Caution possible carbon monoxide poison problems
New Member
Joined: 10-19-2006
Posts: 28
From: Georgia
My 2006 is often driven with the window cracked with no smell. Just had the door painted after a small incident. Now the inside smells like paint, wait I think I see pretty colors when I drive, and the music is more vivid, I know the secrets of the universe......Or maybe I DON'T need mine on recirc for a while....HA
Senior Member
Joined: 01-27-2007
Posts: 143
From: 3rd rock from the sun
Bingo! 
You have nailed it. I can smell most cars exhaust in front of me, some are way worse than others. I put the air flow on recirulate and the air clears within seconds. I wish the default was recirculate and then I would never have any issue. I just made it a habit to push the button as soon as I start the car. I don't think this is an HHR issue, it is pretty common.
You have nailed it. I can smell most cars exhaust in front of me, some are way worse than others. I put the air flow on recirulate and the air clears within seconds. I wish the default was recirculate and then I would never have any issue. I just made it a habit to push the button as soon as I start the car. I don't think this is an HHR issue, it is pretty common.
Nothing like being stuck behind a friggin' diesel (I H8 them!) at a light. When it turns green, you are suddenly reminded that the a/c was configured for fresh-air, and not recirculating. I agree, the fresh air ought to be the option, and not the default setting.
Senior Member
Joined: 09-14-2007
Posts: 1,441
From: xxxxx-xx
The ones Chrysler are now using aren't blowing black smoke on acceleration or smell. Made by Mercedes -Benz, a whole new engine.
New Member
Joined: 11-19-2007
Posts: 18
From: Yacolt Washington
That's a weird thing I have found about the HHR, it will not allow you to change to inside air when you have the defrost on, I had a similar situation to you, I smelled some exhaust from a vehicle in front of me so I said let me switch to inside air, the green light flashed and would not switch, I said that is weird and tried it about 4 times before giving up. Got home and opened the manual to find that it is designed to not let you do that. I thought it was pretty dumb. Now I have to crack the windows and the rain comes in. I think your problem is an outside air malfunction.
jon
jon
Senior Member
Joined: 06-23-2007
Posts: 419
From: British Columbia, Canada
Yep, the manual says "Recirculate: This mode is not available for floor, defog and defrost modes." But if you had smelly outside air couldn't you just use the vent mode temporarily? Not great for long term defrost but better then getting wet? 
Like smelly air, if that’s what you mean, it's hard to fix that?
I guess the reason for the no recir in the defrost mode is because of inside condensation/fogging?
I think your problem is an outside air malfunction.
I guess the reason for the no recir in the defrost mode is because of inside condensation/fogging?
New Member
Joined: 11-19-2007
Posts: 18
From: Yacolt Washington
Yes, you could easily change to no defrost and then change to inside air and not get wet but the darn windows fog up quick, with the rain and moisture here. I was just trying to get my head around why Chevy made it so you could not get defrost AND inside air, sometimes I think designers try to be too smart for their own good.
jon
jon
Senior Member
Joined: 04-30-2006
Posts: 9,149
From: Maryland Heights, MO
Yes, you could easily change to no defrost and then change to inside air and not get wet but the darn windows fog up quick, with the rain and moisture here. I was just trying to get my head around why Chevy made it so you could not get defrost AND inside air, sometimes I think designers try to be too smart for their own good.
jon
jon