I was driving my 2009 HHR through the Alleghenies in Pennsylvania on a road trip when I noticed the transmission started acting up and slipping while driving up the grades. I plugged my scan tool in and got a couple codes. After about 15 miles of it acting that way, while climbing another hill, the transmission stopped working completely and I started slowing to a stop. I would press the accelerator and the engine would only rev, but the car wouldn't move. I immediately got out and checked under the car to see if any fluid was spraying out. There was none, but the transmission was making a horrible noise that almost sounded like a failing power steering pump. I tried clearing the codes, just in case the transmission went into some sort of limp mode, but it didn't resolve it. I don't remember the exact code numbers, but I know one was a P08xx code and the other one could've been another P08xx code or a P07xx code; something about the pressure switch, or the solenoid. A passerby stopped to give us a ride to a nearby town where I had a buddy of mine pick us up. The next day, I went and picked up some fluid and some stop slip and my buddy drove us to the car. As expected the additional fluid and stop slip didn't work, and we had to get the car towed to a flat area where we could load it on a dolly. We dollied it to my buddies house and now that is where it sits. I checked the codes several more times, and no new codes came back for the transmission, but it still doesn't work, and I can hear the fluid pump whirring like its dry. I don't know where to start to get this thing back on the road and don't want to pay a shop to fix it, and I'm 500 miles from home. What should I try first? I'm willing to do what I can to get it functioning again with what limited tools I have so we can get home soon.

 

P0700 just means "look for other codes".. The other codes are essential to diagnosis. They should be stored as "permanent" or "historic".
Unless you have access to a lift or good jack stands and a warm place to work you may be doomed to going to a professional.

 

Haven’t seen any P0800 codes on an HHR yet.
the issue might be the pressure switch telling you the fluid transfer tubes have an issue with a cracked or broken tube , you have to drop the fluid pan and filter to change it.
don’t put snake oil back in! The transmission takes 6.7 quarts of fluid.

 

Pulled the pan and the fluid smelled really burnt and was dark. Also saw lots of clutch material on the bottom of the pan.

 

Yeah, that’s not good! Find a used 4T45E transmission

 

I ordered a rebuild kit online and had it shipped here today, and my buddies dad is going to help me rebuild it once we get it out. Problem is now I'm fighting with the subframe bolts. After all the other headache this car gave me with the sway bar links and the ball joint bolts, I've gotten the front passenger bolt out, the front driver side is spinning the nut, and the two rears are completely seized even after cooking them so long I smelled the bushings starting to melt. If I was at home, I'd just hit it with my Milwaukee 1/2 inch but I'm limited for tools right now, so am resorting to using a 1/2 inch ratchet with a 4 foot pole on it and its just bending the pole. What to do, what to do?

 

Soak the cage nuts in PB Blaster!

 

So I figured I should update y'all on the HHR. I was eventually able to get the cradle bolts out, my buddies dads buddy had an M18 1/2 inch we could borrow and we were able to zip the rear passenger one out and the front driver side one that was spinning after applying some heat to the cage nut, but the rear driver side one fought us, was stuck inside the bushing and ripped the bushing apart (no big deal, I have replacement control arms that I was intending to replace after this trip anyway), but then the cage nut started spinning, too. Of course it had to be the one that was the hardest to access with all the brake lines in the way and the steering shaft. After much welding and cutting, and a night's rest we were able to get it broke free the next day and drop the cradle. We missed a couple bell housing bolts, which prevented us from removing the trans, but we found them, sneaky little buggers. One hiding under the thermostat housing, the other above the starter cutout. Got the trans out and started tearing it apart. The fluid really stunk and was burnt badly, and there were lots of cavities and components plugged with clutch material. The bands were almost completely worn of clutch material. We started pulling clutch packs out, and dissambled down to the final drive, and then started inspecting and reinstalling everything. All of the clutches looked pretty worn, and a lot of the hard parts had some partial bluing on them indicating that things got pretty toasty inside, but nothing was as bad as the overdrive pack, which was completely smoked. There was nothing left on the clutches, and the steels appeared to had heat welded themselves together. The molded piston was also in pretty bad shape and probably wouldn't have sealed. At this point we were out of time, and I had to get back home. We tried calling transmission shops, but none of them had any partd in stock, and all the junkyards either had no trannys, or were backlogged and wouldn't be able to pull one in several days. On top of that, the replacement Teflon sealing rings on the input shaft that came with the kit I bought were cheap and didn't shrink back to original size when we tried to install them, and we had already cut the originals off. Left with no other options, I was forced to buy a used car and drive it home. We ended up picking up a lower mileage 4th generation Dodge Grand Caravan, and I kind of grew a soft spot for it considering all the space it has. The HHR still sits partially disassembled 3 states away, until I can order the molded piston and sealing rings and drive back down there to work on it and get it home, hopefully this time with my tools so things can get done quicker.

 

Keep at it! Thanks for the update