I installed the radio buttons today on my steering wheel and I disconnected the battery while doing this.

After I had everthing done and the battery hooked back up, the HHR would not start. Everthing powered up like normal but no crank. After 10 minutes or so and a couple of frantic PMs to some members online the damn thing started no problem (except a slightly longer crank which I was told to expect).

Did anyone ever have any issue like this? Did anyone try to start their HHR right away once the disconnected battery was hooked back up? I read the manual cover to cover and no mention of a delay.

CJ suggested maybe the computer was resetting. I suppose that is possible and maybe it was detecting the new hardware but this was so strange. CJ also said he never had an issue like this after disconnecting a battery.

I thought I would throw this out here to see if anyone else experienced this. Battery was hooked up correctly and no fuse issues.

 

The computer "resets" whenever the battery is disconnected for long periods.

It should be expected that the first start might take a bit longer.

There is nothing abnormal about it.

 

My neighbors Cadillac XLR's battery died. When roadside came to jumped start it took awaile. The alarm had to be reset several times before it would crank.
I asked the driver if it would be the same for the HHR and he said yes.

 

It was the "no crank" for 10 minutes I found abnormal. I knew some of the computer things would reset (mpg and so on) and CJ warned me about the longer crank. Battery was disconnected about an hour as I took my time with the project.

 

For anyone interested or having had this problem, I found this thread with a similar issue:

https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/problems-service-repairs-42/wont-start-after-amp-installed-2889/

I actually forgot to mention that when I finally got the HHR to start, I used the spare key. Not sure that had anything to do with my success. The regular key worked fine after that. The two keys are originals that came with the vehicle to my knowledge. I have never had one made and since the vehicle was a custom order and was at the dealer less than 24 hours, I doubt one was lost and they had to make a new one...but who knows.

BTW I have a manual transmission so the issue is not only automatics as someone had suggested they recalled from a previous thread.

 

During my stereo install I had my battery disconnected at least three times with no problems. The first time I had the battery disconnected a whole day. No problems.

Ng

 

I had the same problem. My battery was disconnected for about an hour when I had my IMCO put on. Everything was fine except the car would not crank. I called the dealer, and was told to reset the alarm about 10 times. Did that, and it cranked. Scared the poo-poo out of me. I thought the computer had been fried. Apparently it is a normal thing. I wonder what you do on cars that don't have the alarm???

 

I had the same problem the regular key i've been using would not work and the lock kept flashing then i used the spare and then the regular one would work after that.

 

Is the alarm a factory option? If so how do I know if I have one on my model?

 

The useless alarm is on all GM vehicles. It sounds the horn when the doors are opened while armed. It does no good at stopping theives, about all it is good for is annoying you when you set it off yourself. I think it's becoming a standard with all vehicle manufacturers because it did the same thing on my Mustang and several buddies cars also do the same thing.