of a recall. Good luck
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    marshalit and angelkiss,

    If either of you had wanted this issue looked into further with your HHRs, please send us an email at socialmedia@gm.com with more details (including your name, Edmunds username, phone and address, the last 8 of your VIN and current mileage, and the name of your involved dealership).

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • health1health1 Member Posts: 2
    Sometimes there can be problems if the vehicle has been jump started and hooking the charger up to the wrong post. If not, We had a 2006 HHR with the same intermittent problem. We unplugged the power steering under the steering column, the transmission control module, the powertrain control module and body control module. We cleaned and tightened all the terminals with a very small wiring tool and it seemed to take care of it (it lasted for 6 months) and we have not had the problem since. Maybe this can help! It can be so frustrating with an intermittent issue.
  • marshalitmarshalit Member Posts: 6
    I never jumped anyone else's car or my own. I'm now afraid to drive it anywhere. The Chevy people don't seem to know what is wrong or just want to ignore it.
  • anicks11banicks11b Member Posts: 2
    My 2010 HHR is doing the same thing. ANYONE that is having this problem, PLEASE place a complaint with the following people and see if they will get a recall done for these bad power steering units before someone gets killed.
    1. socialmedia@gm.com
    2. sarah_grace@gmexpert.com
    3. https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/index.cfm
  • anicks11banicks11b Member Posts: 2
    My 2010 HHR is doing the same thing. ANYONE that is having this problem, PLEASE place a complaint with the following people and see if they will get a recall done for these bad power steering units before someone gets killed.
    1. socialmedia@gm.com
    2. sarah_grace@gmexpert.com
    3. https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/index.cfm
  • angelkissangelkiss Member Posts: 8
    IMO, its a defective part. My 2010 HHR had 14,000 went it went out. My dealership replaced it for free. I was still under warranty. The mechanic said the unit was fried
  • angelkissangelkiss Member Posts: 8
    According to my mechanic the unit was fried for no apparent reason. I would never jump anyone. Cars are computerized today and it could cause problems for your car
  • laserbluelaserblue Member Posts: 313
    This morning I noticed a multicolor smear floating in a puddle of water in front of my 2010 HHR.
    A mixture of blue, green yellow liquid floating on the water.
    I touched it, didn't feel greasy nor oily, I smelled it and didn't smell anything.
    Checked under the hood and can't see nothing abmormal.
    I noticed recently that when a start my HHR it have a weird smell coming from the exhaust.
    Any idea what could be the problem?
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    edited January 2013
    laserblue,

    Per this ACDelco page, it looks like green/yellow fluid may be coolant.

    Do you have a game plan for getting the leak, and the exhaust smell, checked int at all?

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • ray80ray80 Member Posts: 1,655
    I think green/yellow would be more applicable to older pre-dexcool vehicles (except if another brand of coolant was added at some point).

    To help prove there is a leak, perhaps you could try putting a very large piece of cardboard under the vehicle when parking it overnight and if it does show signs of stain note general area of engine compartment where its coming from. (Hmm green perhaps refrigerant for A/C system)
  • laserbluelaserblue Member Posts: 313
    We might put our 2010 HHR for trade in this summer.
    We can't decide on what to trade it for...I'm interested in the 2013 Chevrolet Trax and my wife prefers a 2013 Chevrolet Sonic Hatchback (our kids are gone and we're both in our mid-50's)
    What would be your choice? and Why?
  • laserbluelaserblue Member Posts: 313
    Today, I had repairs done on my 2010 HHR LT2 with only 26,000 miles and I would like to know if these are common problems or just my bad luck?
    #1 They had to change the "Transmission Cooler Line" because it had oil leaking from it.
    #2 They changed the right and left "Strut Boots and Bumpers" on my front suspension.

    How can this have happen? I take really good care of my HHR and I'm a conservative driver, not rude at all on my HHR.

    Bad luck or common problem on the HHR's?
  • angelkissangelkiss Member Posts: 8
    I have a 2010 HHR mine had only 14,000 miles. I had to replace the ignition switch and the power steering part it had been fried. Im wondering if its just problems with the 2010
  • laserbluelaserblue Member Posts: 313
    I also had the ignition switch replaced but not because of a problem, I had received a recall letter saying that I should go to any G.M. dealer to get it changed.
    No problem with the power steering but I've read that there has been lot's of issues about it.
  • pennynolepennynole Member Posts: 6
    Benn having all kinds of problems for about 3 years with my HHR. I took it to my fifth different auto shop less than a month ago.They found a loose plug or wire under my car. Its been about 3 and a half weeks and no problems so far. I will post back if this didn't fix the problem.
  • pennynolepennynole Member Posts: 6
    Benn having the same problem for about 3 years until i took it to my fifth auto shop. They found a loose plug or wire under my car. Its been about 3 and a half weeks and no problem so far. I will post back if this didn't fix the problem.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    Hopefully all is resolved, pennynole! Did you work with a GM dealership at all along the way? Let us know if we can follow up on anything for you.
    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • pennynolepennynole Member Posts: 6
    No, I just kept taking it to different dealers. The one before thought my pmc - dmc or something like that got wet and was making my computer box go crazy, So I gave the last dealer all my info he said it wasn't the dmc or pmc. My car finally act up with him but reset before he could check for the problem. So he went under my car and traced all my wires and said my plugs or wire came loose. I've driven it 800 miles and no problems so far.
  • angelkissangelkiss Member Posts: 8
    Do u lose u power steering while the light is on?? My PS box was fried .
  • pennynolepennynole Member Posts: 6
    Yes, I couldn't even turn my wheels.I also had other lights that came on and they all reset some times when i cut the car off. I think the car light with a lock came on and I think it was a engine light. I think if you are having any electronic problem then that could be whats wrong with your car. I had to pay $86 to fix it I still want believe my car is fix even though i think it is.
  • marshalitmarshalit Member Posts: 6
    When I had my problems with the steering light coming on, they claimed they couldn't find anything. Then they said that I had a low fuse or something and that I must have had the car jumped. I never had any reason to jump my car. Anyway to make a long story short, after I raised cane about how dangerous it is to drive this car on the freeway during peak hours, they called me in and fixed it. It would have cost me $450 but got it done free. I still don't feel safe in it. I did file a claim with the Dept of Public Safety and was told there were not enough complaints to make a recall.
  • pennynolepennynole Member Posts: 6
    edited February 2013
    Same thing happen to me. I never felt safe and never drove my car out of town. I'm still scared its not fixed because every time I took it they either said it was fixed or couldn't find anything wrong. I told one car shop to keep it until it messed up and they kept it for 18 day and didn't have a problem with it. I took my car to 4 different dealers to be fix 6 or 7 times only the last dealer fixed it right away.
  • marshalitmarshalit Member Posts: 6
    I haven't seen the power steering light any more, but it seems to want to surge now. I don't drive mine out of town either and it sounds like a tin can now.
  • pennynolepennynole Member Posts: 6
    I never had any noise coming from my car.
  • bearsloftbearsloft Member Posts: 1
    My 2010 has the same problem? How did you fix it?
  • angelkissangelkiss Member Posts: 8
    I took mine to the dealership and they fixed it for free , Mine was still under warranty. It was fried I think it was defective
  • marshalitmarshalit Member Posts: 6
    They had to replace the steering module -$450. They paid for it.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    bearsloft,
    If you need any assistance getting this checked out by a local dealership (should you choose to go that route), please don't hesitate to contact us via email at socialmedia@gm.com (include your name and contact information, the last 8 digits of your VIN and mileage, and a summary of the situation).
    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • laserbluelaserblue Member Posts: 313
    My HHR is a 2010 and recently I went to the dealer because when I put the brakes on the car would pull to the left and when I turned my wheels to the left and move forward I could hear a knocking/popping sound coming from underneath the car.
    For the first problem of pulling to the left when applying the brakes they told me that it needed a alignment, what they did but it's still pulling to the left like before and for the second problem, the knocking/popping sound they replaced the strut boots and bumper and it didn't solve the problem, still hearing the exact same sound.
    They said that they don't see nothing else that could cause those two problems.
    Anyone else have experienced similar problems on their HHR?
  • ray80ray80 Member Posts: 1,655
    I recently had a problem with my 06' with a knocking sound when turning left, ended up being a wheel bearing.

    In my case the knock would happen when taking a faorly tight turn at 30MPH or above. I drove it quite a while before getting it fixed and it didn't exhibit more common wheel bearing noise until just before I brought it in.
  • laserbluelaserblue Member Posts: 313
    Those who read my #1595 post...well I went to a different GM dealer and they heard it on the first try (Go figure). They found the problem in 5 minutes, repaired it. The problem..."Both front bearings seized".
    Weird! Three visits since january at a dealer...couldn't find or hear nothing. Went to another dealer, hear and finds the problem in 5 minutes.
    Runs like new.
    Lucky, because my warranty end on the 6th of may...11 days from now.
    I'm asking myself if the first dealer I went to would have found the problem after the 6th of may? After my warranty had ended?
  • marshalitmarshalit Member Posts: 6
    Was it expensive to get it fixed?
  • laserbluelaserblue Member Posts: 313
    No, it was covered by the warranty, but the warranty will me over on the 6th of may...someone had to find this problem fast, that's why I went to another GM dealer. A bit further but it was worth it.
    If I would of paid for that repair it would have cost me... 391.00$
    Suspension mecanics rates...129.95$/hr + tax. It's a 1½ hr job + parts.
  • ray80ray80 Member Posts: 1,655
    Marsh, Mine was fixed at an indy shop here in the states, replacement is hub assembly, and was $300 + tax

    laser, did you give the second dealer a hint as to what it might be? The noise on mine was quite different then usual bearing noise and might have been tougher for first dealer ti figure out if they hadn't seen (heard) it before.
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