From Information I have learned this is a chronic design flaw that allows rain water to eventually enter the cup and destroy the blower motor. This is a serious problem with the coming winter not to mention A/C in hot weather.

I am 83 years old living on a fixed income and cannot afford to have this repaired. The information I have indicates that it would be an expensive repair. I feel that since this is a design flaw and some financial relief should be available. Help would be very much appreciated.

The Rev. David Nicholson

4137826171

This is another in the long line of issues. First in 07 the ac compressor locked up-it was under warranty. Granted I bought it used with 12,000 miles on it. Then in 08 the accelerator pedal went out. In 09 All of my outlets in the car stopped working-they said it is a main wiring problem and expensive to fix. Also in 09 the wires to the ac system burnt up. In 2010 my blower motor went out and the rear windshield washer began spraying fluid into the car oh and my battery died-dead cells-had to be replaced. Now here we are...2011 an oil leak near the block. Close to 2000 to fix at the dealership. my mechanic will charge 1000. I have opted to get rid of this sorry, worthless POS and get something not made by Chevy. Every part on this car has been outrageous to replace. I tell everyone I know not to buy one and why.

Okay. I have been trying to deal with GM's Customer Assistance Program with this issue for about a month now. Here's the story.

In October of 2009 my blower motor stopped working on the car. I thought this could be a fuse problem, but all of the fuses were good. Since this wasn't much of an issue due to weather, I procrastinated seeking further assistance. MY BAD! But when we took a trip from Northwest Indiana to Colorado Springs Colorado in November, it became a little more of an issue. But with the forced air it still wasn't uncomfortable in the car. I had purchased this HHR in Colorado Springs the year before in September. So while out there, I started to research the problem and possible solutions. Lo and behold, I find a couple of complaints on this web site. And a detailed description of my problem, and the fix for it.

So I checked with E-bay motors and found the OEM part for the blower and the resistor. Blower-$ 95.00. Resistor-$ 20.00. The weather in NW Indiana however did not co-operate with working out in the garage. You think 40 degrees is cold? Try temps that were only in the 20's! And I have NO HEAT in my garage. But I got to thinking that this issue should be a safety concern. And even though my warranty was expired, others were having the same issue. So I contacted GM as previously stated. Once on the phone, and then for the past month through e-mails. And I was "assured" that RAYEL was the BEST in getting back on customer complaints. Since "Rayel" I have had a Carlos, and a Dan reply to my e-mails. Also assuring me that "Rayel" would have an answer for me. On the phone the operator suggested I take the car into an authorized Chevrolet dealership to have it checked out. Which I finally got time to do today. And at a mere cost of $ 60.00 to diagnose the problem. Which of course, was the resistor and blower motor were fried! DUH! So okay. What were the damages to have them replaced? A mere $ 497.80! WHAT??? I could buy the OEM parts for $ 115.00. They were going to get me the SAME OEM parts for $ 256.80! Blower motor-$ 211.80, resistor-$ 45.00. The rest was labor costs. I was expecting to pay at least $ 300-$ 350 for the repairs. And I told the service manager so. I live on a budget and had figured that into it for this pay check. So he said "Let me see what I can do with that number." He then said he could do the work for $ $ 437.80. A savings of $ 60.00!! WOWIE ZOWIE! Funny thing though. Remember the $ 60.00 diagnostic fee?? When I got there in the morning (8:04 am) I was told that IF I agreed to the work, the diagnostic fee would be deducted on the total charges. So was that taken off the original estimate, or later. Whatever. It still didn't fit the budgeted amount. And in these times, there is NO ROOM for overruns unlike the government. Especially with a sick wife in the house and medical bills up the yang.

All of this I related to the kind and compassionate folks at GM Customer Care through e-mail updates from me. Including the promise from the service manager that my car would be diagnosed in no more than a half an hour. I didn't get a call back from him until after 10:30 am. And I left the dealership at 8:22 am. Whats an hour and a half of YOUR time worth? I also told him that I was working afternoons today. So I didn't have a lot of time to putz around with this. I also supplied him with my GM CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PROBLEM NUMBER and a detailed account of my dealing with them. He said that I would have to notify them of anything the dealership came up with, since they have NO WAY to give them any information. GEEZE, HE WAS TYPING IN INFORMATION ON A COMPUTER AT THE TIME!!!! They can't forward any information to GM through it?? In this day and age of electronic communications????? IN A COMPANY AS BIG AS GENERAL MOTORS?? Oh well. Guess it is why we tax paying American citizens had to BAIL THEM OUT. So they can continue to assemble cars outside of the USA to "save money". While the unemployment lines continue to grow HERE!

So I am still waiting on a reply from the folks at GM. Getting ready for work to pay my bills. I opted NOT to get the repairs done for now. I will drive my old reliable 1999 Chevrolet S-10 with 130,000 miles on it. And the heater/defrosters work GREAT! Bad gas mileage though. 4.3 liter V6 getting 17-18 MPG, with a 20 gallon fuel tank. But I owe, so its off to work I go. And the wife hasn't work since last APRIL due to her illness. Just a few more thoughts and I am done. The service manager (Mike) told me that the OEM parts I could get from E-bay would NOT have the 12 month warranty on them. Well, that is true. If I install them myself, they won't. And if I supplied them to the dealership, they wouldn't either? But why would GM care? Especially if there is "NO ISSUES" as they claim for this problem being reported? They say I am the first case. Damn, finally first at SOMETHING, and it is going to cost me a mere $ 497.80 for the privilege. So is there a problem with a defective resistor, or a problem with the seal? I can't say for sure. But the trusty technician at the dealership said that the butyl seal was fine, and that there was "NO EVIDENCE OF MOISTURE IN THE COMPARTMENT". You be the judge. How the hell did the resistor fail then? AND take the blower motor with it without blowing a fuse is beyond me. I think I will report this as a safety issue with the government. After all. WE OWN THEM DON'T WE??

The HVAC system can fail when water gets into the HVAC system through a butyl patch. The water can fry the motor or resistor or both!

Pull off the cowl under the wipers to see if it was where the leak is.

To take it off all you do is pull the plastic cap off the wiper. remove the 15mm nut, bend the wiper arm to the up position carefully and then pull it off. the passenger side is hard and u have to play w the hood or lightly set it down to get it off.

4 long screws hold the cowl down. you have to push out the loom holders on the cowl on the drivers side and you have to pop out the hose to the wiper on the far left side.

just pull it off enough to get to the problem.

this is what we found. wasn't ripped but the 3/16 bead of black sealant had dried up and come undone and was pouring water into the cabin air filter