I have a 2010 HHR LT 2.4 and I have been having brake problems but no codes. The symptoms are the brake pedal pushes back a little when braking around 20 mph. There is a slight grinding noise. Now from what I can tell it's an abs wheel speed sensor problem but without it throwing a code I can't figure out if it is and which one. The sensors are part of the hub so I may have to replace all 4 hubs and hope that fixes it. Anyone have similar problems or any suggestions?

 

1. Have you checked it with an actual code reader ?
2. Most of the simple or cheaper code readers don't read ABS codes. You may need a "better" reader.

 

I have taken to AutoZone and Orielly's and had them code test it and nothing came up. I took it to mph automotive and they tested it and no code. The ABS light doesn't come on either.

 

Your description sounds like there is something mechanically wrong with the brakes nothing to do with any wheel speed sensor or ABS.

 

I had a mechanic look at them, they even took the wheels off and couldn't find anything. They looked at the brakes and they look fine. It's a very frustrating.

 

So it started after I got the bushings done on all the wheels. At first it was a little pulsating when I brakes at low speeds once in a while. About a month later it the pedal started to kinda push back when I braked around 20mph, followed by a grinding noise for a few seconds. This doesn't happen consistently, I can drive days without it happening and then it will do it consistently when I brake for a while. Everything I've seen online seems to point to the ABS system except there are no codes and the ABS light isn't on. I had AutoZone test it after it did it once and they didn't find a code. My plan right now is to check the fuses and try to clean all 4 sensors and see what happens. If that fails then I'll start replacing the wheel hubs with the sensors since they are one piece.

 

Why do you suspect a wheel speed sensor? Nothing you have said indicates that.

If not the brakes then you got bad lower control arm bushings. Car in park, try very hard to push a tire forward. If the wheel turns but the car does not move = bad bushings.
Could be struts/springs

 

The bushings were just replaced at the end of July, the shocks and struts are a year old. The mechanics did a diagnostic and close inspection and the only thing wrong is it needs an alignment, it needed the alignment before the things started happening. Researching the issues and what it's doing I found that a wheel speed sensor going bad or even just being dirty can make the pedal pulsate at lows speeds when braking and make the grinding noise like it's doing now.

 

Ok.

 

I appreciate everyone's opinion and advice. I came on here to look for help and everyone is trying. This is a weird problem that seems like had never happened before. It's a brake problem that doesn't throw a code.