Good luck with the taillight bulbs.
09-10-2014, 04:36 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: 10-09-2009
Location: Vegas
Posts: 9
Good luck with the taillight bulbs.
I hope somebody from Chevy Corporate Offices reads this. The HHR is the biggest piece of **** car I have ever owned. Things that take 30 seconds on ANY other vehicle, that are part of routine maintenance, are ALL DAY projects on the HHR. You have to practically dismantle the whole engine assembly just to change the air filter, for god's sake.
The instructions for changing the taillight bulb make it sound easy as pie. Good luck. Both of my taillight bulbs were melted into place. The little "simple" counterclockwise turn of the bulb wasn't happening. I broke both of the taillight assemblies just trying to get the old bulb out. The plastic is all melted. They put two extra-long (and sharp) screws right next to the bulb assembly, to make sure you completely tear your hand apart trying to reach in there.
What a joke.
The instructions for changing the taillight bulb make it sound easy as pie. Good luck. Both of my taillight bulbs were melted into place. The little "simple" counterclockwise turn of the bulb wasn't happening. I broke both of the taillight assemblies just trying to get the old bulb out. The plastic is all melted. They put two extra-long (and sharp) screws right next to the bulb assembly, to make sure you completely tear your hand apart trying to reach in there.
What a joke.
09-10-2014, 04:42 PM
#2
Banned
Join Date: 10-02-2010
Location: Port Huron, MI
Posts: 5,933
Changing the air filter is not hard. You pop it off two rubber grommets, unscrew a pipe-clamp, and unplug the MAF sensor.. Then 4 screws on the back of it, reverse it to install. I have done it in less than 5 minutes.
As for the tail-light bulbs. Sure, there is going to be warmth in vegas and from the bulbs being on. Did you think it was going to stay cool as ice back there? I took ALL 4 of mine out, and replaced with LED tail-lights from Race and Street so I would NEVER have to change a bulb back there for the life of my vehicle. And for what it's worth, I never chewed my hand up doing that at all.
IT IS NEVER ABOUT BRUTE FORCE, it is about finesse.
As for the tail-light bulbs. Sure, there is going to be warmth in vegas and from the bulbs being on. Did you think it was going to stay cool as ice back there? I took ALL 4 of mine out, and replaced with LED tail-lights from Race and Street so I would NEVER have to change a bulb back there for the life of my vehicle. And for what it's worth, I never chewed my hand up doing that at all.
IT IS NEVER ABOUT BRUTE FORCE, it is about finesse.
09-10-2014, 04:46 PM
#3
Thread Starter
Join Date: 10-09-2009
Location: Vegas
Posts: 9
I sincerely hope I never have to do it again. I actually DID have to use brute force to yank them out. They were literally melted into place. Plus the old bulb fell out and fell down into the recesses of the car somewhere. :-/
09-10-2014, 04:58 PM
#4
Banned
Join Date: 10-02-2010
Location: Port Huron, MI
Posts: 5,933
You could have applied some heat and maybe tried to finesse it that way. I am not talking a blow torch, but maybe a bic to the plastic piece to warm it up and make it malleable.
I did have one of my bulbs flop out on me too, but I just turned the bulb down and it fell out.
I did have one of my bulbs flop out on me too, but I just turned the bulb down and it fell out.
09-10-2014, 05:14 PM
#5
Platinum Member
Join Date: 04-09-2006
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Posts: 7,032
edgarfrog: Maybe you should investigate as to why the receptacles melted like they did? That is not at all normal.
As far as the air filter goes - it's not like you need to change it every 6 months. It's really not that big a deal.
As far as the air filter goes - it's not like you need to change it every 6 months. It's really not that big a deal.
09-10-2014, 05:47 PM
#6
Banned
Join Date: 10-02-2010
Location: Port Huron, MI
Posts: 5,933
Whop. He lives in Las Vegas. Temps regularly 100+ and with the tail-lights on just dim it probably gets hot enough that it may become malleable.
09-10-2014, 06:33 PM
#7
Platinum Member
Join Date: 05-09-2006
Location: "Upland" Mesa, Arizona
Posts: 6,805
No, I think he has a problem if the plastic is melted.
I live in constant heat 110-120 in the hottest summer months and I replaced 2 tail lights bulbs without that problem. By the way, a little difficult YES...problematic ....NO!
What Whopper said, regarding the air cleaner assembly.
I live in constant heat 110-120 in the hottest summer months and I replaced 2 tail lights bulbs without that problem. By the way, a little difficult YES...problematic ....NO!
What Whopper said, regarding the air cleaner assembly.
09-10-2014, 06:41 PM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: 06-26-2006
Location: San Bernardino, California
Posts: 1,876
I live in San Bernardino Ca. where the temperature regularly tops 100° during the summer. We owned our 06 for over six years. Changed the taillight bulbs a couple of times, maybe 3, they came right out when I twisted them. As far as "Chevy Corporate Offices reading this, that won't happen and even if it did, do you think they'd care? The vehicle is out of production for what? three years? Even if the annoying, so called 'customer service representatives' that come here do see this, there is nothing they could do.
