10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 3 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 4 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 39,611 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
Bought Chevy HHR w/ @23,000 miles at @32,000 experienced severe front end shaking while braking. Dealer acknowledge issue as warranty repair and surfaced rotors. Car exhibited same issue at @45,000 miles. It is obvious by reviewing these few sources (there many more) that Chevy is denying the use of inferior rotors. www.chevyhhr.net/forums/archive/index.php?T-2768.html townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.F113fcd blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2008/02/recall-alert--1.html ntsb complaint 10229961 ntsb complaint 10229818 ntsb complaint 10223434 ntsb complaint 10222711.
- New Bern, NC, USA
Within the first 2,000 miles of delivery this car developed a shimmy in the front end of the car. This occurred when decelerating and coasting and when one applied the brake as well. There was also a hesitation in the car at the same time and this may have been related, but that problem eventually disappeared. I did have the tires rebalanced but this did not change the vibration problem and I took the car back to the dealer many times to try to determine the cause of this problem. Every time the service area concentrated on brakes. They re-ground the rotors, replaced brake pads, calipers and sometimes this did improve the situation for perhaps 30 days but within a short period of time the same problem would redevelop. They complained that the tires should be rebalanced again...I did that at the dealership so the service people could not off-load the responsibility of the work. No help. At the most recent service replaced the brakes again, not out of concern for the repetitive problem, but just charged me the normal servicing as a wear item. When I got the car back, again, the shimmy problem was gone...almost. There is still evidence of a minor shimmy in the front end and this is how it always develops. I went back to the dealer and noted that we were taking the car on vacation but that I wanted to document the problem again in the event we had to have service in a remote location. The dealer again serviced the brakes and I left on vacation to san diego. The problem again appeared and we decided to not drive this car back cross-country and it remains in san diego and no use to me whatever. My spouse will not enter the car because she fears the front-end will collapse. I agree with her.
- Warren, NJ, USA
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated that the vehicle vibrates excessively when the brake pedal is depressed. He took the vehicle to the dealer on four occasions and had the brake rotors repaired. Secondly, the air conditioning pump failed and caused numerous failures on various components. He took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that he had to have major repairs made to the vehicle, including replacement of the brake rotors, calipers, pads, ignition cylinder, shifter, battery, and the air compressor. The repair costs would exceed $2,000. The vehicle has not been repaired. The contact has copies of the vehicle's repair history. The failure mileage was 500 and current mileage was 59,000.
- Rimrock, AZ, USA
Bolt fell out of the lower right steering arm, causing the entire wheel assembly to move backward upon braking and forward on acceleration.
- Oakland, OR, USA
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet HHR. At less than 25,000 miles, the brakes would occasionally roll when the brake pedal was depressed. The dealer stated that the rotors did not need to be replaced at that time, but advised the contact to keep an eye out. Currently, the failure has worsened and the contact has scheduled an appointment to see the dealer. The instrument panel lights, which indicate how many miles the vehicle has or how much oil is remaining, illuminate on and off intermittently. Occasionally, when the key is turned in the ignition, the engine turns over but the vehicle does not start. The current mileage was 30,000 and failure mileage was 22,000.
- Independence, KY, USA
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet HHR. While driving 50 mph on a misty day the contact experienced brake failure while attempting to stop the vehicle. The contact began pumping the brakes, but the vehicle remained in motion. The contact veered off the road and the vehicle stopped automatically. This was not the first time the contact's vehicle had brake failure. The vehicle was brought to the dealer on two separate occasions. On one occasion, the dealer filed the rotors down and turned them. The contact has possession of all repair orders. The failure mileage was 2,000. The rotors were surfaced. Updated 05/04/07.
- Atlanta, TX, USA
- Box Elder, SD, USA