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Comments
Note: Use care removing the switches in the door panel. They do all pop out but some not so easily. Now I'll just wait for the others to break.
starfruit55
First the remote start door remote system quits, replaced fob battery and worked for about a month, then nothing, once in awhile it sort of works. But having a door handle break like this is bad!
How many owners have the same problem? If you need to get out of the car, wind window down reach out or use the passenger door! This is a safety issue!
I looked online for some diagrams to see how to remove the panel inside to get to the mechanism, nothing readable! Anyone have something?
After reading the responses in the forum I think I will try to repair the handle myself.
My break is visible when you open the door and pull the door handle open, so I'm going to mix up some PC10 epoxy and take a small brush and brush it on the break where I can see it, then close the handle, re-open it to make sure it made a connection to the other side. If not, I'll let the initial coating cure, then add another layer and test again. The broken plastic does have a rough texture where broken, so the adhesive should adhere well.
I just need about 12 hours of 50 + degrees for the epoxy to cure.
Ken
My wife and I finally have taken the assembly apart and low and behold it was NOT the "released" connection I thought it was. It is hard to describe exactly how we felt when we saw the door handle was actually plastic and that it was fractured. I ran to get online to hopefully try and find a $40 dollar fix with a new handle only to find they were not available unless you buy a whole door panel assembly. Within 5 minutes I found this forum, and one other,where a gentlemen in TN described how he fixed it. After about six bucks at the local hardware store I am about thirty minutes into my repair and have high hopes I can fix this and avoid the $400 RIPOFF that Chevy is charging HHR owners for a fix.
It floors me that some engineer thought a caste plastic would hold up under a repetitive stress situation such as the door handle of a car. The design has all the torque place on one thin elbow piece that has no structural integrity. What floors me even more is that we have become such a "plastic" culture. It is stupid to be mad at foreign manufacturers because we are the consumers whom continually by these plastic made parts. We continue to think that the cheaper is always the better choice. Thus we have dollar stores every mile through out the city, What do they specialize in selling? PLASTIC! (from over seas) We are the consumers who shape what is sold to us by continually buying this cruddy stuff because it is cheap.
I have been a loyal Chevy owner for many years and I was seriously surprised by the lack of integrity displayed in their design on this part. I am already thinking about removing the other inside handles and reinforcing those before they break. For the next few days, we will use a piece of nylon rope to release the latch so that the car is still useable. Will try and update as I can. THANKS FOR THE HELP!
Gruffy
well, it seems like everytime i turn around something is going wrong with my car!
#1. the whole car violently shakes when i apply the brakes (im told that my rotors are wraped from driving threw water puddles)
#2. i've had to have the radio replaced, because it would just shut off on its own, or never come on.
#3. the gear shifter knob came off in my hand as i was shifting the gears.
#4. the check engine light comes on for a day or two and then goes away.
#5. O...lets not forget the water in the floorboard of the passenger side. (i've had it fixed, but now the whole car smells like mildew.
#6. seriously bad blind spots! i have hit...2 different telephone poles, a car and a bobcat (the animal) all with the front bumper!
#7. my side mirrows don't move anymore with the button, or even when a car with bright headlights, like it did when i first got the car.
#8. the sunroof brackets broke, now that thing leaks and the dealership says they will not fix it, cause of wear and tear.....hello this has all happened to my car in the 1st year of having this car.
#9...and just tonight, on my way to a friends house, my POWER STEARING goes out. I took it to a 24hr place to have them look at it real quick and they can't figure out where the power stearing thing is....so, i get back in my car to come home and guess what i have? my power stearing is back!
#10. i have also been told since i bought the car in 05, that i need a new clutch! it only acts up when its cold!!!! the dealership tells me thats wear and tear too, but they also said, its cause someone has been driving my car that doesn't know how to drive a standard....hello....that's what i learned to drive on.
So, for almost 5.5yrs, i have been driving this car with all of these problems and my car now has 91,000. miles on it.
plus i forgot to mention, it clicks really loud when i make a hard right hand turn...what's that?
anyone else?
Where I live our streets flood quite easily...with very little warning and I told him if the handle ever broke off in my hand and I could not get out of my car, I am leaving explicit instructions to sue CHEVROLET!!!! If there is ever a class action lawsuit ...please let me know..this is absurd!!! Should have stuck with a foreign import! In 50 years of driving NEVER HAD A DOOR HANDLE BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CHEVY-COBALT-PONTIAC-G5-INSIDE-DOOR-HANDLE-2005-2- 010-/320472056948?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4a- 9d9f8474
is first one I found. I searched for Cobalt door handles.
You will have to take off your unit and figure out how to replace the handle and surround...
Good luck with this. That seems a lot more practical than replacing the whole door panel.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
warvin
Has anyone looked at the radio to see what is going on? The radio works other than the display correct? Thank you,
Mariah GM Customer Service
Try ebay.com and search for cobalt interior door handle or inside door handle.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
When ,or where, will it end? Is this the quality that made american industry the envy of the world?
Not that the car is "crap", just getting too costly too soon.
Anyway, I am glad to get a chance to vent. Has anyone heard of a recall for this problem?
I closed my door on my safety belt and broke the plastic button (the size of a dime) that passes trough my safety belt.
Went to buy another one at the dealer....get ready....38.00$
I said NO WAY!
If you would like to send me your VIN I would be happy to look into recall information for you.
Christina
GM Customer Service
Are you still experiencing concerns with your vehicle? Please email me your VIN and situation information. Thank you!
Christina
GM Customer Service
I read your post that you replaced your wheel bearing. I would like to ask you what kind of noisy was it making???? Mine sounds like the drivers side tire is rubbing. I did take it to A mechanics shop and they have no idea what it is all they could tell me was that they heard the noise and to keep driving it till it gets worse.
I'm talking by experience. When I was younger I could hear a weird sound when applying the brakes, went to a mechanic and he told me that he couldn't find anything and to wait till it got worse (exactly like your mechanic did) I waited....It got worse alright, had to change all the front brake system (discs, rotors, hoses) I mean everything, cost me 800$ this was back back in 1979.
Ya right! Wait until it gets worse he said.
Who's won in this story.
I took the car to the agency and was told the door handle was still $343 plus labor...someone suggested I get rid of the car. I though to my self; "self, this ******* will soon be out of extended warranty...and then I WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THE NEXT NEW HEAD. Ain't gonna happen." Immediately the agency put me with a salesman, and I bought a used Subaru Outback. They are now the proud owners of an HHR, and I have an "Outback" that has metal door handles and that good old pancake opposed engine that got me 346,000 miles in my Subaru Loyale (without ever, EVER braking a door handle).
I received a message from some Chevy Rep asking me for the VIN number so they could get involved...why would I even bother...it's a piece of plastic JUNK, and it's GONE from my sight. No more neck-aches from looking out of that restricted window, either....
So long folks. Buy America? NOT. That Chevy was made of Chinese plastic, and it had an European Transmission *FYI"....Americans aren't making anything any more...,,,just watch"Secret Millionaire" and see our vacant, rusty cities....
Good luck. If I were you, I'd ditch the car ASAP.
I bought mine (2010 2LT new) exactly a year ago and no problems yet.
I love the vehicule, fun to drive and economical. Best one since a long time.
Went on a cross country trip last summer, a real joy, crossed the valleys, plains and the Rockies without any problems what so ever a trip of 6,200 miles.
Sorry to hear about your door handle and I've heard of others having the same mishaps with door handles but plastic is plastic.
Good luck with your Subaru...they are nice and good for sure.
i too had a chevy rep wanting my vin number wanting to try and see if they could help....but, i'm so done with this car!! it's been nothing but problems after problems. My cat busted making it sound as if i was driving a loud race car and chevy wanted to charge me over a $1,000. to fix the job. well, i took it somewhere else and $50. later, my car doesn't make that loud noise, and i get better gas millage. Chevy also told me when my car had around 30,000miles on it that i needed to get a new clutch (sp?)...well, now that i have over 115,000 on my car....i still have the same clutch.
i got this car back in 2005 and it's a 2006. I was the 1st person in my town to own one...and now i'm wishing that i would have gotten something different.
Also about 6months ago...it flooded with heavy rains here where i live and being that i deliver pizza's and trying to get them to peoples' homes' safely and fast ( and even though a lot of them are very poor tippers) i drove my car threw safe water...a couple of inchs. well needless to say, my fan blades broke OFF and when they did, they cracked my radiator. I couldn't just replace the fan blades...OH NO i had to replace the intire thing that holds the fan. That was a pretty little penny!! and then fixing my raditor well, fix a leak stuff fixed it and all that it really cost me was that stuff, waiting a couple days, flushing it out and replacing the fluid.
has anyone else had to replace there powerstearing motor yet? well, i was thankful enough that the colbots had been recalled because of that matter and being that hhr and colbot have the same engine, chevy was nice enough to fix mine for free.
does anyone elses' car shake so bad when you apply the brakes you feel as if you are going to shake to death inside of the car? my car has had this problem for years now and when my car was still under warrenty, chevy told me that i needed new roters....and that my warrenty didn't cover it.
when my sunroof busted and now leaks so beautifully into my car, i was told by the warrenty people that they did NOT cover windows, even though i had the 100,000mile warrenty. so now my car has mold growing in it. THANK YOU CHEVY FOR SUCH A WONDERFUL SAFE CAR! i hope that my children or myself do not get sick from riding in this HHR!
i know that the car was made in mexico....and i'm not being rasicst but, i know my car is made out of mexican tuperware. a bobcat ran out in front of me a few months ago and ripped out my tire well, cracked the heck out of my bumper along with busting my fog light. my car went home crying and the bobcat ran off.
i would drive this thing off a cliff if there was any in florida!!!
Yes, the front end vibrates again. I just had it fixed. What the hell is wrong with GM...is it no wonder that people hate American made cars, but then Toyota is having troubles too. So what is one to do?
I had trouble with the rubber coming out of the window on the inside..window started to have condensation problems so took it back to the dealer and they had to fix that...I have read some of the owners have had trouble with leaks in their windows. Check that rubber seal. It is covered under the warranty.
BTW, I also had to replace my remote again for the second time. Transmitter inside the remote was corroded....hello? I have 1998 OLDS that has a remote and I have never had any trouble...the car is 13 years old and still going...maybe they were made better back then...
Thanks! Is anybody from GM listening? Kind of doubt it....
This time I would like it done right. I love the car ,but not the rattles. I rented a 2009 HHR LS from Alamo with 33000 miles and it didn't have any rattles or issues. Please heip me, advise me.
Please advise ASAP.
Paul
Please help me, please advise!!