I am new to this site and just bought my HHR for my business. I notice that in the mornings when I leave the house " seems like when car has been sitting" every bump I hit I get a clunking noise from what appears to be driver front suspension. I notice that as I drive it it seems to quite somewhat. Shocks, struts, any ideas or is this normal?

 

Sorry, but it's a common issue on the HHR. What causes it varies (what you listed) along with end links, tie rods, etc. Mine does it more on colder mornings.

 

So no worries just drive it ?

 

Like my dad tells me...drive it until it breaks. I'm wondering if the SS guys have this problem too. I'm convinced that the FE3 struts are just cheaply made. When I had mine off swapping my coils I noticed that everything looked and felt cheap. This may have absolutely nothing to do with noise...just an observation.

 

this is normal and not normal at the same time.
Not normally - HHR equipped weak links and weak stabilizer bushings. I think this is a mistake of the designer.
If we consider the situation from this point of view - this is normal.
You'll find many branches in this forum. All of them are devoted to the noise in the suspension. Simple treatment - replacing links, replacement stabilizer bushings.

If you are ready to explore my experience:
I use links from the Toyota Camry 2003, it is more robust;
and I do not use slimy bushings - it's just not Russian, my soul is opposed to this.

 

I am in the same boat. With right at 200,000 miles on my panel. I have put a much better grade suspension underneath it. Even though it came with the LT2 underpinnings. But having said all of that my truck drives like it did the day i took it off the lot brand new. I am a fan of this chassis. But they did save a few dollars on the underpinnings.

 

I have an SS-don't get a clunk. I do get a scraping noise on cold days, front and back. Drives me nuts, sounds like chunks of ice wedged in the wheel well scraping around. My first SS did it, so does my current one, even with brand new oem shocks/struts. Sounds like your thing could be tie rod ends?

 

Welcome and congratulations, IntegrityHI!!!! We’re happy to have you aboard.

I can see you’re in great hands with the knowledgeable members we have in our midst.

What’s the year of your HHR?

Michelle, Chevrolet Customer Service

 

can you tell us more about what you have used to upgrade your hhr to make it quiet and tight like new ??

 

jack it up inspect and repair the loose and broken stuff, usally sway bar end links some times loose somtimes worn out, my friends 2008 had this issue I torqued the sway bar links, they were loose , quite but on a cold day the shock covers,(plastic) are noisey