2006 Chevrolet HHR Powertrain & Transmission Problems

The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and would not properly accelerate. Additionally, the front passenger’s side door would not open while using the interior door latch. The contact stated while using the cigarette lighter, the vehicle shut off, and smoke filled the cabin of the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was 92,000.

THE SHIFT LEVER SHOWS THE VEHICLE IN PARK BUT THE ACTUAL GEAR IS REVERSE BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE ADJUSTMENT CLIP HAS BECOME DISLODGED FROM ITS POSITION AND WILL NOT ENGAGE TO THE PROPER GEAR. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START AND IT WILL ALSO ROLL BACKWARDS WITHOUT ENGAGING THE PARKING BRAKE. IT WAS STATIONARY WHEN I WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK IT BUT IT THEN ROLLED BACKWARDS DOWN A HILL BECAUSE IT WAS NOT ENGAGING IN PARK AND ALMOST HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE BEFORE I COULD APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE. THIS ISSUE IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT IS PART OF A RECALL 09V073000 FOR MY SPECIFIC VEHICLE; HOWEVER IT DOESN'T INCLUDE MY YEAR OR VIN SO THE DEALERS ARE NOT TRYING TO REPAIR IT FOR ME WITHOUT COST.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURES WITH THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE MANUFACTURER HAD THE DEALER COMPLETE A MANUFACTURER RECALL REPAIR FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE REPAIR CAUSED SEVERAL FAILURES AND DID NOT PROVIDE A PERMANENT REPAIR SOLUTION. WITHIN WEEKS OF THE DEALER'S REPAIR, THE KEY WAS DIFFICULT TO REMOVE FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE CONTACT HAD TO CONSTANTLY MANEUVER THE GEAR SHIFT, WHICH HAD ALSO BEEN AN ISSUE. IN ADDITION, THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO PROVIDE A READING AND THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GAUGES FAILED TO FULLY FUNCTION AFTER THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT THE SOLUTION WOULD BE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. THE VEHICLE JERKED WHENEVER THE CONTACT SHIFTED GEARS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHETHER THE VEHICLE WERE IN DRIVE, NEUTRAL, OR REVERSE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V171000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE CONTACT ADHERED TO THE RECALL; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 181,732.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 7 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO RESPOND. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 169,350.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT FAILED TO LOCK IN THE PARK POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. AFTER THE CONTACT RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE SHORTLY AFTER IT HAD BEEN PARKED, SHE FOUND IT HAD ROLLED AWAY THREE HOUSES DOWNHILL. THE VEHICLE HAD DRIVEN OVER A CURB, SIDESWIPED A TREE, AND CRASHED INTO CINDER BLOCKS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND REPAIRED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000. UPDATED 8/28/14*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE COVER INTERLOCK WAS REMOVED. THE SHIFTER DID NOT LOCK INTO GEAR. THE LOCK WAS MISSING. THE CONSUMER WAS NOT GIVEN ANY PAPERWORK TO EXPLAIN THE ISSUES. THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED BY MULTIPLE MECHANICS THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DRIVE WITH THESE DEFECTS. UPDATED 11/25/2014 *JS

CAN SHIFT WITH OUT PUSHING BRAKE OR SHIFT BOTTOM, ALSO KEY GET STUCK IN ON POSITION WHEN IN PARK. HAVE NOT FIXED IT YET DUE TO THE COST OF THE PARK AND LABOR. HAVE LOOKED ON LINE AND A LOT OF OTHER HHR OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. ALSO BRAKE FLUID WARRING COME ON BUT FLUID IS FULL. *TR

KEY GOT STUCK IN IGNITION. THIS APPARENTLY IS A COMMON KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. THEY DID A RECALL BUT ONLY ON THE 2009 MODELS. THE GEAR SHIFT ASSEMBLY GOES BAD AND THERE IS A PLASTIC PIECE THAT BREAKS CAUSING THE KEY TO GET STUCK. I HAD TO GO INTO THE STEERING COLUMN TO MANUALLY RELEASE THE KEY. THE GEAR SHIFT ALSO WILL GO INTO ANY POSITION WITHOUT HAVING TO PRESS THE BUTTON, WHICH IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE SINCE IT CAN BE PUT INTO REVERSE WHILE DRIVING, ETC. TRIED TO TAKE IT IN TO GET FIXED BUT WILL COST ABOUT $300. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL SINCE IT HAS BEEN AN ISSUE WITH ALL THE EARLY HHR MODELS, NOT JUST THE 2009.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR LEVER FAILED TO SHIFT FROM PARK OR INTO ANY GEAR UNTIL AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK AND SURGE ONCE THE GEAR SHIFT WAS MOVED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

WHEN STARTING FROM A STOPPED POSITION IN A SIGNAL CONTROLLED LEFT TURN LANE, THE CLUTCH WAS DEPRESSED AS USUAL. THIS TIME IT MADE A POPPING NOISE AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, RENDERING THE CAR INOPERABLE. THE DRIVER WAS LEFT STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF A ROADWAY. FORTUNATELY, THIS HAPPENED IN A LIGHT TRAFFIC AREA, BUT COULD HAVE EASILY OCCURRED ON THE FREEWAY OR WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC FOUND THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER HAD BROKEN OUT OF THE FIREWALL AND REPAIRED IT AS BEST HE COULD WITHOUT PULLING THE ENGINE. HE STATED THAT HE DISCOVERED SOME REPORTS OF CHEVROLET HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES IN THIS AND OTHER PRODUCTS; HOWEVER, THE DEALER WHERE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEARS WERE ABLE TO BE CHANGED WITHOUT USING THE BUTTON. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,144.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY SEIZED IN THE IGNITION AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT TO PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE IGNITION SWITCH CYLINDER WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH THE BATTERY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,441.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION FAILED AND THE KEY COULD NOT BE RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CONTACT HAD TO MOVE GEAR SHIFTER LEVER SEVERAL TIMES IN ORDER TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE GEAR SHIFTER AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE GEAR SHIFTER SYSTEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 38,402. ..UPDATED 08-07-13 *BF

PULLED INTO GARAGE, PLACED SHIFTER IN PARK, IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT ROTATE TO LAST DETENT POSITION AND KEY COULD NOT BE REMOVED, LEAVING SOME ELECTRICAL ITEMS ON. SHIFTER BUTTON WAS DEPRESSED AND WOULD NOT UNLOCK BUT SHIFT COULD BE PUT IN ANY GEAR. I SEARCHED INTERNET FOR PROBLEM AND LEARNED HOW TO REMOVE COVER UNDER IGNITION SWITCH AND MANIPULATE A BUTTON INSIDE THE COLUMN TO ALLOW KEY TO BE RELEASED. CAR CAN BE STARTED AGAIN BUT TO SHUT OFF AND REMOVE KEY, SAME PROCESS REQUIRED. A BIG PROBLEM I HAVE FOUND ON INTERNET FROM OTHER OWNERS IS THAT INSTEAD OF PAYING THE OUTRAGEOUS COST TO FIX, MANY DRIVERS ARE DOING THE ABOVE, WHICH IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE THE SHIFT LEVER CAN EASILY, ACCIDENTALLY BE SHIFTED INTO ANOTHER GEAR WHILE IN MOTION ! THIS PROBLEM IS CAUSED BE A METAL PIN, MOUNTED IN AN INFERIOR PLASTIC PIECE, WHICH BREAKS OR OTHERWISE ALLOWS THE METAL PIN TO FALL OUT OF POSITION. THIS IS REPORTED IN ALL YEAR MODELS, AT ALL MILEAGES. MY CAR IS A 2006 WITH 11000 MILES- 7 YEARS OLD, AND OBVIOUSLY HARDLY USED, LET ALONE ABUSED, AND OF COURSE, OUT OF WARRANTY ! GM HAS UPGRADED THE REPLACEMENT PART WITH A SHROUD OF METAL REINFORCING THE PLASTIC, AND HAS REPAIRED AND REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY ON MODELS FROM 2009 TO DATE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DESIGN DEFECT, AND ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE. GM NEEDS TO RECALL ALL MODELS WITH THIS DEFECT ! THEY ARE NOT OFFERING ANY SOLUTION FOR A REPAIR THAT MANY OWNERS HAVE PAID UP TO $600 OF THEIR OWN MONEY, AND I FOR ONE AM GOING TO FIGHT THIS IN ALL WAYS POSSIBLE. GOV.'T, MEDIA, BBB,SOCIAL MEDIA, ETC ! REVIEW THE INTERNET BY SEARCHING " CHEVY HHR IGNITION KEY STUCK" . THIS ALSO AFFECTS CHEVY COBALT AND PONTIAC G5. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION KEY COULD NOT BE TURNED TO ENGAGE THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE ALSO COULD NOT BE SHIFTED FROM PARK. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 116,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER BECAME STUCK AND HE WAS UNABLE TO POWER OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE SHIFTER PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 95,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

I HAD CAME BACK HOME AND PUT THE CAR INTO PARK, I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF, AND TRIED TO PULL OUT THE KEY AND THE KEY WAS STUCK IN THE ON POSITION. *TR

SOME PORTION OF THE SHIFTER MECHANISM FAILED. IT ALLOWS THE VEHICLE TO SHIFT GEARS AT WILL, WITH OR WITHOUT A KEY AND WITH OR WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING. IT ALSO ALLOWS THE VEHICLE TO BE PUT INTO GEAR WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE VEHICLE CAN 'BUMP' FROM 'PARK' INTO ANY GEAR AND FROM ANY GEAR TO ANY OTHER GEAR, INCLUDING "REVERSE". WHILE DRIVING, ONE BUMP CAUSED IT TO SHIFT INTO 'NEUTRAL'. ANOTHER CAUSED A DOWNSHIFT. ONE CAN LEAVE TURN OFF THE IGNITION & LEAVE THE CAR WITHOUT PUTTING IT SECURELY INTO 'PARK'. I AM NOT POSITIVE, BUT I BELIEVE I COULD ALSO MAKE THE STEERING COLUMN LOCK WHILE THE IGNITION WAS ON. I TRIED THIS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE THE KEY. I DID NTO WANT TO TRY AGAIN, FEARING I WOULD MAKE THE SITUATION WORSE. ADDITIONALLY, THE KEY IS NOW RETAINED IN THE IGNITION AND CAN NOT BE REMOVED. THE CAR CAN BE MORE EASILY STOLEN. (ON MINE, I FOUND OUT HOW TO FORCE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. BUT THE GEAR SHIFTER CAN STILL BUMP AROUND.) THE MENTIONED CRASH WAS FROM EXITING THE CAR EITHER WITHOUT IT BEING SECURELY IN 'PARK' OR FROM HAVING IT FALLOUT OF 'PARK'. IT ROLLED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. I ENTERED "0 MPH" BECAUSE I WASN'T THERE TO SEE THE CAR ROLL. IT WAS ON A SMALL ENOUGH INCLINE THAT NO DAMAGE WAS DONE OTHER THAN SCRATCHES. *TR

I DROVE MY VEHICLE TO NEW JERSEY FOR VACATION BUT CAME BACK TO VIRGINIA WITHIN TWO DAYS. UPON MY ARRIVAL IN VIRGINIA, I REPACKED MY BAGS AND HEADED TO CHARLOTTE, NC. ALL THE DRIVING THAT I WAS DOING WAS HIGHWAY DRIVING. TO NEW JERSEY I DROVE I-81 NORTH AND I-78 EAST. TO CHARLOTTE, NC I DROVE 220 SOUTH AND I-85 SOUTH. AFTER I GOT OFF ON I-85 SOUTH TO GO BACK TO THE HOTEL ON THE WAY UP THE HILL TOWARDS THE HOTEL THE CAR STOPPED MOVING FORWARD. IT WOULD REV UP WHEN PUSHING ON THE ACCELERATOR BUT WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD. THE CAR HOWEVER WOULD SHIFT GEARS AND GO IN REVERSE. I PARKED THE CAR IN A PARKING LOT AND HAD CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP.THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED BUT COULD NOT GIVE ME A DETERMINATION AS TO WHY IT FAILED. HAD THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AS I WAS SPEEDING DOWN I-85 SOUTH THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. ADDITIONALLY, THIS MORNING (AUGUST 22ND , 2012) THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THE LIGHTS INSIDE THE CAR WOULD COME ON SUCH AS THE GAUGE LIGHTS, RADIO, ETC BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE MIDPOINT CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE STARTER WAS BAD AND THUS HAD TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE MORNING OF NOVEMBER 24TH UPON RETURNING TO MY CAR FROM A NIGHT OUT THE CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN. THIS TIME NO LIGHTS WOULD COME ON. THE ONLY INDICATION THAT THERE WAS AT LEAST SOME POWER WAS THE INDICATOR LIGHT ON MY CAR CHARGER. I CONTACTED MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND RECEIVED A JUMP START FROM A LOCAL TOW SERVICE AND THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RUNNING SMOOTHLY EVER SINCE. THIS HAS OCCURRED TWICE IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS BUT THERE IS NO INDICATION AS TO WHAT MAY BE DRAINING THE BATTERY'S POWER. I HAVE HAD THE BATTERY CHECKED TWICE AND ON THESE TWO OCCASIONS AND IS DEEMED TO STILL BE GOOD. *TR