2008 Chevrolet Hhr Suspension Problems

Steering gets very stiff and sometimes locks up when turning left or right in a curve at highway speeds. Had dealer check it and they said they replaced steering motor. Did not correct problem. Made an appointment to check again but was told I would incur charges. I have had it to several mechanic shops and we cannot find anything loose or failing. In a parked position it locks up completely until you start rolling. Afraid steering is going to lock up in a curve and cause harm to driver and passengers. It is available for inspection. It has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police or insurance. Has no warning lights or messages pertaining to problem. The problem first appeared approximately 6 months ago.

NHTSA ID

11464292

Incident

Jan 5, 2022

ROUGH RIDE, HITS BUMPS HARD, MAKES NOISE

NHTSA ID

10894777

Incident

Aug 10, 2016

Mileage

61,000 mi

FOR THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS THE POWER STEERING HAS LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING IF I SHUT MY CAR OFF AND TURN IT BACK ON IT WILL GO BACK TO NORMAL, BUT NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL KICK OUT AGAIN, THE ELECTRIC IS CUTTING IN AND OUT, THE LOCK ON DRIVERS SIDE WONT WORK WHEN USING KEY WHICH HAPPENS PERIODICALLY ESPECIALLY WHEN IT RAINS, MY AUTOMATIC START STOPPED WORKING INCLUDING MY KEY-LESS ENTRY WILL NOT UNLOCK MY DOORS OR LOCK MY DOORS EVEN THOUGH I HAVE CHANGED THE BATTERY. I WORK FOR THE YOUTH SERVICE BUREAU/CHILDREN'S BUREAU OF STATE OF INDIANA AS A CASE MANAGER SO OFTEN I HAVE TO TRANSPORT CLIENTS TO DESTINATIONS, DOCTORS, FOOD PANTRY ETC. I CANNOT TAKE THE CHANCE OF BEING IN A WRECK WITH CLIENTS, WHICH HAS ALL MOST HAPPENED WHEN I TOOK A CURVE WHILE BY MYSELF LUCKILY. WHEN I CONTACTED THE CHEVY DEALER ABOUT RECALLS HE STATED THERE WAS ONLY AN IGNITION SWITCH RECALL, WHICH I BEG TO DIFFER I HAVE BEEN ON NUMEROUS WEBSITES WHERE MANY OTHER HHR OWNERS ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME THING I AM COMPLAINING ABOUT, I ASKED THE CHEVY DEALERS MAINTENANCE GUY IF I COULD GET A RENTAL WHILE WAITING FOR IT TO BE FIXED BECAUSE OF MY JOB, HE STATED THAT HE HAD TO ORDER THE PART AND THEN HE WOULD CALL ME WHEN IT ARRIVED FOR ME TO BRING MY CAR IN AND IT WOULD TAKE ONLY AN HOUR TO TWO HOURS TO FIX, SO WHILE WE ARE STILL WAITING NOW FOR TWO WEEKS I AM PUTTING MY CLIENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN IN JEOPARDY OVER AN ISSUE I AM NOT AT FAULT FOR, I PERSONALLY FEEL THAT CHEVY SHOULD COVER THE COST OF A RENTAL CAR UNTIL ALL ISSUE ARE TAKEN CARE OF PROPERLY. THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME OWNING A CHEVY, AND AFTER WHAT THE MAINTENANCE MAN SAID ABOUT NOT LETTING ME HAVE A RENTAL EVEN THOUGH I WORK FOR COUNTY AND STATE ORGANIZATIONS I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED IN CHEVY I AM IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING FOR A NEW CAR AND NOT SURE IF I WILL PURCHASE ANOTHER CHEVY AFTER THIS!

NHTSA ID

10631048

Incident

Aug 1, 2014

Mileage

97,500 mi

WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE CAR WAS NOT ABLE TO TEST ON HWY CONDITION BUT IT CAME WITH EXTENDED BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY THE FIRST TIME GOT ON FREEWAY SHAKE HORRIBLE WHILE BRAKING. TWO MONTHS PAST HAD ROTORS TURNED NEW BRAKES PUT ON BY GOOD YEAR SHOP FIRST TIME ON FREEWAY STILL SHAKES HORRIBLE. WITH NE ROTORS AND PADS WILL STILL SHAKE THIS HAS BEEN FULLY INSPECTED TWICE AND NO PROBLEMS. IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT ARE TO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE NOT TO HAVE A TSB OR RECALL ITS NOT FAIR TO THE CONSUMER AND ITS SEEMS DANGEROUS TO HAVE A SHAKING CAR WHILE SLOWING DOWN AT 50 MPH 40 MPH. CURRENT MILES 50K. *JS

NHTSA ID

10608946

Incident

Mar 26, 2014

Mileage

49,500 mi

MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT ON MY 2008 HHR WHILE I WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN, I HAD TO JERK THE STEERING WHEEL BACK TO AVOID GOING INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM EVER SINCE WITH THE STEERING GOING OUT AND HAVING TO WRESTLE WITH IT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE CHEVROLET DEALER SHIP TO COMPLAIN IN CAPE CORAL, FL. AND THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD COST ME TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I FIND THAT THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE AND A GENERAL MOTORS CO. DEFECT THAT I SHOULD NOT BEHELD RESPONSIBLE FOR TO PAY. PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS PROBLEM AND SEE IF THERE IS ANYMORE COMPLAINTS ON THIS STEERING PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10606967

Incident

May 23, 2013

Mileage

65,400 mi

KEPT HEARING A CLUNKING NOISE IN THE FRONT END WHEN GOING OVER SPEED BUMPS OR HITTING REGULAR BUMPS IN THE ROAD. HAVE TAKEN IT TO CHEVY MECHANICS SEVERAL TIMES, AND NO ISSUE WAS FOUND. TOOK IT IN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A TUNE UP AND HE TOLD ME THAT THE FRONT BUSHINGS WERE COMPLETELY SHOT AND IT WAS HAVING AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON MY ALIGNMENT. MECHANIC STATED THAT FOR THE BUSHINGS TO BE IN THE CONDITION THEY WERE IN, THIS HAD TO HAVE BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM. CHEVY NEVER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND NEVER MADE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR REPAIRS OF THIS NATURE. VERY UPSET THAT I AM NOW OUT OF WARRANTY (MY VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY WHEN I FIRST STARTED HEARING THE NOISE) AND I AM NOW LOOKING AT A $1200 REPAIR THAT CHEVY SHOULD HAVE DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED 4 YEARS AGO WHEN I FIRST NOTICED THE PROBLEM. THIS ON TOP OF ALL OF THE RECALLS AND OTHER ISSUES GM SEEMS TO BE HAVING, I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER GM VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10588455

Incident

Oct 15, 2010

Mileage

60,000 mi

IT MAKE A LOT OF NOISE, IT STILL GO WORKS JUST MAKES CLUNKING NOISE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10577380

Incident

Apr 19, 2012

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR AN OIL CHANGE WHEN THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WERE TWO FRACTURED COIL SPRINGS IN THE REAR SUSPENSION OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,600. UPDATED 02/11/2014 *BF

NHTSA ID

10557318

Incident

Dec 6, 2013

Mileage

47,600 mi

I PURCHASED THIS CAR IN DECEMBER OF 2010, AS A CERTIFIED USED CAR. IT HAD 13435 MILES AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. AFTER SIX MONTHS, 17000 MILES, SERVICE LIGHTS BEGAN TO LIGHT UP---I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. AFTER TAKING IT HOME ALL SEEMED TO BE OPERATING NORMALLY WHEN IN AUGUST, 17100 MILES, I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE A SHUTTERING WHEN BRAKING AND A CLUNKING NOISE WHILE DRIVING. DEALER REPAIRED, HARNESS AND HUB BEARING AND I PURCHASE TWO NEW FRONT TIRES. WITHIN ABOUT A YEAR CAR BEGAN TO SHIMMY AGAIN WHEN BRAKING. AT 25000 MILE , DEALER STATED NOW BRAKES ARE BAD, WARPED AND ROTORS NEED WORK. WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF TAKING CAR HOME, SHIMMYING BEGAN TO START AGAIN. I HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ON LINE WITH REGARD TO THE BRAKES, BUT GM DENIES ANY KNOWLEDGE OF PROBLEMS. HMMMMMMMM! *TR

NHTSA ID

10548140

Incident

Jun 24, 2010

Mileage

17,016 mi

OUR 2008 CHEVY HHR JUST STARTS TO SHAKE ON THE HIGHWAY ONCE IT HITS 60 MPH TO ABOUT 64 MPH, THEN IT GOES AWAY. THE SHAKING IS REALLY BAD IT MAKES THE WHOLE CAR SHAKE AND MY HANDS BEGAN TO SHAKE PRETTY HARD ON THE STEERING WHEEL. WE'VE REPLACED ALL THE TIRES WITH BRAND NEW GOODYEAR EAGLE GT AND THEM BALANCED AND WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS DONE. BUT THE CAR STILL SHAKES AT THAT SPEED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10533633

Incident

Jun 15, 2011

Mileage

35,600 mi

I OWN A 2008 CHEVY HHR LT. LAST YEAR I HAD THE ROTORS AND BRAKES REPLACED BECAUSE OF THE SHAKING IN STEERING WHILE COMING TO A STOP THIS THEN HELPED WITH THE PROBLEM THEN RECENTLY THE SHAKING CAME BACK I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT MY BRAKES AND ROTORS NEEDED TO BE SERVICED AGAIN. THEN RECENTLY MY POWER STEERING WOULD GO OUT WHILE DRIVING I CHECKED ONLINE AND NOTICED THAT ALOT OF HHR OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE AND I THINK GMC NEEDS TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10403687

Incident

May 19, 2011

Mileage

97,000 mi

CHEVROLET HHR IS NOT LISTED ON THIS SITE! PLEASE UPDATE YOUR VEHICLE LISTING. MY 2008 CHEVROLET HHR IS HAVING SEVERAL PROBLEMS, IT CONTAINS THE SAME POWER STEERING PUMP AS THE CHEVY COBALT WHICH WAS RECALLED YET NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE CHEVY HHR. SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE COBALT. POWER STEERING FAILURE MESSAGE ON THE DRIVER INFORMATION DISPLAY. PLEASE HELP. CHEVROLET IS TAKING THE CHEAP WAY OUT AND PUTTING LIVES AT RISK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10335995

Incident

Jun 10, 2010

Mileage

24,000 mi

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

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

CAR WAS APPROX 4 MONTHS OLD AND BRAKES STARTED SQUEAKING-TOOK INTO DEALER-THEY TURNED THE ROTORS-FIXED FOR ABOUT 2 WKS - ITS BACK AGAIN AND NOW WHEN I APPLY BRAKES THE FRONT END OF THE CAR SHAKES VIOLENTLY. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. I'VE TRIED TO ENTER SEVERAL TIMES - IT WILL NOT TAKE IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10269313

Incident

May 19, 2009

Mileage

16,598 mi