There are 11 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2009 Chevrolet HHRin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT THE VEHICLE HAS A HARD PEDAL AND WOULD NOT STOP. IT APPEARED TO BE FROM THE BOOSTER NOT HOLDING THE VACUUM. THERE WAS A BULITEN #09-05-22-001A THAT ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE BUT IT REQUIRES AN ADDITIONAL VACUUM PUMP TO BE ADDED TO THE VEHICLE THAT WAS NOT IN THE ORIGINAL DESIGN. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY GM AND NOT THE CUSTOMER SINCE IT REQUIRES A NEW ADDITIONAL PART TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE AND WAS NOT DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ON THE VEHICLE.
LETTER FWD FM FMCSA CONCERN THE SAFETY OF HIS 2009 CHEVROLET HHR SS, BRAKES ARE EXTREMELY HARD CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN STOPPING VEHICLE AT TIMES, INQUIRING WHY THERE WASN'T A RECALL (ENCLOSURES NOT IMAGED FWD TO NVS-200) THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE RECENTLY PULLED AWAY FROM A CURB BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT STOPPED AT A CROSSWALK, HE CAME WITHIN AN INCH OF REAR-ENDING THE VEHICLE, BECAUSE THE BRAKE WAS EXTREMELY HARD, WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP. THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THE SAME SCENARIO AGAIN, BUT IT INVOLVED A PEDESTRIAN WHO WAS CROSSING THE STREET IN THE CROSSWALK. THE CONSUMER STATED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED BY CHEVROLET, BUT NOT A RECALL. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE COST TO INSTALL AN AUXILIARY VACUUM BOOSTER PUMP WAS $1200.00.
FRONT DISC BRAKES PULSATE AND CAUSE VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL. *TR
WHEN GENTLY BRAKING TO A STOP THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL HAS A CLICKING OR CLUNKING SOUND, NOT HEARD WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES HARD. MINOR PULSING CAN BE FELT IN THE BRAKE PEDAL. FIRST TRIP TO DEALER THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG BUT TURNED THE DRUM AND THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR A TIME. TWO MONTHS LATER PROBLEM IS BACK. THIS TIME DEALER REPORTED THEY TIGHTENED UP THE MUFFLER. MUFFLER IS ON LEFT SIDE OF VEHICLE, THE PROBLEM IS ON THE RIGHT. THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. OTHER HHR OWNERS REPORT SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME WHEEL. CHEVY DEALERS TELL US "THEY ALL DO IT". IT IS NOT CORRECT AND NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WITH 10K MILES ON IT AND PROBLEM SURFACED SOON AFTER (NOT DOING IT AT PURCHASE). NOW HAS 19K MILES. 2009 HHR LT2. *TR
AT 18,000 MILE MY 2009 CHEVROLET HHR STARTED SHAKING AS THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED WHILE GOING DOWN A 5% MOUNTAIN GRADE. WITHIN A SHORT DISTANCE AFTER LEVELING OFF THE BRAKING RETURNED TO NORMAL. THIS OCCURRED SEVERAL MORE TIMES AND AT 24,000 MILE THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE BRAKES CHECKED. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE ROTORS HAD OVER HEATED AND WARPED. AT 44,000 MILE THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING AGAIN AS THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED WHILE GOING DOWN A 5% MOUNTAIN GRADE. BRAKE PADS DO WEAR OUT. ROTORS DO NEED TO BE TURNED. VIOLENT SHAKING FROM ROTORS WARPING BECAUSE OF OVERHEATING IS NOT NORMAL. IT IS AN INDICATION THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM MAY BE UNDERSIZED FOR THIS VEHICLE OR THAT INFERIOR PARTS ARE BEING USED. THE BRAKES HAVE NOT BEEN APPLIED EXCESSIVELY. THE VEHICLE IS NOT OVERLOADED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN SUBJECT TO SUDDEN BRAKING. THE HIGH MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE IS FROM FREEWAY DRIVING. *TR
WHEN HHR IS STOPPED ON A HILL, FOR A RED LIGHT OR FROM BEING PARKED ON A HILL OR EVEN A SLOPE, IT DRIFTS BACKWARDS AS SOON AS YOU GO FROM HAVING THE BRAKES ON, SUCH AS AT A RED LIGHT, TO HITTING THE GAS TO GO FORWARD WHEN THE LIGHT TURNS GREEN. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN THERE IS A CAR BEHIND YOU BECAUSE THE HHR ALWAYS DRIFTS BACKWARDS. YOU HAVE TO BE PREPARED TO HIT THE GAS QUICK AND HOPE THE CAR BEHIND YOU ISN'T TOO CLOSE. ALSO, WHEN BACKING UP WHILE ON A HILL, THE CAR DRIFTS FORWARD EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE HITTING THE GAS CAUSING THE HHR TO COME WITHIN INCHES OF THE CAR IN FRONT OF IT. WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF CLOSE CALLS AND CONTINUE TO DO SO. IT'S A PANICKY SITUATION BECAUSE YOU'RE BASICALLY 'STUCK' BECAUSE AS SOON AS YOU TAKE YOU'RE FOOT OFF OF THE BRAKE, IT DRIFTS AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO, BUT HOPE YOU CAN GET OUT OF THE SITUATION WITHOUT CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. IT'S SCARY, SO YOU HAVE TO GET YOUR FOOT ON THE GAS AND HIT IT IMMEDIATELY AND PRAY THAT YOU DON'T DRIFT INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU OR BEHIND YOU, DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION. THIS DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN OCCASIONALLY - IT WILL HAPPEN EACH TIME. *TR
THIS IS THE THIRD BRAKE FAILURE IN THIS NEW CHEVY HHR. BRAKES STARTED FEELING SOFT. I WAS DOING 65 MPH ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY (DENVER C470) AND NEEDED TO BRAKE HARD. BRAKES WERE SOFT AND THE CAR PULLED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT - NEARLY TAKING ME INTO THE CAR BESIDE ME. THERE WERE NO DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS. HAD IT TOWED TO MEDVED CHEVY IN CASTLE ROCK, CO. THEY REPORT THE BRAKE FLUID WAS FULL. APPEARS TO HAVE AIR IN THE BRAKE LINE. THEY HAD ALREADY REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER AND BOTH FRONT CALIPERS. SERVICE MANAGER REPORTED THEY REALLY HAD NO IDEA OF WHAT WAS WRONG, BUT THEY REPLACED THE MODULATOR VALVE SINCE IT WAS THE ONLY REMAINING COMPONENT THEY HAD NOT REPLACED. IN NONE OF THE 3 FAILURES COULD THEY FIND EVIDENCE OF ANY FLUID LEAKS. HE SAID THEY HAD WORKED WITH GM ENGINEERING WHO COULD NOT OFFER ANY OTHER SOLUTIONS. I'M PERSONALLY VERY WORRIED ABOUT DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND WOULD ABSOLUTELY NOT LET MY WIFE OR ANYONE ELSE DRIVE IT. *TR
AFTER PURCHASE OF A NEW 2009 SS HHR. DURING THE MORNING I BACKED INTO MY GARAGE AND NOTICED A VERY SOFT BRAKE PEDAL. I THEN STARTED TO PROCEED INTO THE GARAGE AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLES BRAKES WOULD NOT COMPLY WITH MY BRAKE PRESSURE AND THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO HIT THE SIDE OF OUR HOUSE. THIS BECAME A ROUTINE SITUATION UPON "COLD STARTUPS" AND WHEN REPORTED TO THE DEALER,(CLASSIC CHEVY CHEVROLET, GRAPEVINE, TX) AFTER SEVERAL POOR STOPS, MY SERVICE ADVISOR ADVISED "YEAH WE KNOW ABOUT IT". BUT THERE WAS NO FIX AT THE TIME WHEN CONFRONTED WITH A POSSIBLE FIX HE ADVISED THAT " I MADE ARRANGEMENTS TO HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED WHEN THE FIX FROM GM ENGINEERING WAS ISSUED REFUSED TO SERVICE THE CAR. GM CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSONNEL AND THE BULLETIN ADVISED THAT "THEY ARE WORKING ON THE ISSUE." I NEVER GOT THE REAR OF THE CAR REPAIRED DUE TO THE FAILURE PRESSURE FAILURE. *TR
SECOND TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE IN NEW 2009 CHEVY HHR. SEE ODI #10281421 FOR PRIOR COMPLAINT. IN COLORADO MOUNTAIN TOWN WHEN BRAKES BEGAN TO FEEL SOFT. WITHIN MINUTES THEY WOULD BARELY STOP THE CAR. USED THE HAND EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP CAR. THERE WERE NO PANEL LIGHTS INDICATING A BRAKE FAILURE. CHECK OF BRAKE FLUID SHOWED IT WAS FULL. TOOK CAR TO MEDVED CHEVY IN CASTLE ROCK, CO. THEY CONFIRMED THE BRAKE FAILURE. AFTER CONSULTING WITH GM, THEY REPLACED BOTH FRONT CALIPERS. HOWEVER - THEY WERE NOT CONFIDENT THAT THIS WILL RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. PRIOR CALIPERS AND BRAKE LINES DID NOT SHOW ANY APPARENT FLUIDS LEAKS. COPY OF REPAIR INVOICE IS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS SECOND TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE WITHIN TWO MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP. *TR
NEW 2009 CHEVY HHR - TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE NEW CAR - DRIVEN FOR ABOUT 10 DAYS - 850 MILES. WHILE DRIVING, BRAKES STARTED FEELING SOFT WHILE GOING DOWNHILL. LATER APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION AT ABOUT 20 MPH, BRAKES TRAVELED ABOUT 2/3 OF WAY BEFORE DOING ANYTHING. APPLIED MORE PRESSURE AND CAR PULLED TO RIGHT. PRESSED BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR AND CAR KEPT MOVING. PULLED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND STOPPED WITH NOSE OF CAR IN THE INTERSECTION. THERE WERE NO PANEL LIGHTS INDICATING A BRAKE FAILURE. CHECK OF THE BRAKE FLUID SHOWED IT IS FULL. TOOK CAR TO MEDVED CHEVY IN CASTLE ROCK, CO TODAY FOR REPAIR. THEY CONFIRMED THE BRAKE FAILURE (EASY TO DO SINCE THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR). THEY WILL DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR NEXT WEEK. I ASKED THEM TO ESCALATE A REPORT OF THIS ISSUE IN CASE OTHER OWNERS ARE NOT AS LUCKY AS ME. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET HHR. TWO WEEKS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE DEALER INSTALLED HEATED SEATS. AFTERWARDS, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS STOPPED WORKING. THE HEATED SEATS ARE DRAINING THE BATTERY IN THE VEHICLE. EACH TIME THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN, IT FAILS TO START DUE TO THE DRAINED BATTERY. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER IN ORDER TO BE RESTARTED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT A SWITCH UNDERNEATH THE SEATS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER FOR THEM TO REDO THE INSTALLATION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 620. OIL LEAK ONTO THE COOLANT RESERVOIR. THE DEALER FOUND THE BRAKE FLUID CAP WAS NOT SEALED PROPERLY. THE HEATED SEATS THAT WERE I INSTALLED WERE CONNECTED TO THE BATTERY WHICH WAS CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DIE. UPDATED 03/19/09. *JB
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026