Have a problem thats popped up in the past while with my 2006 LT 2.4L. When car starts up cold, it shifts all gears fine, reverse, neutral, and all drive gears. After driving for a while and car is up to temperature, I get jerks when upshifting through all gears (not down). At that point, putting car into drive, reverse, etc jerks it around. Problem goes away once car has cooled down. Transmission fluid levels are fine, and car finally threw a DTC (although I think that may be a faulty catalytic converter my mechanic warned me about a while back), so I'm thinking of getting the fluid flushed. Transmission fluid has been flushed with filter changed once at 90,000km, now car is at about 135. My mechanic says the dextron 6 fluid should be good for 100K between flushes, but I don't see any other reason why it would be jerking around at temperature and smooth when its cold. Any ideas?

 

Give the following thread a read, it sounds like you may have an issue with your camshaft position sensor/sensors. Have your code/codes pulled and it'll give you a better idea of what's going on.

https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/show...=hard+shifting

 

x2 especially the part about getting the codes from the DIC. Without it you are shooting in the dark.

If the codes are p0010 or p0013, it refers to the Camshaft Actuator Solenoid (not sensor):

P0010 Intake Camshaft Position (CMP) Actuator Solenoid Control Circuit

P0013 Exhaust Camshaft Position (CMP) Actuator Solenoid Control Circuit

there is a write-up on replacing them (not that difficult to do at all): https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/how-tutorial-library-21/camshaft-position-actuator-solenoid-valve-replacement-w-pics-p0010-11-p0013-14-a-28779/


Note tho' that there are other symptoms related to the above codes: the Traction control light will come on as well as the CEL when the rough shifting occurs. It may be intermittant - and maybe also caused by low or real dirty ENGINE oil as the solenoid is oil-driven.

 

Interesting....my mechanic checked the code last night and it was the P0010 one, he said it was the solenoid, and showed me where it was....going to get it replaced this coming friday. I didn't know that was what was causing the hard shifting. My catalytic converter was shaking for a while, b/c of a broken exhaust mount that was fixed a while back...wondering if maybe that damaged the exhaust solenoid? Or is that a different code than the intake solenoid? I'm just glad its the solenoid and not transmission problems....this car has been a ton of maintenance, getting to be a big pain.


EDIT: NM, re-read the previous post. It's the intake one. I don't have TC on this car, so no lights, for a while all I got was the hard shifting....last night was the first time the check engine light came on.

 

Happy13178,

I have read your post about your situation with your Chevrolet HHR. I understand the frustration that you must have experienced with this situation. Keep us updated on your vehicle. Thank you!

Evan, Chevrolet Customer Service

 

Hopefully you got it fixed ok. A few of us have had problems with the solenoids, and GM apparently upgraded them a while back, so hopefully that should be the end of that issue for you.

And no, I doubt that the broken exhaust mount would have caused a problem with that solenoid. Agreed - you do not want transmission problems :)

 

Thanks, went back in, got the intake solenoid replaced, and hard shifting is gone. Engine mounts were checked as well, all good. Now my windshield wiper on passenger side popped off, and I'm getting rattling in the undercarriage that my mechanic says is the plates in the catalytic converter. so I'll have to replace that soon, and on top of all that the drivers side front wheel is squeaking, which I'm told is the brake clip rubbing against the rotor, because the caliper is sitting too close to it. Not sure if that means the caliper or the rotor is messed up, or if the hub wasn't mounted quite right. So much maintenance on this car....

 

Glad to see the shifting problems were resolved.

see other response to wiper problem.

Brake Clip: mechanic might have meant the brake pad wear indicator - that will make a squeek/squeal as your pads wear down to the minimum. Did he mention your brakes were badly worn?

"So much maintenance on this car" - you are talking about a car that is now 5 years old man. Things wear out - and things have to be maintained. That's the way things are. The alternative is to step back 30 years when you had to replace plugs/points/condensor every year (at least), do a valve job every few years, replace full exhaust system every 2-3 years, replace your tires every 20K miles, etc. etc..

 

I expect general maintenance on a 5 year old car, but since the 40,000km mark, I've had to:

Replace actuator door for the vents, as moisture accumulated through the faulty butyl patch and froze it, cracking it.

blower replaced for vents, same issue as above

Blown radio, needed to be replaced

front drivers side wheel hub -squeaking started not long after that, not sure if it's at fault

both front stabilizer links replaced

both front shocks replaced, leaking hydraulic fluid

oil pan gasket replaced, leaking

AC condenser replaced, leaking

passenger side caliper replaced

exhaust mount replaced

catalytic converter rattling, needs to be replaced

windhshield washer link gone for passenger side

intake solenoid replaced

moonroof windbreaker broken

drivers side door handle interior replaced

side view mirrors switch replaced

turn signal handle not recovering after turn, replaced

...in the past 2 years, and thats just what I can remember off the top of my head. Yes, some general maintenance is to be expected, but I've had more maintenance with this one than any other car I've ever owned.

And no, mechanic didn't mean the brake pad indicator, brakes were done not too long ago and are still minimum a year away from getting done again. He was very specific....said the caliper was sitting too close to the rotor and the edge of the clip was the squeaking. Tires are aligned, which I thought might be it, but wasn't, and mechanic says caliper is still good, so not sure what it is.