2009 CHEVROLET HHR Complaints

IGNITION PROBLEMS AFTER STARTING AND CUTTING OFF THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES DECEMBER 4, 2011, I STOPPED BY THE GROCERY STORE, REACHED UP TO CUT THE IGNITION OFF AND THE KEY WOULD ONLY MOVE ABOUT 1/4" FORWARD, NOT CAUSING THE CAR TRY TO CRANK, AS IT NORMALLY WOULD, AND NOT TURNING BACKWARDS, AS IF CUTTING THE CAR OFF, AT ALL. I TRIED GOING THE GEARS, WORKING THE KEY IN EACH GEAR, CUTTING THE WHEELS, AGAIN WORKING THE KEY AS I TURNED THE WHEEL, ALL OF WHICH TO NO AVAIL. AS IT HAPPENED ON A SUNDAY, THERE WERE NO DEALERSHIPS OR SHOPS OPEN IN THE AREA, I HAD TO LET MY CAR SIT AND RUN FOR SEVERAL HOURS UNTIL I COULD GET A MECHANIC FRIEND OVER TO LOOK AT THE CAR. HE WAS UNABLE TO GET THE IGNITION TO CUT OFF OR TO GET THE KEY TO MOVE AT ALL, SO HE TOOK THE HOUSING OFF AND FOUND A WIRING HARNESS THAT COULD BE UNPLUGGED TO CUT THE IGNITION OFF THEREFORE ENABLING THE CAR TO CUT OFF. WE ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THIS CAN BE USED TO RETURN THE CAR TO RUNNING IN AN EMERGENCY, IF YOU PLUG IT BACK IN AND TURN THE KEY SLIGHTLY AS IF STARTING THE CAR, AS THIS IS THE ONLY DIRECTION THE KEY WILL TURN. *TR

I WAS LEAVING FROM A STORE MADE 2 TURNS THEN THE DISPLAY READ POWER STEERING -WHEN I GOT READY TO MAKE THE THIRD TURN I FELT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK UP AND AS I TRIED TO TURN IT I HAD TO USE ALL MY STRENGTH TO MAKE THE TURN-THIS COULD BE POTENTIAL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND WHY DOES IT NOT GIVE YOU A WARNING-I READ WHERE PEOPLE ARE JUST TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF THEN ON TO GET IT TO WORK RIGHT BUT THIS SHOULD BE FIXED BY THE MANUFACTURE BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. *TR

GOING 35 TO 45 MPH IN A STRAIGHT LINE ON A COLD NIGHT WITH THE HEATER ON. A MESSAGE SHOWING "POWER STEERING" ON THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER. WITH EVERY RESTART THE POWER STEERING WOULD WORK FOR A TIME AND THEN SHUT DOWN AGAIN AFTER A SHORT TIME. DEALER DIAGNOSED AS A FAILED ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ASSIST MOTOR. WE PAID $335.38 TO REPLACE THIS COMPONENT. THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME FRAME, POWER TRAIN, AND OTHER MAJOR COMPONENTS AS THE CHEVROLET COBALT AND PONTIAC G5 WITH THE BODY BEING THE MAIN DIFFERENCE IN THESE VEHICLES. CHEVROLET COBALT AND PONTIAC G5 RECALL INFORMATION: MAKE: CHEVROLET MODEL: COBALT MODEL YEAR: 2009 MANUFACTURER: GENERAL MOTORS CORP. MFR'S REPORT DATE: MAR 01, 2010 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V073000 NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE10005 COMPONENT: STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED NUMEROUS TIMES TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF; HOWEVER THE IGNITION KEY FAILED TO TURN AND REMAINED IN THE ON POSITION. THE CONTACT DISABLED THE FUSE AND THEN DISENGAGED THE BATTERY IN ORDER TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. THE KEY REMAINED STUCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE AN APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED FOR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000.

AFTER RETURNING HOME FROM RUNNING ERRANDS, I FOUND I COULD NOT TURN THE CAR OFF AND REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. EVEN PUSHING THE GEAR RELEASE BUTTON, DID NOT RELEASE THE KEY OR ALLOW ME TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. THE BATTERY & THE FUEL PUMP RELAY HAD TO BE DISCONNECTED IN ORDER TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. LUCKILY I WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY AND NOT ON THE ROAD WITH MY SMALL CHILDREN. THE IGNITION CYLINDER HAD TO BE REPLACED. CHEVY TOWED MY VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALER "FREE OF CHARGE" HOWEVER BECAUSE IT HAPPENED ON A WEEKEND WAS UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING OR FIND OUT ANY INFORMATION TO HELP ME OUT. IT WASN'T UNTIL MONDAY THAT A MANAGER WAS AVAILABLE AT THE DEALERSHIP WHO WAS WILLING TO HELP ME OUT WITH PAYING FOR THIS, DUE TO IT BEING OUT OF THE BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. THANK YOU TO THE DEALERSHIP, HOWEVER AM UNIMPRESSED WITH CHEVY FOR NOT RECOGNIZING AN UNSAFE DESIGN FLAW (NOT FLUKE, FLAW). *TR

ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING STOPS WORKING WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THE WARNING CHIME SOUNDS AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL READ OUT DISPLAYS POWER STEERING. THE POWER STEERING WILL RESET AND WORK AGAIN IF THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED BUT WILL STOP WORKING SOON AFTER. *TR

2009 CHEVY HHR LT WHICH IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT CAUSED A RECALL ON THE CHEVY COBALT,THE PONTIAC G6 ,G5 .THE CHEVY MALIBU. MY POWER STEERING SYSTEM FAILS IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN , THE LED READ OUT SAYS POWER STEERING AND THEN IT COMPLETELY GOES OUT , I HAVE TO EITHER TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND RE START IT OR REMOVE THE FUSE THAT IS IN THE ELECTRICAL FUSE BOX AND PUT IT BACK IN,THIS ONLY CORRECTS THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY ,(THIS IS SO DANGEROUS ,AS I MIGHT BE IN THE MIDDLE OF A CURVE ON WET/ICY ROADS AND HAVE THE STEERING GO OUT ON ME) THERE ARE NUMEROUS THREADS ON LINE IN REFERENCE TO THIS ISSUE WITH THE HHR AND GM HAS NOT DONE A RECALL FOR IT IN THIS MODEL, THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME STEERING COMPONENTS AS THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN RECALLED, ONE OF THE HAZARDS POSSIBLE IS A FIRE. I FEEL THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN ALL OF GM'S VEHICLES WITH THE SAME FAULTY PARTS NOT JUST THE ONES LISTED, THEY KNOW THESE PARTS ARE IN THESE CARS AND HAVE CHOSEN TO IGNORE ALL COMPLAINTS TO REPAIR THE ISSUE , THE PARTS COST THE PUBLIC BETWEEN $150.00 AND $200.00 NOT INCLUDING THE HOUR OF LABOR TO FIX THE ISSUE , WHY SHOULD THE CONSUMER BE REQUIRED TO FOOT THE BILL FOR SOMETHING THAT IS CLEARLY GM'S FAULT, I HAVE GRAND CHILDREN THAT ARE IN MY CAR AT ANY GIVEN TIME AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MY CAR CATCHING ON FIRE OR THE STEERING GOING OUT WHILE I AM IN A TURN ON A WET OR ICY ROAD ! *TR

I HAVE A 2009 CHEVY HHR ,WHICH IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT CAUSED A RECALL ON THE CHEVY COBALT,THE PONTIAC G6 ,G5 .THE CHEVY MALIBU. MY POWER STEERING SYSTEM FAILS IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN , THE LED READ OUT SAYS POWER STEERING AND THEN IT COMPLETELY GOES OUT , I HAVE TO EITHER TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND RE START IT OR REMOVE THE FUSE THAT IS IN THE ELECTRICAL FUSE BOX AND PUT IT BACK IN,THIS ONLY CORRECTS THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY ,(THIS IS SO DANGEROUS ,AS I MIGHT BE IN THE MIDDLE OF A CURVE ON WET/ICY ROADS AND HAVE THE STEERING GO OUT ON ME) THERE ARE NUMEROUS THREADS ON LINE IN REFERENCE TO THIS ISSUE WITH THE HHR AND GM HAS NOT DONE A RECALL FOR IT IN THIS MODEL, THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME STEERING COMPONENTS AS THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN RECALLED, ONE OF THE HAZARDS POSSIBLE IS A FIRE. I FEEL THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN ALL OF GM'S VEHICLES WITH THE SAME FAULTY PARTS NOT JUST THE ONES LISTED, THEY KNOW THESE PARTS ARE IN THESE CARS AND HAVE CHOSEN TO IGNORE ALL COMPLAINTS TO REPAIR THE ISSUE , THE PARTS COST THE PUBLIC BETWEEN $150.00 AND $200.00 NOT INCLUDING THE HOUR OF LABOR TO FIX THE ISSUE , WHY SHOULD THE CONSUMER BE REQUIRED TO FOOT THE BILL FOR SOMETHING THAT IS CLEARLY GM'S FAULT, I HAVE GRAND CHILDREN THAT ARE IN MY CAR AT ANY GIVEN TIME AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MY CAR CATCHING ON FIRE OR THE STEERING GOING OUT WHILE I AM IN A TURN ON A WET OR ICY ROAD ! *TR

AT SPEED ON STEEP DOWNHILL WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THERE IS A VIOLENT SHAKING OF THE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AND ROTORS WERE TURNED AND NEW BRAKE PADS INSTALLED ALSO A REPAIR WAS MADE TO A STEERING COMPONENT. LESS THAN 5,000 MILES LATER THE SAME ISSUE HAS RETURNED. *TR

THE VEHICLE WILL NOT SHUT OFF WHEN RUNNING, KEY IS STUCK IN THE IGNITION, THERE IS NO WAY TO SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF. CANNOT REMOVE KEY, VEHICLE WILL DRIVE, REVERSE AND PARK, WILL NOT ALLOW VEHICLE TO BE SHUT OFF. INTERNET SEARCHES SHOWS THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH BOTH THE CHEVROLET COBALT AND HHR, HOWEVER NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED. *TR