FaultScore

2008 Chevrolet HHR body problems

13 of the 784 complaints about the 2008 Chevrolet HHR are about the body and structure — 2% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 34,158 miles.

F

13

Complaints

2

Crashes

1

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Body 10 76.9%
Door 2 15.4%
Structure 1 7.7%

Body & Structure across every Chevrolet HHR year

2006 121 45.8%
2007 43 16.3%
2008 13 4.9%
2009 21 8.0%
2010 45 17.0%
2011 21 8.0%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Sparta, TN

STRUCTURE:BODY

MY STEERING FEELS THREATENING WITH LOUD SOUND UNDER DASH WHEN TURNING, AND CAR STEERING IS TOO LOOSE AT TIMES AND ALSO JUMPS ALITTLE WHILE TURNING.. IM LOOKING INTO WHAT AND HOW I CAN GET IT FIXED, IM TOLD IT IS PROBABLY INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT AND I UNDERSTAND MANY GM VEHICLES HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE. ALSO, MY 2 PASSENGER DOORS WONT OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE, THE LOCKS GO UP AND DOWN, BUT DOOR HANDLES ALSO DON'T ENGAGE ALL WAY UP WHEN TRY TO PULL THEM, MECHANIC TOLD ME , ITS THE ACTUATORS IN HANDLES BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE ALSO HAVE COMPLAINED ON THIS ISSUE AS WELL. SO I HAVE NO ACCESS TO BACK DOORS, I CANT AFFORD A NEW CAR. I AM A SENIOR ON FIXED INCOME. IS THERE ANY HELP FOR ME TO FIX MY CAR?

NHTSA complaint #11207390 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 40,000 miles Gulfport, MS Crash 2 injured

STRUCTURE:BODY

SINGLE CAR ACCIDENT/HIT AN ANIMAL / CAR SPUN OUT OF CONTROL/HIT SEVERAL TREES(CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS) WIFE & DAUGHTER SEVERELY INJURED//NOT ONE AIR BAG DEPLOYED(HIGHWAY PATROLMAN VERIFIED IN HIS REPORT

NHTSA complaint #11096942 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 80,000 miles Milwaukee, WI Fire

STRUCTURE:BODY

OUR CAR HAD ENGINE TROUBLES WHERE IT KEPT SHIFTING BACK INTO NEUTRAL WHILE WE WERE TRYING TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY AND THEN ON SIDE STREETS ON THE WAY HOME. WHILE DRIVING IT TO GET REPAIRED, THERE WAS A LOUD POPPING NOISE AND THE ENGINE BURST INTO FLAMES. THE FLAMES CONSUMED A LARGE PORTION OF THE CAR.

NHTSA complaint #10883083 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 84,000 miles LA Verne, CA

STRUCTURE:BODY

THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOOR CAME OPEN WHILE DRIVING. THIS INCIDENT BEGAN WITH PASSENGER CHECKING BACK SEAT FOR AN ITEM. DOOR DIDN'T SOUND LIKE IT CLOSED ALL THE WHEN WHEN IT WAS SHUT. PASSENGER OPENED AND RECLOSED THE DOOR. AS I LEFT THAT LOCATION, I HEARD AIR BLOWING (OPEN WINDOW SOUND). CHECKING FOR AN OPEN WINDOW, I FOUND BACK SEAT PASSENGER DOOR OPEN. I PULLED OVER TO THE CURB AND TRIED TO SHUT THAT DOOR. IT WOULD NOT STAY SHUT. EVEN THE AAA AUTO CLUB ROADSIDE SERVICE WAS UNABLE TO GET THE DOOR TO STAY CLOSED. THAT LATCH WAS MOVABLE WITH FINGERS, NOT LIKE THE OTHERS, WHICH COULD NOT BE MOVED WITHOUT ACTUALLY USING SOMETHING TO ASSIST, I.E., SCREWDRIVER, DOOR HANDLE, ETC. TO GET HOME, AUTO CLUB USED A HEAVY RUBBER BUNGEE CORD FROM REAR SEAT PASSENGER HEADREST BEHIND THE DRIVER, THROUGH THE WINDOW ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CAR AND HOOKED ONTO THE LUGGAGE RACK ON THE TOP OF THE CAR.

NHTSA complaint #10810065 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 82,700 miles NEW Windsor, NY Crash

STRUCTURE:BODY

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING WE HAD PULLED OUT OF A PARKING LOT ON ROUTE 207 IN THE TOWN OF HAMPTONBURGH,NY.NO MORE THEN 20 FEET FROM EXITING THE PARKING LOT THE CAR SHUT DOWN AND PULLED TO THE RIGHT CAUSING US TO HIT A TELEPHONE POLE AND TOTALING THE CAR. IT IS MY CONTENTION THAT POWER ASSIST STEERING FAILED THUS CAUSING THE ACCIDENT. WE WHERE NOTIFIED OF THE IGNITION RECALL HAD THAT TAKEN CARE OF IN AUGUST OF 2012. HOWEVER CHEVY/GM CONTENTION IS THE IGNITION DID NOT FAIL. THE BODY SHOP MECHANIC AND GM/CHEVY'S OWN SERVICE ADVISOR AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAID THAT A CATSOPHIC MALFUNCTION TOOK PLACE CAUSING THE ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #10713159 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 34,009 miles Lynn, MA

STRUCTURE:BODY

REAR PASSENGER DOOR OPENED AND HANDLE WOULD NOT LET PASSENGER OUT. I LOCKED AND UNLOCKED DOOR AND PASSENGER COULD MOVE HANDLE BUT NOT OPEN THE DOOR. I WENT TO THE DOOR AND TRIED TO OPEN AND THE EXTERIOR HANDLE WOULD NOT OPEN DOOR. TRIED LOCKING AND UNLOCKING WITH REMOTE, BUTTONS IN CAR AND MANUALLY TO NO AVAIL. HAVE SEEN MANY REFERENCES TO SAME PROBLEM BUT NO SOLUTIONS. DEALER WANTS $120.00 TO TELL ME HOW MUCH TO FIX THE DOOR. THIS IS SOMETHING DEFECTIVE AND NOT A WORKAROUND BY CHEVROLET. OTHER MODELS IN THIS YEAR HAVE HAD A RECALL BUT HHR'S I GUESS DID NOT MAKE IT. GLAD THERE WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT WITH A FIRE.

NHTSA complaint #10705973 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 15,663 miles Conroe, TX

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOORS INSIDE THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE OPENED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WAS LOCKED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE AUTOMATIC LOCK BUTTON HAD TO BE PRESSED NUMEROUS TIMES IN ORDER TO OPEN THE DOORS. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,663. THE CONSUMER STATED THE BODY AND TRIM WERE DEFECTIVE, DUE TO THE DOOR LOCKS GETTING STUCK HALF WAY AND THE DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS ALSO DEFECTIVE, AS THE RADIO AND CD PLAYER WERE INOPERATIVE, AND THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START AT TIMES. UPDATED 09/17/14

NHTSA complaint #10621756 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 110,000 miles Macomb, MI

STRUCTURE:BODY

THE LEFT REAR POWER DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR IS INOPERATIVE. THE REAR DOOR CAN NOT BE OPENED ( FROM OUTSIDE OR INSIDE) EITHER WITH POWER ASSIST OR MANUALLY PULLING THE LOCK PLUNGER. I HAVE TO USE PLIERS GRABBING THE DOOR LOCK PLUNGERS ( PULLING UPWARD) TO FORCE THE LOCK OPEN ALLOWING ME TO OPEN REAR DOOR (EXCESSIVE FORCE REQUIRED ALONG WITH SOMEONE PUSHING THE POWER DOOR LOCK SWITCH SIMULTANEOUSLY). ONCE IN THE LOCKED CONDITION YOU CAN NOT OPERATE THE DOOR FROM EITHER THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. REAR SEAT OCCUPANTS WOULD BE TRAPPED IN BACK SEAT WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. I CHECKED THE CHILD SAFETY SWITCH AND IT IS NOT ENGAGED. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS REAR SEAT OCCUPANTS WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO EXIT THE CAR IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT OR FIRE. THE RIGHT SIDE REAR DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR FAILED SIMILARLY ( SAME CONDITION) ON THIS SAME VEHICLE WHILE UNDER WARRANTY AND IT WAS REPLACED. NOW GM DEALER SAID IT WAS MY ISSUE AND GM WOULD NOT COVER REPLACEMENT OR COST TO INSTALL REPLACEMENT PART. I WANT THIS SAFTEY ISSUE DOCUMENTED IN AN INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY FILE IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #10592099 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 15,663 miles Conroe, TX

STRUCTURE:BODY

DOOR LOCKS STICK. HAVE BEEN LOCKED IN VEHICLE. REPORTED TO GM THEY DO NOT FEEL DOOR LOCKS STICKING DANGEROUS. BEEN IN DEALER WERE PURCHASED 7 TIMES FOR DOOR LOCKS TO BE FIXED. DOOR LOCKS STILL STICKING. WAS FORCED TO SIGN A COMPLAINT LETTER WITH GM WITH LEMON LAW ATTORNEY. WE FEEL THAT VEHICLE CAN NEVER BE FIXED. STILL HAVING TROUBLE WITH DOOR LOCKS. VIDEO OF BEING LOCKED IN .WAS PURCHASED NEW. WE FEEL WE HAVE DONE OUR PART TAKING BACK TO DEALER TO BE FIXED. THEY ARE UNABLE TO FIX DEFECTS. *TR THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER, REGARDING DEFECTIVE AIR BAGS. HOWEVER, THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 01/09/17.

NHTSA complaint #10489085 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Madison, AL

STRUCTURE

WATER LEAKS IN DRIVER AND PASSANGER FLOORS. MOLD IN CAR.

NHTSA complaint #10448416 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 15,000 miles Clarksville, IN

STRUCTURE:BODY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT INSERTED THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION HOWEVER, HE WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE KEY TO POWER THE VEHICLE ON. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 15,000.

NHTSA complaint #10439658 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 34,158 miles Willowbrook, IL

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

CARRO HHR 2008 CUANDO LAS PUERTAS DEL VEHICULO ESTAN ENTRE ABIRTAS ME INDICA EL TABLERO QUE ESTAN CERRADAS. EL SENSOR DEL TABLERO SE APAGA CUANDO LAS PUERTAS TIENEN UNO 2 A 5 CM ABIERTAS.

NHTSA complaint #10330350 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 21,000 miles Polk, OH

STRUCTURE:BODY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE EXAMINING THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE REAR BUMPER PAINT WAS CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND THE TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT IN ORDER TO PREVENT CORROSION, RUNNING BOARDS NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 21000.

NHTSA complaint #10285116 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2008 Chevrolet HHR problems

← Full 2008 Chevrolet HHR report