Greetings everyone, Just wanted to find out if anyone else has or is having the following problem with their HHR. I recently was performing an extensive cleaning and detailing of my vehicle prior to the start of winter. Every time I wash my HHR I always clean the door jambs and inside of the doors. This time I noticed what appeared to be bubbles in the paint just above the seam on the bottom of the doors - ALL OF THEM. Upon further examination they are not just bubbles, it appears that the bottom of all my doors are rusting. I know my HHR is three years old and has 47,500 miles on it, but there is no way that this should be happening. I have had other vehicles that have started to rust at the bottom of the doors, but they were all over eight years old before it started. I even had a Toyota 4Runner that was 10 years old and had not started rusting at the bottom of the doors. Took it to the dealer the other day, they confirmed that they had seen this condition before on other HHR’s and especially 2005 to 2007 Trail Blazers. They also said that GM put out a service memo to fix the issue on the Trail Blazers. My dealer said that they are going to fix the problem as a good will gesture. They said GM calls it poor maintenance on the consumer’s part for not keeping the door jambs and doors clean. I say it a combination of GM using poor grade materials and trying to cover up an obvious defect. I love my HHR, but sometimes dealing with GM and all the issues I have had with this vehicle is getting to be just to much.

 

Go to another dealer. Mine was refinished under warranty, and repeats will be no problem until the warranty is done according to the service advisor.
Heres a past thread:
https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/problems-service-repairs-42/rust-inside-door-8974/

 

Well, my baby just turned 48,000 on the way into work today. I took a closer look at the Corrosion Warranties in the literature that I got when I purchased it. I can see why they are calling it a "Good Will Gesture". The "Original Corrosion Warranty" only last till 36,000 miles and covers any type of corrosion. The "Extended Corrosion Warranty" goes to 100,000 miles and only covers “Rust Through” issues. However, this problem is not really classified as "Rust Through" issue so much as it is a “Surface” problem. I am just glad that the problem is going to get fixed. I plan on keeping a closer eye on these areas in the future. If I see it starting again I will just have to fix it myself. I still think there are underlying issues and/or problems, but GM does not what to own up to it.

 

The edges of the lip were not painted very well on mine from the factory. Running my fingernail along the ridge, there were many bumps and pits. Its obvious that water and dirt will get in there and start rusting. I would expect it to be smooth and well sealed from the factory so moisture cant penetrate the seams.