I have just returned from Texas and have the same noise but worse than when I left 2 weeks ago. My Son thinks it may be ball joints. I am taking it to the dealer
Monday to have them check it.
I put 3300+ miles on it this trip and now have just over 20,000 miles on it.
I will keep you posted on the dealers cure for the noise.


Alan

 

It may be a control arm.... I had that same problem in my 97 Skylark before I bought my 06 HHR

 

I too have this problem. Have taken it to the dealer twice and cant get it to do it for them. Has anyone nailed down this problem yet?

 

I just bought a beautiful HHR last night and the only problem is that suspenion knock or clunking sound. It isn't very loud, no grinding or anything like that... I see many others have been having this problem... Has anything catostrophic happened because of it. Only asking cause the wife is driving cross country next month when I go to Iraq....

 

I have had a similar sound in mine during cold weather usually going under 40mph over small bumps in the road. The sound came from the driver side and I could feel it through the floorboard. This is the second winter for me and nothing bad has happened due to it. When I had it in the dealer the last time they said I had a bad drivers side strut, after replacing the strut it still does it. It now seems to come from the passenger side and I can still feel it so possibly a bad strut there too (if that was the original problem). I will be taking it back in soon to have them check it out.

 

No, not to the best of my knowledge. Mine goes away after a few bumps. If it was just yourself driving I would say turn up the stereo.

By the way welcome and congrats on the new car.

 

Although I havent had this on my 2008 HHR yet, I have had it on 3 previous GM vehicles. The reason I was given was a rubber isolator in the strut assembly can dry and shrink in certain conditions. They just spray some stuff on it, which lasts a few months.

 

Add me as yet another with the strut or spring noise from front end during cold weather. Just like others have mentioned mine goes away after a few minutes of driving, but when rolling out of the driveway on cold morning it creaks pretty loud coming off the driveway entrance hump and over bumps or dips in road. On mine it is only the passenger side strut (or shock or spring) that does it. My HHR is bone stock 1LT w/ the 16" factory aluminum wheels and standard suspension.

On the one hand I hate to hear others have same problem, but on the other hand its a bit of a relief that it seems to be a common problem...

To me the multi-visit hassel of trying to get it resolved @ the dealer is not worth it if it is harmless and only a winter cold weather thing.

 

Mine doesn't just do it the first few times in the morning... it will do it well into the ride.

 

Thanks for the welcome... and the info takes a small weight off my shoulders...