Just purchased a 2009 HHR , 5 speed 2.2 L. I love it ,fun to drive, but I’m having issues with steering seems to be a lot of play in the steering wheel. I don’t know if this is the electronic steering or something else. Any information much appreciated.

 

Welcome to the site, it’s time to investigate the outer tie rod ends, the steering rack and the intermediate steering shaft. An assistant will help by turning the steering wheel from left to right while you look at those components. You can see the steering rack from under the hood, the shaft from under the dashboard and the tie rods from under the car.

 

Congrats on the acgisition. You have little choice but to get under there and see what’s loose, or better yet, get someone else to do it.

If the power steering works, the power steering motor is fine but there is sometimes a u-joint problem on the shaft, as already mention by Oldblue. Outer rod ends are usually the 1st to go, though. (And lower control arm rear bearings, while you’re down there.)

There was a recall on the electric power steering motor that probably applied to your car. VERY easy to check if it was already done at the NHTSA recall page. You should get that done even if there’s no problem with it. Yet. Sudden power steering failure is…inconvenient. One guy ran into a tree in his own front yard.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls