On that note, has anyone replaced the factory 8" sub with an aftermarket unit that will fit in the exact same location?

Thanks!!!

 

Yes I did. It sounded better but still didn't hit any harder. I added a seperate amp to power it after that. It hit harder but I still wasn't satisfied so I built a down firing box with a 12" in it. I'm satisfied for now but I still plan on changing my set up later. The factory box is tiny!

 

Hey folks, the thread was "Useless Functions". (I know that everything about our famed HHR is great and they can do no wrong but...lets use this thread to help GM weed out the rarely used or practically useless functions. For example)
I found a few things that, to me seem somewhat out of character for my own uses. As they say, one mans junk is another mans treasure. Anyway, the little things that annoy some may intrigue others, as do features on the HHR. To each his own. I am not downing my car, I love the little car, that is why I bought the thing, because it appealed to me. The more I drive it the more I am comfortable with it. Just some things that I find are useless or annoying as I drive, and use my HHR.
I also think maybe we could have a thread of the most useful things about our HHR.....Just a thought.
There are threads in this forum about everything discussed in here, located somewhere in the forum is anything you want to know or not know about these cars. I just made a list of the things I (personally) feel about.

 

Regarding the two velcro straps mentioned early in this thread.

Page 2-45 of the owners manual states that there are two velcro straps to be used to hold the rear cargo mat when rolled up when you have the cargo shelf in the upper position.

 

I use the two trip odometers.

Trip A is used to track my mileage for each gas fillup.
Trip B is used to keep track of how many kms I have travelled since the last oil change.
Someone said that the trip odometers reset at 999? I could have sworn that my trip B was well over 2000 kms before I somehow reset it accidently.

My gripe with the oil life monitor is that it was designed for dino oil. There is no way to tell it whether you have dino or synthetic oil in the motor. Using synthetic oil should allow you to go longer between oil changes (change the filter, top up the syn oil) than if using dino oil. If you are changing synthetic oil using the same intervals as dino oil, you're just wasting money.

 

Wow and I thought that the #4%@%^& was usless and then I tried my #(*+!#@$and it didn't work and then my %$^@& kept turning off, and then my#$%^&* kept rattling and then my %$^&*(! turn off while I was driving and then my $%^&*)(_@! kept making this weird color and then this real usless $%^&*()@! WOW why do I need this DIC thingy. You know I just don't know, but I sure wish I knew what you knew before you told me that it was usless or did I tell you it was useless. Man I need HELP. It just seems like its all useless. Oh well ya all have a Happy NEW YEAR. And I do hope all the useless stuff becomes usable and the stuff that don't work starts working for ya all.

Harvey just told me he'll keep trying.

See ya down the road

Bud / Harvey

 

Good point on the double trip odomoterss. I NOW use my "B" monitor for overall mileage on trips...."A" for each fill-up.

Your second comment on the oil life monitor.....

For what it is worth.....several weeks ago, I asked a GM engineer this very question. He said it does not matter which oil you use. The monitor algorithums determine the oil "usage" by temperatures, and such. Since most of the synthetic oils have these extended values, the monitor firmware will recognize the product values and thus provide the correct data.

Of course (he said), you can always do what makes you comfortable....sound familar.

 

I know that this is still sticking on the oil life monitor argument, BUT working at a well-known auto-parts store... trained at two, and actually took the time to become ASE certified for knowledge for my sake as well as for the customers, I know a little about engines and the oil we put in them.

First, the "3,000 mile" rule was made the standard when oil technology was light years behind currnet standards, as well as the engine manufacuring standards. That is why MOST new vehicles reccomend a 5,000 mile interval or longer. Usually, I reccommend changing the interval to a little more frequently at 75-100K miles, when the engine has had a little more wear. That is around the time the internals will start wearing down, allowing more of a chance of metal particles and "blow-by" increasing the amount of contamination in the engine, thus entering the engine oil.

I admit that I too was concerned that my engine oil life said 60-some odd percent left at around 3,000 miles, so I checked for good measure... unless GM is putting in clear motor oil now, it still looks like its straight from the bottle, maybe slightly darker. I have faith in it now, and will monitor it again when I get anywhere near 75,000 miles. I will still change it when it says around 25%, since I bought this new, as well as MY car (the HHR is the Wife's primary vehicle, mine is a 03 Focus... originally bought for her too) and prefer to change things before the reccommended interval to avoid warranty problems (when they are still under warranty) and to avoid costly repairs as much as possible.

I personally think its about time someone starts putting a "smart-er" oil life indicator in a vehicle, since millions of dollars are wasted each year by people changing oil before it is needed. As much as people complain about gas and oil prices, wasting thousands of usable mileage from their motor oil isn't helping at all.

Sorry if this went too far off the topic, or was a little long-winded, but just putting in my approval for the oil-life indicator!

 

Did you happen to find out if any part of the OLM actually comes into contact with the oil so that it "knows" the properties of the oil being used? The way you worded your statement makes it sound like it does.

The only reason I ask is this past weekend I had the first oil change done on my HHR using the dealership bulk 5W30 oil (going synthetic next oil change).

One thing I have noticed right away is that the oil life is dropping much quicker than it did with the factory fill.
I've only driven 405 km (251 miles) and the oil life has already dropped to 96%. The weather here is still very nice, nothing to tax the oil at all at this point.

 

Black Rose...

No I did not. But, I do believe it would need to have a sensor for oil temps....as that is one of the criteria it uses in the algorithum to determine "life" schedule (engine RPM is another, which probably comes from the ECU) of the oil.

Also, the sensing systems can't tell synthetic from dino. But it determines the change percentage schedule by those values built into the "oil" product. You know, kind of like synthetic lasts longer because it "wears out" less. I'm trying to think how to explain this as told to me.....having a hard time.

I do remember....synthetic retains viscosity better, especially under higher temps. And, HIS opinion (he says based on million mile tests) is ....if you change your oil every 3000-4000 miles use fossil. If you want extra time and distance between changes, use synthetic (your statement above regarding the percentage change on your DIC, may bear witness to this). HE also suggested people that live in extreme climates...AZ for the heat (maintain viscosity), regions of Canada for the cold (better lubricating properties), should probably use synthetic.

I'll try to post more as I think of it.

I'm also trying to get a GM Engineer to participate covertly in this forum. GM Corporate has refused official permission.

Oh, one last thing....people who use the lubricants branded as "Racing Oils" probably should not. Most of these products do not contain enough, or any, of the detergents and other additives necessary for these engines. The exception would be for people who drive FREQUENTLY AND CONSTANTLY at higher RPM's than normal. But he says, because of the final gearing, you would constantly be violating the speed laws.

Again, whatever makes you comfortable.

Oh, manufacturers ARE working on oil life monitors than DO ANALYZE the oil to determine change intervals (dealers are really going to be pi$$ed).