When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Problems/Service/RepairsIf you have a problem with your HHR, want a tip on repairing or performing a particular service to you HHR here is the place to post!
Guys, stop with the procedural tips. I'm 1,200 miles from my home and tools (save for one toolbox that has my sockets), was stranded on the side of the road, and while I got somebody to pull me back to my apartment, I'm having to diagnose and work on it in the elements in a gravel parking lot and with NO budget.
I ran a shop. I know how to properly do things. But I have what I have, and that's it. So if you're not going to get into a MacGuyver mindset, please refrain from posting.
2007 LS, 2.2, 5-speed manual transmission I'm having a host of issues that I'll probably get to in another post.
My HHR won't crank. Battery is 6 months old and looks fine. I had an issue with it dying while driving it, which points to the alternator being an issue (I'm pretty sure a head gasket blew since it was covered in oil).
I noticed when I hooked up jumper cables to the jump post/ground there are barely any sparks. Normally there are a few medium sized (maybe an inch long) sparks when you connect, but the sparks at the positive post are a few very small sparks, maybe 1/8".
I only noticed this after two cars using two different sets of cables failed to get the battery enough juice to turn it over. While hooked to the other car I hit the POS/neg connectors together and the result was what you'd expect. Bang, followed by big sparks, so there is electricity going from the other vehicle through the cables. It just doesn't seem to be running through my HHR.
A side note, I initially tried using my jump box I keep in the car. When hooking it up, I noticed a slow but continuous click of a solenoid. I've never used a jump box up to that point, so I don't know if that is normal when using one. I don't recall that happening any other time I had to jump it, but I can't be sure.
It seems like a simple thing to Google, but I spent 3 hours and couldn't find anything that helped. I'm just trying to get it 1.5 miles back to my place so I can start looking at it more thoroughly.
Last edited by veryspecialagent; Aug 11, 2021 at 08:21 PM.
It all depends on the point you connected the jumper cables!
That's the only place I connect jumper cables.
Since owning this car, I've done all the maintenance, rebuilt the clutch, changed out the alternator, AC, and belt as well as have been replacing the interior bit by bit.
I've just never ran into this on any vehicle and wanted input.
Check all the connections between the battery and the alternator, including the battery terminal clamps, which have been known to crack, the point on the side of the fuse block that Oldblue pictured, at the starter post, and at the alternator post. Also check the ground point near the battery.
Ok, so it’s plausible there’s a dead cell in the battery, or the master fuse is loose in the back spare tire well.
there is also the possibility the upper and lower fuse halves are loose, a ground wire needs to be cleaned and tightened up.
Seeing as our little trucklets are ten years or more old , cables and wires can be corroded, connections loose ! Fuses and relays are loose.
a number of things can cause the problem.
Correction Oldblue; the maxifuse next to the battery is the main power to the BCM not to the fuse box. There is no "master fuse". It might inhibit the starter relay but not power to the fuse box.
Looking for sparks as an indicator of voltage is DANGEROUS and kind of dumb. A test light or VOM is much safer.
Sometimes the shock tower bolts don't give a good enough ground; you can jump it at the battery using the pos post and the ground lug next to the maxi fuse, if you are brave use the neg post.
Alrighty then, the maxi fuse, doesn’t effect power to the positive post at the fuse box. But check to ensure it is seated tightly. It will effect the “ won’t crank” issue as will the fuse marked crank.
Roger. Battery is about 4 months old, alternator is about a year old. Battery and cables back there looked fine.
There might be a problem with the alternator. It was dying the previous night while I was driving, but what was weird about that was it wouldn't die until I put it in neutral to coast down a hill. Luckily there were enough hills to get me home, but I meant that I had to start it that many times. I finally died on me in the driveway.
Seemed to charge fine the next morning. Right up until it died on me about mile and half up the road. Maybe it was because I was trying to jump it at night that I noticed it wasn't getting any sparks.
It's obvious that it's not completing the circuit when the cables hook to my car. I don't know the route it takes from the positive post to the ground.
I'm about 1,200 mile's from my Haynes manual, so if anybody has a PDF of the wiring diagram I'd appreciate it. I can never seem to find one for whatever car I'm looking for when I Google.
