2009 Chevrolet HHR problems
Owners have filed 689 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Chevrolet HHR. Electrical system is the most reported problem area, at 22% of complaints. Next are steering (19%) and air bags (15%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 689 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 22% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 31 and 10
- Injuries and deaths
- 36 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 60,000 miles 550 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 48 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 79 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 136 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 89 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 73 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 38 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 26 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 19 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 20 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 17 |
| 200k+ miles | 5 |
What the data shows
Of the 550 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 60,000 miles. For electrical system specifically, the median reported mileage is about 55,000 miles (118 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 31 complaints mention a crash; 10 complaints mention a fire; 36 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2009 ranks 3rd most-complained-about out of 6 model years of the Chevrolet HHR with enough data (446 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 4 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Tl* the contact owned a 2009 chevrolet hhr. While driving approximately 40 MPH, the contact's vehicle crashed into another vehicle that cut him off on the roadway. The contact's child, who was secured in his child seat, was injured when the rear seat release lever failed. The child seat moved forward and the child struck his head. The child suffered a contusion, but no other injuries. The driver, the child in the child seat, and two other passengers in the vehicle sustained minor injuries.
Started smelling smoke and the whole vehicle shut down with the being stuck on ignition. Couldn't open the doors and smoke was billowing out and fire start coming out of lower middle console. Luckily was able to open door and exit vehicle. Fire then erupted and quickly traveled straight down the center console to the rear of the car. Within minutes the car was totally engulfed in flames and was completely burned to nothing. Suffered several burns and smoke inhalation and the car and every thing in it was destroyed
2009 chevy hhr has 50,000 miles on it and I have noticed that the temperature runs very hot with no explanation. Fluids full, clean and regularly serviced. The cooling fan kicks on when sitting idle for any small period of time.
Have owned 1- 2008 & 1-2009 hhr ss with 2.0l turbo charger and manual 5 speed trans,and right at 100,000 miles the front suspension makes a horrendous noise like the front suspension is going fall out from under it when hitting small bumps . Also if you move the steering wheel back and forth it will make a very similar noise. The 2008 got totaled from a lady pulling out in front of me had changed the sway bar end links prior to accident made no change.