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.
I had to replace left and right control arms on this vehicle, brakes constantly can't unlock doors from inside, have to roll down window to unlock, now having engine problems and one of the control arms going bad again.plus something is causing rain to get in my car somewhere, because when it rains at smells mildewy.
On-going despite several repair and/or replacement attempts. The rotors have been replaced four times. I just did the rotors and brakes 3 weeks ago. When it is cold the suspension seems like the car is going to fall apart. The power steering comes and goes. The first time it happen I was trying to make a U-turn and was almost rammed from the passenger side door. These cars are a death trap. All my issues has been going on for about nine months.
I have a 2007 Chevy HHR purchased new and the whole car shimmies and shakes when the brakes are applied, worse when going down hill or when you need them most even at slow speeds of 20 or 30 mph. My mechanics have never said there was a problem as long as I have owned them, nor said brakes or rotors needed repair or replaced. I feel so unsafe driving this vehicle and thought it was only me until I read all these complaints. It has just now reached 40K miles on the car, and is what I would consider in like new condition. If there is such a problem Chevy should have done something about this by now.
It would be easier to list the things that are ok with this car. I've resurfaced or replaced the rotors several times (four times in one year) after consistently complaining to the dealer that it sounded like things were falling off the car. The car's braking and steering capacity is extremely diminished. I've replaced a broken stabilizer control arm and now I'm told the front end needs to be rebuilt. This damage is a direct result of the continuing problem with the rotor warping. The check engine light is on more than off and its been in at least 10 times for this issue. GM customer service is aware of these issues and refuses to return customer calls. Updated 11/29/11. Updated 12/06/11.
- Chicopee, MA, USA
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The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet HHR. While driving approximately 20 mph in the driveway, the contact heard a loud clanging noise underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the front rotors were resurfaced. The failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer four times for the similar failure; and the drivers side sway bar was replaced. Also, on a separate occasion the technician advised that the front and rear rotors be replaced; yet, they were not replaced when the complaint was filed. The failure mileage was 11,000. Updated 1/25/11 the check engine light illuminated, the outside door handle was peeling, the sway bar and drivers side headlight were replaced. Updated 04/21/11
The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated that when the brakes were depressed from 15-20 mph and up, the front end of the vehicle would shake and shimmy abnormally. The vehicle was taken to a repair shop where the front rotors were turned. The failure recurred. The vehicle was not further repaired. The manufacturer offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 9,500 and the current mileage was 25,575.
The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated that while applying the brakes the front end of the vehicle would vibrate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the rotors were turned at 9,000 miles. The failure happened again and the rotors were turned again. The failure still persisted and at 30,000 miles the rotors were replaced. The failure mileage was approximately 9,000. The current mileage is approximately 31,000. Updated 10/27/10. Updated 11/16/10 updated 11/23/10
Chevrolet HHR brake rotor problem. Please see all of the complaints on the HHR at www.mycarstats.com/safetystation.asp?cars=7107127. Owners have been bringing their HHR's to the Chevrolet dealerships with this problem since 02/06/07. Out of 73 complaints on the 2007 Chevrolet HHR 19 complaints, or 26% of the complaints are related to the brakes and rotors. Please investigate the rotors that Chevrolet is using on the vehicles, before someone gets injured or killed. Most complaints are at low mileage, and are new vehicles. Sounds like there is some kind of defect in the metal that is being used to make the rotors. I checked to see if there were any recalls on the rotors, but it doesn't even seem that the problem is under investigation. I brought my HHR to a Chevrolet dealership in 2009 and a mechanic took my HHR for a drive by himself, but said that he could not find any problem. This time the HHR was brought in the dealership for the same problem I requested that my husband ride with the mechanic, and the mechanic was able to duplicate the problem, and said that he felt it was the rotors. That is why I am reporting this issue. Perhaps the Chevrolet dealers, or other HHR owners have not reported the problem to the right division of government. Thank you
The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 mph, the power steering failed and the vehicle began pulling to the right. The contact had to gain control of the steering wheel and pull it in the opposite direction in order to gain control of it. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer six times for diagnostic testing but the dealer offered no assistance. The contact stated that the manufacturer was involved in a legal dispute for excessive gear backlash which caused steering failures under certain conditions. The failure mileage was approximately 2,500. The current mileage was 7,870. Updated 07/19/10. The consumer stated the vehicle would pull to the right, the dash lights were out on occasion, and the brake pedal would travel to the floor when it was applied. Updated 10/08/10
The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet HHR. While driving at approximately 30 mph, the contact applied the brake pedal when he noticed that the steering wheel and brake pedal began to vibrate. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership where the front rotors were resurfaced. However, the problem still occurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealership on two other occasions and the front rotors were replaced on both visits. However, the problem still occurred. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000. The current mileage was approximately 42,000.
I have a 2007 Chevy HHR, which has been in shop 6 times for front brakes. When you apply the brakes the whole front end shakes and shimmys. No one can find the problem, just about every brake component has been worked on. This vehicle is dangerous it should be fixed correctly or I should given a new car!! this one is a lemon and I dont like my wife driving it. I need help, im a disabled american veteran and I need a decent vehicle to drive, not a death trap. Respectfully howard H. herold
With 61,000 miles on my 2007 Chevy HHR, I am having to replace the front brake rotors once again. I have had many cars with disc brakes and have never had to replace the rotors. There must be a design flaw in this vehicle.
The brake rotors on 2007 Chevy HHR keep warping. They had to be turned at 28,000 miles and at 53,000 miles. I can barely keep the car straight when braking from the vibrations.
My HHR (which I love) has had vibrating brakes for quite some time. From info found on forums dedicated to the HHR and here, I determined that GM or the Chevy dealer wasn't going to satisfy the need for better quality rotors. The oem rotors are junk and should be banned from being installed onto a motor vehicle. Instead of getting the regrind as specified by GM, I chose to get my own brakes upgraded to a Canadian made rotor set and new pads. Parts and labor were $282.19 total. I will be sending the bill to Chevrolet, but I doubt that they will reimburse me...lol.
Driver was leaving parking lot when passenger side (right front) cv shaft broke completely in half at 35,440 miles without warning. Cv shaft could be heard slapping around under car while motor running in gear, probably tearing up other components under the hood and suspension. The cv shaft breakage left the vehicle under no power because passenger wheel is the drive wheel....vehicle started to roll backwards into traffic. Also, the vehicle's steering wheel also had no ability to be turned to the left due to the broken cv shaft blocking it by shaft hitting the wheel/heat shield/rotor assy. Owner had to push car backwards out of traffic and into parking lot. Vehicle would still rolled while in park, had to use parking brake to make vehicle stationary. I waited 2.5hrs for GM road side assistance to get tow truck to my vehicle. 1st tow truck didn't come due to GM not checking to see how far they were from vehicle location. Vehicle was towed to jba Chevrolet (glen burnie, md) on June 25th, 09 (next day). I went to dealership to check on car and get loaner. Jba offered no loaner stating that service dept not open and they must diagnose first and wait until Monday and then maybe I get a loaner. Also GM cust asst 1-800 number stated I could rent and get reimburse but I don't trust GM and money at all after seeing how others treated about and how poorly they manage their own money. This cv shaft incident happened 1 week after getting car back from dealership for brake overheating/warping and heat shield grinding problem. The mechanic then stated he knew brakes were cheaply made and problem but no recall and if over 36,000 miles...they won't be free anymore.... cv shaft looked to be made of cheap aluminum cast and I believe same heat problem that made caused rotor to warp, caused cv shaft to become brittle. Either this or components were reinstalled incorrectly by jba Chevrolet when they repaired brake problem.
The brakes started shuttering after 20000 miles, the dealer found the brake rotors were warped and turned the rotors. At 55000 miles the trouble has returned and since the car is out of the 3 yrs 36000 mile warranty will not fix. The brakes pulsate badly at this point and 2 service managers claim is the result of the rotors being too light for the weight of the car and it is happening to many Chevy HHR owners. The 2nd problem is the electronic steering. The steering shakes when the warped brakes are applied due to the plastic gears wearing and when you are driving over a rough surface. Again the dealer nor GM will make repairs due to car out of 3 yr 36000 warranty. Again the service managers has admitted this problem is happening to many owners. Both problems can lead to a loss of control and the rotors could cause the brake pads to deteriorate and prevent proper braking leading to loss of control and accidents.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Shreveport, LA, USA