RoadVitals

2008 Chevrolet Hhr Powertrain (other) Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Powertrain (other) 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.
16
Latest Jul 10, 2020
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.
3%
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.
0
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

Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. 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. 16 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 powertrain

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

Fuel systemPowertrain (other)
Filed Jul 10, 2020

THE FUEL LINE ON MY VEHICLE DEVELOPED A LEAK AT THE LEFT REAR TIRE. I HAD TO BUY AND INSTALL AN AFTERMARKET FUEL LINE KIT. I FOUND THAT THE METAL FUEL LINE HAS RUSTED THROUGH. WHEN REMOVING THE OLD FUEL LINE THE PURGE LINE BROKE OPEN AT A RUSTY AREA. THESE TWO LINES AND A BRAKE LINE RUN THROUGH A TUBULAR KNITTED HEAT SHIELD IN THIS AREA. THE HEAT SHIELD HAD COLLECTED DIRT AND SALT AND WAS DAMP ON A DRY DAY WHEN I WAS WORKING ON THE LINE REPLACEMENT. POOR DESIGN.

NHTSA ID
11338691
Incident
Sep 1, 2019
Mileage
130,000 mi
Powertrain (other)Steering
Filed May 26, 2019

WHILE DRIVING ON THE MAJOR ROADWAY IN 5:00 TRAFFIC AFTER WORK AND WHILE STOPPED TO GO FORWARD IN THE CAR WASH THE POWER STEERING LIGHT GAVE A WARNING THEN DIS ENGAGED AND STEERING WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. I READ THE OWNERS MANUAL AND IT SAID TO TURN THE CAR BACK ON AND TURN THE WHEEL A COUPLE TIMES THEN THE STEERING WAS OK TO GET ME HOME I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT NOW ,IN CHECKING THE WEBSITE THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE. CAN YOU HELP ME PLEASE?!

NHTSA ID
11210088
Incident
May 17, 2019
Mileage
95,623 mi
Driver assistancePowertrain (other)Steering
Filed Jul 2, 2018

WHILE DRIVING MY HHR SS A SERVICE ESC MESSAGE APPEARED IN THE DIC ALONG WITH A CHIME LIKE THE DINGING OF NO SEAT BELT. THEN A POWER STEERING MESSAGE CAME AFTER THAT. WHEN THIS HAPPENS MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP AND IS HARD TO TURN. I HAVE HEARD THAT SOME OF THESE STEERING COLUMNS HAVE BEEN RECALLED! WHY NOT THE HHR SS!! I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS THE ANGLE POSITION SENSOR AND THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN HAS TO BE REPLACED! WHEN THIS FIRST ACCURD MY VEHICLE DID HAVE A WARRANTY BUT THEY SAID THAT BECAUSE IT WAS DEEMED AN ANGLE POSITION SENSOR THAT WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER IT EVEN THOUGH THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN HAS TO BE REPLACE BECAUSE OF IT BEING A SS. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM THAT I HAVE SEEN ALOT OF HHR OWNERS ARE HAVING AND THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED!

NHTSA ID
11105171
Incident
Jan 1, 2014
Mileage
43,000 mi
ElectricalPowertrain (other)Steering
Filed Dec 13, 2016

TAKATA RECALL, DON'T KNOW IS THE AIRBAGS ARE IN MY VEHICLES. GOT A AIRBAG RECALL LETTER. HAVE CALLED DEALER TWO TIMES WROTE DOWN DATES. DEALER SAID PARTS WEREN'T IN THEY WOULD CALL US WHEN PARTS ARE IN THEY ALSO TOLD US VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE. VEHICLE . IF ITS A SAFETY RECALL AND PEOPLE ARE GETTING HURT AND KILLED HOW IS IT SAFE TO DRIVE? I HAVE A NUMBER OF RECALL LETTER ON MY HHR. HOW MANY ARE TO MANY ? IF YOU READ ALL RECALLS THE VEHICLE IS A ROLLING DEATH TRAP. YOU NEED TO KNOW I WROTE CHEVROLET A LETTER 05-31-2015 TO ASK THEM IF MY VEHICLES WERE IN THE AIRBAG RECALL CHEVROLET DID NOT WRITE BACK THEY CALLED I RECORDED THE CONVERSATION. THE CHEVROLET PERSON I SPOKE WITH TOLD ME THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON MY VEHICLES .I DIDN'T BUILD THE VEHICLE SO WHY AM I GETTING PUNISHED FOR THERE MISTAKES.SOME OF THE RECALL LETTER FROM GM RECALLS THEY WANT FIX UNLESS YOUR HAVING TROUBLE. IF THEY SEND YOU A RECALL LETTER WHY WANT THEY FIX IT RIGHT THEN. ON ONE RECALL I HAD FIXED IT TOOK THEN 2 YEARS TO FIGURER OUT THEY HAD NOT FINISHED THE REPAIR. DO YOU CALL THAT SAFE? CHEVROLET HAS MADE A VEHICLE THAT'S LOADED WITH PROBLEMS. I FEEL THAT I AM DUE A FULL REFUND. CHEVROLET (GM) MISLEAD PEOPLE ON THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE A NUMBER OF RECALL LETTERS I'M SENDING YOU. I ALSO HAVE A RECORDED AIRBAG RECALL PHONE CALL. THE AIRBAG RECALL IS ON MY 2009 CHEVROLET TRUCK. *TR

NHTSA ID
10934981
Incident
Feb 25, 2009
Powertrain (other)
Filed Aug 3, 2016

TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REBUILT WITH LESS THAN 100K MILES ON IT. THIS IS THE SAME TRANSMISSION THAT IS IN THE COLBALT, HHR, AND MALIBU. MY TRANSMISSION SHOP HAS A COLBALT AND MALIBU IN THE BAY WITH MY CAR, 10K LESS MILES THAN MINE, WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THE TRANSMISSION STARTS BY OVER REVING WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND 2ND TO 3RD. THERE IS NO CEL PRESENT. THEN THE CAR GETS A DRAG LIKE YOU ARE DRIVING A BRICK. TOOK CAR TO EAGLE TRANSMISSION (AFTER CHEVY HOUSE SAID FLUSH AND FILTER WOULD FIX THE ISSUE) AND NOW I HAVE TO PAY FOR A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. CHEVY REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER, ANY REVIEW OF ANY BOARD WILL SHOW THIS IS A HUGE ONGOING PROBLEM. MY MILAGE IS 98778

NHTSA ID
10892844
Incident
Jul 22, 2016
Mileage
98,689 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Nov 13, 2015

I CAN NEVER GET MY GEAR SHIFT OUT OF PARK WHEN IT'S COLD. I HAD THE ISSUE FIXED BUT IT STILL DOES IT. BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM,SINCE 2010

NHTSA ID
10790342
Incident
Nov 13, 2015
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jan 5, 2015

ABOUT 2WKS AGO ALL THE SOUND IN MY CAR WENT OUT FOR ABOUT 5MINS THEN CAME BACK ON! TONIGHT 1/4/15 ABOUT 8:50PM I STOPPED AT A GAS STATION TO GET GAS I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND WENT TO PUT IT IN PARK AND IT WOULDN'T SHIFT IT TOOK ME 5MINS TO FINALLY GET IT INTO PARK! ONCE IN PARK I TRIED TO TAKE THE KEY OUT AND IT WOULDN'T COME OUT IT WAS STUCK IN ACCESSORY MODE! I KEPT TRYING TO TAKE IT OUT FINALLY AFTER ABOUT 10/15MINS I GOT IT OUT! WENT TO LEAVE TO AND MY CAR WOULDN'T START! IT WILL TURN TO ACCESSORY MODE BUT WONT TURN OVER AND ACTUALLY START! I HAD TO CALL ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO TOW ME HOME! I HAD THE RECALL FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH FIXED BUT NOW ITS DOING THIS? I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS BUT THIS IS CURRENTLY MY ONLY CAR! *TR

NHTSA ID
10670013
Incident
Jan 4, 2015
Mileage
103,948 mi
ElectricalPowertrain (other)Steering
Filed Oct 27, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SECURITY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND OTHER UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHTS FLICKERED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING UP A HILL OR MAKING A U-TURN, THE POWER STEERING AND THE SECURITY WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHTS FLICKERED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10650260
Incident
Sep 2, 2013
Powertrain (other)Steering
Filed Aug 15, 2014

WARNING SIGNAL BEEPS (ALARM) THEN SAYS POWER STEERING ON DASHBOARD. THE POWER STEERING GOES AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. VERY DANGEROUS AS IT IS RANDOM AND HAS HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF MAKING A TURN. READ MANY, MANY OWNERS OF THIS CAR'S COMPLAINTS YET NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10622568
Incident
Aug 1, 2014
Mileage
88,000 mi
Powertrain (other)Steering
Filed Jul 10, 2014

2008 CHEVY HHR POWER STEERING MESSAGE CAME ON. *TR

NHTSA ID
10609749
Incident
Jul 10, 2014
Mileage
110,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jul 15, 2012

2008 CHEVY HHR REQUIRED A NEW TRANSMISSION. ONLY 104,124 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10465715
Incident
Jun 25, 2012
BrakesElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed May 17, 2012

I BOUGHT THIS CAR IN JUNE OF 2008. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 17 TIMES WITH ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THE BRAKES HAVE QUITE WORKING CAME TO A STOP SIGN AND THEY WENT TO THE FLOOR THE CAR HAS SHUT OFF SEVERAL TIMES GOING DOWN THE ROAD AND WHEN IT RAINS REALLY HARD THE CAR WILL NOT START IT DRAINS MY BRAND NEW BATTERY I GOT THE CAR FROM BOB STEEL CHEVROLET IN COCCA FL THEY KEPT TELLING ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO I CALLED A LAWYER AND GM MOTORS DECIDED TO GIVE ME 10% OF THE CAR AND THEY NEVER FIXED THE CAR THIS IT THE 4TH BATTERY BECAUSE IT IS DRAINING THEM SO MUCH THERE NO GOOD GM MOTORS TOLD ME THEY WERE GOING TO LABEL THE CAR AS A LEMON BUT BECAUSE I BOUGHT IT USED THEY WEREN'T GOING TO BUY IT BACK THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT THE 2007 HAD THE SAME PROBLEM BUT BECAUSE THIS WAS A 2008 AND NO OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL TO JUST DEAL WITH IT I DON'T KNOW WHAT LEST TO DO PLEASE HELP. *TR

NHTSA ID
10458832
Incident
Jul 28, 2008
Mileage
24,000 mi
ElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed May 3, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE DECREASED IN SPEED DESPITE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. THE TRACTION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED DURING THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER NINE TIMES. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THE FUSE BOX THE WIRING HOUSING AND TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 83,000.

NHTSA ID
10457396
Incident
Apr 15, 2010
Mileage
55,000 mi
BrakesEnginePowertrain (other)+2 more
Filed Apr 13, 2010

I ALSO OWN A 2008 CHEVY HHR LT THAT IS LOADED. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW AND CURRENTLY HAVE 39,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE WITH THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD ALL OF THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS AND GM REPLACED SOME OF THEM. GM INSTALLED A NEW INTERMEDIATE STEERING COLUMN, DRAG LINKS,TURNED ROTORS 4 TIMES AND RIGHT SIDE UPPER BALL JOINT. AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED, THE BRAKES ONCE AGAIN WENT TO HELL IN A HAND BASKET. I ORDERED A SET OF RACING ROTORS AND CERAMIC BRAKES, THIS CURED THE BRAKE PROBLEM. AT 37,000 MILES, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I HAD IT CHECKED OUT AND IT WAS THE CAM SENSOR. I REPLACED THE SENSOR AND RESET THE LIGHT AND IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I REALLY LIKE THE VEHICLE, BUT GM NEEDS TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK AND DO MORE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10325340
Incident
Mar 24, 2008
Mileage
6,000 mi
BrakesOther / unspecifiedPowertrain (other)+1 more
Filed Mar 17, 2010

WE OWN A 2008 HHR AND IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE . FIRST WHEN WE PURCHASED THE CAR IN DEC 2008 IT HAD 23,000 MILES ON IT. TWO MONTHS AFTER WE GOT THE CAR WE HAD TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT ROTORS ON IT AND AFTER FIGHTING WITH GM THEY AGREED TO PAY FOR THE ROTORS. AT THIS TIME THEY TOLD US THAT THE CAR NEEDED NEW TIRES AND A FRONT END ALIGNMENT AT 26,000 MILES . THEN JUST TWO MONTHS AGO AT 61,000 MILES IT HAD A RUMBLING NOISE IN THE FRONT END ,THE DRIVETRAIN WAS STILL UNDER WARRENTY.THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE RIGHT SIDE AXLE BEARING WAS BAD AND THEY REPLACED IT,AND ALSO AT THIS TIME THEY TOLD US THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST TO US OF OVER $400.00 . JUST LAST WEEK THE RUMBLING NOISE RETURNED , I RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND THEY TOLD US THAT THIS THE LEFT AXLE BEARING WAS BAD, WARRANTY ALSO COVERED THIS REPAIR. ALSO THEY SAID THAT THE CAR NEEDED THE FRONT ROTORS TURNED AND NEW BRAKE PADS ON IT .MY WIFE HIT A POTHOLE ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO AND BENT THE WHEEL . COST TO REPLACE THE WHEEL WAS $150.00 . WHEN I ROTATED THE TIRES AS PER GMS ADVICE I NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT STRUT WAS LEAKING ,AND AS WELL AS THE LEFT REAR SHOCK ABSORBER. THE ONLY THING I LIKE ABOUT THIS CAR WAS ITS LOOKS. SO NEXT WEEK WE ARE GOING TO BUY A FORD FOCUS.. ITS NO WONDER GM HAD TO HAVE THE GOVERNMENT BAIL THEM OUT... *TR

NHTSA ID
10320499
Incident
Mar 1, 2010
Mileage
63 mi
ElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Dec 26, 2009

2008 CHEVY HHR, STALL 5 TIMES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED, NO HAZARD LIGHT TO WARNED OTHER DRIVERS OF VEHICLE PRESENT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10296963
Incident
Dec 26, 2009
Mileage
23,000 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.

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .