There are 11 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2010 Chevrolet HHRin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
WATER PUMP
MY 2010 CHEVY HHR IS LEAKING GAS AT A FAST PACE FROM THE FUEL LINE NEAR THE REAR WHEEL. I SMELLED A STRONG GAS ODOR AND AFTER PARKING I NOTICED PUDDLE AND DRIPPING NEW MY REAR WHEEL. IT WAS GAS. I TOOK IT TO A SERVICE SHOP AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE FUEL LINE WAS WORN AND BROKEN.
I GOT MY CAR IN 2011 TOOK MY CAR INTO SHOP BECAUSE SMOG IS NOT PASSING NOW I WAS TOLD NEED NEW MOTOR AFTER 5YRS AT 5000.00
DRIVING FROM WORK CAR STARTED RUMBLE RING THEN ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. PANEL SAID REDUCE POWER AND SERVICE TRACTION. COAST THE CAR TO SIDE OF HIGHWAY SAT ABOUT 15 MINS AND RESTARTED CAR. IT STARTED ENGINE LIGHT STILL ON BUT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE FINE HAD ABOUT 40 MILES TO GET HOME AND IT DID IT AGAIN. I REPEATED THE STEPS AGAIN AND DROVE HOME. ON THE NEXT DAT TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD IT SERVICED AND THEY SAID THE THROTTLE BODY JUST NEEDED CLEANING. DROVE IT FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS AND AGAIN IT HAPPEN. NOW ON FEBRUARY 2, 2015 AGAIN IT HAS HAPPENED AND THE CAR WON'T EVEN TURN STAY TO ALLOW ME TO GET IT SERVICED I WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO TOW IT. THE TEMPERATURE HAS BEEN SO COLD SO I HAVE BEEN COMMUTED ON TRAINS AND BUSES TO GET TO WORK FOR ALMOST A MONTH. *TR
AFTER DRIVING SEVERAL HOURS, CAME TO A ROAD CONSTRUCTION AREA AND STOPPED FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO STUMBLE AND EVENTUALLY DIED AFTER A MINUTE OR SO. AFTER SETTING STILL WITH THE ENGINE AND IGNITION OFF, THE CAR STARTED BACK UP AND WENT ON DOWN THE ROAD WITHOUT ANY FURTHER INCIDENT. *TR
CAR WOULD NOT START FOR DAYS. HAD IT JUMPED SEVERAL TIMES. FINALLY STARTED RUNNING AGAIN, THAN IT APPEARED TO HAVE AN EXHAUST LEAK. NOPE...DIRECT FIT CONVERTER... OVER 600$ PLUS BEING TOWED 2XS. ANOTHER BATTERY, AAA TOWING AND JUMPING, ALREADY HAD ENGINE SWITCH REPLACED, NOW MY KIDS AND I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT POWER STEERING! THOUGHT I LOVED THIS VECH, BUT ITS COST US AN ARM AND A LEG JUST TO FIX PROBLEMS, NOT TO MENTION IM STILL PAYING FOR IT! CHEVY 2010 HAD 7MILES ON IT WHEN PURCHASED, HAS APPROX 70 NOW, COULD OF HAD MORE, IF NOT FOR FIXING AND BUYING PARTS! NEVER AGAIN. *TR
I WENT TO A MEETING AND WHEN I PARKED AND TRIED TO TURN THE CAR OFF, IT WOULDN'T LET ME TURN IT OFF. I AM A FEMALE AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO , SO I HAD TO CALL MY HUSBAND AND HE CAME AND HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY SO IT WOULD SHUT OFF. THEN WE HAD TO CALL A WRECKER SERVICE AND HAVE IT TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. *TR
MY 2010 HHR HAS EXPERIENCED AN IGNITION ISSUE AS WELL. I CANNOT GET THE KEY TO TURN BACK TO THE OFF POSITION. I GOT HOME FROM WORK AT MIDNIGHT, PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND WHEN I TRIED TO SHUT THE CAR OFF IT WOULD NOT TURN BACK. THE ONLY OPTION I HAD WAS TO PULL THE ECM FUSE AND DISCONNECT THE BATTERY (OR LET IT RUN OUT OF GAS). THE GEAR SHIFTER WILL ALLOW ME TO SHIFT BETWEEN ALL GEARS BUT IT WON'T TURN OFF. ALL THE ELECTRICAL STAY ON, I HAVE ONLY OWNED THIS CAR FOR 3 MONTHS. *TR
MY 2010 CHEVY HHR HAS EXPERIENCED AN IGNITION ISSUE. THE KEY, WHEN THE CAR IS SET TO PARK, WILL NOT DISENGAGE. IT REMAINS ON, WITH THE ONLY OPTION BEING TO LET THE CAR RUN OUT OF GAS/THE BATTERY TO DRAIN. THE KEY WILL TURN (AS IF TO START THE CAR), AND THE GEAR CAN BE SHIFTED FROM PARK TO REVERSE, NEUTRAL, ETC., BUT WILL NOT TURN OFF. ALL SYSTEMS STAY ON, POTENTIALLY BURNING OUT ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS OR CAUSING PERMANENT ENGINE DAMAGE. THE ONLY WAY TO SAFELY ADDRESS THE IMMEDIATE ISSUE IS TO DISENGAGE THE FUSES UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL, WHICH MANY CONSUMERS MAY BE UNABLE TO DO. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET HHR. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE DECELERATED TO 40 MPH WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TWICE FOR THE FAILURE. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FRONT SEAT DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES TO THE RIGHT HAND. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER AND AND REAR SEAT PASSENGER BOTH SUFFERED MINOR HEAD INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE WITH REDUCED POWER. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 40 MPH WITH THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED OR TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING 45 MPH AND UP, THERE WAS A VERY HIGH NOISE LEVEL IN THE INTERIOR CABIN. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED TO EXHIBIT THE NOISE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,300.
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