bandit12

Well I am new to the board. I traded my wife's VW Beetle GLX for an HHR. It is a neat little car.



We are having some issues though and it looks like others on here are as well. It has a liquid slush sound when you brake or accelerate. The dealership knew it had the problem before we bought it. They weren't sure how to fix it b/c the tech at GM were off for the 4th week.
Also, tonight it was running extremly hot. After I let it cool down, the overfill tank had plenty of coolant but I couldn't see anything at the radiator cap.

I can only assume the overheating and the liquid sound are related. It will be going back to the dealer soon to hopefully fix this.

I am glad that I have an all GM stable now.

captain howdy

The gas in your tank shifting? BTW we don't have a radiator cap, you fill it through the overflow tank like most modern vehicles.

cj krause

if you look on the left side of the radiator behind it you will see a hose with a cap on top. i dont know if this qualifies as a radiator cap but you can access the fluid. i drained some and added a Royal Purple coolant aid right there.

i would take the HHR to your dealer and have them check the thermostat or the heater core and use your DIC to display the water temp and watch it closely.

some people are having issues with overheating

TX-HHR

I've had to take mine in twice for overheating the thermostat was replaced the first time, the heater core is being replaced today. I suspect that the leaking heater core was the problem all along. Take it in and keep on the dealer until they can find the problem.

And Welcome to the site!

SCOOT

I'm assuming 'overheating' is 100%, no doubt OVERHEATING!! As opposed to the engine running a little on the *hot* side.
The reason I ask is for clarity. I too hear slushing and bubbling when I turn off the vehicle. Sometimes I hear it upon acceleration. Either way, I attribute the sounds to coolant and/or gas movement- which I feel is somewhat normal.
The other reason I ask- I have not owned a new vehicle in a while and I'm not sure if I trust the DIC readings 100% (specifically coolant temp), although I've read electronic/digital readings are very accurate. The DIC has shown my coolant temps upwards of 213*!!! Not sure if I should be alarmed or not- but haven't noticed any problems.

john 11

SCOOT
I posted the following observation on our return from a recent trip.


I had the same observation you had about just running a little hot under heavy conditions. Since our return to Charlotte and 95 degree temps it is staying right around 194 degrees. I have no leaks and the actual temperature guage is, not the DIC, is running where it always has. Just keep me in the loop.

john 11

SCOOT

This is the other thread I have been following:
https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/problems-service-repairs-42/temp-gauge-stops-working-3092/

bandit12

The reading last night got over 250 degrees. The fan didn't kick in til she got home and it cooled it down pretty fast. I am assuming the thermostat is not right for it to get that hot before kicking in.

And we do have radiator caps. It is just not on top of the radiator like older cars.

Also the water sound is coming from the engine bay/firewall area. So it is not in the gas tank.

captain howdy

That is the overflow cap.

TX-HHR

250 is overheating. 213 is a little on the hot side but nothing to worry about. I start to worry when I see temps over 220. From my observations the digital read-out and the needle guage appear to move at the same rate. But to get a number for hot things are you have to look at the digital display. I've heard the same water/slushing sound when I'd first start up the car but it's done that since I bought it. I don't know if that's normal or was a sign of problems I was having with my heater core. I'll know more when I get my HHR back.