Just bought 06 hhr LS. Came with some problems
 

So i have always wanted an HHR. Our minivan finally died the other day and the shop i used to work at had this 06 hhr sitting since last year. He offered to me for 500$ he didn't know much about it except the guy that had it before was a mechanic and the standard transmission was swapped to automatic. It says 242k miles but I see yellow crayon on the top of the engine and some other parts. The engine is also very clean not a leak or drop of oil in sight. I hooked up my scanner and got a few codes. P0102 mass or volume air flow circuit low. P0446 evap vent. And p0480 fan 1 circuit control. The first thing I noticed was a noise that sounded like my old chevy that had a bad bearing in AC pump it was like a rattling with the engine speed. I assumed a drive accessory but weve had crazy snow all week I haven't had a chance tk remove belt and inspect. It feels like it Jerks when it shifts sometimes only when accelerating hard. If you go real slow and build speed up it doesn't happen. And at the gas pump I have to pump very slow or it shuts the pump off. I'm assuming that's related to the evap vent. (I eve I should change charcoal canister its about 15$ with the pig tail. So today is the first day Its not 10degrees out. I just went down and inspected the air intake. Filter is a little dusty I banged it out good. Will replace asap. Biggest thing I found was the MAF sensor was not even plugged in. So I plugged it in and cleared the codes. Now that noise i though was in a pull bearing seems to be gone and that p0102 did not come back usually it comes back immediately. Also found the 30amp fuse for fan is blown. All I have left is deal with the evap vent. I haven't driven it yet since I plugged maf back in. I'm hoping someone might know better than me. Do you think that could have been the cause of the rattling noise or maybe its a coincidence that it's gone and will likely return. I'm also hoping the hard shifting was MAF related and will be gone. I won't know until we drive it tonight. I have been reading these forums for a few days now and am glad to join the site!

:welcomewagon: to the forums!

My first thought was this. If you bought it from a mechanic shop, and they said they didn't know much about it, they're lying.

If the rattle is the timing chain, you need to fix it immediately. These are interference engines, if any part of the timing system goes, you're looking at a lot of money to fix. You can remove the valve cover and inspect the timing chain. If it is at all loose, you need a new timing set.

Thanks for the response. Its a shop that I used to work at and still do part time. Hes got his own personal little junkyard. He did say that he thought the mileage was not accurate due to work being done and maybe engine was replaced. I really don't think he knows much about it. He's a friend and wouldn't hide something to get me to sell the car. I thought maybe the timing chain. But I'm hoping its not. If I'm going to open it up and inspect it should I just replace it anyway? I mean I'll have to eventually either way.

Welcome!

It sounds like he's being straight with you or he would have asked a lot more than $500. He gave it to you cheap because he probably really doesn't know what's wrong with it and figures you know how to deal with it.

That said check that timing chain as soon as you can. But I have had plenty of cars that made all sorts of weird noises and clunks when it was cold out. And it's been sitting, the worst thing for any car is to sit for long periods of time. You'll have to drive it some to work out the bugs.

We have driven it about 11 hours already but 3 of which were in a crazy snow storm. It does extremely well in the snow. It came with snow tires on front. Its better than our kia sportage with 4wd. Bad tires on kia though. Anyway we haven't driven it since I fixed the MAF. This morning I found it unplugged I plugged it back in cleared the code and let it run for 10 min hooked up to scanner. The p0102 did not come back. Last time I cleared it it was back instantly. I didn't hear the noise but obviously we won't know anything for sure until we drive it later. Either way I'm happy that the maf was just unplugged and I don't need to further diagnose that code [p0102] I will check timing chain asap. One of the things I like to do when I buy a new car is change tranny fluid and filter if it has one. So once I drop the pan I can check for shavings or anything in the fluid. I haven't had a chance to check tranny fluid level yet. Someday soon I'll get it in the shop and up on the lift. Any suggestions to what else I should keep an eye on? Common HHR issues? I already had to replace speakers as they were all junk.

Shocks & struts guarantee need replacing. Springs, maybe. Lower Control arms (bushings at least). Trailing arm bushings need looking at. DexCool has a 5 year shelf life (sitting on a shelf or in service).

Use Dex VI, no matter what the counter guy says.

P0102 is definitely MAF disconnected. that happens when unobservant mechanics change the air filter. Sometimes you get a few other codes for intake air and computer communication.

There's a lot of tension on the wires for maf sensor could have easily got disconnected if someone was messing with air box. Does anyone know if the maf being disconnected could cause any rattling noise. It sounded identical to my chevy cavalier AC bearing would make the same noise if it was wet from rain or something. Then when dry it wouldn't make the noise it was definitely the bearing on ac compressor I pinpointed it with my ear on a long screwdriver. That's the exact sound I was hearing on the HHR. And I know I should check timing chain and I will also take the belt off and see if I still hear it. But out of curiosity I'm wondering if anyone thinks the noise could be related to maf disconnected. I didn't hear it this morning when I plugged maf back in its probably a coincidence but I'm hoping theres something I'm not thinking of.
thank you again for your input

Cold rattle is usually chain, constant rattle is usually the air box bracket, moving only is usually some combination of bumper cover and wheel house liner and air dams.

Pop the serpentine belt off to confirm.
I suggest changing the timing and balance shaft chains, not a hard job, the front guide is a known weak link .
check the fuel lines when you have it on the lift.

It comes and goes. Comes mostly and it does it when it's warmed up as well. A e drove for 3 hours the other day and it was doing it Definitely not just something lose. It sounds like its something on belt. Ill hear it cut in and out as we're accelerating. And I can hear it at idle. If I still here it tonight then it's definitely something on the belt or its the chain. I want to replace the chain anyway just don't know how soon I can buy the kit. Should I do the other chain too? Or just the main chain.