I have a 2006 Chevy HHR Automatic. This is an aftermarket second motor that was installed prior to me owning. I have fixed several things that were not completed upon installation of the motor. Wiring harnesses and other hoses etc put back in their support brackets and things of that nature. I've struggled with the main fuse blowing under the engine compartment at least a dozen times. Car was running fine for the last couple of weeks except for the fact it's been running lean I'm assuming due to the fact the computer and or BCM TCM we're not reading properly. Suddenly hard shifting from Park to drive drive to Park and intermittent shifting. Rough idle and whining noise . Then all of a sudden it shut off. My wife was at a hardware store and the employees politely came out to help she explained to them the proper procedure to jumping the battery they arrogantly did not listen to her and hooked the cables up wrong both to the power terminals on the fuse panel under the hood. Now I can get everything to come on except for power seats windshield wipers and I have no crank when I turn the ignition switch I have power to all of the relays and fuses completely lost at this point I hope I gave you enough information if not probably elaborated way too much looking forward to some response I enjoy reading this forum.

 

I have no idea what "the main fuse" might be. Maybe the wires on the outside of the under hood fuse box are not right. There should be only 1 on the stud closest to the firewall, that goes to the power steering. There should be 2 on the frontmost, one from the battery and one to the starter.

By hooking jumpers up wrong (ReadTheFrighteningManual, link in my sig) you blew the power steering fuse and hopefully a few others, if not there are fried wires or modules somewhere.

The #1 problem after a motor replacement is the fuse box only got put back together as far as "I thought I might strip a bolt", they need to be much tighter.

I bet there is a CheckEngineLight that you are not mentioning and attending codes.

 

The fuse panel under the hood, as mentioned, tighten those 4 7 mm bolts very tightly. Remove and test all the fuses , one at a time for continuity and push them back into their place firmly.
Those folks at the hardware store should be held liable for any damage and expenses to repair your car.

 

Thank you the power terminals were improperly wired the rear against the firewall had the battery and the power steering hook to it and the front only had the starter I will change that right away Yes I did not tighten the bolts in the fuse panel when I took it apart to check everything for the that exact reason. I was afraid of tightening them too much and breaking something but better safe than sorry thank you for that information I will continue that. Yes there was a check and engine light also that came on. But it does not continue and I haven't seen it the past couple of times I have power to everything except for the power seats and windshield wipers. I will now tighten everything down and check all the fuses for continuity again and also the empty fuse panel to be sure everything is correct and getting power where it should. As far as the engine replacement I am unsure of the transmission was replaced along with the motor. Our research that also it is the proper motor for that car. I am trying to now that my frustration get the best of me because to people at the hardware store should absolutely be liable for the damages and both my wife and I missing work due to the ignorance. Thank you all I'll be working on this the rest of the evening and will let you know how I make out

 

Did you pay the professional auto technicians at the hardware store? If anything is not true you don't have a leg, they were strangers walking down the street.
If it was jumped with the wires on the fuse box reversed there is no telling what more damage was done. Have you checked the maxi-fuse next to the battery?
When tightening the fuse box you need to go past the first "click" . Each of those clips under it need to click in.

Not sure about 2006-2007 but 2008-2011 have a huge label on the top of the fuse box with jump start directions. For reasons I don't get, lots of people think that any black box under the hood is the battery. My first thought was not "that is the battery" it was "I wonder where the battery is".

 

Thank you all for still advising. Yes I checked the maxi fuse everything is good I tightened the bolts down as described in manual on the fuse panel under the hood wired everything back the way it was supposed to be. I now have a relay that is clicking in the center console panel on the driver side the only one over on that side.? I cannot find anywhere what this relay does I'm assuming maybe the anti-theft or something of that nature?

 

Have a look in this link, save it as a favourite

https://fuse-box.info/chevrolet/chev...uses-and-relay

 

Clicking relays usually mean dead battery. The bolt in the under hood fuse box need to be tighter than "afraid to strip".