This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Wife was driving the car, the power steering warning light came on and she lost power steering. She got home, called the dealer and asked about recalls and was informed the 2006 cobalt (mechanically and equipment wise the same car with a different skin) was recalled but not the HHR. I took the car to Firestone and the steering worked fine. They checked out the steering and could find nothing wrong but indicated the HHR has been recalled for this in Canada but not in the us and that the repair is quite expensive. Is the government protecting their investment in GM by not issuing a recall? please explain this situation or recall the twin of the cobalt.
While driving to work in the snow the steering wheel jerked out of my hands. This same problem has been recalled for other Chevy models but not the HHR. Does someone need to die in an accident first. I got a recall letter for the storage bin in the dash not staying closed and that is a minor inconvenience, for my wife who has always had power steering in a vehicle to have it suddenly go out scares you when you are at highway speeds. If you turn off the car and restart it within a minute or two its out again. Consumers pay for safety and it doesn't seem like all of the this regulations are helping when it really matters.
Driving to work and turned a corner, discover almost too late that I had no power steering. No light flashed on the dash to warn me and I almost hit another vehicle. There has been no solution to fix this problem as it keeps recurring.
As I was driving my electronic power steering shut down. I pulled over turned engine off and when started again it again steering worked. Went to a store, and drove car about half mile and steering went out again. Pulled to side of road turned engine off, restarted and worked for about eight of a mile. Pulled to side of road and repeated as before. This is now more frequent. As of today 9/4 after the engine begins to warm up the steering turns off. All fluids in car are full. This is a safety issue because the car is very difficult to steer when the steering goes out. I saw that the cobalt had a recall for this and the HHR is mechanically and electronically the same as the HHR. The HHR should be included in the same recall. Thank you.
Had power steering issue did some research turns out to be over heat.. check coolant levels. My coolant temp. Over 200 added coolant now around 190 steering works fine.
- Hagerstown, MD, USA
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The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated that while driving 50 mph, the electric power steering light illuminated as the steering became very difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was restarted a few minutes later and operated as designed for another mile before the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis and the contact was informed that the electric power system motor would need to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 97,000. Updated 10/17/13 the vehicle was repaired at the owner's expense on August 20, 2013. Updated 10/24/13
I do not have a problem with the steering until I drive a few miles. After I drive my 2006 Chevy HHR a few miles the power steering light comes on & my electric power steering completely stops..the car is very hard to steer and almost impossible to park..when I need to park I have to turn my car off & then start it back up. I have done research on this problem and have found that my HHR is not the only one having problems with the power steering and there were also other Chevy makes & models.with the same problem and there was a recall on them..will you please have a recall on the electric power steering on the 2006 Chevy HHR so we can be safe on the road...[xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
My power steering went out and its very hard to drive! I have to turn the car off and on to get it going! when it first happen I was going around a curve, and it totally scared me!
Power steering motor shorted out, when we took it to Chevy dealer we were told that GM would not sell the motor separately as the steering column went out shortly after the power steering motor, and were also told there had been a recall on some HHR's. the price to repair is $1500. I am 71 years old, my disabled husband is 72 years old and we only have social security as income. Tried to get some compensation from GM and after almost 3 weeks they told me they would not help me because I bought the car used from a dealer other than a Chevy dealer, that it was out of warranty and over mileage. If the steering goes out there most likely be an accident of some kind. We have no other transportation, I do feel this is a definite safety issue. Any help you can provide to have GM honor the recall would be appreciated.
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 mph the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The power steering warning light illuminated. The failure occurred intermittently. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 64,000.
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated that her vehicle failed to start. The contact attempted to jump start the vehicle but to no avail. The contact was able to restart the vehicle hours later however, the steering wheel had become extremely difficult to maneuver. The contact stated she did not take the vehicle to a dealer because she did not trust the parts that were being used to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 119,000.
I was backing out of my driveway when the vehicle lost power steering, causing me to nearly hit my mailbox. The information screen on the speedometer said power steering and my service engine light came on.
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated that while reversing from a residential driveway, the power steering assist failed and the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was neither repaired nor inspected for the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 108,000.
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated that the power steering assist failed and caused resistance in the steering wheel. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was 52,000.
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the steering wheel became very difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 85,000.
I was going about 35mph when I came upon a curve and my electric power steering malfunctioned and caused me too loose control and crash into an open field. Ive spent most of my day researching and making phone calls. My local dealer tells me that there has been many issues with this but there are currently no recalls on the 2006 HHR.
I was driving with atleast 42 mph coming down from a bridge with a curve road when my power steering shut down. No sign, when I tried to turn my steering wheel for the curve, it wouldn't move. I panicked and almost had an accident because everybody's driving the same speed as me. I had to turn on my hazard sign to notify others I+M having problem with my car. It was difficult to turn..as soon as I reached home, I turned off the engine and after 10 mins turned it on again and it was working fine. Im too scared to drive my car. My work is 12 miles from me and this steering problem happened without a warning.
The car sudden loss of power steering assist is lost, the vehicle can still be steered, however, with greater effort (manual steering). The slower the vehicle is moving, the higher the steering effort. Unless a driver compensates for this additional steering effort, loss of power steering assist may increase the risk of a crash. The power steering assist is lost, a chime will be heard and the message centre will display a power steering warning message. Typically the next time the vehicle is started, the power steering assist will return and the message would no longer be displayed.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Columbia, SC, USA