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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
18 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
6 / 0
Average Mileage:
78,616 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2006 Chevrolet HHR steering problems

steering problem

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2006 Chevrolet HHR Owner Comments (Page 12 of 23)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #225

Feb 072014

HHR 4-cyl

  • 92,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The power steering just goes out. If you turn the ignition off then turn the ignition back on the power steering comes back on. The power steering will just go out randomly.we thought this would be covered under our extended warranty, but they say it's not. The mechanic says it's the steering column and the powersteering module. Cost of repair will be about 1100 dollars. 2006 HHR.

- Forestpark, GA, USA

problem #224

Feb 192014

HHR 4-cyl

  • 125,000 miles
My car started giving me a charging system warning light. I had it checked, with no findings. The car stopped on me several times, yet always check out okay. The last time the battery was shorted, so I replaced it. The next day the car stopped while I was driving it. I had it towed to a shop, where it started up fine and didn't show anything on diagnostic. When I went to pick it up it started and then shorted out the computer. The computer was replaced, it started up, then started smoking and shorted out the new computer. I want to note that approximately two years ago, the power steering went out and shorted out the charging system, twice. It was repaired at Chevrolet in bakersfield.

- Chino, CA, USA

problem #223

Feb 062014

HHR

  • 21,000 miles
My power steering went out as I was leaving a parking garage. My driving was greatly impaired on the way home.

- Arlington, VA, USA

problem #222

Jan 092014

HHR 4-cyl

  • 56,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When driving after making a turn the electrical power steering went out. This occurs about every other day when driving vehicle. There has been a recall on the 2005 Chevy HHR's for the electric power steering motor going out I think it should apply to the 2006 model because it is the exact same thing happening.

- Lago Vista, TX, USA

problem #221

Feb 082014

HHR 4-cyl

  • 139,300 miles
Steering assist went out. Message on dash display alerted me as well. Could restart the car, and the problem went away. I understand this has occurred on many HHR's, and cobalts, and the cobalt has a recall.

- Tulsa, OK, USA

problem #220

Jan 232014

HHR

  • 75,500 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet HHR. While driving 25 mph and making a right turn, the contact stated that the power steering assist failed and the power steering warning lamp illuminated. The failure recurred arbitrarily. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for a diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 75,500.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #219

Feb 012014

HHR

  • 71,400 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was stopped at a light to make a right turn and the warning for the power steering came on. It then became difficult to steer. When I started the HHR up almost 8 hours later, it drove fine. I don't want to be involved in a wreck because my power steering goes out.

- Northport, AL, USA

problem #218

Jan 142014

HHR

  • 97,000 miles
The power steering message comes on and the power steering goes out. It's very hard to steer the wheel. I have to find a place to pull over and re-start the car. Today it I had to re-start it 3 times on a short trip to the store and back. I feel this is a very dangerous safety issue. It happens without warning. Luckily I was in town to pull over, but even that was a hard with traffic and trying to find a place to pull over. If I was on the highway, it would have been really dangerous, because I wouldn't have any control. In searching the internet I found this is a common problem, but its not being recalled even though this part has been recalled in the ion, Malibu and cobalt and the HHR in Canada. If this is a faulty part, I shouldn't have to pay for it. So please re-call this part.

- Tracy, CA, USA

problem #217

Feb 132007

HHR 4-cyl

  • 30,000 miles
I have a 2006 Chevy HHR, I love it but, it has issues 1st I bought it used 15,000 miles. Since then I have had 1. the rear logo replaced 4 times, then, 2.the key get stuck when I turn off the car so I used the plunger and 3. the gear shift moves when the car is off or on. Now, 4. the key won't turn to start the car I have to jiggle it till it works. 5. my power steering goes out randomly, while driving it so I can't turn the 6.-,7.-, and 8.3 recalls, then, 9. the wheels shakes at 60 mph, I have 10. And 11. Replaced both front door handles with in 2 weeks 12. I hear a loud crackling or static sound from my speakers and the radio is off. Oh and 13. My check engine light won't go off plus 14. Every time I have to change the battery I have to get my remote reprogrammed for the auto start... it came with the car. What is going on? there are 14 issues some safety and some cosmetic but, clearly an issue I am only making my voice heard because I just started researching my car. I am a single mother I can't afford to fix the major ignition or gear shift, transmission and electrical car shaking these have been reported in a lot of Hhrs. Please help.

- San Antonio , TX, USA

problem #216

Jan 202014

HHR

  • 72,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 mph, the power steering assist failed. The failure was recurring however, the vehicle was neither diagnosed to determine the cause of the failure nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 72,000.

- Baytown, TX, USA

problem #215

Jan 032013

HHR

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Determine if a safety-related defect trend exists...have you seen how many people are complaining about there power steering cutting out" why is nothing being done" I've been dealing with mine going out randomly for at least a year. It may cut out 6 - 10 times a day, it may go a week or a month before it does it again. It may not do it for me, but will do it for my son...heat, rain, cold, snow it's just so random and dangerous. And yes the electric power steering will reset if you turn the key off and back on. This is just crazy that this failure is happening to so many HHR drivers. I cant believe that the problem hasn't been determined and that the dealership doesn't already know what to replace and has to charge you to do diagnostics to figure it out. There have been other car recalls (cobalt) for power steering why not the HHR now?

- Clawson, MI, USA

problem #214

Dec 192013

HHR 4-cyl

  • 108,000 miles
While driving on a curve at 55 mph the power steering quit and the vec became very hard to steer, almost causing an accident.

- Cocoa, FL, USA

problem #213

Dec 242013

HHR 4-cyl

  • 147,000 miles
Bought 2006 HHR lt new for my company. Purchased it from my company for personal use in early 2011. While my daughter was practicing parallel parking at the dmv (for license test), the power steering quit working. This was the first time it happened. The failure occurred when she was fully stopped and turned the wheel all the way to the right to begin the parking maneuver. It happened on the third practice for the day. Turned the HHR off, let it set 30 sec, and turned it back on. Steering reset. Worked for a couple of practices, and then the power assist quit again. This happened three times, with the 3rd time not resetting. Left and drove off with no power steering. A couple of miles down the road, turned off the HHR at a stoplight. It reset when I turned the HHR back on. Went to the dealer that day (christmas eve 2013) to get it fixed. They replaced the power steering motor - $453. Seemed to work fine. Went to dmv site again today (christmas) for further parking practice and the power steering failed again -- during the wheel turn at a complete stop. Happened twice; reset both times. Quit practice in frustration. Obviously the motor was not the issue... or not the only issue. Seems to be a recurring theme on this site that HHR steering has design flaws. Probably past time for regulators to see that the statistics justify a recall on the HHR's power steering. Going back to dealer tomorrow. How much this time is the big question?

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #212

Dec 232013

HHR

  • 114,000 miles
I was driving down an interstate highway at about 55mph when the power steering light came on and lost all of my power steering almost causing an accident. Luckily I got the car over to the shoulder. I turned the car off and restarted it to see if that would remedy the issue and 10 minutes down the road again, it did the same thing. I tried to change out the fuse under the hood and to no avail, the power steering went out within 5 minutes this time. This is a very serious issue and GM should fix this issue. I've had alot of cars and never had a power steering issue with this esp. I may never buy another GM product again.

- Fenton, MO, USA

problem #211

Nov 252013

HHR

  • 100,000 miles
TL- the contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated while driving approximately 5 mph the power steering failed when she made a right turn. The contact maneuvered the vehicle to the right side of the road. The vehicle was not towed. The contact was able to driven the vehicle to her home. There were no warning indicator lights illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic, due to the cost. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

- Canton, NC, USA

problem #210

Dec 062013

HHR

  • 56,000 miles
At varies speeds and driving conditions the power steering on the vechile stops working. It has happened while at stop lights and while driving home from work during normal driving conditions.

- Sunrise, FL, USA

problem #209

Dec 072013

HHR

  • miles
We own a 2006 Chevrolet HHR. While driving approximately 60 mph, the power steering warning illuminated and the steering wheel became very tight without warning. This has now happened numerous times in the past week - and at different speeds and weather conditions. A google search revealed there is a known problem with this component and it has been addressed in other models with the same power steering motor. Why haven't the HHR's been included in the extended warranty? losing power steering at a high rate of speed and trying to get over 4 lanes of traffic to stop and restart the engine could be deadly!

- Humble, TX, USA

problem #208

Jan 152013

HHR

  • 11,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated that while parked, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis. The technician was unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 11,000.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #207

May 152013

HHR

  • 83,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated that while driving 45 mph, the power steering warning lamp illuminated as the steering wheel seized. The contact had to merge to the side of the road to turn off and restart the vehicle in order for it to resume normal function. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the technician diagnosed that the electronic power steering module was defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 83,000 and the current mileage was 84,112.

- Oak Forest , IL, USA

problem #206

Apr 152012

HHR

  • 100,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated that the front driver and passenger's side door handles were fractured. The dealer was made aware of the failure and stated that the door panel on both doors would have to be replaced. Additionally, the vehicle stalled while driving approximately 20 mph. The contact also experienced difficulty steering on another occasion. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

- Grand Island, NE, USA

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