After I got my deer this past November (about a week before the hunting season actually started) with my 2000 Gran Sport Regal, I decided to replace it with an HHR. Have always liked the looks and spoke with some previous owners who really liked their HHRs. So my journey began to find one in the budget. About a month ago I bought a loaded 2007 2LT, automatic with the 2.4 motor. Was mostly happy with the car, but now I'm not so sure. Due mostly to a plethora of intermittent dash lights (CEL, ABS, T/C, Brake) and excessively hard shifting along with loud clicking coming from the area of the shift lever when slowing or sitting idle. In reading, the intermittent nature of the problems seem to point toward an electrical connection somewhere... but I'm not sure how/where to check. Any insights would be appreciated.
Regards, Tom

 

Welcome to the site.

The problems you describe have been discussed many times and in many different threads on this site. Try the Search function above and you should be able to find the answers you need.
Not trying to be blunt, but it could be in any number of threads. If you can't find what you need, maybe we can post some direct links.

FWIW. If you have a CEL, it's always best to post the corresponding trouble code numbers that you have read after using a scan tool. (The numbers, not a description )

 

"loud clicking coming from the area of the shift lever when slowing or sitting idle."

Like when your foot goes on and off the brake pedal and activates the transmission-brake interlock solenoid?

 

Welcome Tom , have your battery checked it could be getting weak

 

Yes, that sounds like what it does. It's very sporadic though. It may go 3-4 days with all of the mentioned symptoms - and thew next day it's fine. No dash lights, no weird noises, the CEL is gone! It's been off and on for a few weeks now. The lasr several days, all of the issues are back. Speedo doesn't work, traction control, power steering, brake, ABS, etc all lit up.

 

aboard!

Scoot on over to a trusted tech or your local parts store and have them "pull the codes", even though the CEL has winked out, the codes will still be stored.

Post up the exact code numbers, like P0010 for example, and we'll do our best based on the OBD II codes to point you in the proper direction.

Basically the equation is simple...No code numbers = Guessing.