Having some odd issues
Thread Starter
Joined: 12-07-2021
Posts: 8
From: CA
Having some odd issues
Hello been following and reading the forums for a few months now but nothing has covered what has happened. I have a 2010 HHR and it is suppose to be a base model. Recently I have noticed battery drain for no reason. I took a look through both fuse panels and found 6 fuses and 1 relay that should not have been in cause those items are not in this HHR to my knowledge. Then today the battery was dead so I hooked up a battery charger charged it slowly all day then oddly when I disconnected the charger I opened the door to turn the HHR over and lord behold suddenly my HHR has a car alarm and it's going off. First time in the 10 months of owning it this has happened. Now could this just be a freak happening or could it have had a factory system no one knew of? Could this alarm system be what is discharging the battery? Any suggestions would be appreciated and welcomed.
Platinum Member
Joined: 12-06-2009
Posts: 11,721
From: Alabama
Welcome
All HHR's came with a factory alarm system. It's covered in the Owners Manual. If you don't have a manual, they are on this site free for you to download. Here's the link == https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/gene...s-manual-3074/
As far as the battery drain, start with having the battery load tested. Most auto parts places can do this for you.
All HHR's came with a factory alarm system. It's covered in the Owners Manual. If you don't have a manual, they are on this site free for you to download. Here's the link == https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/gene...s-manual-3074/
As far as the battery drain, start with having the battery load tested. Most auto parts places can do this for you.
Senior Member
Joined: 12-05-2014
Posts: 3,368
From: Northern Ohio
Won’t hurt to have a parts store test your battery as long as you don’t believe their conclusions. They’ve been wrong every time for me.
If your battery is not holding a charge, a load test won’t detect that.
A short in a cell will cause the battery to self-discharge, in weeks, days, hours, or minutes. The short can be caused by sitting in a discharged state, especially in cold weather, or mechanical damage such as mishandling the battery or a crash. Also, just age will keep the battery from holding adequate voltage.
Before blaming the car, test the battery yourself by charging it and then leaving the negative terminal disconnected and checking the voltage immediately and periodically, 1 min., 15 min., 1 hour, 8 hours, 2 days… and watch the Voltage drop. In my meager experience the HHR doesn’t like a battery that won’t stop dropping and hold at least 12.6V. This is marginal for a battery but 12.6V seems to be good enough. A new one will do better. Obviously this test could give you an answer quickly, dropping below 12.6V in an hour, or take weeks. If you’re seeing a downward trend and can’t wait long enough to see where the voltage stabilizes, just get a new battery. Make it a good one.
If your battery is not holding a charge, a load test won’t detect that.
A short in a cell will cause the battery to self-discharge, in weeks, days, hours, or minutes. The short can be caused by sitting in a discharged state, especially in cold weather, or mechanical damage such as mishandling the battery or a crash. Also, just age will keep the battery from holding adequate voltage.
Before blaming the car, test the battery yourself by charging it and then leaving the negative terminal disconnected and checking the voltage immediately and periodically, 1 min., 15 min., 1 hour, 8 hours, 2 days… and watch the Voltage drop. In my meager experience the HHR doesn’t like a battery that won’t stop dropping and hold at least 12.6V. This is marginal for a battery but 12.6V seems to be good enough. A new one will do better. Obviously this test could give you an answer quickly, dropping below 12.6V in an hour, or take weeks. If you’re seeing a downward trend and can’t wait long enough to see where the voltage stabilizes, just get a new battery. Make it a good one.
Last edited by PulpFriction; Dec 8, 2021 at 09:25 AM.
Moderator
Joined: 01-23-2009
Posts: 26,532
From: Fredericksburg,VA
Only underhood fuses #3, 8, 11, 12, 16, 42, 53 and relays #54 and BCM fuses #2,3,4,5,6,11,18,22 relay 31 should be empty. Does the car have OnStar installed (that would be fuse #24 on BCM and the main suspect), does it have the shark fin antenna at the rear? Is there a CheckEngineLight or OBD codes, some faults cause power draws.
"Base model" doesn't mean much. Is it an LS, LT, 2LT or SS? If the badge is missing from the hatch look at the label on the glove box door or use our VIN decoder (under "TOOLS" on the top toolbar).
"Base model" doesn't mean much. Is it an LS, LT, 2LT or SS? If the badge is missing from the hatch look at the label on the glove box door or use our VIN decoder (under "TOOLS" on the top toolbar).
Thread Starter
Joined: 12-07-2021
Posts: 8
From: CA
We found out the alarm system seems to have been removed at some point before they bought the car and the ACC wire was taken out with it for the radio. This being done the radio even when powered off was still pulling power. It was the culprit of the battery drain. I had to disconnect the radio and now we are trying to figure out if we will have to buy a new wiring harness or can find a way to wire it up without draining it.
Moderator
Joined: 01-23-2009
Posts: 26,532
From: Fredericksburg,VA
Is it an after market radio?
The stock radio has power to it at all times to maintain the memory.
If it is after market there are correct ways to install. If it is connected directly to the ignition switch it is totally wrong.
Has the ignition switch recall been done? https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/gm-r...-status-50716/
I don't know how the alarm system could be removed without disabling the car.
Does the lock icon light up when you turn the key?
The stock radio has power to it at all times to maintain the memory.
If it is after market there are correct ways to install. If it is connected directly to the ignition switch it is totally wrong.
Has the ignition switch recall been done? https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/gm-r...-status-50716/
I don't know how the alarm system could be removed without disabling the car.
Does the lock icon light up when you turn the key?
Senior Member
Joined: 04-06-2020
Posts: 1,054
From: Missouri
Won’t hurt to have a parts store test your battery as long as you don’t believe their conclusions. They’ve been wrong every time for me.
If your battery is not holding a charge, a load test won’t detect that.
A short in a cell will cause the battery to self-discharge, in weeks, days, hours, or minutes. The short can be caused by sitting in a discharged state, especially in cold weather, or mechanical damage such as mishandling the battery or a crash. Also, just age will keep the battery from holding adequate voltage.
Before blaming the car, test the battery yourself by charging it and then leaving the negative terminal disconnected and checking the voltage immediately and periodically, 1 min., 15 min., 1 hour, 8 hours, 2 days… and watch the Voltage drop. In my meager experience the HHR doesn’t like a battery that won’t stop dropping and hold at least 12.6V. This is marginal for a battery but 12.6V seems to be good enough. A new one will do better. Obviously this test could give you an answer quickly, dropping below 12.6V in an hour, or take weeks. If you’re seeing a downward trend and can’t wait long enough to see where the voltage stabilizes, just get a new battery. Make it a good one.
If your battery is not holding a charge, a load test won’t detect that.
A short in a cell will cause the battery to self-discharge, in weeks, days, hours, or minutes. The short can be caused by sitting in a discharged state, especially in cold weather, or mechanical damage such as mishandling the battery or a crash. Also, just age will keep the battery from holding adequate voltage.
Before blaming the car, test the battery yourself by charging it and then leaving the negative terminal disconnected and checking the voltage immediately and periodically, 1 min., 15 min., 1 hour, 8 hours, 2 days… and watch the Voltage drop. In my meager experience the HHR doesn’t like a battery that won’t stop dropping and hold at least 12.6V. This is marginal for a battery but 12.6V seems to be good enough. A new one will do better. Obviously this test could give you an answer quickly, dropping below 12.6V in an hour, or take weeks. If you’re seeing a downward trend and can’t wait long enough to see where the voltage stabilizes, just get a new battery. Make it a good one.
Administrator
Joined: 10-13-2011
Posts: 40,083
From: Welland,Ont Canada
Check out Crutchfield, they should be have directions for wiring the radio
I believe the alarm system is in the BCM, don’t know how that got removed. Possibly disconnected.
I believe the alarm system is in the BCM, don’t know how that got removed. Possibly disconnected.
Last edited by Oldblue; Jun 21, 2022 at 12:38 PM.