HHR_Issues

Hello,

I have a 2006 HHR

I've read through the first several pages and couldn't find the single big issue I'm having (some of the issues within the issue I did find)

About a month or two ago, I went to start my car in the morning. It sluggishly turned over and I noticed that the instrument panel gauges were going up and down, I never tried to shift or anything and I assumed it was a dead/low battery (however I could turn over and all the accessories worked). I called the dealer and they agreed with my assessment and told me to let it run for awhile.. standard procedure for a low/dead battery.

However after running it for 15-20 minutes (revving up even), there was no change. So I shut it off and turned it back on again. This seemed to fix the issue! Or so I thought.. As I made my first turn and the first shift was extremely hard, my power steering light went on, I lost my brakes, and I pulled over and called the dealer again.

It's normal for the car to go into a protective mode during low battery usage, It should fine to drive it.

So since then, randomly I will start the car into this state. Drive it like the dealer said I could, and it *usually* cleared itself up within 5 minutes.

Lately, It hasn't cleared up, and I find myself stalling at stop signs because the shifting doesn't work at all!

I can't tell how fast I am going, or how much gas I have, or how hot the engine is, and the message display will pop between glitchy output and "Low Fuel" and "Power Steering". There is absolutely no pattern to why this happens. The "Security Mode" light is on, but even after using an alternate key that hadn't been used in years, the problem is still apparent. Right now the car is at the dealership and has yet to show any of the aforementioned issues, even though the past two days before bringing it in, I would start the car into this state for no apparent reason.

Any thoughts here? I brought it into the dealership a few weeks ago, and they said there were only "Communication Codes" in the computer and they couldn't figure out what was going on unless they actually could recreate the problem.

So to recap..
At times I start it up and I see these issues:
No Power Steering
No Breaks/Hard to Break
Instrument Panel glitchyness/jumping guages
Horribly hard shifting/Stalling at stop signs
Security Light and Check Engine light

kornellred

Take the HHR to the dealer and tell them that when you come back to pick it up you want everything to work the way it is supposed to.

If you are out of warranty it's going to cost you a small fortune.

Lone Ranger

Sounds like a bad module, maybe BCM (Body Control Module) or ECM/TCM (Engine Control/Transmission Control Module). A lose ground wire somewhere could aslo potentially cause wild glitches like this, but loose grounds aren't very common unless the car has been taken apart due to accident repair body work or something. I'm not real impressed with how the smaller of the two modules mounted in front of the battery with the shroud cover over them flops around lose in there-- at least on mine, the larger module which I believe is the ECM is mounted firm and tight, but the smaller one behind it has about 1/2 an inch of front/back free play to rattle around.

These cars are basically good cars, less complex than other new cars electronically speaking (Tahoe has about 27 modules, even has one in each door or so the tech at my preferred dealership told me recently).

Snoopy

Huh....you mean the battery in the trunk has some modules also.

But, if your speaking of the ECM, THAT IS in the front under the hood and would be the closest covered modules to the radiator. The one behind and closest to the firewall, is ONE of two fuse holder/boxes/panels.

an08HHR

Not sure but look at post #10 of this thread https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/show...=wire+chaffing

Lone Ranger

My mistake, lol I had an Old School moment... I don't know why, but I was thinking about the fuse box and referred to it as the battery.

Harpozep

Same problems almost exactly with our car this morning. Wife started it at 5:30 Am. Cool, dewey morning. ABS light and all the gages blinking, going crazy.

I just took it around the block now, no problems at all. Sunny, warmer now.

We put in an aftermarket stereo a couple months back, but otherwise things are stock.
2006 2LT just out of warranty, of course.

Gonna call the dealer, but if I have to chase a hundred things ont he car, it is going away. I'll start with the modules, look for any floating grounds, etc. Need the codes first. I really should buy one of those code readers.

Lone Ranger

I thought when an after market stereo is installed you have to use a special interface to keep the Body Control Module happy? I remember something in a thread here about it, because the figure $150 sticks in my mind-- I think that was the cost of the special interface that is required.

Harpozep

Yup, did all that. Had a professional install with proper harnesses one allows the radio steering wheel controls to operate the new kenwood as well.
Spent some $ and got it done right, I hope........

ChevyMgr

You may have an electrical center (fuse box) issue, trying slapping the side of it or moving it around and see if the conditions change. Or you may have an ignition switch problem.