On my '08 SS, I was getting a couple of intermittent codes for pass. airbag, which I ignored. Then, as I suspected, the battery died while my employee was making a delivery. Like a seasoned car nut (idiot, in other words) I popped the hood, and tried to jump start the car to get it back to my business, where I had tools to replace the battery. After failing to jump it, I read the owners manual, and it said not to jump it using what appears to be the obvious positive and negative remote spots. You're supposed to use the strut bolt/nut instead, or damage might occur. Well, crap; wouldn't you know it, after replacing the battery, the power steering doesn't work, and I'm getting a DIC warning about the ESC. Did I really luck up that bad, and ruin other systems by incorrectly jumping? Why do they (GM) mention it in the manual, and not put a 1 cent sticker on the false neg. terminal? Any advice?

 

A good start.....look in the Owners Manual for the fuse locations. You probably have blown the steering fuse and it needs to be replaced. Can't readily remember the number location or the fuse size, other than it is quite large .......something like a 40 amp. Can't really remember, but after installing the fuse, you may need to disconnect the battery for several seconds to clear the code....alternately you can take it to Auto Zone, or the like, and they will clear it. You'll probably need to go there for the fuse anyway.


Just curious, is THE WRONG NEGATIVE CONNECTION POST protected by a cap?

Don't feel bad, many owners have done the same thing....especially when the first HHR's came out. It really seems to be a "man" thing. We refuse to read owners manuals, instructions or directions.

 

Its the fuse in position #1 in the underhood fuse box that's blown, change that out and you should be good to go....or steer in this case.

Also while you're in the fuse box look over the other fuses just in case it took out more than the usual culprit in Position #1.

 

I checked the fuses under the false battery box, and in the pass. side kick panel, but they both appeared OK. Should I just replace the big one before anything more drastic? I read here on the forum that the PS pump was a problem area.... Thanks for your help; and you're right....I assume to know how to jump-start a car; to my embarassment.

 

Check and replace the fuse in position #1 in the underhood box and you should be back to 100%, no power steering pump in the HHR, our steering assist is an electric motor up in the dash...that fuse is there to protect the motor from overloads, and this jump-starting problem too.

 

Thanks, I'll give it a try. Yeah, I knew about the elec motor, just too old school to call it anything else.. Be that as it may; in the stickies, the motor is listed as a common problem area.