6.0
fairly significant- Typical Repair Cost:
- $380
- Average Mileage:
- 58,650 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 12 complaints
Most common solutions:
- not sure (10 reports)
- replace anti-sway bar struts (1 reports)
- replace stabilizer bushings & links (1 reports)
when i drive over bumps or cracks in the road it makes a loud clunk noise. I had the struts replace and the brushings and I still get the noise.
- eaglemann, Olympia, WA, US
Every time I complained about this, it was neglected and never was fixed.
- mrmrichcreekin, Goshen, IN, US
Don't understand the problem with the front end. Bought the car for my daughter as her first vehicle.. She loved the car with the Daytona blue color chrome rims and the fin on the hatch.. The car is loaded. After we purchased the car from a local Chevy dealer it started making noise under the front end when she would go over a bump at slow speeds. Took it back to dealer and they said it was the steering shaft and replaced it and it was awesome when we picked it up. About 3 months later my daughter called me crying saying the noise was back and was worse. I checked it out and it was worse called the dealer and sorry no warranty on repair. So I paid to get car fixed and picked it up and wow good again until about 3 months and now the clunk is back again and they want me to pay again to have the car fixed. This is a known problem. I don't know what to do. I have owned Chevys in the past have been happy but this issue is like no other I've ever had with a vehicle. Gm needs to do a recall on these cars and get this problem fixes once and for all!!
- John S., Panama City, FL, US
Had reported clunking sounds several years earlier, but problem not located at that time. Issue after road test found both left & right front stabilizer bushings & links were worn. Making it necessary to r/r both left & right front stabilizer bushings & links.
- sue.binnie, Memphis, TN, US
There have been several recalls on this car and the suspension needs to be recalled! Its a real good way of causing an accident.
- mrmrichcreekin, Goshen, IN, US
I purchased the HHR new. After a few months every once in a while I would hear a popping/clunk type of sound from the front end area. After several years it continuously got worse. So in 2009 I had a mechanic friend replace both struts. The noise stopped...for a few days! Then gradually it started coming back every once in a while. Now (June 2012) it is the worst ever! I believe it is coming from the struts again! What is the problem! Bad parts? Bad car? Seems like a lot of people are having the same type of problem. I'll probably replace the struts again...then FOR SALE...Now I only have 63,000 miles. I'm tired it this HHR.
- lhentzell, Wellsville, OH, US
I have had a horrible front end clunking noise since practically driving off the car lot. It started with coming down a winding mountain road. The steering wheel began to shake really bad and then going over any bump in the road the front end sounded as though it was going to break in half. I have had struts, shocks, front end ball joints, steering column,rack and pinion,multiple rotor turns on a lathe, front brakes, and the list goes on..Now at 32k the problem has yet to be fixed and my Chevy is in the shop for weeks at a time. This has become so frustrating!!!! GM does nothing about it, no recalls, and my warranty has long since run out. I have dumped thousands of dollars into this hunk of crap car..and if I could leave it by the side of the road, keys in it, doors open, I don't think anyone would take it...how I wish they would... I am beyond angry.....
- calnmadsmom, Los Angeles, CA, US
Warning to anyone looking at the HHR.............. Don't!!!! I've been around cars my whole life and owned Chevrolet 99% and have to say, my 06 HHR is hands down the biggest piece of sh*t GM has ever had the nerve to charge people for!!!! Without a doubt, this is my last GM vehicle and I will focus on the older muscle cars they produced that where worth something.
Sadly, I have just over 50,000 miles on mine and have more rattles and clunks than any car should have at 200,000 miles. Mine was a one owner and very nice when I purchased it and only after having to work commute 60 miles a day did I discover how cheaply the HHR is.
GM should have named this vehicle HPS (Heritage Piece of Sh*t...........)
- carrs_inc, Butler, PA, US
Your dealer will try to get you to replace all sorts of front suspension and steering parts but check your anti-sway bar struts first. They are cheap to purchase online and not too much of a pain to replace should you choose to do the job yourself.
- wayneh, Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada
There is a clunk or rattle in the front suspension. I have driven it several thousand miles with it but after reading some of the same complaints, I am concerned about the safety of highway driving. Seems to be a common problem, but I have yet to see a tech bulletin in regards to the issue. Since it's out of warranty, I really don't want to spend 2 or 3 trips and several hundreds of dollars to replace parts and still have the rattle.
- hoodsiejr, Elkhart, IN, US
I bought this car with 22,000 miles GM certified, started to rattle right after I bought it dealer said the Stabilizer links bad, replaced, BUT THE RATTLE IS STILL HERE!!! How could those be bad in 27,000 miles??
- falconwagon62, Trenton, OH, US
HHR, Chevy
Clunk when going over bumps.
Front Sway Bar Link may not be long enough. Try longer then stock length and see if that works.
A mechanic is looking for broken or worn out items. Not design flaws.
Let me know if this works.
- badmatt, Reno, NV, US