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2009 Chevrolet HHR steering complaints

Page 3 of 5: complaints 41 to 70 of 127, newest first, as owners wrote them.

See the summary of 2009 Chevrolet HHR steering problems: which part fails, at what mileage and related recalls.

Filed May 29, 2014 · Steering · 61,000 miles · OH

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet hhr. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the steering wheel seized causing the contact difficulty to maneuvering the vehicle. The contact mentioned that the eps warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the power steering motor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the vehicle was not included in the federal safety agency campaign id number: 14v153000 (steering). The approximate failure mileage was 61,000.

Filed May 16, 2014 · Steering · 87,000 miles · TX

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet hhr. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver as the power steering warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for a diagnostic. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the vehicle was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 14v153000 (steering). The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 87,000 and the current mileage was 90,000.

Filed May 13, 2014 · Steering · 312,000 miles · FL

On april 28, 2014, while taken a curve power steering (ps) stopped working, lost control and damage only wheel cover, fortunately the area a came to a full stop was clear of car and people. The ps worked fine soon after that. Again, on may 10, 2014 the ps went out again, but this time I was taking a small turn and was able to control steered it in the right direction. Presently we are researching the malfunction to cure the problem, but unable to locate the problem.

Filed May 12, 2014 · Steering · 126,400 miles · NH

Loss of power steering when attempting to turn into side street. Warning message on dash. Car was brought to dealership, expecting problem to be repaired free of charge under gm recall/bulletin 14115 or 14119, but was told by dealership that this VIN had no steering recalls or bulletins as of yet. Paid almost $1000 to replace column and power steering motor. I would expect to be reimbursed. This is a company owned vehicle.

Filed Apr 25, 2014 · Steering · 42,000 miles · TX

Power steering quit working. Restarted vehicle and power steering resumed working. Over next two weeks intermittent loss of power steering became more frequent. A recall issued for this exact problem on this make and model does not include my VIN number. Therefore chevrolet will not acknowledge the problem with this vehicle for repair at their expense. The symptoms are the same as in the federal safety agency complaint number 14v153000.

Filed Apr 22, 2014 · Brakes, Driver assistance · 90,000 miles · TX

The ESC light cae on and it became difficult to steer, turn, and jerking when I apply the brakes. I've taken my hhr to the dealership on 3 and 4 of april 2014 for software update. Back to dealership on 7,8,9, for computer, however there was no additional charge. 17 april same issues as the 3 rd. 21 st to tweak the ESC problems. I have spoke with [xxx] the service manager at rinke chevrolet 586 754 7000. I have left several messages for ed rinke the dealership owner. I need my vehicle to be safe! Can you please assist me [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Apr 22, 2014 · Steering · 76,000 miles · FL

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet hhr. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, the power steering assist failed without warning and the steering wheel became hard to turn. There was a recall under the federal safety agency campaign id number 14v153000 (steering) however, the contact's VIN was not included. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but had not been repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 76,000.

Filed Apr 17, 2014 · Steering · 155,000 miles · IL

Power steering is intermitently going out. I can turn the car off and on again and it works for a while then gives out again.

Filed Apr 3, 2014 · Steering · 79,000 miles · NC

The power steering malfunctioned on my chevy hhr on 3/19/2014 for the first time. It has happened several times since then, today--4/3/2014 being the most recent. Every time the warning lights start flashing because my power steering has gone out. The first time I was doing 50 MPH while passing a state trooper. Because of the malfunction I was unable to fully move over a lane and was ticketed. When I explained the fact that I was confused because I did not know what was going on with the car and was not able to move over properly the state trooper did not believe me and issued me a $435 ticket! It was 2 weeks after that incident that the car was recalled for a faulty power steering motor. No kidding. That ticket is not fair to me and the entire situation is dangerous. When the power steering goes out I have little control over the car. When I shut the car off and restart it the power steering is again okay--at least until the next time it goes out and tries to kill my family. I have repeatedly contacted my local chevy dealer--as I read online I could get a loaner car until mine was fixed for the recall, and my calls are not being returned. Meanwhile me and my children's lives are in danger. This is not okay. I have no other car to drive. I spent a lot of money on this vehicle. Chevy should give me a loaner car while I wait for repair--our lives are in danger. Also, I have a ticket that I have to go to court for. Chevy should be ashamed.

Filed Apr 1, 2014 · Airbags, Electrical · 107,750 miles · NC · crash · 2 injuries

Taken the car to dealer multiple times, for power steering failure as well as the car stalling.. Was told there was nothing that could be done about the car... Was side swiped on road on 03/14/2014... Car barely tapped us and we lost control of the car due to power steering issue... Ran into the guardrail.. Car was totaled while the other car (a 2005 toyota prius) drove home... Driver had head injuries while passenger had contusions to his right hand from airbags. This car is a death trap waiting to happen..

Filed Mar 30, 2014 · Steering · 43,000 miles · NY

While driving along and trying to merge onto a parkway entrance I heard a warning tone and my driver information center power steering. I then realized I had no power steering. Fortunately for myself it was as if I were driving a car with manual steering & was not a real issue for myself. What if it were a small women with children in the car. Maybe she would not have the strength or reaction to a situation like that. This problem started with the chevy cobalt. The hhr is built on the same platform. Earlier models of the cobalt were recalled but the hhr was not!!! I wrote to you people last year about this problem. There are plenty of websites addressing this issue. All you have to do is google chevrolet hhr power steering problems. As an automotive technician I replaced the electric power steering myself. G.m. Told me it was no longer under warranty.my ignition tumbler also locked up on my vehicle. Fortunately it would not allow me to turn the vehicle off. I was able to shut down the vehicle and had it towed back to the dealer and they covered that under warranty. I applaud you for going after the ignition switches but that is only part of the story. How are they allowed to play with peoples lives letting them drive with defective power steering. The attorney general needs to pursue this issue.

Filed Mar 29, 2014 · Electrical, Steering · 52,000 miles · TN

While driving in a parking lot I heard a ding, looked down at the dash and saw that a power steering warning light was on. I tried pulling into a parking space and noticed that I had no power steering assist and had to muscle the car over. I turned off the engine, restarted it and everything seemed ok. This issue started happening every few days after that, sometimes at highway speed. This is a very dangerous situation, had this been a less strong person like my wife or an elderly person she would not have had the strength to steer the car! After doing extensive research I was shocked at what I found. The hhr is built on a chevy cobalt chassis, and the cobalt has a recall for this same exact issue but chevy had not had a recall on the hhr, not is the us anyway. Canada has forced gm to do a recall on the hhr for this same exact issue but to date it has not been done in the us. The defective steering motor part number recalled on the cobalt was the same exact part number as the hhr, so why has this not been addressed on the hhr? If you'll read some of the hhr forums you'll learn that mine was not as isolated occurrence, it is very common and seems to start happening when the cars get around 50,000 miles. Had this happened to an elder person at highway speeds chances are they would not have been able to control the vehicle, this disables the steering! I had this repaired at an astronomical cost of over $800. My car was still under warranty, but surprise surprise gm said this is not covered under the chassis warranty? What, the steering is not a component of the chassis? This issue needs to be addressed, im surprised someone's life has not already been lost over this issue. Please force gm to recall this issue and refund ones like me that have had to pay out of our pockets to have this repaired.

Filed Feb 26, 2014 · Steering · 130,000 miles · OH

I was driving down the road and dash started flashing and beeping saying power steering . The power steering quit working while turning on snowy roads this am. I pulled over checked fuses. Called dealer who states bring it in. When I restarted car power steering working again. This was a scary experience later today as im driving on freeway at 65 or so power steering went out again. My question is this is a safety issue. With more research I am seeing this is common for these cars and recalls on other chevrolets have been made for same reason. This is scary especially in northeast ohio snow weather and icy roads. I've been told cant pinpoint this until I take it in to the shop when the power steering goes out. So I guess I wait til it happens again really??? If I work far from dealership guess im supposed to drive it to dealership when it goes out at 9 pm what a joke. Hope they figure out this glitch....have to share I have had this happen a while ago when had less miles and thought it was a fluke now it returns. Yes high miles but car has been serviced as per recommendations since owning it.

Filed Jan 23, 2014 · Steering · NM

Lost power steering and will not return. The power steering was recalled on the impala and one other model ( cobalt ) I think but not the hhr.

Filed Jan 15, 2014 · Steering · 55,203 miles · MI

3 tones sound - the display on the dashboard says power steering - steering is extremely difficult to control, if you are in the middle of a turn you are in trouble.

Filed Nov 29, 2013 · Steering · 47,000 miles · MN

Power steering overheats causing power steering to quit working when wheel is turned to left or right while car is stopped. The movement is necessary to parallel park the car. Once overheated you no longer have power steering making the car difficult to drive. This is very dangerous for a new teenage driver. Chevy knows of the issue, was told by gm that a replacement motor has the same issue.

Filed Oct 16, 2013 · Steering · 76,000 miles · IN

The electric power steering motor failed 3 times within 20 minutes. I reset it by turning the ignition key off and restarting the car. I replaced the motor and it works fine now.

Filed Oct 10, 2013 · Steering · 78,913 miles · AZ

Power steering message on the driver information center (dic) and loss of power steering causing difficult steering and an unsafe driving condition.

Filed Oct 2, 2013 · Steering · 67,000 miles · IN

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet hhr. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH, the power steering system malfunctioned making the vehicle difficult to steer. The contact had to shut the vehicle off and then restart in order for the power steering to regain normal functionality. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer for a diagnostic test. The dealer stated that the power steering motor was defective and the entire power steering system needed to be replaced. The contact did not have the power steering system replaced. The failure mileage was 67,000.

Filed Sep 14, 2013 · Steering · 32,500 miles · TX

While making a left turn the power steering light came on and I could not turn the steering wheel. Four days later it did the same thing while driving straight on the road at about 30 MPH. Each time I have to turn the car off and then restart it to make the problem go away. This could lead to crashes causing injury or death.

Filed Sep 12, 2013 · Steering · 12,222 miles · TX · crash

Gm is going to have a law suite on there hands. We all hhr owners need to band together . My wife was in car crash. There is a lot of problems with the power steering quitting while taken off for a drive. Gm company needs to have a recall on this to fix it and make it right for the owners. And make it right for the customer. What they are doing by not make a recall on this is " wrong "

Filed Aug 10, 2013 · Electrical, Steering · VA

While driving the 2009 chevy hhr back from work, without warning, the electric power steering stopped and a warning message came up on the dic. Once ignition was shut off the problem cleared temporarily. Over the past 24 hours the power steering has continued to exhibit the same erratic behavior.

Filed Aug 8, 2013 · Steering · 48,200 miles · NY

While driving at 35 MPH power steering cut out on vehicle.after pulling over & restarting engine p/steering returns for short period and cuts out again.where is govt. Recall? Same components used on chevy cobalt and they were recalled. No recall om hhr. Oh wait, nobody died yet!!!! Eventually somebody will. Don't wait till it's too late.

Filed Aug 3, 2013 · Steering · 200,200 miles · AZ

Started the car up and the power steering light came on. No steering. Drove home carefully and shut motor off. Started car up again and the power steering worked. Went to dealer and shut car off. They said warranty was off. Started car back up and power steering light came back on and no steering. I went back home. I can shut off the car and the light doesn't come on for about 30 seconds. Now I will be forced to have it fixed at my expense even though I have discovered through the internet that this is a common problem with hhr's and general motors will not recall the vehicles.

Filed Jul 29, 2013 · Steering · 54,000 miles · CA

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet hhr. The contact stated that the power steering failed and the steering wheel became hard to turn. The failure recurred numerous times while driving at any speed. The power steering warning light was illuminated when the failure occurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 54,000 and the current 57,500.

Filed Jul 17, 2013 · Steering · 63,500 miles · PA

Most recently almost every time I turn on my car, I will drive for maybe 5 minutes and my steering wheel becomes locked. I will pull off to the side shut off & turn back on the car leave it sit on for another minute or so pull off and the power steering will become engaged again locking the steering wheel. This has happened to me more and more frequently, especially since the days have become hotter. I have called my dealership and made appointments to get it diagnosed by every time I will go in for the appointment at that moment they will look at it and say or nothing is wrong. There are no display warnings on your dash board, you will have to bring it back to us when it is on. This issue is becoming very alarming to me since it is happening more frequently. I can't keep taking off every time I believe that there is an issue especially if when I go to the dealership and no work gets done.

Filed Jul 11, 2013 · Steering · 60,600 miles · IL

While driving at various speeds the power steering goes out making the difficult to control. I did research only to find that many other hhr owners experienced the same issue and several other chevy models were recalled for the same issue. This has happened at various speeds. Restarting the car temporarily fixes it. Has happened between 0 and 2 miles of starting the car. (7 times yesterday) it could be very dangerous while trying to make turns.

Filed Jul 9, 2013 · Steering · 33,536 miles · TN

I was driving home from work and as I was making a right turn the power steering went out. This has happened previously but luckily I was at a stop sign. I thought the car had stalled so I cut it off and restarted and it was fine. I drove to work the next morning and still no problem until I was making the right turn and then had difficulty controlling the car. Once I managed to get it in my drive, shut it off and then restarted- the power steering message went away and once again the car was fine. Same thing next morning car fine- I work about 5-7 miles from home. Again on the way home with no warning in rush hour traffic- power steering goes out as I am changing lanes. I manage once again to get home. My car has the same part that the chevy cobalt has and chevy had recalled the cobalt to make repairs but not the hhr. I have seen numerous complaints filed about this and fear that they do not take our safety seriously whom own the hhr- I have contacted chevy and ask who to lodge complaint with since they were not helpful. They did not give me the information. I had to find on google. I did tell them that the internet is full of this same complaint regarding the power steering on the hhr and the response was I cannot look and unapproved gm sites(whatever that means). Thank you for you concern and hope you can help someone from having a serious injury due to this malfunction.

Filed Jul 8, 2013 · Steering · 66,686 miles · CA

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet hhr. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver as the power steering warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to dealer for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure and current mileage was 66,686.

Filed Jul 5, 2013 · Steering · 51,000 miles · CA

While driving down a steep grade at aprox. 50mph the steering power assist failed and power steering warning message on the dash light up. I drove home slowly aprox 8 miles with no steering. When I started the car later, the steering was fine again. Since that day the same thing has happened daily and happens within seconds of turning on the car.

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