2006 Chevrolet Hhr Electrical Problems

while driving the car after a few miles, the door locks start going up and down, the power steering light comes on and is hard to steer, the check engine light comes on, the speedometer stops working and the tach malfunctions. the car surges while moving foward. if you shut the car off it will reset itself. once you start the car again it starts to malfunction again. one gararge owner did some tests but didn't fix the problem

NHTSA ID

11562300

Incident

Dec 1, 2023

The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and would not properly accelerate. Additionally, the front passenger’s side door would not open while using the interior door latch. The contact stated while using the cigarette lighter, the vehicle shut off, and smoke filled the cabin of the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 92,000.

NHTSA ID

11534867

Incident

Jul 1, 2023

Mileage

92,000 mi

AIR BAG LIGHT HAS COME ON WHILE DRIVING MOST OF THE TIME NOW AND LIGHTS AND ELECTRICAL HAS GONE HAYWIRE LIGHTS FLASHING AND DOOR LOCKS OPENING ON THEIR OWN.

NHTSA ID

11318965

Incident

Mar 17, 2020

Mileage

101,000 mi

IGNITION SWITCH WAS INVOLVED IN RECALL A FEW YEARS BACK AND DEALERSHIP SAY THEY REPLACED IT BUT NOW I'M HAVING PROBLEMS OUT OF SWITCH AGAIN WHEN I TAKE KEY OUT IGNITION AND OPEN DRIVER DOOR THE CHIME COMES ON LIKE KEY IS STILL IN IGNITION SWITCH AND DOOR WILL NOT LOCK WHEN I HIT DOOR LOCK ALL 3 OTHER DOOR LOCK BUT NOT DRIVER DOOR AND ITS DRAINING BATTERY BECAUSE IT'S STILL TELLING KEY IS IN IGNITION WHEN IT'S NOT IF I TURN IT BACK AND FORTH A FEW TIMES SOMETIMES IT WILL LOCK AND THE CHIME WILL STOP

NHTSA ID

11266159

Incident

Oct 10, 2018

Mileage

96,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE KEY WAS STUCK INSIDE THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT CALLED AAA WHO WAS ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V171000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

NHTSA ID

11195813

Incident

Apr 10, 2019

Mileage

130,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S KILL SYSTEM ACTIVATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND TOWED TO LEO MARTIN CHEVROLET (217 TX-332, LAKE JACKSON, TX 77566, (979) 230-2500). THE DEALER REPAIRED THE KILL SWITCH SYSTEM, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC PERFORMED DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THE SECURITY SYSTEM WAS REBOOTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TESTED AND RETURNED TO THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.

NHTSA ID

11131581

Incident

Sep 24, 2018

Mileage

128,000 mi

ONCE TO TAKE THE KEY OUT THE CAR STILL RUNNING, ONCE YOU START IT THE ALARM STAYS ON FOR 3MIN

NHTSA ID

11090919

Incident

Feb 6, 2018

Mileage

200,000 mi

WE WAS GOING DOWN HE ROAD IT JUST SWITCHED OFF I COULDN'T TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND I HAD TO STAND ON THE BREAKES.I COULD HAVE SERIOUSLY HURT SOMEONE OR MY SELF IF NOT WORSE AND I HIT A CURVE HARD.

NHTSA ID

11062661

Incident

Jan 7, 2018

Mileage

176,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WE HAD A HANDFUL OF TIMES WHERE THE LIGHTS WOULD FLICKER. WE WERE TOLD WE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT/BLINKER SWITCH AS IT WAS FAULTY DUE TO THIS VEHICLE HAVING THE "LIGHTS- AUTO ON/OFF" SWITCH LOCATED ON THIS. WE DID, IT DIDN'T FIX IT. WE WERE TOLD LOOSE HEADLIGHT BULBS. REPLACED, STILL HAPPENS. ONLY NOW, WE HAVE ZERO DIM LIGHTS BUT ONLY HEADLIGHTS IF WE TURN ON HIGHBEAMS (BRIGHTS). STILL, WE GET THE FLICKERING HEADLIGHTS, THIS DOESN'T EFFECT THE BLINKER LIGHTS, YELLOW RUNNING LIGHTS OR SEEM TO EFFECT THE BRAKE LIGHTS. PART OF THE AUTO LIGHTS DEAL IS WHEN IT'S DARK, IT WILL DIM THE DASH LIGHTS SO THEY AREN'T INTRUSIVE TO YOUR DRIVING, BUT IF IT'S BROAD DAYLIGHT, THEY WILL BRIGHTEN SO YOUR ABLE TO SEE THEM. I'LL START THE VEHICLE, AND THE DASH WILL BE COMPLETELY DIM, SO DIM YOU CAN BARELY SEE IT. AFTER DRIVING A GOOD LENGTH OF TIME (AT LEAST 30 MINUTES!) THEY'LL FLASH BETWEEN BRIGHT AND DIM, DAYLIGHT OR DARK THIS HAPPENS. THIS ALSO HAPPENS WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS GO COMPLETELY OUT. THEY CLAIM ALL FUSES ARE FINE AND WORDING HARNESS IS FINE BUT, OBVIOUSLY IT'S NOT. I HAVE BEEN READING SOME FORUMS IN THE CHEVYHHR.NET AND I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WITH THIS ISSUE. THIS HAS CAUSED SOMEONE TO NEARLY HIT ME HEAD ON AS I WAS TRYING TO MOVE OFF THE ROAD DUE TO MY HEADLIGHTS GOING OUT, AND THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO PASS A VEHICLE, AND HAD TO MOVE TO MY LANE TO DO SO! I HAVE CHILDREN, AND AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES END WHEN THE SUN IS GOING DOWN/IT'S DARK OUT SO TO TRAVEL HOME, THE SUN IS OFF THE HORIZON AND IT'S PITCH BLACK OUT. THIS ALSO SEEMS TO CAUSE MY BATTERY TO DRAIN, AND NEED A JUMP DAILY. I WAS TOLD MY BATTERY NEEDED REPLACED, DID THAT STILL NO FIX, TOLD IT WAS MY ALTERNATOR, STILL ISN'T FIXED. THAN I WAS TOLD I MUST BE LEAVING INTERNAL LIGHTS ON WHEN EXITING THE CAR. SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT WITH THIS VEHICLE AND IT IS VERY UNSAFE!

NHTSA ID

11047430

Incident

Aug 23, 2017

Mileage

200,000 mi

POWER STEERING CONSTANTLY GOES WHILE DRIVING. THERE WILL BE A DING AND IT WILL JUST CUT OUT... WHY DOESN'T THIS HAVE AN RECALL ON IT????? ITS SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS. TOOK IT TO DEALER IT WILL COST OVER 500 TO FIX. I CAN BARELY DRIVING IT A BLOCK WITHOUT THE POWER STEERING GOING OUT. IT STARTS 4 MINS AFTER DRIVING CAR... PLEASE HELP AND FIX!!! THIS IS DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ID

11046051

Incident

Sep 14, 2017

Mileage

189,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FAILED TO EJECT FROM THE IGNITION. IN ADDITION, A WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,900.

NHTSA ID

11034156

Incident

Oct 14, 2017

Mileage

120,900 mi

MY 2006 CHEVROLET HHR'S DISPLAY KEPT FLASHING "CHECK CHARGE SYS" AND "BATTERY SAVER ON." A MECHANIC SAID TO REPLACE THE BATTERY. I DID BEFORE EMBARKING ON A 200-MILE WEEKEND TRIP. ABOUT 30 MILES INTO THE TRIP, BOTH DISPLAYS RETURNED. BUT THE HHR PERFORMED NORMALLY. ABOUT 170 MILES INTO MY TRIP, I STOPPED TO EAT. MY HHR WOULD NOT CRANK. A TEEN OFFERED A JUMP. CAR STARTED, BUT THE GEAR LOCK KEPT IT IN PARK. WITH MODEST PRESSURE, I WAS ABLE TO SHIFT. ABOUT 3 MILES LATER ON A DIVIDED HIGHWAY, I EXPERIENCED DIFFICULT STEERING, DOOR LOCKS WENT UP AND DOWN, THEN SILENCE. EVERYTHING SHUT DOWN. LUCKILY, TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AND FROM THE RIGHT LANE, I WAS ABLE TO STEER MY HHR OFF THE HIGHWAY. HAD THIS BEEN AT NIGHT, IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, RAIN OR AT A HIGHER SPEED, I BELIEVE MY LIFE OR OTHERS WOULD HAVE BEEN IN DANGER. MY CAR WAS TOWED, AND THIS MECHANIC REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR. CHEVROLET'S DISPLAY SHOULD HAVE WARNED "ALTERNATOR FAILURE." AND MY GEAR LOCK WAS SO FLIMSY, IT FAILED IN PREVENTING ME FROM DRIVING. NOW, I HAVE A GEAR SHIFT WITH NO PROTECTION FROM ACCIDENTAL SHIFTING, AND MY KEY IS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. I DO NOT WISH TO BE A STATISTIC. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF FURTHER DETAILS ARE NEEDED.

NHTSA ID

10992344

Incident

May 27, 2017

Mileage

139,000 mi

WHEN LOCAL DEALER PUT IN THE RECALL IGNITION SWITCH THE BLINKER SWITCH WORKS OFF + ON AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ACTING WEIRD PLUS THE SWITCH IS NOT WORKING AS IT SHOULD EXAMPLE YOU CAN TAKE KEY OUT OF IGNITION SWITCH AS THE IS ON + DRIVING! ALSO GM CUSTOMERS SERVICES SAID THE INSTALLATION WAS A ONE TIME DEAL! I SAW THAT THIS WAS A LIFETIME ITEM TO BE FIXED? SO BOTTOM IINE CAR SWITCH DIDN'T HAVE THAT PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY INSTALLED THE RECALLED SWITCH. SO WHAT OPTIONS DO I HAVE SINCE IT'S THEIR FAULTY PART CAUSING NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS DIDN'T HAVE BEFOREHAND!

NHTSA ID

10957239

Incident

Sep 10, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

NHTSA ID

10947309

Incident

Apr 1, 2016

Mileage

115,000 mi

DRIVING AT 70 MPH ON FREEWAY AND SUDDENLY "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" WARNING COMES ON DISPLAY AND I CAN'T ACCELERATE. THE ENGINE CUT OFF. ON THE FREEWAY. THIS IS NOT SAFE (OBVIOUSLY) AND I DON'T SEE MYSELF BUYING ANOTHER CHEVY AGAIN. I HAVE A FAMILY AND THIS PROBLEM COULD KILL US ALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10917717

Incident

Oct 20, 2016

Mileage

130,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. WHILE DRIVING 80 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V632000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,985.

NHTSA ID

10896919

Incident

Aug 12, 2016

Mileage

119,985 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V171000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

NHTSA ID

10884745

Incident

Jun 1, 2016

Mileage

140,000 mi

2006 CHEVY HHR IS HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THE EPS WAS REPLACED AND NOW WHEN I AM DRIVE THE INSRUMENT PANEL NEEDLES MOVE BACK AND FORTH, POWER STEERING AND OTHER INDICATORS LIGHT UP AND CAR CUTS OFF. HAD SEVERAL TUNE-UPS AND THE PROBLEM IS HAPPENING.

NHTSA ID

10884485

Incident

Jul 5, 2016

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURES WITH THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE MANUFACTURER HAD THE DEALER COMPLETE A MANUFACTURER RECALL REPAIR FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE REPAIR CAUSED SEVERAL FAILURES AND DID NOT PROVIDE A PERMANENT REPAIR SOLUTION. WITHIN WEEKS OF THE DEALER'S REPAIR, THE KEY WAS DIFFICULT TO REMOVE FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE CONTACT HAD TO CONSTANTLY MANEUVER THE GEAR SHIFT, WHICH HAD ALSO BEEN AN ISSUE. IN ADDITION, THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO PROVIDE A READING AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GAUGES FAILED TO FULLY FUNCTION AFTER THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT THE SOLUTION WOULD BE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.

NHTSA ID

10874602

Incident

Nov 9, 2015

Mileage

147,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE THE CONTACT AND HER SISTER WERE IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE AFFECTED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND WAS EXTINGUISHED BY PEDESTRIANS. A FIRE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 24,400.

NHTSA ID

10853305

Incident

Feb 23, 2016

Mileage

24,400 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLES FRACTURED. THE FAILURE HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE BATTERY ALSO FAILED AND PREVENTED THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS FROM BEING USED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AND THE DOOR HANDLES WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000.

NHTSA ID

10838112

Incident

Feb 24, 2016

Mileage

175,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FUSE BOX CAUGHT FIRE AND CAUSED THE BATTERY TO DRAIN COMPLETELY. BYSTANDERS HELPED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER AND FUNCTIONALITY AND THE IGNITION KEY REMAINED STUCK IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,400.

NHTSA ID

10837830

Incident

Feb 16, 2016

Mileage

24,400 mi

MY CAR WAS INVOLVED IN THE IGNITION RECALL...TOOK IT IN HAD IT ALL FIXED. NOW THAT SAME SWITCH HAS GONE FAULTY AGAIN. THE CAR WILL NOT TURN OVER. ACTS JUST LIKE THE STARTER IS GOING OUT, IT SLOW TO START AND GETS WORSE AND WORSE TILL IT WILL NO LONGER START. I HAVE HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED AND STARTER(DUE TO THAT SEEMED TO BE THE ISSUE. AFTER DIGGING DEEPER INTO THE DIAGNOSTIC CODE I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT SWITCH KEEPS COMING UP AS AN ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

10825425

Incident

Feb 9, 2016

Mileage

125,000 mi

AFTER ABIDING BY THE RECALL TO CHANGE THE IGNITION SWITCH, THE CAR STARTS FREAKING OUT RANDOMLY. THE DASH LIGHTS START GOING ON AND OFF. LOOSE POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES AND THE CAR JUST STOPS. YOU CAN BE GOING 70 MILES AN HOUR DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR JUST GIVES OUT. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO FIX IT UNLESS I AM WILLING TO PAY ALL THE FEES. I HAD A SECOND DEALERSHIP REPLACE SOME FUSES BUT AFTER 2 DAYS IT STARTED DOING IT AGAIN. AFTER THE FIRST EPISODES, I CALLED AND OPENED A TICKET WITH CHEVROLET, BUT BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP I USED DIDN'T WANT TO MESS WITH THE CAR ANY MORE THEY WERE NOT VERY HELPFUL. NOW I AM DRIVING A DEATH TRAP BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD A NEW CAR AND I WON'T LET MY CHILDREN DRIVE OR BE IN THE CAR.

NHTSA ID

10821885

Incident

Jun 1, 2013

Mileage

88,000 mi

TURN IGNITION SWITCH OFF WHILE CAR OUT OF GEAR CAUSING IT TO ROLL FREELY.

NHTSA ID

10821785

Incident

Jan 14, 2016

Mileage

160,000 mi