RoadVitals

2008 Chevrolet Hhr Exterior lighting Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Exterior lighting reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
12
Latest Dec 31, 2018
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
2%
of 615 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Chevrolet Hhr submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 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.

Owner reports naming exterior lighting

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Driver assistanceExterior lighting
Filed Dec 31, 2018

ALL FOUR LIGHTS ON THE 3RD BRAKE LIGHT ARE OUT AND THE CRUISE CONTROL IS NOT WORKING

NHTSA ID
11164174
Incident
Dec 23, 2018
Exterior lighting
Filed Oct 24, 2018

HEAD LIGHT KEEP BURNING OUT 6 MONTH TO A YEAR WITHOUT WARNING. HAVE TO REPLACE CONSTANTLY. WHILE MOVING OR PARKED.

NHTSA ID
11142511
Incident
Oct 23, 2018
Mileage
16,900 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Aug 12, 2018

MY BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON ALL THE TIME. I REPLACED THE BRAKE POSITIONING SENSOR. IT IS UNDER MY IMPRESSION THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THIS. I THINK THE FIX IS RUNNING A GROUND CABLE TO THE CAR'S COMPUTER. I ALSO CANNOT USE MY TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND CRUISE CONTROL. PLEASE EMAIL ME AT YOUR CONVENIENCE AT [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID
11119408
Incident
Aug 20, 2016
Mileage
85,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Jan 4, 2017

WHILE DRIVING MY CAR ON THE CITY STREETS THE DOORS SUDDENLY UNLOCK THE LIGHTS FLICKER OFF AND BACK ON AND THE CAR JERKS AND THEN THE CAR DOES THE SAME THING AND LOCKS THE DOORS AGAIN AND THEN UNLOCKS THE DOORS AGAIN WITH THE HEADLIGHTS GOING OUT AGAIN AND BACK ON AGAIN JUST AS QUICKLY. IT DOES THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN WHILE DRIVING TO WORK OR TO RUN TO THE STORE OR WHERE EVER. I TOOK IT TO THE CHEVROLET DEALER AND THEY CANNOT TELL ME WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. NO CODES ARE SHOWING WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I HAVE HAD IT TO THREE DIFFERENT GARAGES AND NO ONE CAN SEEM TO TELL ME WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. THE LAST DEALER TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE THE CAR THERE AND EVERY TIME THEY GOT INTO THE CAR TO DRIVE IT TO SEE IF IT WOULD DO IT AGAIN FOR THEM IT WOULD COST ME RIGHT AROUND $130.00 EACH TIME. I CAN'T AFFORD THAT. I ASKED THEM IF IT COULD BE THE IGNITION AND THEY SAID NO. I DID HAVE THE RECALL DONE ON THE IGNITION SWITCH BUT AFTER READING MANY OF THESE COMPLAINTS IT MAKES ME THINK THAT MAYBE IT HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. HELP *TR

NHTSA ID
10939701
Incident
Dec 27, 2016
Mileage
118,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Oct 6, 2015

PROBLEMS WITH LIGHTING INCLUDE NO BRIGHT HEADLIGHTS. ALTERNATING PROBLEMS OCCUR WITH THE RUNNING LIGHTS AND DIM LIGHTS. ALTERNATING MEANING THAT BOTH DO WORK AT DIFFERENT TIMES IN ALMOST A BACK AND FORTH PATTERN. THEY HAVE NOT BOTH FAILED TO WORK AT THE SAME TIME AS OF YET. I HAVE MANAGED TO SIMPLY SWITCH AROUND FUSES/RELAYS OF THE SAME MODEL NUMBER TO GET BOTH RUNNING AND DIM LIGHTS TO WORK. THE BRIGHT LIGHTS HAVE NOT WORKED IN ALMOST A YEAR. PROBLEMS OCCUR WHEN CAR IS STARTED FROM A STATIONARY POSITION. I HAVE HAD THE FUSES/RELAYS TESTED AT AN INDEPENDENT AUTO PARTS STORE AND WAS TOLD THEY ARE FINE AFTER BUYING REPLACEMENTS ON TWO OCCASIONS. THIS MATTER NEEDS TO BE THE TOPIC OF A RECALL AS IT IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD TO NOT HAVE BRIGHT LIGHTS, RUNNING LIGHTS AND ESPECIALLY HEADLIGHTS. I READ ONLINE THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE 2008 CHEVY HHR.

NHTSA ID
10780410
Incident
Nov 13, 2014
Mileage
130,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Sep 23, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET HHR. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO ACTIVATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT BOTH HEADLIGHT CONNECTORS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10638515
Incident
Sep 22, 2014
Driver assistanceElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Aug 13, 2014

EVER SINCE I HAVE HAD THIS CAR THAT I BOUGHT NEW, THERE HAVE BEEN ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS JUST GO OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. WHEN THE DASH LIGHTS BLINK BACK ON , THE LIGHTING BRIGHTNESS SWITCH DOES NOT WORK, THE ROLLER TO MAKE IT BRIGHTER DOES NOT DIM THE DASH LIGHTS, UNTIL THEY ALL JUST GO OFF AGAIN.? THE TIRE SENSORS ALL GO OFF AND THERE IS NO READINGS FOR TIRE PRESSURE. YOU CHECK THE TIRE PRESSURE MANUALLY AND THEY ARE ALL OK. THE DOOR LOCKS DON'T WORK PROPERLY. IF YOU USE THE KEY FOB, THE DOORS WILL LOCK AND THEN YOU CAN'T GET THEM OPEN AGAIN WITH THE KEY FOB AND YOU ARE STUCK. THE KEY IN THE DOOR WON'T EVEN OPEN THE DOOR, IT IS LOCKED UP TIGHT. I HAVE TAKEN IT INTO THE DEALER UNDER WARRANTY 3 TIMES AND THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG. I JUST DON'T LOCK MY CAR ANYMORE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10621914
Incident
Aug 29, 2008
Exterior lighting
Filed Jun 2, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS CONTINUED TO FAIL. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES IN SIX MONTHS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, AND EACH TIME THE HEADLIGHTS WERE REPLACED HOWEVER, THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.

NHTSA ID
10595588
Incident
Dec 31, 2013
Mileage
62,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed May 7, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE HEAD LIGHT OVERHEATED CAUSING IT TO MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE WAS VERIFIED BUT A REMEDY WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

NHTSA ID
10587077
Incident
Oct 23, 2013
Mileage
30,000 mi
Exterior lightingSteering
Filed Apr 1, 2014

I PURCHASED MY HHR 2008 NEW AND ONLY HAVE 34400+ MILEAGE AS TO THIS DATE, NOT HARD ON BRAKING AND 2013 THE BRAKES WERE WARPED AND I HAVE IT REPAIRED. I EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION ONCE, CANNOT TURN OFF BUT AFTER TRYING IT EVENTUALLY TURNED OFF AFTER SEVERAL TRY. THIS HAPPENED ONLY ONCE SO I DID NO'T TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. THEN MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING 40MPH, I STOPPED THE CAR AND CALLED THE DEALER AND ADVICE ME TO BRING IT IN . THE STEERING ASSIST MOTOR WAS REPLACED IN 9/1/11. THEN NOV. 19,2012 THE REAR SIDE DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE. MY DAUGHTER HAVE TO DRIVE WHILE I WAS HOLDING THE DOOR CLOSE, DEALER REPLACED THE INTERNAL LOCK DOOR. NOW I A'M HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT WARNING ON WITH THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WORKING SOMETIMES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT IS WAS NOT ON. SO NOTHING WAS DONE . AS I SAID IT WORK SOMETIMES AND MOST OF THE TIME IT WAS' NOT WORKING. I WILL TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL STAY ON SO THEY CAN CHECK WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10576106
Incident
Sep 1, 2011
Mileage
21,910 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Mar 20, 2014

BRAKE LIGHTS MELTED ON CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10573726
Incident
Mar 5, 2014
Mileage
85,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed May 11, 2009
Fire reported

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENTIRE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHT UNIT MELTED. THE DRIVER'S SIDE TAIL LIGHT IS NEXT TO THE GAS TANK AND SHE IS CONCERNED ABOUT HER VEHICLE EXPLODING. THE DEALER ADVISED HER TO BRING IN THE VEHICLE FOR REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.

NHTSA ID
10268404
Incident
Jan 10, 2009
Mileage
7,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .