2006 Chevrolet Hhr

THE EXHAUST CONE INSIDE THE FRONT FLANGE OF THE CONVERTER ASSEMBLY BROKE OFF CAUSING THE STAINLESS STEEL BELLOWS/VIBRATION DAMPER TO CRACK AND LEAK. THE LEAK AND CRACK CONTINUED TO GROW UNTIL I HAD CAUSE FOR CONCERN THAT THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY WOULD FAIL AND FALL DOWN TO THE ROAD BELOW AND CAUSE CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE OR LOSS OF CONTROL. I REPLACED THE UNIT MYSELF AT 82K MILES AFTER FIRST NOTICING THE PROBLEM AT THE 78K MILE MARK. *TR

WE HAVE SEVERAL DEFECTS. AFTER NORMAL BRAKING A COUPLE OF TIMES THE CAR AND STEERING WHEEL BEGINS TO SHAKE AND SHIMMY. THE MORE YOU USE THE BRAKES AFTER THIS STARTS THE MORE VIOLENT THE SHIMMY BECOMES UNTIL WE HAVE TO STOP AND LET THE BRAKES COOL DOWN. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ROTORS ONCE BUT COULD OFFER NO EXPLANATION. WE CONTINUE TO BE PLAGUED BY THIS PROBLEM BUT NOW MY EXTENDED WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER BRAKES AND NO ONE KNOWS OR OWNS UP TO WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. THE OTHER ISSUE WE HAVE IS THE EXHAUST, SPECIFICALLY THE HEADER PIPE ATTACHED TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WHICH CRACKED AT THE FLEX JOINT. THIS STARTED BACK WHEN WE FIRST EXPERIENCED THE BRAKE PROBLEMS, WE COMPLAINED TO THE SERVICE WRITER THAT THERE WAS A FUNNY SMELL AFTER DRIVING IT FOR A WHILE, HE LOOKED AT IT WHEN IT WAS UP ON THE RACK AND SAID THERE WASN'T ANYTHING WRONG, AS IT TURNED OUT THE SMELL CONTINUED GETTING WORSE WITH TIME UNTIL THE EXHAUST NOISE BECAME LOUD ENOUGH TO IDENTIFY AND THE FUMES WERE MAKING US NAUSEOUS AND GIVING US HEADACHES. THE MOON ROOF STARTED TO FALL APART SO NOW WE ARE UNABLE TO USE THAT, THE RADIO MAKES A LOUD POPPING NOISE , LOUD ENOUGH TO HURT YOUR EARS, THIS WAS ALSO WAVED OFF BY THE DEALERSHIP AS NOTHING. TO DATE NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT THESE ISSUES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE TRACTION CONTROL SWITCH ACTIVATED. SUDDENLY, THE TRACTION CONTROL DISENGAGED WITHOUT ASSISTANCE. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO IDLE EXCESSIVELY AND SURGED UNEXPECTEDLY. IMMEDIATELY, THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR IDENTICAL FAILURES. THE REPAIRS CONSISTED OF INSTALLING A DATA RECORDER AND REPLACING THE BCM. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING COLUMN AND GEAR SHIFTER WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT BEING DRIVEN DUE TO THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,456 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,500.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL IN HIS VEHICLE. HE TOOK HIS VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FLEX PIPE, WHICH CONNECTS TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, FRACTURED. AS A CONSEQUENCE, CARBON MONOXIDE ENTERED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 55,000. UPDATED 3/24/09 *CN UPDATED 03/27/09.*JB

I PURCHASED A NEW 2006 HHR AND IT HAS BEEN A VERY DEPENDABLE CAR UNTIL NOW. I HAVE PURCHASED MANY NEW CARS AND IN TWO YEARS AND LESS THAN 50,000 MILES I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY EXHAUST PROBLEMS. WHY HAVE THE METAL SPIRAL TUBING EXHAUST PIPE THAT COME FROM THE MANIFOLD TO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM HAVE CRACKED. THE METAL SPIRAL TUBING APPEARS TO BE IN MINT CONDITION, BUT FOR SOME IRONIC REASON IT HAS A BREAK IN ONE OF THE SPIRALS CAUSING IT TO HAVE AN EXHAUST LEAK. I TOOK IT TO A MUFFLER SHOP AND THE GENTLEMEN EXPLAINED TO ME THAT HE HAS BEEN DOING EXHAUST SYSTEMS FOR YEARS AND HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. HE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT IT HAS TO BE A DEFECT IN THE METAL. I WOULD ATTACH PICTURES , BUT YOU DON'T HAVE AN ATTACHMENT OPTION AVAILABLE. CAN YOU HELP ME WITH THIS SITUATION. *TR

MY COOLANT GAUGE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD NOT WORK OCCASIONALLY BUT WOULD START WORKING AGAIN WITHIN MILES AND BEFORE I COULD GET IT TO THE DEALER. THEY LOOKED AT IT THE FIRST TIME AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO UNLESS IT STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY, THAT THEY HAD NO WAY OF FINDING OUT WHY IT WOULD STOP WORKING AND THEN JUST START WORKING AGAIN. IT HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME AT ABOUT 15,00 MILES AND THEN AGAIN ABOUT EVERY 5,000 MILES FURTHER. IT STOPPED WORKING THE OTHER DAY AGAIN (EVERYTHING ELSE WORKED FINE ON THE PANEL AND NO PROBLEMS WITH THE HEAT/AIR, RADIATOR OR ANY OTHER COOLANT ISSUE) BUT THIS TIME IT MADE THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT COME ON ALSO. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS BEST NOT TO DRIVE IT IN CASE THE ENGINE WOULD OVERHEAT SO I HAD IT TOWED TO THE SHOP. THEY FINALLY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS THE THERMOSTAT STICKING AND CHARGED ME THE FULL COST OF REPAIRS AND TOWING SINCE THE MILEAGE WAS NOW AT 43,800. I HAD BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM FOR 30,000 MILES BUT THEY COULD NEVER FIGURE OUT WHY. THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED, MY AC WOULDN'T WORK. THEY SAID THAT THE AC COMPRESSOR WHICH COSTS $1300 TO REPLACE IS BROKEN BUT THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THE COOLANT GAUGE/THERMOSTAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. IT JUST SEEMS VERY COINCIDENTAL THAT BOTH GO OUT AT THE SAME TIME. MY CAR HAS HAD OTHER PROBLEMS THAT I'VE NEVER HEARD ANYONE HAVING WITH A BRAND NEW CAR THAT IS LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD. I WILL NEVER RECOMMEND ANYONE BY THIS YEAR/MODEL CAR. IT'S DANGEROUS DUE TO THE PROBLEMS THAT EVERYONE IS EXPERIENCING AND IN CONSTANT NEED OF REPAIR. MY NEXT ISSUE WITH MY CAR IS A NOISE THAT COMES AND GOES IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION. AGAIN, THIS PROBLEM COMES AND GOES AND THEY CAN NEVER FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT WORKS GREAT WHEN THE DEALER HAS IT. I WOULD GET RID OF THIS CAR IF I COULD AFFORD TO. *TR

2006 HHR - 50,164 MILES - ENGINE AND DASH SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING WITH NORMAL HIGHWAY/WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SPEEDS OF 65+ MPH AFTER HITTING BUMPS/TRANSITION POINTS OF PAVEMENT IN THE ROAD. THESE BUMPS ARE PAVEMENT THAT SOMETIMES BUCKLE IN THE SUMMER. THE CAR WOULD STILL HAVE STEERING AND BRAKES, BUT NO DASH LIGHTS OR TURN SIGNALS. NO DUMMY LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, NO WARNINGS CAME ON. THE HAZARDS WORKED FINE AND THE RADIO WAS STILL ON. THE CAR WOULD RESTART ON THE SHOULDER OF THE TOLLWAY BUT HE FIRST INCIDENT CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT HARD AND ALMOST SHUT THE CAR OFF WHEN COMING TO A STOP. THE CAR WAS DRIVEN TO ITS DESTINATION AND SHUT OFF. UPON THE NEXT RESTART WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY AN HOUR LATER, THE CAR SHIFTED FINE. THE LOCAL CHEVY DEALER TOOK THE HHR IN AND PERFORMED MANY DIAGNOSTIC TESTS AND CHECKED NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS AND ALL WAS FINE. THE VERY NEXT WEEK, DURING A POURING RAIN, THE CAR AGAIN SHUT OFF AFTER GOING OVER A BUMP ON THE TOLLWAY. AGAIN, NO DASH LIGHTS CAME ON, THE DASH SHUT COMPLETELY OFF, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF, AND THE WIPERS STOPPED, ALL WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN A THUNDERSTORM. THE CAR WAS AGAIN PULLED SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED. A MILE OR TWO DOWN THE ROAD, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. THE CAR WAS AGAIN PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND DURING A THUNDERSTORM! THE CAR WAS ONCE AGAIN RESTARTED AND ABLE TO GET OFF THE TOLLWAY. CALLS WERE PLACED TO TWO DIFFERENT CHEVROLET DEALERS IN THE AREA - ONE HAD NO POWER BECAUSE OF THE STORM, AND THE OTHERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAD JUST CLOSED. THE REST OF THE DRIVE HOME WAS DONE ON SECONDARY ROADS AT SLOWER SPEEDS AND PLENTY OF SHOULDERS TO PULL OFF ONTO. THIS CAR IS DRIVEN DAILY 60+ MILES ON THE ILLINOIS TOLLWAY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH OVER A HOLE OR DIP IN THE ROAD, THE ENTIRE VEHICLE STALLED AND SHUT OFF. THE WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR. THE STALLING OCCURRED AT LEAST THREE TIMES WITHIN ONE WEEK. THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE RESTARTED ONCE IT SHUT OFF. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER DOES NOT KNOW THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE OR THE REMEDY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING SEVERAL ISSUES WITH THE CAM SENSOR, WHEELS, A BROKEN HUB BEARING, BENT ROTORS AND AN ISSUE WITH REMOVING THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, DUE TO THE SHIFT CABLE NOT STAYING SECURED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE INSIDE DRIVER DOOR HANDLE WOULD NOT OPEN THE DOOR, THE PASSENGER SIDE BACK WOULD NOT STAY SECURED. UPDATED 06/25/08

IN APRIL 2007 MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT AND THEY ADVISED ME IT WAS A BAD SENSOR AND CHANGED IT. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL MORE TIME OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS EVERY TIME THE SENSOR WAS CHANGED. PROBLEM PERSISTED AGAIN IN JAN 08 CAR IS BACK AT THE DEALER AGAIN 5TH TIME FOR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THIS TIME I WAS ADVISED WHEN DOING THE DIAGNOSTIC CHECK THEY GOT A CODE FOR A MISS. THE MECHANICS COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS CODE TO COME UP. THE DEALER CONTACTED CHEVY'S TECHNICAL HELP DEPT AND DID A THOROUGH DIAGNOSTIC CHECK TO FIND OUT THAT THE MISS WAS CAUSED BY ONE OF THE HEADS GOING BAD...... THE CAR HAD ROUGHLY 15,000 MILES ON IT AND THE MOTOR HAD TO BE PULLED AND REPAIRED. MY CAR RAN GREAT FOR A WHILE AFTER IT WAS REPAIRED. NOW 3 MONTHS LATER AND 19,300 MILES ON THE CAR IT STARTED SPUTTERING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS BACK ON AGAIN! I HAVE NEVER HAD SO MANY ISSUES WITH ANY OF THE 4 OTHER CHEVY'S I HAVE HAD. I FEEL THIS CAR IS A LEMON AND A DANGER TO DRIVE. *TR

WE HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR NOT EVEN TWO YEARS, AND SO FAR WE HAD TO FIX THE SUSPENTION, AND LAST WEEK THE ENGINE BLEW. THE DEALER HAS HAD IT FOR ALMOST A WEEK AND A HALF. THE CANT EVEN EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT HAPPEND AND WHY. THE CAR ONLY HAS 35000 MILES. I DONT EVEN WANT TO KNOW WHAT MORE PROBLEMS ARE COMING. I AM NOW STUCK WITH AND UNSAFE AND UNRELIABLE CAR. A LEMON. *CN