DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER CAUSED CHAIN TO JUMP TIME AND CAUSE VALVE DAMAGE COSTING $2000 IN REPAIRS. APPARENTLY TENSIONER WAS KNOWN DEFECT BUT NEVER RECALLED.
- NHTSA ID
- 11020991
- Incident
- Aug 9, 2016
Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2007 Chevrolet Hhr submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 35 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 35, in the owner's own words
DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER CAUSED CHAIN TO JUMP TIME AND CAUSE VALVE DAMAGE COSTING $2000 IN REPAIRS. APPARENTLY TENSIONER WAS KNOWN DEFECT BUT NEVER RECALLED.
I WAS DRIVING MY 07 CHEVROLET HHR @ 45 MPH WHEN THE DASH DISPLAY BLINKED THEN DISPLAYED ENGINE POWER REDUCED, FOLLOWED BY A SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTION OF SPEED. I COULDN'T ACCELERATE BEYOND 30 MPH, SO I PULLED OFF OF THE ROAD TO AVOID BEING HIT BY THE 18 WHEELER TRAVELING BEHIND ME. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND BACK ON. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. I DROVE 15 MILES BACK HOME @ A SPEED OF 30 MPH. THE VEHICLE REFUSES TO ACCELERATE BEYOND 30 MPH
POWER STEERING SUDDENLY STOPS WORKING AND INDICATOR LIGHT ON DASHBOARD SAYS POWER STEERING- THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. MOST OF THE TIME SHUTTING OF THE VEHICLE AND THEN RESTARTING IT WILL GET THE POWER STEERING WORKING AGAIN FOR A SHORT TIME. AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE OR ALLOWING IT TO IDLE IN THE DRIVEWAY THEN TURNING IT OFF IT WILL NOT START AGAIN FOR A MINIMUM OF 1 HOUR. WHILE DRIVING -SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN- THE ENGINE HAS ABRUPTLY SHUT OFF AND NOT IMMEDIATELY RESTARTED. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE VEHICLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GETTING CODE POO16
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. IN ADDITION, AN UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2007 CHEVROLET HHR. WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO THE REAR END OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE BACK AND BOTH LEGS, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED TWO NOTIFICATIONS FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V047000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND 14V171000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE CONTACT BELIEVED BOTH OF THESE RECALLS WERE RELATED TO THE FAILURE THAT CAUSED THE CRASH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
WHILE TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE HWY, AT APPROX, 65 TO 70 MPH I FELT THE CAR PULL HARD TO THE RIGHT, AFTER GOING INTO A SPIN , IT BECAME HARD TO APPLY BRAKES AND TO TRY TO CORRECT OR CONTROL THE SPIN , THERE WERE VEHICLES INCLUDING A SEMI ALL AROUND MY CAR. AS I SLID OFF THE TRAVELED PORTION OF THE HWY. MY CAR IMPACTED THE WALL HEAD ON. I WAS SLAMMED INTO THE DASH . A MOMENT LATER I CALMED DOWN AND THOUGHT TO MYSELF WHY DIDN'T THE AIRBAGS DEPLOY? I HIT THE WALL AT LEAST AT 35 MPH, THEN I SAW THE CAR WAS NOT RUNNING, I SAW THE KEY HAD MOVED TO OFF, I STARTED THE CAR AND DROVE HOME. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET HHR. AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE TRACTION SERVICE AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING UP TO STANDARDS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.
APPROXIMATELY 6 WEEKS AGO, I WAS DRIVING MY CHEVROLET HHR 2007, (40 MPH), WHEN TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE INFO SHOWED TRACTION CONTROL OFF, AND THEN SERVICE TRACTION, AT THE SAME TIME I COULD HEAR AND FEEL THE CAR WAS SHIFTING HARD. IT WAS LIKE KICKING. I PARKED, TURNED OFF THE CAR AND TURNED ON AGAIN, AND THE LIGHT DISAPPEAR BUT AFTER FEW HOURS, IT WAS THERE AGAIN, SHORTLY AFTER THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WITH THE INFO CHECK ENGINE, AND STAYED ON WITH THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT, THEN THIS DISAPPEAR BUT THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYED. ALSO THE CAR HAS MADE NOISE SINCE 2008 WHEN MY HUSBAND BOUGHT IT.I DON'T KNOW IF BOTH PROBLEMS ARE RELATED. ON 10/15/14 I WENT TO THE DEALER BECAUSE MY CAR HAS 5 DIFFERENT RECALLS TO FIX, AND THE SERVICE TRACTION LIGHT WAS ON, THEY DIDN'T CHECK IT, THEY SAID IF I WANT THEM CHECK IT, I HAVE TO PAID FOR THE INSPECTION. LOOKS CHEVROLET IT DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS SAFETY! *TR
I HAD MY OIL CHANGED BEFORE GOING ON VACATION. ON MY WAY HOME MY CAR WAS BURNING OIL .NO ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON .THE ENGINE TEMP DID NOT MOVE OR GO TO HOT. MY ENGINE BLOW UP. I UNDERSTAND A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE COMPUTER.IF IS HAD HAPPENED IN A TUNNEL OR ON A BRIDGE ,THIS WAS GOING TO BE A BIGGER PROBLEM. *TR
WAITING 6 WEEKS FOR DEALER IN JACKSONVILLE FL. TO OBTAIN THE PARTS REQUIRED TO CORRECT THE DEFECT. DEALER AND GM WILL NOT PROVIDE A DATE FOR WHEN THE DEFECT WILL BE CORRECTED. *TR
WHILE DRIVING ON A WET ROAD AT 30 TO 35 MILES PER HOUR. THE CAR SHUTS OFF WHEN I TOPPED A SMALL HILL AND I LOST ALL POWER. NO PLACE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. I PLACED THE CAR IN PARK AND TURN THE KEY TO OFF AND RESTARTED. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE MESSAGE DISPLAYED WAS ENGINE POWER REDUCTION. I DROVE 20 TO 25 MILES PER HOUR TO MY DESTINATION THE CAR WOULD ONLY GO 30 MILES PER HOUR AND THE CAR SHIFTED ROUGHLY AND JUMPED. A NICE GUY THERE, TURNED THE KEY TO THE ON POSITION 3 TIMES BEFORE THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD GO OFF. CALLED DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID BRING IT IN, I ALREADY HAD THE RECALL LETTER AND ASK HIM IF IT COULD BE RELATED TO THE RECALL (AS I AM ON A FIXED INCOME) HE SAID NO AND IT WOULD COST 150.00 I HAVE NOT HAD ANY OTHER EPISODES AND I HOPE I DON'T IT WAS VERY SCARY. GLAD I WAS GOING SLOW AND NOT A BUSY ROAD. I HAD PREVIOUSLY REMOVED THE KEY FOB AND WAS ONLY USING MY IGNITION KEY AS PER THE RECALL LETTER INSTRUCTION. WAITING FOR THE NEXT LETTER FOR THE RECALL AND HOPE THE FIX PREVENTS IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY AND SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK AND SHOULDERS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS TURNED ON TO ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO WARM UP AND AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE STALLED AND COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE AFTER 24 DAYS AND THE MANUFACTURER INSTALLED A COMPUTER BOARD IN THE VEHICLE TO REGISTER ANY FAILURE CODES BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT LATER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 14V047000 (AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SERVICED PER THE RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000...UPDATED 04-24-14*BF
INTERMITTENTLY, ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WILL FAIL TO REGISTER ANY TEMPERATURE AT ALL. THIS TRIGGERS THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON DASH NOTIFICATION. THIS HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS, VARYING TIMES AND NO PATTERN. *TR
MY CLUTCH WENT OUT AND THE CAR STOPPED WORKING GAS I WAS DRIVING ALONG THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS NOT DURING A SHIFT, JUST ACCELERATION. THE CLUTCH DID THE EXACT SAME THING ON DECEMBER 23, 2013 (MILEAGE ABOUT 115,000). I HAVE DRIVEN MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS PREVIOUSLY AND HAVE GONE WELL OVER 100K MILES WITHOUT REPLACING THE CLUTCH AND I AM NOW ON MY 3RD CLUTCH. I KNOW THERE IS A TSB ON A POSSIBLE BAD FLYWHEEL (WHICH WAS NOT REPLACED EITHER TIME), BUT A CLUTCH TO GO OUT TWICE ON A CAR THAT HAS SEEN FOR THE LAST 55K ALMOST ALL HIGHWAY MILES INDICATES THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. *TR
ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND ALONGWITH THE TRACTION LIGHT TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP STATED THAT SPARK PLUGS NEED TO BE REPLACE ALSO ENGINE COIL HAD ALL NEW SPARK PLUGS REPLACE AN ALL NEW ENGINE COIL PROBLEM STILL EXIT WENT ON CHEVY SITE OTHER OWNER SEEM TO B'E HAVE THIS PROBLEM ANOTHER SUGGEST WAS THAT THE AIR FILTER MAYBE CAUSE PROBL"EM CHANGE THAT OUT GOT A CODE READER DONE ON IT NOTHING SEEM TO SHOW ANYTHING WRONG HOWEVER LIGHT STILL ON FOR BOTH PROBLEM WHAT CAN BE DONE TO FIX PROBLEM. *TR
PROCEEDING AT NORMAL SPEED ON HWY 14. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED FOLLOWED BY AN ILLUMINATION OF THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT. THERE WAS A LOUD POP SOUND EMANATING FROM THE FRONT THE VEHICLE. AT THIS POINT THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING AND I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS ALREADY ON FIRE BY THE TIME I REACHED THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. BY THE TIME I WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS FULLY INVOLVED IN FIRE AND WITHIN A MATTER OF TWO OR THREE MINUTES THE REMAINDER OF THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. I DID NOTICE OTHER HHRS HAVE BEEN ON FIRE AS SHOWN ON THE INTERNET AND THE ADJUSTER STATED HHR FIRES ARE COMMON. I BARELY MADE IT OUT OF THE CAR. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAYED INCORRECT READINGS, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD BECOME DIFFICULT TO TURN, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE BECAUSE THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 43,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. A MESSAGE COMES ACROSS THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SAYING MOTOR POWER REDUCED; MOTOR SHUT DOWN. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND WAS DIAGNOSED AS HAVING A FAULTY THROTTLE BODY. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY, BUT, THE REPAIR ONLY REMEDIED THE STALLING TEMPORARILY. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL SO THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT OF A GM RECALL FOR THE PCM, BUT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000.
IT WOULD BE EASIER TO LIST THE THINGS THAT ARE OK WITH THIS CAR. I'VE RESURFACED OR REPLACED THE ROTORS SEVERAL TIMES (FOUR TIMES IN ONE YEAR) AFTER CONSISTENTLY COMPLAINING TO THE DEALER THAT IT SOUNDED LIKE THINGS WERE FALLING OFF THE CAR. THE CAR'S BRAKING AND STEERING CAPACITY IS EXTREMELY DIMINISHED. I'VE REPLACED A BROKEN STABILIZER CONTROL ARM AND NOW I'M TOLD THE FRONT END NEEDS TO BE REBUILT. THIS DAMAGE IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE CONTINUING PROBLEM WITH THE ROTOR WARPING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON MORE THAN OFF AND ITS BEEN IN AT LEAST 10 TIMES FOR THIS ISSUE. GM CUSTOMER SERVICE IS AWARE OF THESE ISSUES AND REFUSES TO RETURN CUSTOMER CALLS. *LN UPDATED 11/29/11. *JB UPDATED 12/06/11. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET HHR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD CLANGING NOISE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FRONT ROTORS WERE RESURFACED. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOUR TIMES FOR THE SIMILAR FAILURE; AND THE DRIVERS SIDE SWAY BAR WAS REPLACED. ALSO, ON A SEPARATE OCCASION THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR ROTORS BE REPLACED; YET, THEY WERE NOT REPLACED WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,000. UPDATED 1/25/11 *CN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE WAS PEELING, THE SWAY BAR AND DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT WERE REPLACED. UPDATED 04/21/11
2007 HHR EXHAUST LEAK AT 29,000. CORRUGATED PIECE BEFORE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. SOME FORUMS SAY CAT. HAS AN 8YR WARRANTY? HOPE THIS IS TRUE. TAKING IT TO DEALER SOON. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THREE MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IT WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHERE SHE WAS ADVISED THEY WERE UNABLE TO MAKE REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO A DIFFERENT REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE IGNITION WOULD NEED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. SHE WOULD ALSO NEED A NEW KEY THAT WOULD ALSO HAVE TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. ON HER DRIVE HOME, THE CONTACT SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AND THERE WAS A LOUD POP. SHE WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO HER RESIDENCE AND WHEN INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, SHE FOUND THAT THE ENGINE FAN HAD BEEN TAMPERED WITH. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT BOTH THE FAN AND RADIATOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT HER EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,100.
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