Problems with 2007 Chevrolet HHR STEERING

Power steering assist motor stopped working and the dic showed "power steering". engine was stopped and restarted to resolve the issue. the issue appears to happen at random speeds and at random intervals, and once the dic warning is showing steering is extremely difficult. the issue has occurred at least a dozen times in the last ~2 weeks. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet hhr. the contact stated that the steering wheel was difficult to steer on multiple occasions and the instrument panel failed intermittently. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 6,000.

While driving at various speeds the power steering will turn off leaving the vehicle extremely difficult to steer. although the warning message does come advising of the incident there is absolutely no warning. if i stop the vehicle and turn the ignition off and then restart the car, the power steering will return to normal for several minutes but will eventually turn off again. this had led to a couple close calls since when the power steering is off the vehicle is very hard to steer at lower speeds such as trying to park or around sharp curves. i have taken it to 2 different mechanics and both have stated that the power steering on this vehicle is a sealed system and they can't even check the fluid level and that it must be taken to the dealer for service. i find it absolutely unacceptable that chevrolet would make a vehicle that has no means of checking the fluid levels on something as critical as the power steering assembly. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet hhr. the contact was driving 40 mph when the power steering warning lamp illuminated and the power steering assist failed. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for inspection and was advised that the power steering motor would need replacing. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the approximate failure mileage was 35246. updated 02/11/14*lj updated 02/12/14

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet hhr. the contact stated that while traveling 5 mph, the power steering warning lamp illuminated and the power steering assist failed. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer for a diagnostic. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure and current mileage was 77,000.

I was crossing a large parking lot, and saw the words power steering appear in the information display under my speedometer. when i tried to turn a corner to get to the exit drive, i found i had no power steering. i was able to manually steer the car, but with only with extreme difficulty. i drove to a nearby garage, turned the car off, explained my problem to the mechanics, and when we turned the car back on, the steering was back to normal. i see this problem is also happening in other gm cars: saturn ion, chevrolet cobalt, pontiac g5, pontiac g4, and pontiac pursuit. general motors issued a recall in 2010 for 2005-2010 chevrolet cobalt, 2007-2010 pontiac g5, 2005-2006 pontiac pursuit (canada only), 2005-2006 pontiac g4 (mexico only), and is extending a 100,000 mile/10 year warranty on saturn ions for this problem. why is gm not recalling or extending warranties for affected hhrs? canada's recall included 2006-2010 hhr as well as 2003-2007 saturn ion. why doesn't the us's recall include them? according to us recall news, when the 2010 recall was issued, "there were 16 complaints with the nhtsa for the 2009 pontiac g5 which included two separate injuries and one reported death." on december 4, 2013, i found over 140 complaints about the loss of power steering assist in hhrs on the internet (www.arfc.org/complaints/2007/chevrolet/hhr/steering/problem.aspx), two of which stated that the loss of power steering assist caused them to crash. why is a recall not being issued to prevent more serious crashes or possible fatalities? *tr

Making a left or right turn, i lose power steering, if i turn the car off the power steering will come back for a while, then i lose the power steering again. it is hard for me to turn the wheel i have carpal tunnel, elbow and shoulder and neck and lower back pain already. *tr

As i was driving home on the highway, the power steering light went on and then i lost power steering. i pulled it over to the side of the road and turned the car off. after waiting a few minutes, i turned the car back on. it was fine - for a bit. during my 21 mile commute, this happened 4 times. every time, i lost power steering, pulled the car to the side of the road, and turned it off. each time i turned it on, it was fine for a bit. this is very unsafe due to the lack of steering - it felt like i was driving a tractor each time this happened and turning corners was very difficult. once i got home, we checked the owner's manual and it stated that when this happens, the electronic power steering device is faulting. we checked on the internet to find out how to purchase that part and discovered that there are several reports claims that the 2007-2009 hhr and cobalts have this same issue. so, we called and purchased a part from the chevrolet dealership in elburn. i asked them about how to make a complaint and i was led to discuss this with gm and make a complaint. then, i am making a complaint with your company as well. *tr

on march 27, 2014, while driving at the speed of 45mph, the steering wheel became hard to turn. this is the third time of this particular incident. the first incident happened around november 2013. each time the vehicle was taken to a chevrolet dealer to be fixed. now i have noticed the coolant temperature displaying under the mileage panel of 95 to 200 degrees. *tr

Steering is not correct. steering wheel jerks when brakes applied. have had it checked by 2 mechanics and local gm dealer ship. recommend replacing at large expense. have researched this problem and it is very common and many cases much more severe. recall for this problem done on chevy cobalt which shares same steering system. why not hhr? *tr

The power steering no longer works after the car has been in motion for about 5 seconds. it started occasionally in december 2013, then by january it happens every single time the car is turned on and driven. it makes the car difficult to turn around corners or at intersections and almost impossible to park at very slow speeds. sometimes i have to turn the car off and then back on again for the few good seconds of power steering just to quickly park it or maneuver. sometimes this does become dangerous if i have to avoid something at a moments notice. my car is a 2007 hhr and not part of the official recall, but i do not believe that should make any difference if there is a systemic pattern of failure with this feature in chevy hhrs. *tr

2007 chevrolet hhr. consumer writes in regards to ignition switch recall notice and during accident air bag malfunction. *smd the consumer stated she rear ended. she was hit so hard, the other vehicle's license plate, left an imprint in her bumper. the air bags did not deploy. shortly after, the power steering would go out. the vehicle was taken to a repair shop, where a part was replaced. however, the steering issued returned, while driving, the steering wheel started moving back and forth, and she was unable to control it, and consequently, the vehicle flipped over. *jb

The powersteering message displayed on the dash and the wheel locked up on the expressway, luckily i was able to pull over to the side of the road so that it would not cause an accident. *tr

As i am driving the power steering indicator warning comes on and the power steering goes out. once i stop the car and restart it the power steering is fine. this can happen after driving for a while or after driving for 5 minutes. one day it happened 4 times within 15 minutes.

While traveling with my family at highway speeds the dic chime indicated power steering, and steering became difficult. after stopping and checking underhood relays and fuses and reseating several, the steering became normal and remained for approximately 700 miles. the power steering loss then became intermittent at all speeds, and conditions, and was reset when ignition was turned off. mileage is now 60k and dealer was contacted about recall information. currently (may 25, 2014) dealer has no knowledge of special coverage gm bulletin number 14119 which will be implemented for my 2006-2008 and early production of 2009 chevrolet hhr (non turbo) to provide eps motor replacement for the life of the vehicle. (gm website letter dated march 31, 2014). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet hhr. the contact stated that while driving approximately 20 mph, a chime sounded inside of the vehicle with the illumination of the power steering warning indicator. there was also a sudden loss of power steering assist. the engine was turned off and after restarting, the power steering operated normally for only a few moments. the failure recurred whenever the vehicle was in operation. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the defect and advised the contact that there was not a recall related to the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 49,550.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet hhr. while driving 60 mph, the power steering indicator illuminated on the instrument panel as the steering wheel became difficult to turn. the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 110,000. ..updated 08/11/14 *bf

When i start my car, it seems to drive ok, but within seconds, sometimes minutes, i hear a "click" from under the steering column, and suddenly my steering wheel goes "hard". at first it seemed to only do it occasionally, but now almost every time i get in the car, the power steering goes out. i have almost gotten into accidents because of this happening. called the local dealer and they say there are no recalls on this model, but have heard that some similar gm cars are recalled for the same problem. *tr

Driving on the highway and the vehicle chimes and the instrument panel reads "power steering", the vehicle loses power steering and the steering wheel gets very hard to turn. it is very unnerving when this happens. the problem is sporadic and it has been starting to happen more often. when it occurs i will pull off the side of the road and shut the car off and it will normally work fine for a day or two, but the past couple of days it goes right back out and it won't work. i really want to have this issue repaired but i just started a new job and i really can't afford it just yet, i think gm should seriously consider a recall because this could be a very dangerous problem for someone who is not strong enough to steer the vehicle when this occurs. *tr

Ding signal, then power steering lit up and manual steering took over *tr

Power steering turns off with no warning, the words "power steering" appear on the driver information console

On multiple occasions i lost power steering lasting approximately 2-5 seconds. occasionally the "power steering" light would register on the dashboard. i brought my vehicle to the dealership and they could not find any problem. over the next 3 months i would lose power steering approximately one to two times a day. it would happen at speeds from 10-60 miles an hour, while turning right or left, and any change in the surface of the road. i brought my car to my local mechanic and they stated that there was voltage going in but not out. i had the power steering motor replaced. i have read multiple articles on this problem. i feel rather lucky since my power steering would return within 5 seconds. many reports have people having to restart their vehicles to reset the system. i also feel very lucky that i was not involved in any accidents. this is a very dangerous situation to be in. from my understanding, the cobalt had a recall on their power steering motor and is the same motor in the hhr. i hope that there is some consideration in recalling this motor in the hhr. *tr

The power steering goes out without warning. it started on a thursday and we changed out the relay and that seemed to work. two days later, it went out again. it was over heating the relay. this issue with power steering can cause an accident or kill someone. i google problems with hhr and there are plenty of issue. we, hhr owners, need some assistance. my family has been buying gm vehicle, as long as i can remember. *js

I bought my car a week ago. drove it home with no incident. then drove it was on the highway to take my elderly mother to an airport 40 miles away. after seeing her off, i went to get my new car washed. then got back onto the i-5 and drove about 3 miles, when i heard a tone and the dash board under the speedometer lit up, stating i had lost power steering. i was in the middle lane of six lanes, going 60 miles an hours in a brand new to me car i was not used to driving, in congested commuter traffic. i am not strong. i was scared out of my mind. luckily i was on a straight away. i put on my hazard lights and people eventually let me over. i took the next off ramp and managed my way home on frontage roads and side streets, which of course took forever. arriving home i turned the ignition off and cried with relief and frustration. then i turned the ignition back on to see what the message on the dash was again and it was gone. i'm terrified to drive this car again. and everything thing i've read online since, said that if the shop doesn't see the message or duplicate the problem, they can't fix it, equalling money wasted. this problem is not new, highly dangerous and recalled in at least one of chevrolet's other cars and recalled on the hhr in canada. why not here??? aren't americans as valuable as canadians??? please make this a recall and contact me when you do. i have a car i can't drive without fear and can't sell in good conscience. i am older, in poor health and without much money, i feel that i have been cheated. no one should be allowed to sell unsafe cars any where!!! i also feel this problem is why chevrolet is discontinuing the hhr, and leaving us out in the cold with their mistake. does someone have to die for a recall??? i feel it was close in my case!!! *i will begrudgingly be taking it to a dealer for repair. what else can i do? *tr

Power steering goes out without warning, have to restart car to reactivate. was going down a hill and it kicked out so i had to restart the car as i was rolling down the hill. not safe at all. i can manage but a mom with kids might panic and something more serious might occur. *tr

On four completely separate occasions my power steering has gone out. there is no warning. i will be driving and hear a ding. i look down at my dash to see the power steering light is on. within seconds the power steering goes completely out. i have to pull over to restart the car. once i do this its fine for a bit. today it happened twice during a 15 minute drive. it's so intermittent i can go days without an incident. i took it in to fix today and was told they can't fix it. i was referred to a dealership who also has no idea what's going on. called a parts store and the part can't be bought. this is incredibly dangerous and needs to be fixed. my family being put in danger is not okay. *tr

I suddenly lost power steering. i googled the problem and gm is aware of it but has chosen not to recall the chevy hhr. they are recalling the chevy cobalt which has the same problem, overheating of the power steering motor. *tr

Twice my power steering went out on august 13th, 2013. both times, the control panel flashed "power steering" and my power steering went out. the first time was in a parking lot backing out of a parking space. the second time was driving approximately 45 mph on a canyon road. both times i pulled over and turned the car off, then restarted it. after a restart the power steering came back. luckily i was able to pull over and avoid the other cars that were around, but if this keeps occurring it could potentially result in a serious accident. from what i have read on the internet this issue is widespread and due to a faulty power steering motor which has been recalled for other vehicles but not the hhr. chevy needs to recall the hhr power steering motor for the safety of hhr drivers and the people on the road around them. *tr

Driving and hear beep tone and power steering goes out. seems to be worse in extreme weather either hot or cold but will eventually go out any time the car is driven. less dangerous at high speed but at low speed makes turning very difficult. recall on 2009 and 2010 but i do not understand why other years are not included. *js

I was just driving along in a parking lot an d power steering light came on and then i had no power steering, when i shut the car off and turned back on again it was working, once i started driving again at about 45mph it did the same thing and has been doing it everyday now, it first happened 2 weeks ago and became more frequent last friday. this can be very dangerous as with no power steering you can still steer but it takes a lot of strength, i checked the guide and it said no regular maintenance required. *tr

I was driving down the highway and a "power steering" message came up on my dash display and my power steering had quit working. i pulled over at a gas station and shut the car off and then restarted it and the power steering was working again, just a minute or two later it shut off again showing the same message on the display. i had to repeat the pulling over process several times as i was on a 30 mile drive to work. there is no warning when it is going to stop and it is quite dangerous and has seemed to be a common problem with this vehicle. *tr

While turning onto a busy street near my home the power steering suddenly stopped working and the steering wheel became very hard to turn. i nearly drove into oncoming traffic but was able to get out of the way just in time. the power steering came back on the next few times i drove the car, but then subsequently continued to fail intermittently around 75% of the times i would drive. i learned from reviewing other safety complaints that this is a common problem known to gm, and that the power steering motor was recalled in the chevy cobalt for this very failure but not the hhr, despite being the same faulty component. i just paid over $1000 for the dealer to replace the power steering motor and steering column (another known faulty part to gm). it seems reckless to me that gm would not recall a known bad part that can lead to safety hazards. while i want to remain a gm customer, this experience is making me rethink that decision when it comes time to replace this car. *tr

My power steering suddenly shut off on me while driving on a busy road. i was forced to jerk my wheel very suddenly and strained my wrist. my power steering has been shutting off on me every time i have started my car since. sometimes it will take a minute for it to fail, sometimes 5. having it randomly go out on me is far too dangerous. this intermittent problem is scary, i would rather the power steering not work at all, then have it randomly shut off on me while in traffic. please help!! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet hhr. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the wheel seized with the illumination of the power steering warning light. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis but they were unable to duplicate the problem. the manufacturer was not notified. the approximate failure mileage was 74,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet hhr. while driving 65 mph, the power steering failed and a warning indicator illuminated. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified. the failure mileage was 60,000.

Driving down the freeway, the on board computer dings and a message appears on the dash that my power steering is out. it doesn't lock it up but it becomes extremely hard to steer. i stopped at a auto parts store to get power steering fluid only to find out there is not fluid, it uses an electric motor. starting the car must reset the electronics, it worked fine for several months. it is now happening quite frequently and i feel it a very dangerous situation. in checking on the internet, it is a very common problem with the car. my understanding is that chevrolet recalled the cobalt for the same issue, but not the hhr, even though both are basically the same. *tr

Power steering fails while driving. same unit was used in chevy cobalt and saturn ion which was recalled by nhtsa but you failed to include hhr owers who have the exact same unit in their vehicles what does it take to get it right. google hhr steering fails on internet. we were almost in an accident because my wife was driving the hhr when it first occurred. do your job. make it right. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet hhr. the contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, the power steering intermittently failed without warning. the vehicle would become increasingly difficult to control. the contact mentioned that the failure was experienced several times. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the power steering module needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 37,000 and the current mileage was 45,000. djr

Driving home from work on a very hot summer afternoon, power steering went out as i was crossing over a river on a bridge. chimes sounded and power steering displayed on dash. car was very hard to steer, especially making left and right turns from a stop. this was the 1st time it happened. contacted dealer who stated it needed to be in the midst of the problem to be diagnosed. since this happens intermittently usually when i am getting off work, it makes it hard to take it in. i have noticed that the speed i am traveling has no bearing on power steering going out. over the last year it consistently goes out when the weather is really hot, but i did not have any problem over the winter. like most everyone has stated, if i turn off the ignition the power steering will come back on for a short while, but it always goes out again. it is just ridiculous that there are so many recalls on this vehicle and yet this problem, on this year model, does not seem to be covered under any of them. *tr

On august 28, 2012, the electronic power steering motor went out on my 2007 chevrolet hhr. we went across the oncoming lane and it was extremely hard for my husband to get it back into the right lane. on 8/30/2012, we took it to a gm garage and they replaced it with a reman. powering steering motor, giving us a one year/12,000 mile warranty.. on july 9, 2013, i was driving the hhr out of state and was coming out of a slight left hand curve when the power steering motor went out again, which i was not able to steer the car and it ended up in the right hand bank/ditch. less than one year and less than 12,000 miles later, the gm garage said that they would replace the power steering pump if we brought the car back to them. that is impossible because the damage was more than enough to total the car and it happened in another state. they said there is nothing they can do. plus, now i have points against my insurance. *tr

The power steering light came on and lost power steering it could still be driven but every time i was driving i have to pull over stop the car restarted and then it'll do it again every five minutes it's been doing it since last year, around this time for about a week and now it's doing it every day. *tr

I have a 2007 chevy hhr and few months ago my traction control light come on and engine light. then shortly after my power steering went out. the power steering has been going out periodically...last time was on a exit ramp on the curve. i almost put it in the ditch. i understand that the cobalt had recalls on these items but not the hhr. which makes no sense because of the same chassis and all. i took it to ed schidmt chevy in perrysburg ohio and they said i need a steering column (because power steering module is in column), power steering motor, camshaft valve actuators, left lower control arm, and front struts. i have read a lot of internet forums and there has been many complaints on same issues. chevy should take care of this. dealership wants $2300+ for the repairs. *tr

The electric power steering cut out and i injured my shoulder trying to keep car on the road. gm has had this problem reported with this model but has done nothing about it did not send a warning , recall, or extend the warranty like they have done on other models with the same problems. i changed the fuse and still having the issue. had to stop every 30 miles shut car off and restart to get home that day. it was extremely stressful driving and not knowing if it was going to happen again . owners of this vehicle should be warned by gm , i am lucky it was not much worse , only my shoulder . my family and i could have been killed . waiting for fatal injuries or debilitating injuries before fixing a serious problem seems to be acceptable, but the company needs to be held to a higher standard when they know that there is an issue. *tr

The power steering went out on vehicle while driving home with our 1 year old in the car. the car became very difficult for my husband to turn. we shut the car off and turned it back on and the warning light on the panel came on again. today, 6/16/13, no light came on when we started the car and we were able to make it to our destination without incident. on the way home, it went out while driving on the interstate. *tr

2013, when applying breaks on grade steering wheel violenty shaking. june 2013 if applying full breaks, steering wheel would also pull. could not control vechile with shaking and pulling. drove with hazards in slow lane at lesser speeds. very bad situation. this siuation occured again this year (2014 may) while again on a grade. the shaking is voilent it very difficult to control the vechile. drove with hazard again in slow lane..this is very dangerous and worse when turning. good wayto kill yourself and others. i was at the dealer havign my ignition replaced and they said its normal and the rotors should be turned. i explain that the car was barely controllable. no standard rotor problem should make a car shake and pull that violently. these cars should be taken off the road. they are also no very compitent in windy conditions. i live in a mild climate zone and have driven many vechiles and my fisrt winter in the card was very very uncomfortable. that and the windows being copped are a huge visibilty issue. a design like this should have never been approve. add to that poor parts to save money and these are just not safe. not safe to those that own them or others. also front end has ongoing front end suspension problem. i had perviosu issues with the radiator and guard that shoudl have been installed by the dealer but was not. as well as fauly door handles. reapir bu dealer but now the door leaks. these are small things compared to the others. i would like the driving commision to do the right thing and have the company buy these cars back.. i appreciate the new iginition but that does nothing to help the breaking issues they call normal. *js

Developed serious wheel wobble when breaking. *tr

Power steering abruptly failed at low speeds, and did not resume working when vehicle was shut off and restarted. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet hhr. the contact stated that the steering wheel seized accompanied by the illumination of the power steering alarm and warning light. the contact shut off the vehicle and once restarted, the steering wheel returned to normal function for several minutes before the failure recurred. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic, who replaced the powers steering module however, the failure was not corrected. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 57,500 and the current mileage was 73,804.

This car has experienced repeated sudden loss of power steering assist. it happens without warning and at all speeds from 25 to 65mph. research shows that similar vehicles have been recalled for this exact problem but this particular car was not subject to that recall. (nhtsa # 10v073000). furthermore, research indicates that this is a somewhat common problem for this make and model. can you please tell me why this car is not subject to steering motor failure recall and please consider issuing a recall for this dangerous condition. *tr

While i was driving on the freeway, a warning chime came on and my dash read, power steering. i was able to pull over and turned off my car. i re-started my car and after a few minutes, the power steering warning light came on again. the vehicle was difficult to turn left or right. i went home and checked for a recall and noticed hundred of complaints from the cobalt and the hhr which were using the same power assist motor. i also noticed that canada has issued a recall for this part and is offering a 10 year warranty. see link http://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/saf-sec-sur/7/vrdb-bdrv/search/recalldetail.aspx?lang=eng&mk=0&md=0&fy=0&ty=9999&ft=&ls=0&sy=0&rn=2010447&cf=searchresult. every please file a formal complaint with gm especially if this was already recalled in canada. *tr