Doctor Who

Today my 2009 HHR SS threw a check engine light. I haven't had a chance to get it someplace to get the codes, but maybe you guys can help. I have no idea what might be wrong. She has just over 80,000 miles
It was running fine before the light came on. Now it has a rough idle and I can see the tach move up and down while idling. It wants to surge when sitting at stoplights. I can feel the car rock slightly at stoplights and when I got her home I noticed that the exhaust smelled really bad like rotten eggs. Could I have a catalytic converter problem or what? Please give me some ideas as a starting point to figuring this out. Thanks.

whopper

Slight rant follows:

No code downloaded? Not again!!!! Come on people, if the Check Engine Light is on, get the error code downloaded. To come here asking for suggestions without the code being posted is like trying to bake a cake without having any ingredients.

Sure, we can list 86 things for one to check............ and we likely won't come up with the "fix" unless we are really lucky.

Moral of the story: Go get the codes downloaded, post them here, and we'll do our best to help you out. Really we will. Absolutely.

(ps: have you opened the hood to see if there is an obvious problem like a connection come unplugged?)

gio89kid

Yup, since you have a check engine light, get it checked!

Doctor Who

I was hoping for help with pointers in the right direction like what to look for under the hood that could be wrong and I will get the codes, but you deal with a car problem and two screaming kids who want dinner and find the time to get somewhere I can get the codes read before they close. Not all of us are lucky enough to have a OBD reader in the tool chest. And yes, I did open the hood after the kids went to bed after cooking dinner, homework, baths, and bedtime stories. I found nothing out of place from looking there or climbing under the car. I did notice that a lot black soot seems to be coming out of the exhaust pipe when I started it up.

I am appealing to the HHR gurus for help not sarcasm. I get enough of that at home. How about a little kind support from one car guy to another?
All the needed to be said was "Dude, we can't help much till you get a chance to get the codes downloaded. But in the meantime, check this and this."

firemangeorge

I don't have an OBD reader in my tool box. But I can still read the codes from my vehicles.
Just a phone app and wireless plug in are all you need. About $30.

Doctor Who

First I have heard of it. Didn't know such a thing existed! How do I get one? Sounds super useful. Is it an android app?

firemangeorge

First, I'm no tech geek. I have a Galaxy S3 phone. Got the free Torque app and the OBD adapter. There are other brands/options available. They've been around for a good while.
Maybe someone else can give you a better tech recommendation on which is the better choice.

whopper

Sarcasm? Sorry, but way too many people lately have been posting a HELP ME about a CEL on, and a bad running car, without downloading the codes.

Regarding "But in the meantime, check this and this."......... and too often we end up playing 20 questions waiting for the person to get the codes downloaded.

Like I said, "Go get the codes downloaded, post them here, and we'll do our best to help you out. Really we will. Absolutely."

well I am out of this one. Good luck.

aradmahogany

I love the Torque app, been using it for years now. Glad someone else knows about it! Very useful.

Oldblue

I'm not going to guess, I'm not going to rant, I'm just going to wait patiently until you can post the codes, to save you the trouble of throwing money at the car , however this sounds very much like a timing issue most likely the VVT system