2009 Chevrolet HHR Problems, Recalls & Reliability
689 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2009 Chevrolet HHR, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 52/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 55,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2009 sits among all HHR years
What owners report
“One night after work i got into my car and had no headlights after having bulb changed three times!!! This car has cost me more money then any car i have ever owned and there's not even 100000 miles on it the whole car should be recalled”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 HHR
“My 2009 hhr has a problem with the shift gear sticking and not releasing to put it in drive or reverse also i bet problems where the car is revving up while driving and then jerks like someone is hitting it from behind i took it into bachman chevrolet to have it fixed and they said it was fixed it…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 HHR
“My airbag light keeps coming on and off to get serviced. My warranty is ran out so i don't have the money to get it fixed. What can i do?”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 HHR
“The gas line is rusted and leaking. There is a strong odor of gasoline at the rear drivers side tire of my car. It leaves a fuel on my driveway”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 HHR
“The gear shift gets stuck when it gets cold outside and does not won't to go in reverse or diver. It takes a little bit when the car has to set and warm up before it will work.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 HHR
“I have had my hhr 2009 for a year now and i've changed the brakes twice within two weeks..the first set was still new but it kept making grinding noises and roaring noises when i press down on brakes... My steering wheel shakes like crazy i really do love my car and i wanna get the problem resolved…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 HHR
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 545 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 60,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 43,000 and 95,300 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (5)
UCI-FRAM Group is recalling certain LS1328 ignition Switches sold as Wells LS1328, Duralast LS1328, Airtex 1S6097, and Carquest 53-27479, and LS1497 Ignition Switches sold as Wells LS1497, Duralast LS1497, Airtex 1S10961, and Carquest 53-27967, for use on…
Fix: UCI-FRAM Group has notified its purchasers to quarantine and return all inventory. Any switches already installed in vehicles will be replaced by GM dealers as part of NHTSA recall 14V-047, free of…
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR, 2007-2010 Pontiac G5, 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice, 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the key can be…
Fix: General Motors will notify owners, and for vehicles that were built with the defective ignition cylinder and have not previously had the ignition cylinder replaced with the redesigned part, dealers…
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009 Pontiac G6. In the affected vehicles,…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will perform one of four bulletins. Parts are not currently available. GM expects to send an interim notification around May 28, 2014. When parts are available,…
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring.…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. An interim notification was issued to owners of 2007 and earlier models on March 10, 2014, informing them of the…
GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING 276,729 MY 2009 BUICK ENCLAVE, CHEVROLET COBALT, HHR, MALIBU, TRAVERSE, GMC ACADIA, PONTIAC G5, G6 AND SATURN AURA AND OUTLOOK PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLES SAFETY STANDARD 102,…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND ENSURE THAT THE SHIFT CABLE ADJUSTMENT CLIP IS FULLY ENGAGED. IN THE EVENT THAT THE CLIP DOES NOT ENGAGE, THE SHIFT CABLE WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS…
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
1,002 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2009 Chevrolet HHR. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2009 Chevrolet HHR reliable?
The 2009 Chevrolet HHR drew 689 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 52/100, scored against the model's worst year (2006).
What are the most common 2009 Chevrolet HHR problems?
The top reported problems for the 2009 Chevrolet HHR are electrical (169 complaints), steering (132), and airbags (104).
At what mileage do 2009 Chevrolet HHR problems show up?
Owners most often report 2009 Chevrolet HHR problems around 60,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 43,000 and 95,300 miles.
Does the 2009 Chevrolet HHR have recalls?
5 recall campaigns apply to the 2009 Chevrolet HHR. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.