Hello I've had my HHR about two weeks. It's an 08 and the front end had been noisy. It has struts from last year. I had the sway bar bushings replaced. That helped alot with the clunking noise but then a new tapping or clicking metal to metal type noise has started. I instantly thought it must be the sway bar links. So I installed Moog links. Test drive, and the tapping is still there when I turn or go over bumps at low speed mainly on the right side I think. So what is a common thing it could be?

 

Check out the relevant link in my sig.

 

So lower control arm bushings?

 

This is the link:
https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/prob...g-pop-s-50648/

It covers diagnosing just about every noise the front suspension can make. What link led you to LCA bushings? That is a possibility.

 

Well two of the conditions could be listed one is steering column or lower control arm. I hope it's not the steering column

Edit: my car doesn't do the steering column sound as seen in this video. It's over on the right side must be control arm ball joint

 

I think that steering column noise is more of an annoyance than anything as seen in the video due to poor design.....My HHR had that noise when my front rotors were warped and shaking the steering wheel and column.... Never had any steering issues though.

 

Not to hijack this thread, but I've always noticed a "rattle" in the front end. Paid for an alignment @ 35k, made no diff. and mechanic says everything fine. Now @ 80k, steering seems to be getting sloppy (ier). My real question is, "Why does the steering TSB not apply to the 2011 model? Did they do a redesign of the steering rack? I plan to replace components, but want to do it logically and economically.

Thanks, love this forum

 

An alignment is not going to fix a rattle. Only replacing the bad or defective parts will.
As far as the TSB. Not sure which one you are referring to since you didn't give a # or link.
If you are talking about the power steering motor TSB/recall, then that doesn't apply here either. That was in regards to the electric motor itself and doesn't relate to any noises in the front end.

 

Seems like the lower control arm bushings to me. Mines went out & the best way to tell is to have the car on a lift and use a flash light to examine the bushings. The factory bushings are NOT made solid and 4 holes in them & it basically separates leaving just the center part intact.

 

The LCA bushing is on the right in this photo, the bushing had 70,000 miles or so.
I replaced it with Moog K200792 bushing in the left

I replaced the ball joints when I replaced the bushings at 100,000 miles