Hi Everyone! I just got my 2007 2.4 HHR LT about a month ago and yesterday the check engine light came on. Took it into the parts store so they could throw a scanner on it and the following codes came up as current:

P1174 - Fuel Trim Cylinder Balance (Symptom 00)
P0856 - Traction Control Torque Request Circuit (Symptom 00)
P0011 - Intake Camshaft Position (CMP) System Performance (Symptom 00)
U0121 - Lost Communications with Electronic Brake Control Module (EBCM) (Symptom 00)
P0562 - System Voltage Low (Symptom 00)
P0705 - Transmission Range (TR) Switch Circuit (Symptom 00)
P0711 - Transmission Fluid Temperature (TFT) Sensor Performance (Symptom 00)

Seems like a lot of things to come up all of a sudden, but I don't know a lot about cars. Can anyone give some insight before I take it into a mechanic so I don't get screwed over?

Thanks!

 

Get the battery checked.

 

x2 ^ Also, check your under hood and passenger kick plate fuse panels. Make sure they are locked solid in place.

 

Follow the link in my Sig.

 

Welcome to the site! Follow the link in Donbrew's signature for I got a check engine light !
The battery is very important to these little trucklets vital signs.
Please remember the HHR is new to you so you don't know when these codes were set
The battery is in the trunk where the spare tire hides! If you disconnect the battery , put a towel down on the gate latch so you don't lock yourself out ! Yes it has happened to me!
While the battery is disconnected check the ground post terminal at the transmission just the the lower left of the oil filter cap, and up on the driver's side of the rad cradle just behind and down from the hood bumper!

 

Wow, thanks for the welcome and the tips guys! I'll be sure to follow the recommendations everyone presented and follow up if it comes back. Also, I feel stupid saying this but I had no idea the battery was in the trunk area so thank you for that tip. Would have been looking around the engine compartment for a good 15 minutes before figuring that one out.

 

Careful in the engine bay , many have mistaken the red terminal at the fuse box under the hood as positive , which it is, and the black terminal at the fuse box as a negative terminal which it is not !!! it is the terminal connected to the power steering motor!
Yes the HHR has electric power steering assist!

 

Thanks Oldblue! That's really good information to have.

 

Better to know what your looking at and I wouldn't want to just assume you know what I'm thinking, Please take a picture of what you have a question about, Our friend Donbrew has a link in his signature for how to upload pictures!