Hey everybody,

I'm a fairly new 2008 HHR owner here. I got it back in August (before all this financing crap began, thank God!), and for the most part I have been very happy with it. Since here in Michigan it's finally beginning to snow and get down into the 30s, I've been using the heater on full blast lately. After about a half hour or 45 minutes with the fan set to level one, the fan motor begins to make an annoying chirping sound that is quite high pitched and squeaky, if that makes sense. If I turn the fan up to level two or higher, it pretty much goes away. But I don't like the fan blasting away all the time, so I like it left on level one. When I go to finally shut it off completely, it definitely makes a chirp chirp chirp chirp.... chirp..............chirp sound as the fans slows and stops.

Oh, and all the time up until now, throughout the fall season, I left the fan setting on level one and left the air on cold and never heard a noise from the fan. I can't imagine that using the heat would have something to do with it, would it?

Has anyone come across this problem, and is it a sign of impending doom for my HVAC blower motor? Prior to my HHR, I had a 2005 Saturn ION (piece of junk through and through!) and the blower motor went out on that car too, but not until about 30,000 miles.

Anyway, any thoughts or suggestions regarding this? Thanks!

- 2008 HHR LS, Sunburst Orange, 5 speed, only options are the side roof rails and the upgraded radio/advanced speakers.

 

My first guess would be some tree leaves got in there. Second guess dog hair.

Both these have caused what you describe in cars I've owned over the years.

 

Well, I don't have a dog, so that can't be it. It's most definitely a mechanical squeaking, chirping noise. And I don't think leaves could have gotten into it because this only started when I began using the heater a lot. The leaves have been gone from my trees for some time now. I guess I'll mention it to the dealer when I get my HHR in for its first oil change... grrrrrrrrrrrr. Oh well, I made it at least 3,000 miles further without a repair than I did in my Saturn.

 

had problems with mine too...dealer replaced the whole unit under warranty, only after some "aggressive" complaining.

 

I once had a '68 Olds Toronado that did this. I solved the problem by trading the car for a Studebaker Avanti.

I thought the Toronado would someday be a collector's item, like the Cord. It didn't happen.

 

I've had not one but two blower motors replaced. The first one made noise like you're explaining primarily at setting 1. The replacement failed because there was a problem in mine that was allowing a very small amount of water into the vent system and killing the motors. I think the design was changed by 2008 though so you probably just have a bad blower motor.

 

A "chirping" sound is usually a bad bearing or the blower cage touching the housing at one point in the rotation. If something got caught in the blower, it would sound like a "playing card in the bicycle spokes" (for those of us that have been around for a while)

Steve

 

The chirping is probably the blower bushing. It may only happen when the temp is higher, thus only happening when the heat is on?
If it bothers you take it to the dealer and let them know it bothers you. They may just replace the blower assembly.

By the way, welcome fellow Michigander. If you want some snow, come to the west coast... We have had over a foot in the last week

 

Mine did the for two days several weeks ago. Heat on high. Then I heard something let go and it's not come back. I'm guessing on mine a leaf or something got in there and then then finally passed. But I was getting ready to take it in. If it comes back, I will. But nothing since then. BUt it was a high pitched chirp also.

 

Bad blower motor (bearing) or a sparrow in the cage.