Welcome to the site Momo 32. I don't think T's HHR is still waiting, He asked that april 2012, and hasn't posted anything since. He could still be lucking I guess

 

My 2007 2.2 was making exactly the rattle described. I took it in this morning, to the local dealer, and suggested the possibility of it being the cat converter. Got a call back several hours later, they said when it was up on the rack it sounded like the cat converter was litterally disassembling inside. New one should be there tomorrow, all covered under the 8/80 emissions warrantee, fortunately. Had it not been for this site and this thread, I would have waited until it got worse, then probably would have been stranded somewhere. Shared experience paid off big time.

 

Picked up the HHR today, has a new Catalytic Converter, no more rattle, and it seems to just run quieter. Wonder if there might have been a small leak in the flex connector. Best part, all parts and labor 100% covered by the 8/80 federal emissions warrantee.

 

You folks are lucky. I bought a used 2008 HHR SS with 129,000 miles on it and thanks to this site I figured out that one of the rattles on her is the Timing Chain Tensioner. I have that part on order and will do a DIY fix when I get it. Then we'll see if the other rattles are from the exhaust. Fingers crossed that it is not because I'm pretty sure Chevy won't do a courtesy warranty adjustment on a rig with over 100k miles. They are a good company. But not that good.

 

I've got the rattle 2007 with 72000 miles. How do you go about getting warranty repair? I guess call a dealership?

 

IF your dealer will warrant the cracked flex pipe as a bad catalytic converter, yes . It is illegal for a shop to replace a catalytic converter that is under the "emissions warranty" for a fee, it's the law.

Your assignment is to find out which of the several iterations of the "emissions warranty" your vehicle is covered under. Most, but not all, are 80,000 miles/8 years whichever comes first. There is a Federal Law about it, if you're in CA or NY, they have even more.

SEARCH phrase "flex pipe".

 

The HHR emissions warranty is 8 years or 80,000 miles for the cat con if it is faulty.

 

Catalytic Converter Laws

Rules for Replacing Converters
In 1986, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued new guidelines for the construction, efficiency and installation of aftermarket catalytic converters. All CleanAir converters listed in this catalog have been designed, tested and manufactured to meet this policy.

In addition, CleanAir converter listed in this catalog is appropriate for use under the current requirements of the California Air Resources Board (C.A.R.B.).
E.P.A. guidelines state that replacement converters may be installed only in the following situations:

1. The vehicle is missing a converter
2. A state or local inspection program has determined that the existing converter needs replacement
3. Vehicles manufactured prior to 1996 must have more than 50,000 miles, and a legitimate need for replacement must be established and documented
4. In cases of OBD Il-equipped vehicles (1996 and later), the O.E. manufacturer's 8-year/80,000-mile warranty must have expired and a legitimate need for replacement must be established and documented.
Please note that Federal law prohibits removal or replacement of a properly functioning O.E. converter.

When replacement of the converter is appropriate (as outlined above), the E.P.A. further requires that:

1. It be installed in the same location as the original
2. It be the same type as the original (i.e., two-way, three-way, three-way plus air/three-way plus oxidation)
3. It be the proper model for the vehicle application as determined and specified by the manufacturer
4. It be properly connected to any existing air injection components on the vehicle
5. It be installed with any other required converter for a particular application
6. It be accompanied by a warranty information card to be completed by the installer.

 

THANK YOU D!onbrew

 

If my memory serves; the emission warranty clock starts on date of manufacture, not first title like everything else.