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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!
firemangeorge I have had the car for about three months. It was my daughters mothers car that I bought for her hoping to get some help with my daughter from time to time but she just spit in my face and relapsed on drugs so I had to go get it. I had to have a locksmith do all keys lost bc she wouldn’t give me the keys. It honestly has been having problems every since, I actually had to have the locksmith come out the very next day again bc I was getting lock on dash and no crank. I eventually went to Ace hardware and they actually hooked up through obd port and programmed correctly. My battery voltage goes down to right at 12v within minutes of turning car off. I figured out the “trick” to get to start bc some of the things I’ve seen say to turn the key on and just wait for the light to go out… so I put a trickle charge on it and wait.
Especially in a matter of minutes? Something severely draining..
Well not necessarily. As I stated in my last post, it doesn’t sound like a voltage drain. You need to do a voltage test. To me sounds like a security lock out or key ID problem.
Until you do those voltage checks and answer some questions, we’ll just have to wait.
Last edited by firemangeorge; Dec 27, 2024 at 05:41 PM.
There are 2 reasons for the security light to be on.
1. a dead battery
2. a bad PK3 chip or reader.
Stop trying to relearn the key, that is not the problem and there is a maximum of 10 keys.
You might check the wires attached to the under hood fuse box, there should be1 wire connected to the lug nearest the firewall an 2 on the front lug.
I am guessing that some after market device is installed incorrectly. Is the radio stock? Is there a radio amplifier installed?
What did you do with the loose wires?
Any fuse taps in the fuse boxes?
Any suspicious wire near the battery or fuse boxes?
Do the dome lights go off? Brake lights?
It is a circle plus key. There are no loose wires or anything that looks added from everything I can see. Donbrew the loose wires I found at the blower motor I put dielectric grease on and plugged them back in with the blue tab that holds them in place. Everything is stock, nothing aftermarket. The dome lights, brake lights, headlights.. everything else works as it should. I will say that when driving I can turn the radio up all the way and about 1 minute later it turns off, I get all lights lit up on dash including security. It may do this for about ten seconds then goes back to normal, then I can turn the radio down and it stops BUT with that being said I can’t necessarily narrow it down to the radio or factory amp circuit bc I have pulled fuses for both and be going down the road and it still do it. I have noticed it do it as soon as I hit the brakes..intermittently? That’s why I think it’s a voltage issue. From what I’ve learned from reading Oldblue and Donbrew along with other research I’ve done over the past few months voltage reeks havoc on the HHR and cause these type of issues, kinda resembling a BAD GROUND issue. The voltage wants to drop to 12-12.2 several minutes after shutting the car down. For kicks and giggles though I have read somewhere can’t remember where, that the key cylinder itself can cause security issue but I don’t see how that could be. If the key mechanically turns the cylinder.. then it’s on to the immobilizer from there so if anyone knows any different please let me know. I have had a bad day physically and haven’t been able to mess with it today but I’m going to try and get out there tomorrow and do a parasitic draw test. One thing I know that’s NOT drawing amps with the car off is the radio and factory amp bc again, I pulled those fuses, also onstar and sunroof fuses. So none of those circuits are draining. Idk I’ve been fighting this thing for months I’m to the point where I’m ready to get a title loan and put her in the dealership but that’s a hard pill to swallow bc I always do my own work. This HHR is kicking my butt and I’m desperately trying to avoid dealership mark up costs!!
A dealership doesn't know any more about a long out of production car than the guy down the street.
The PK3 sensor/TDM lives around the key cylinder. The ignition switch only sends a signal to the BCM, not like last century.
When did this start, what was happening at the time? Has the ignition recall been done (link in my sig)?
I’m following along donbrew, not really sure about the last century or what you’re referring to, maybe I’m sleep deprived. I do know that the immo wraps around the cylinder. I have changed out the immo, taken the cylinder out, cleaned it up, inspected it for defects as best as I know how to.. the key turn IS a little sticky, from what I’ve read the B111 key is one of the hardest to cut precisely? I was just reading about someone else’s issue on a different platform and it struck me that my steering column has never locked in the three months I’ve had the car. Idk if that could be a clue to lead me in the right direction? The immo is a passive device so I don’t see it being a problem but the td module that the wires from immo run to maybe could be? Idk sir, like I said, I’m stumped, trying to get mobile bc this is more serious than just a pain in my buttocks. So are you saying that a dealership, with access to the tech 2, wiring diagrams and likely at least one tech who has been there over 15 years wouldn’t be able to help me any more than Joe down the street? I’m being serious, not sarcasm. Also, would the steering wheel not locking possibly point to a cylinder defect? Or would you not know for sure? I really appreciate everyone’s help and I’m pretty up on things when it comes to figuring stuff out, but there is a whole forum dedicated to problems with HHR’s so I’m here for the good stuff… I need help and I appreciate anyone who try’s. Do you know if maybe my cylinder is bad and preventing steering lock and keeping the bcm “ awake “ in turn draining my battery very quickly and even keeping it barely at sufficient voltage when the alternator is supplying voltage to battery .. I mean I feel like it’s something very simple here but just diagnosing is tough in these particular cars.
The ignition switch last century had multiple wires turning everything on/off. This century the ignition switch is one wire sending a signal to the BCM that turns things on/off.
The immobilizer work by stopping the fuel injectors. So I don't think it is the problem. The light is on because the battery is drained.
You never said when this started or what happened just before, or if the ignition recall was done.
I can't think of any thing that would draw the battery down that fast. Maybe the radio is miswired and causing a short, maybe pull #23 (RDO) on the BCM.
Are fuse #28 on the BCM and fuse #24 on the BCM pulled? Is there a fuse in #11 on the under hood.
Is anything plugged into either of the 12 volt power outlets, or stuck in them? They are hot at all times.
Any thing plugged into the OBD2 port?
Only 1 wire connect to the rear post of the under hood fuse box?
Did you loosen the 4 bolts and then tighten them gorilla tight?
Is the current sensor on the negative battery cable?
#7 in this:
