Andrew Artz

Hello all,

I was a member of the forum long ago, but life gets busy and other interests begin to take up more of ones time... Anyways, I have been having some trouble with my 2009 HHR SS over the last year or two and I wanted to come here to vent and to see if others have been having the same issues.

My current problem right now is that my local dealership is asking for quite a bit of money ($1,600) to repair or replace my brakes and rotors, and to fix an issue with the CEL. One of my biggest concerns is that either my brakes or rotors have needed replaced nearly every year since I bought the vehicle. Now I understand that engineered obsolescence is a strategy built into most technology, and I dont want to seem alarmist, but is anyone else having brake wear with this frequency!? My most common drives are long trips (>1hour) a few times a month or to get groceries so I don't use my brakes often. Since Stocker Chevrolet quoted me $935 to replace all the brakes and rotors this time around it looks like I'll try to do it myself when I have time.

To fix my CEL code P0449 I was quoted $494 after the same dealership charged me hundreds to unsuccessfully clear it out this summer! First they wanted to replace the solenoid and now they want to replace the wiring harness and sensor.

In addition to problems with control arm bushings and the GM recalls that everyone has faced there are a number of problems that I just didn't expect to have to contend with when I bought my car new in 2009. Some of my highlights have included:

• broken interior door handles
• paint that peels off my bumper like a sunburn
• a rusting frame and strut tower
• a key fob that no longer works even with a new battery
• brakes that don't work until minutes after starting up the car
• AC wires that get burned by the turbo and radiator fan wires that get rubbed by the turbo's plumbing
• electric windows that clunk and shake and sound like they won't be powered for much longer

My 2009 SS has less than 90k on it I an just don't feel that some of the problems like rust, paint, or constant brake replacements should be as common as they are. When I bought my HHR on January 1st in 2010 I drove over 500 miles one way to get the exact options I wanted but I have really grown to hate the endless stream of onesie and twosie problems. Maybe I am just frustrated and in need of sounding off, but my experiences with this vehicle over the last six years really make me question GM's quality. I can't see myself ever buying my family another GM product after this one.

donbrew

P0449 points to the EVAP vent solenoid or the wiring. The vent itself costs around $20 labor around 30 minutes. I don't know what sensor they might mean. Fuse #64 under the hood may be blown.
https://www.obd-codes.com/p0449

$1600 for a complete brake job is not surprising. They have not been fixing the problem if you need new brakes every year, front brakes should last at least 40,000 miles.

Your list of gripes sound relatively normal for a 7 year old car, and all of the fixes are well known. Except for the paint and rust issues, rust through is covered under lifetime warranty, I think.

Why are you paying GM labor rates? Why not find a good mechanic? Your problem is not the car it's the service department.

Brake jobs are pretty much mindless work, replacing the EVAP vent valve doesn't even require tools beyond jack stands.

RJ_RS_SS_350

Welcome back!!

2.5 years, 30,000 miles since I purchased mine. I haven't done anything to the brakes. Do you park outside? Sounds like you only drive occasionally, perhaps rust buildup on the rotors(and maybe semi-metallic pads?) is wearing out your pads and rotors prematurely?? Does Pennsylvania salt the roads?

I'm just over 100,000 miles now, I have not experienced any of the above issues.

DwRed2LT

Welcome back ~

J W Davis

My brake problems went away after buying NAPA rotors and pads. I have that brand on all my vehicles and it stopped all the problems that you are having.
just a FYI.

And No, I have nothing to do with NAPA other than a consumer.

Oldblue

Welcome back!
The brakes are straightforward rotors and pads, but get good quality rotors and pads as suggested, do you have the Brembo option?
Are the pads worn out? Or like the above is it rust forming in the rotors?
As for the evap issue it could be a broken wire or corrosion, a friend here was just quoted about a $1,000.00 to fix that very code, they said the fuel tank had to be removed!
I ordered up the parts and the harness pigtail, he used my jack and stands was done in 45 minutes, and replaced the harness , his ground wire was corroded.
Now you situation may be the same it may be different, however it shouldn't be any harder!

Andrew Artz

I began looking into this last night and I think I should be able to fix it myself. I will try to get done what I can with the brakes this weekend since the only place I have to do this is the one parking space I rent adjacent to my apartment.

To answer other peoples questions: PA does salt it's roads and the car remains parked outside when not in use. I do not have the Brembo option and the factory rotors and brakes each seem to last ~1 year.

I used to have great service at the local Chevy Dealer but I don't think its service shop is under the same management. For the time being my car may just have to sit where it is until we have an unseasonably warm day.

donbrew

If the front brakes are wearing that fast the rears are not working at all.

Here is a link to the EVAP vent repair. https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/how-...acement-44780/ I don't think you will need the $30 pigtail on a 2009, not sure though, sometimes the part comes packaged with it.

Here is one for front brakes. https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/how-...-06-hhr-15226/

I can't imagine that any repair you need to do is not on youtube.

Chevrolet Service Departments are usually a different company from the New Car Sales and Used Car Sales departments at least legally separate. Not really department, different entities, That's how the dealership owner gets his kids into the business.

Laco

Seems a bit excessive for brakes. I had a front wheel bearing start to go bad at 54000, showing, but there was an additional 20,000 towed miles behind our motorhome. I had both bearings replaced, both front rotors replaced and ceramic pads installed for substantially less then the $1600.00 you were quoted.

fastsuv

The brakes not working until minutes after starting the car - wasn't that a recall issue on early SS models involving low vacuum (SS owners comment please)?

If I recall correctly, it involved installation of an auxiliary vacuum pump.

Steve