Recently took my HHR in for some work before it hits 36k. Got a new steering column, heater motor, etc. Also asked about the dents in the liftgate. The service manager did some research and he said the district Chevy guy told him there was some work being done to address this issue.
Dealer ordered me a new liftgate because they had been redesigned for 2010 to help support the area around the handle where the dents show up. It came in this week and when they compared the old one on my car to the new one in the box....no difference. So no replacement, yet.
Supposedly, there happened to be 2 engineers from GM at the dealership that day looking at an issue with another vehicle so they asked them about the liftgate. They told them that there indeed was a new style door that incorporates some patches and foam blocks to add support to the outer skin.
So, I have another door on order and they are looking into how they can assure the new style comes in. When that happens, I get a new liftgate!!!
Anyone else heard anything about this?
(Sorry for the long post, but that is as short as I could make it)

 

Haven't heard of this. But I use the handle to close the gate, so I've never dented mine.

 

If you use the handle, and push on the license plate I'm told you will not have the denting problem.

 

Are we talking about dents on either side of the plastic piece that the bow tie lives on? I had never even noticed my dimples until I got rear ended and the adjuster noted them and wondered how that happened since contact was all in the bumper, but they happily repaired the liftgate and another pre existing dent on the rear fender that I just let them believe was a result of the accident.
Anyway now I know the dimples were probably there when I bought the ex-rental.
Don

 

If there is something new about the liftgates, they haven't told the dealers about it.

 

Yes, those are the dents we are talking about. I see them on most all rentals, and on virtually all panels that are commercially used.

 

Replaced the rear emblem twice (bad again) front once. Maybe that's how the tailgate got dented? Prying off the discolored emblem?

 

No, it comes from using the bow tie as a push point when closing tailgate. It looks like and feels like the designed place to push the gate closed, but evidently the genius design team thought that once you got the thing started it close itself. I personally think the provided closing handle is in the completely wrong place.

 

Definately... Closing it by the handle on the bottom door edge is not intuitive nor promotes a natural human position. There's no grip, only a place to slip 4 fingers of you hand into. It looks like an afterthought.

 

Wow, I've never even given it a 2nd thought closing the liftgate with the bowtie. it's natural. any engineer that closed this thing once could figure that out.