Overheating ?
Member
Joined: 08-07-2009
Posts: 52
From: Marion, tx
I've been concerned about my HHR too. It's a 2009 LT with 37,000 miles on it.
Back in May, after months of the needle being below the halfway point, it started running above it, and the fan went on and stayed on longer than it had before. I took it to the dealer and they put more coolant in. Everything was fine for three more weeks. Then it started acting up again. In June, they found the coolant was low, and used dye to trace the problem to a tiny leak allowing coolant to flow into the oil. It took two and a half weeks for all the parts to dribble in and get the cylinder head(s) replaced, but everything seemed fine .... until the next to last week in July, just before I began the three week vacation I'm on now. I got home from a martial arts class and the fan ran for seven minutes after I parked it in my garage. I took it to the dealer, fearing another leak, but they said there was enough coolant and attributed it to the heat. Again, not problem since I left home, but today while driving between Bar Harbor and Shcoodic point, the needle wandered above the halfway point.
Just now I drove in to this internet cafe, and while I was parallel parking, a woman parked ahead of me vacated the space. But while I was waiting, the temp ran up to 243, and the fan ran for five minutes after I turned it hope. I hope there is enough coolant, but I have to shine a flashlight behind the coolant tank to see anything, and even then, I am not sure.
I am hoping that the car is behaving normally given that this year we have the kind of real summer we did not have last year, but I want the mechanics to tell me that. In the meantime, I welcome any comments.
Back in May, after months of the needle being below the halfway point, it started running above it, and the fan went on and stayed on longer than it had before. I took it to the dealer and they put more coolant in. Everything was fine for three more weeks. Then it started acting up again. In June, they found the coolant was low, and used dye to trace the problem to a tiny leak allowing coolant to flow into the oil. It took two and a half weeks for all the parts to dribble in and get the cylinder head(s) replaced, but everything seemed fine .... until the next to last week in July, just before I began the three week vacation I'm on now. I got home from a martial arts class and the fan ran for seven minutes after I parked it in my garage. I took it to the dealer, fearing another leak, but they said there was enough coolant and attributed it to the heat. Again, not problem since I left home, but today while driving between Bar Harbor and Shcoodic point, the needle wandered above the halfway point.
Just now I drove in to this internet cafe, and while I was parallel parking, a woman parked ahead of me vacated the space. But while I was waiting, the temp ran up to 243, and the fan ran for five minutes after I turned it hope. I hope there is enough coolant, but I have to shine a flashlight behind the coolant tank to see anything, and even then, I am not sure.
I am hoping that the car is behaving normally given that this year we have the kind of real summer we did not have last year, but I want the mechanics to tell me that. In the meantime, I welcome any comments.
ok I am having a very similiar symptons. I have a 2009 HHR SS with a tune and Hahn intercooler and hard pipes. but it had for awhile. but just in the last month it overheated. I work at a chevy dealership so I brought it in and found coolant in the oil. so replace the head gasket and everything was fine. even checked the head to make sure it wasn't warped.
was but a little week past that it overheated again so I ordered a cylinder head cause once again there was coolant in the oil. and I put eagle head studs in it to make sure the head wasn't floating. well just a little over a week again and it is overheating. AGAIN. so I am up for ideas. I may call GM TAC to see what they say. but something is not right here.
oh and I did a thermostat in it at first. and made sure the fans were working fine
Senior Member
Joined: 04-14-2010
Posts: 432
From: Wisconsin
ok I am having a very similiar symptons. I have a 2009 HHR SS with a tune and Hahn intercooler and hard pipes. but it had for awhile. but just in the last month it overheated. I work at a chevy dealership so I brought it in and found coolant in the oil. so replace the head gasket and everything was fine. even checked the head to make sure it wasn't warped.
was but a little week past that it overheated again so I ordered a cylinder head cause once again there was coolant in the oil. and I put eagle head studs in it to make sure the head wasn't floating. well just a little over a week again and it is overheating. AGAIN. so I am up for ideas. I may call GM TAC to see what they say. but something is not right here.
oh and I did a thermostat in it at first. and made sure the fans were working fine
was but a little week past that it overheated again so I ordered a cylinder head cause once again there was coolant in the oil. and I put eagle head studs in it to make sure the head wasn't floating. well just a little over a week again and it is overheating. AGAIN. so I am up for ideas. I may call GM TAC to see what they say. but something is not right here.
oh and I did a thermostat in it at first. and made sure the fans were working fine
It sounds like you may be getting air pushed into the cooling system that causes the overheating and when the engine is shut down, the pressure in the cooling system gets pushes coolant through the block into the oil pan.
Member
Joined: 08-07-2009
Posts: 52
From: Marion, tx
ya that can be the only thing now. but that is crazy that the engine has already cracked the block. well now I have to wait cause gm is going to pay for another repair right now. but has anybody else had these symptoms. I see that CYNMike has a similiar issue.
New Member
Joined: 09-03-2005
Posts: 16
From: Cortland, New York
ok I am having a very similiar symptons. I have a 2009 HHR SS with a tune and Hahn intercooler and hard pipes. but it had for awhile. but just in the last month it overheated. I work at a chevy dealership so I brought it in and found coolant in the oil. so replace the head gasket and everything was fine. even checked the head to make sure it wasn't warped.
was but a little week past that it overheated again so I ordered a cylinder head cause once again there was coolant in the oil. and I put eagle head studs in it to make sure the head wasn't floating. well just a little over a week again and it is overheating. AGAIN. so I am up for ideas. I may call GM TAC to see what they say. but something is not right here.
oh and I did a thermostat in it at first. and made sure the fans were working fine
was but a little week past that it overheated again so I ordered a cylinder head cause once again there was coolant in the oil. and I put eagle head studs in it to make sure the head wasn't floating. well just a little over a week again and it is overheating. AGAIN. so I am up for ideas. I may call GM TAC to see what they say. but something is not right here.
oh and I did a thermostat in it at first. and made sure the fans were working fine
For myself, an update: I got the car to the dealer in Ellsworth, Maine. They conducted every test you can think of and found no leaks. They put dye in it, and checked two days later: no leaks. Both times, I had them on the phone with my home dealership. I cut my trip short, returing home on Friday instead of pressing on to Long Island, and brought it to my home dealer. No leaks. Same result at another appointment two or three weeks later.
The vehicle now has 42,000 miles on it. Last month, I took it on another road trip, down to Long Island, up to Montreal, and home. It has behaved itself the whole time, with the temperature gauge staying at or below the 3/8 line. I took it in for an LOF Wednesday an had them check the cooling system among other things. So far, the level is fine.
I've been advised to watch for the "low coolant" light to come on, but my 2009 HHR doesn't seem to have one! And yes, I checked everything in the manual I can think of. Any insight on this point would be appreciated.
I would like to believe that much of August's anomalies came from the fact that for the first time in years, we had a really hot summer and this is how the HHR handles high heat and humidity, but that doesn't satisfy me. But as long as the vehicle stubbornly refuses to break down, there isn't much I can do. So in then mean time, I watch and wait .... and wonder what will happen next summer. <cue ominious music>
New Member
Joined: 09-03-2005
Posts: 16
From: Cortland, New York
Yes, the "air pocket" was the same explanation I got for my car acting up three weeks after they replaced the cylinder head. I'm not entirely satisfied with it myself. I also don't completely understand the explanations I've been given about how the cooling system works, and I'm troubled by the lack of a low coolant warning light. But as I said, as long as the car keeps behaving itself and not overheating, what else is there to do but wait and see?
Member
Joined: 08-07-2009
Posts: 52
From: Marion, tx
WEll I figured mine out. it overheated again couple days ago and once again the coolant was gone and had an air pocket. so I took it into work and lifted it up and dropped the oil pan. the I pressurized the coolant system and you could see it drip coolant out of the block from internally. so I ordered an engine for it. should be in a couple days from now. so I would not be surprise if that is what you have going on with your hhr. seen a couple posts about overheating issues and it seems to always be a 2009 hhr. goodluck with yours.
