Hi. New here. I've had my 2010 HHR LT 2.4L for 10 years, and it's been nearly flawlessly reliable. Love the car. It now has 125K miles, and I've started noticing the instrument cluster turns off and reboots intermittently. There seems to be no circumstances that make it more or less likely to do it, but it usually does it at least a few times during each drive cycle of about 10 miles. The issue started about two months ago and has been getting progressively more frequent. When it reboots, I hear a soft buzzing noise from the cluster. All gauges go to zero, and warning lights come on, like they do when the car is started.


I've looked here and on other sites for information. I have re-seated the underhood fuse/relay block and checked grounds. I have pressed, tapped (sometimes pounded, lol!) on the instrument cluster, dash, under dash, fuse block, etc. Nothing I do will trigger any response. It does it when it damn well pleases! There are no codes, and also no other symptoms. The problem seems isolated to the cluster. At this point, I'm thinking I should pull the cluster and check/re-seat the connector on the back. If that doesn't do it, replace the cluster. What do you think?

 

Try fuse #7 for cluster in the interior fuse block , then if that doesn’t work pull the cluster clean the connector.

 

Yes, fuse #7.
Also fuse #16 has a wire that goes to the instrument panel (IP)

 

Thank you very much! I will try that.

 

I am kind of new, had an 07 Panel HHR, 285k miles the 2.4 engine started knocking. Now I have a 2011 HHR that the dash started doing the same thing. It only does it when it is cool or cold outside. This morning it was going crazy, constantly, on/off/on. I couldn't see because of the humidity, we turn the defrost on high, and with-in a minute of the car warming up, it quit. Not even doing it again. And every day this week, it would do it on and off, on my 10 mile trip to work. I was looking through posts to see if anything familiar. I had already checked the battery and connections at relays, fuses and grounds. I think after todays find, I'll pull the dash and use some freeze spray if I have too. I will report back later in the week after my test.

 

Yup. All that sounds familiar. Mine also does it more when it's cold. Tonight it was going on and off constantly during a 3 mile trip. When it warms up, it will work normally most of the time. It's been getting worse over the past month or so. At first it would happen rarely, now it will do it many times on every trip. I will be interested in your findings. I will probably take my cluster out also and see what I can find

 

Most likely condensation in the harness, dry it out and apply dielectric grease to the terminals and put it back together.

 

I took out the cluster, cleaned both the male and female terminals with electrical contact cleaner, reassembled with dielectric grease. No effect. It's acting the same way. I think I will order a cluster

 

Thanks for trying, and confirming, the connections are not the problem. When you replace the cluster, maybe take that old one apart and see what is the problem internally.

 

You will need to have the new cluster programmed.