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.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the power steering warning light, the ESC service, the ESC off, and the traction control warning lights illuminated, followed by the loss of power steering functionality. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the dealer stated that the power steering assist motor and the power steering assist module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the manufacturer stated that the VIN was not included in a recall or TSB. The failure mileage was 185,000.
When driving my 2009 HHR the steering wheel shakes & vibrate at different intervals. Usually while slowing down to a stop & sometimes after during high speeds. Recently the noise it made was frightening. I had to use my emergency flashers & drive 50 mi per hr. on the freeway to arrive home safely. I took my car to Mark Chevrolet & reported it on 08/02/2021. The car's mileage was 133344. The car is not an everyday vehicle that is driven often. I received the car on 08/17/2021 after the steering column & shaft were replaced along with resurfacing front brake rotors & rear brake job. On August 18, 2021 while driving on the freeway I went to blow my horn at a hazardous situation & discovered none of the steering wheels controls were working, horn & etc. I immediately returned my car to Mark Chevrolet & reported their negligence & how they had risk my life to release the car without these functions working. They supposedly corrected the problem. On 07/05/2022 I had to return my car to Mark Chevrolet because I was experiencing the identical problem with my steering wheel vibrating & make noise. My cars mileage was only 137641 less than a year later with just 4,297 miles driven. They claimed to have tightened something up in the column & returned my car on 07/12/2022. As I was driving on 07/16/2022 again the steering wheel started vibrating & making strange loud noises. I felt so unsafe & tried to make it home safely driving at a reduced speed. I plan to return the car this week back to Mark Chevrolet and am asking for support to rectify this situation. I understand there was a recall on Chevrolet HHR 2009 Steering Electric Power Assist System. I don't know if this issue is related to that. I never received communication from General Motors stating that my vehicle was affected but apparently there is a problem. Please Help!
My steering wheel begins to violently shake, onset about 10 minutes into driving, speeding up or braking has no effect on the frequency or level of shake. My steering wheel will be normal, about 10 minutes into the drive, going the same speed will begin to shake. I can stop and park the car, restart it, will not shake until I am driving again about 10 minutes into the drive. While shaking, it becomes very difficult to move the steering wheel even to get into the next lane. This has happened while city driving, I am too afraid to take it on the highway or go over 40 mph as I feel like I have no control of the vehicle when the steering wheel shakes.
My car's power steering has dangerously disappeared while I was driving on the highway. The power steering came on on the dashboard and I had to stir the car with so much force to get off the highway. I had my 10-year-old son with me on his way to school. No one knows why this happened and I can't drive it with a 10-year-old boy who I have to get to school and myself and my wife to work. Mechanic after mechanic no one can tell why the power steering wont work. Please help!
- Far Rockaway, NY, USA
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The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the air bag message displayed on the instrument panel before the power steering malfunctioned causing the steering wheel to become very difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle then started to stall. After turning off and restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated normally. The failure occurred on several occasions. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer wade Chevrolet located at 1670 hilton dr, St. George, ut 84770 was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 141,000.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel was loose. The contact stated that after making a turn, the steering wheel failed to return to the center. The contact manually returned the wheel back to center. The vehicle was previously repaired at South haven Chevrolet Buick GMC (10159 M-140 South haven mi 49090, (269)906-9558), and repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 14V153000 (steering). The contact was informed that the recall repair was a one time free repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 130,000.
The vehicle has started losing power steering at low speeds intermittently. In researching the problem, a recall on the electronic power steering for this 2009 HHR was found. In addition, I found that GM issued a bulletin (14119) under recall N140115, stating that for model year 2006-2008 and early production 2009 Hhrs, to provide eps motor replacement for the life of the vehicle. Since I have not had this vehicle since 2009, I contacted the dealership to look up the recall history and found the eps motor was replaced once already. However, this late 2008 production/mid-2009 delivery HHR is losing power steering at low speeds again. While myself and teenage daughter have driven it on the road. The dealership could get no diagnostic code of this and has told me there is no open recall on this vehicle and we are responsible for paying for the motor replacement. I am very disturbed that this problem 1. generates no code, 2. is being unacknowledged by GM, and 3. seems to be an on-going threat to safety for many HHR drivers. GM has made a mistake in not including my make/model (or so it seems) in the bulletin pertaining to replacing the eps motor for life and is failing to acknowledge that they may have additional vehicles on the road needing to be serviced, especially when the driver states there is a problem posing a serious safety concern. Note, the production of my HHR being in 2008, delivered in 2009 and failure by GM to acknowledge under bulletin 14119.
I have had my HHR 2009 for a year now and I've changed the brakes twice within two weeks..the first set was still new but it kept making grinding noises and roaring noises when I press down on brakes... my steering wheel shakes like crazy I really do love my car and I wanna get the problem resolved asap.
Have owned 1- 2008 & 1-2009 HHR ss with 2.0L turbo charger and manual 5 speed trans, and right at 100,000 miles the front suspension makes a horrendous noise like the front suspension is going fall out from under it when hitting small bumps. Also if you move the steering wheel back and forth it will make a very similar noise. The 2008 got totaled from a lady pulling out in front of me had changed the sway bar end links prior to accident made no change. Meeting the same mileage on the 2009 and already making the same exact noise. Almost afraid to drive it on the freeway for fearing of loosing the steering and killing anyone. I have read up on this concern and have seen alot of people with same noise and have spent 1,000S of dollars and noise still there. You would think someone would have been able to correct the problem before there are deaths involved but even the dealership can't find the fix. Really feel like this should be investigated at once, can't believe that there hasn't been a recall done yet.
2009 Chevy HHR had problems with stick gear stuck and will not move on position to dr or rev for several minutes. Car has been hesitating and racing to then jerks like I'm being hit. Happens everyone I press on the gas. I took it into bauchman Chevrolet to have serviced and was told it was fixed 2 weeks later it is doing it again. It almost caused a rear end due to hesitation. I need to get this fixed by dealership. Others have reported same issues.
My 2009 HHR has a problem with the shift gear sticking and not releasing to put it in drive or reverse also I bet problems where the car is revving up while driving and then jerks like someone is hitting it from behind I took it into bachman Chevrolet to have it fixed and they said it was fixed it is now doing the same problem again I'm afraid I'm going to be hit while driving when it starts jerking and hesitating and the engine is revving while in drive not sure what is going on while I'm driving.
The steering wheel turns to right by itself while driving slow. I have to hold the steering while real tight and firm to stop it from turning right. On Aug 26 2017 at 5pm, I was ready to make a slight right turn, but the steering wheel took control over me, the car turned right by itself before I turned the steering wheel. This morning while driving in slow traffic, the steering wheel turned towards right, I had put strength and hold firm and strong with my hands on steering wheel to stop it from turning right by itself. While driving fast, I felt the steering wheel vibrate towards right and heard vibrating sound...it could be life threatening if the steer wheel is out of control.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet HHR. While reversing at a low speed, the power steering warning indicator illuminated and the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V153000 (power steering). The failure mileage was 91,000.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet HHR. When the contact started to drive the vehicle, the power steering seized. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that there was no power going to the steering. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V153000 (steering). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet HHR. Shortly after purchasing the vehicle, the manufacturer stated that the vehicle was included in four recalls. The contact was advised to have the vehicle receive the recall repairs despite no failures occurring. Once the vehicle received the recall repair for the power steering and had the power steering assist motor replaced, the power steering failed. The following day, while driving approximately 5 mph, the power steering failed without warning. The contact parked the vehicle and restarted the vehicle; however, the power steering was still inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who informed the contact that they were able to repair the vehicle; however, the diagnostic results were not provided. The vehicle was repaired; however, the contact was unsure of what was replaced. The failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 126,000.
The electrical system in the car has shut down and has caused my power steering to go out while I am driving. It dings so I have some notice. But none the less really scary and very hard to turn going 20 mph. My brakes are very hard when this happens. My thermostat/ coolant information is currently displayed as dashes (----) across my dash, making this really difficult to know if it is hot or has run out and my ac is connected to this also so when it decides to work my ac will work. It will turn off and on while driving too. My mph reads my speed going 20 mph over what I am actually driving. My car has completely shut off while driving. The check engine light comes on and off making it more difficult to get codes.
Went to back HHR out of my garage and the brake pedal was rock hard with no give. Power steering has no power and the exc light is on. Not safe to drive at all. I have had numerous problems with this car. The ignition, air bags, brakes, door lock actuators...the list goes on. This one takes the cake due to safety concerns.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Minnetonka, MN, USA