Problems with 2008 Chevrolet HHR STEERING

Power steering warning light came on as i was making a left turn from a stop sign. power steering was gone and i had to struggle to pull my vehicle off the road to a parking lot. i let the vehicle sit for 10 minutes, then i restarted the engine and the issue had disappeared. i am now afraid to drive my vehicle because i see that there are numerous online complaints for the same issue by hhr owners, and that the power steering failure often recurs intermittently and unexpectedly. gm has recalled several vehicles for the same issue with the power steering motor, but has chosen not to recall the hhr. why not?! since the incident, i feel like i am driving a vehicle of doom and that anytime i get behind the wheel, my family and i could possibly get into an accident! gm should take responsibility for the faulty part and do a recall before there are more injuries! i have driven a vehicle without power steering before, but when it goes off without warning in the middle of traffic, this vehicle is extremely difficult to control! gm should be ashamed! i will not buy a gm vehicle again! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet hhr. the contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver as the power steering warning light illuminated. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 180,000 and the current mileage was 206,000.

Power steering failed. at first it would go out but, when the car was restarted it would work again. now it's just out. very dangerous on the freeway! *tr

As i was rolling up to a stop sign, the "power steering" alert appeared on my instrument panel. having never experienced this warning before, i didn't know quite what it meant. as i made my left turn into the intersection, i found out! it took all my physical strength to stay within the pavement. had my wife been driving, she would not have been able to maintain control. the steering failed twice more in the next two days. fortunately, i avoided collisions both times and had repairs made at the dealership as soon as it opened for business after the 4th of july holiday. as there is no recall for this major safety hazard, the cost to me was $302.66. i understand that this power steering motor is used on other gm cars that have been recalled. the hhr should be included! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet hhr. the contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, there was a loss of power steering with the illumination of the power steering warning indicator. the vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the road where the engine was turned off. upon restarting, the malfunction persisted which caused difficulty in the contact turning the steering wheel. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that the power steering motor would need to be replaced. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 75,500.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet hhr. the contact stated while driving approximately 5 mph the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 52,000. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet hhr. the contact stated while driving approximately 30 mph there was a complete loss of power steering with an illumination of the warning indicator. the vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the road. the vehicle was turned off and resumed normally upon restarting. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was unavailable.

My power steering went out on my 2008 hhr while i was making a left hand turn, i had to jerk the steering wheel back to avoid going into the oncoming traffic. i have had this problem ever since with the steering going out and having to wrestle with it. i took the vehicle to the chevrolet dealer ship to complain in cape coral, fl. and they told me it would cost me to fix the problem. i find that this is a severe safety issue and a general motors co. defect that i should not beheld responsible for to pay. please check into this problem and see if there is anymore complaints on this steering problem. *tr

I purchased my 2008 chevy hhr from a dealership in ky in february 2013, with around 55k miles on it. due to the amount of miles i also purchased an extended gm power train warranty. toward the end of may, i was driving on the hi-way coming off an exit, going between 45-55 miles an hour veering to the right, when the power steering in my car went out. the mileage screen flashed power steering and i could hardly steer my car to get off the exit onto another hi-way. i drove my car home and parked it in the driveway. the next morning i got up and started my car, drove it and it was ok. however, the next day the power steering went out again and has every day since then. in the beginning i would turn my car off, wait 1 to 2 minutes, start my car and it would be fine. starting last month, the power steering goes off every 2 to 5 minutes regardless if i re-start my car or not.... it does not matter if i am trying to make a turn, or driving down a straight road. i can have the ac on, the ac off and the power steering goes out within 2 minutes of me starting my car. i was told in order for my gm power train warranty to be covered, i had to my car to a chevy service station, which i did on 6/27/2013 and was told that the power train warranty did not cover the power steering electric motor. since the incident i have been researching this issue, and have read that is a very common occurrence for the hhr's, but gm has done nothing about it. i have also emailed and spoken with a chevy complaint person and was also told nothing would be done about it. seems to me this is a safety issue, of the same kind the chevy cobalts were recalled for... why is nothing being done for the chevy hhr's with the same issue? *tr

Power steering cut out while driving approximately 5 mph while approaching intersection. after stopping at the intersection, i turned the engine off and restarted the engine then the power steering returned. the power steering continued to cut out repeatedly at intervals of 3 to 5 minutes, and returned after restarting. inquiry of hhr forums revealed that problem is the overheating of a faulty electric power steering motor (part numbers old: 20995579 and new: 19257875). these are the same part numbers for the power steering motors used in other gm models (cobalt & g5) which have been recalled by gm as a result of the nhtsa investigations. one has to wonder why recalls weren't issued for all vehicle models using the same defective parts. *tr

in morning after waiting for coolant to get to 85 degrees i back out of driveway and pull forward power steering message on dash lights up and so i pull over turn off engine count to five restart engine no problem next stop sign power steering lights up again . turn off engine count to 5 and restart engine works fine for about 30 minutes and repeats problem. *tr

2008 chevrolet hhr. consumer writes in regards to vehicle lost power steering while driving. *smd the dealer replaced the power steering motor.

I was leaving work in louisville il and my power steering went out while turning a corner. luckily the corner wasn't a sharp one. i would have, in fact, hit oncoming traffic if there were any. i would have also hit anyone sitting at the stop sign in their driver door. i was very lucky. i had to get mine fixed in may of last year. i called gm complaining but they wouldn't fix it. i noticed there is a recall for this exact thing for 2009 and 2010's but nothing for 2008's. i wanted you to be aware that 2008's have this same flaw with the electric power steering motor. it kept going in and out until i got it fixed. after the first time i wasn't so surprised and knew to expect it at anytime. the first time was scary though. i can't imagine if it happened to a young driver. i'm 42 and drive well. *tr

2008 chevrolet hhr. consumer writes in regards to power steering went out. *smd

Was driving down the road and power steering went out. after i stopped the car, turned it off and back on, power steering resumed, although only for a few minutes. i had to keep turning the car off and on in order for the power steering to re-engage. after a few months of this, the power steering is now completely not working! it comes on for about 1 minute when i start the car and then turns off completely after that minute. i am afraid to drive my car this coming winter in the snow. i do not want to shell out a bunch of $$$ and then have them recall the car. i know other chevy models with the same problem have been recalled. why has the hhr not been included in these recalls? no power steering poses a great risk of getting in an accident. i am a very frustrated chevy owner! please recall this car!

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet hhr. the contact stated that while driving approximately 25 mph, the vehicle lost power steering and the power steering warning light illuminated. as a result, the contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a pole. there was no injuries reported. a police report was filed of the incident. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing, however they could not duplicate the failure. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 70,000.

My 2008 chevrolet hhr has developed an intermittent steering power assist failure. it first occurred a week ago upon start up. i drove it a few miles, afraid to turn it off for fear i wouldn't be able to drive it home upon restarting. upon restarting in my driveway, the problem was gone. now, a week later and with my daughter borrowing the car to drive to work in a snowstorm, the problem resurfaced as she was driving! i see there are numerous other complaints of this problem being reported daily. why is this issue not being dealt with by the manufacturer? wtf! i cannot afford the expense at the moment, so the car is currently being driven with this unsafe condition. *tr

While driving home on the highway the power steering went out and it became very hard to steer, i was very lucky i wasn't on a curvey road,or i would have had an accident. i pulled off the road and turned my hhr off, then back on and the steering was back to normal. i continued my way back home and about ten minutes later it happened again. i pulled over and turned my hhr off and restarted it. again everything was back to normal. since then it has happened unexpectedly several times a week. i wish there was a recall so i could repair this malfunctioning steering motor. the dealer wants around $800.00 to do the work. i am now afraid to drive my hhr. *tr

While driving, the power steering goes out. i bought this car for my son. my child. i am upset because now this has happened, i researched online and i see the hhr had a recall for steering issues but for some reason, the 2008 is not included. now i have to pay an astronomical amount of money to fix this car as it is no longer under warranty. the power steering goes out while driving. it will then return and at any moment, it goes out again. not happy.unsafe. why is the 2008 not included in the recall? what if my child is driving, the steering goes out and he ends up having no control? the vehicle estimated speed is only the first time it happened on the expressway. it has went out at all speeds. we took it to a shop and they couldn't find anything wrong, we left and it started happening again. now it's costing even more money to take it back, get to the bottom of it, and repair it. *tr

Power steering fails all the time. very dangerous. hard to steer. common problem for all hhr's. please issue a recall. thank you *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet hhr. the contact stated that the power steering warning light illuminated as the steering wheel seized and became hard to turn. the failure was experienced several times. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 85,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet hhr. the contact was driving 40 mph when the power steering assist failed and the steering sensor illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis where the contact was informed that no issues were found. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. the approximate failure mileage was 108,000. updated 03/12/14*lj updated 03/20/14

Power steering warning displays on dash along with audible tone followed by power steering cutting out leaving vehicle very difficult to steer. happens randomly and without warning. shutting vehicle off and restarting corrects the problem but only temporarily. *tr

We were travelling down our street, almost home. there was a dinging noise and the power steering light came on. immediately, it became very difficult to steer. we parked outside the house and took a different car to an auto supply store, think the car needed power steering fluid. we discovered the car does not use power steering fluid. when we returned home and started the car to move it into the driveway, it was fine. this has happened on and off for the past two weeks, sometimes at slow speeds and sometimes on the highway, at speeds between 50 and 65 mph. the dealership told us they can't do anything unless the light is on when the car is there. this is a dangerous situation and the light goes on and off randomly. *js

While driving power steering went out dash indicator stated power steering failure, pulled over shut off car inspected for any signs of problem, restarted car power steering was back, continued trip same thing occurred 15-20 minutes later same result same process reading a lot about recall on cobalt using same motor and recall in canada for same problem. researching part to fix can;t wait until a us recall.on your sight many people are having the same issues as myself. why no investigation puzzles me. *tr

The warning indicator for the power steering on my 2008 chevrolet hhr went on as i was leaving a parking lot. because i was not far from home, i drove home very slowly without power steering. when i turned the vehicle on again, it was fine. since then, the power steering has gone out while i am driving, and i have to pull off the road and restart my vehicle to get it to operate again. on my last trip, which was approximately 40 minutes with very few turns (highway driving), the power steering went out four times. i have been told that gm recalled the power steering motor on the chevy cobalt and saturn ion, which is the exact same part as the hhr. this issue is unsafe, and the consequences could be dangerous if the power steering goes out when someone is not expecting it or traveling at high speeds (or if they are too young to remember cars without power steering). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet hhr. the contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the power steering assist failed as the contact was attempting a turn . the failure increased he contact's steering ability however, the contact was able to regain control of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic for inspection but the mechanic did not diagnose the cause of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified but provided no assistance. the failure mileage was 39,000. updated 02/20/13*lj the electric power steering motor was replaced.

While driving on the road to work, the display message center said power steering then there was no power steering. it happened twice that day but after the car was shut off and cooled down it did not come on. the day after it happened again but stayed on longer. when the car was brought into the dealership on 12/31/12 they told us it could be the power steering motor or the steering column witch they both were not under warranty . it keep happening with the car for a week. i then brought my car to my mechanic on 1/4/13 and he replaced the power steering motor and it has not happen sense. before i brought my car to him i went online to see if there was anyone else with the same problem and what they did it fix it. that's how i found out it wasn't just my car that this has happen to that there was a lot of other people who have had the same problem. thankfully we were able to control the car and not get into an accident. *tr

I was driving my vehicle when my power steering light came on and it made it hard for me to turn my wheel,once i pulled over and turned off my car,and turned it back on it was ok the light went off. but when i went to drive it again it did the same thing but eventually it got to the point where i couldn't drive it for the light coming on and the turning got worse. *tr

Power steering keeps going out. usually when turning. the first time it went out, i was driving 45 mph and it went out while i was rounding a curve, and i almost hit a tree because i was unaware that it was going to do this. after that, it went out about 2-3 times a week, everytime when making a turn. i went to have it looked at and my mechanic said that he couldn't find anything wrong with the power steering and to report this problem as he has seen this in a few other hhrs that he has worked on. it is very dangerous and because of it unpredictability, i am always afraid to drive my car. *tr

My power steering went out and i can't steer the car or it's real hard to steer. *tr

As i was driving around a curve after stopping, going about 5 mph, a power steering message appeared and i was unable to steer my car. in order to stop my car i had to turn a corner (by turning the wheel which took a lot of effort), where i was able to put it in park and then shut off the vehicle. the car started back up with no problems. an hour later the message reappeared and would not go off. it is very difficult to steer and i do not want to drive this on the road (i have no control over the car). the car only has 31,000 miles on it and is 4 years old. *tr

I was driving at highway speeds when the power steering light came on and i lost my power steering. since that time it occurs occasionally but is now more frequent. i was researching the problem online on a hhr owners forum when i realized that this is a common problem. those who experienced the same problem all stated that it is sudden and can potentially be dangerous. i have checked my vin on gm website for recalls and this problem is not listed. what is confusing to me is that the chevrolet cobalt was listed for this problem and the cobalt and hhr share the same parts. *tr

Was driving down the highway and the power steering motor failed, causing steering to be very difficult. i have had this car just over a year now and everyday it's seems to get worse and worse and a whole lot more frequent. this is very dangerous especially when traveling on the highway. definitely a serious safety concern. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet hhr. the contact stated that while driving approximately 5 mph, the steering wheel locked without warning. the contact turned the engine off and maneuvered the steering wheel with force several times before there was a normal response. the contact was able to resume driving. the failure occurred five times. the vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 40,500.

The car was like "exhaling" as i was driving on the highway. the next morning after i started my car, i saw the message "power steering". took it to the chevy dealership on oct 3 and was charged for them to tell me they could not duplicate the problem. on oct 10, it happened again, but i heard a warning signal along with the message. i immediately drove to the dealership again and was told they couldn't get to me until oct 15. i was told that the last time, they found a low voltage and that was all. i'm left wondering what to do if it stops in the middle of the highway and no power steering. i have another appointment on oct 15th(probably for another $120) for them to tell me the same thing. safety - if i lose the power steering while on the highway, trying to go around curves, i will surely get hit by someone. there's no shoulders on the highway (i-40) that i drive on daily during peak traffic time. luckily, my car has not done that to me, but it is showing all the warnings. please help before someone loses their life, including myself. i am about afraid to get on the road because of this problem and of reports that the engine "fried" on someone else's car. *tr

While on vacation we were driving in washington dc traffic during mid day traffic congestion, the power steering failed in our car. we were lucky and were able to struggle to steer to get off to the edge of the highway and shut the car off. upon restarting the power steering was working until several hours later again in busy traffic. this happened 3 more times in next two days before getting it back home & to the dealership, where it was determined to be a component that has been recalled in other models but not this one. i cannot understate the danger of losing power steering in any road conditions, putting myself, my family and other motorists in danger.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet hhr. the contact stated that the power steering was malfunctioning intermittently. the contact stated they have to turn the vehicle off and restart it in order to get the steering to come back. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the vin was not available. the failure and current mileage was 32,000. updated 11/28/12*lj the consumer stated the power assist for the steering would go out without warning while driving.

The power steering keeps turning on so it makes it hard to drive or steer and it cuts into my mpg. *tr

I had just pulled out of a driveway. i heard a few alert tones and looked at my dash and the power steering message was displayed. i entered into a roundabout and learned that my power steering was not working. luckily i was not going very fast and was able to muscle the car through the turns. i had a few more turns on the way home. once at home i turned the car off for a few minutes. upon restarting it the power steering was again functional. i am afraid that it will happen again in heavy traffic areas. *tr

Power steering fails after vehicle is driven for approx 10 minutes. no warning, just goes out. apparantly chevy cobalt uses same/simalar electric power steering motor which has been recalled. unsure why no recall has been issued for the hhr. *tr

This car is a safety hazard going down road. i bought it new in 2008. rotors & brakes are horrible - have to have repaired multiple times. bearings have went out, replaced & one went out again. i spend approx 1200 dollars a year just to get shaking out of front end, turning rotors & tires. but that isn't really the problem i am reporting: was having trouble with ignition switch - it was recalled - took it to dealer to have it replaced - understand that i was having no problems with car at this time - upon leaving dealers and within 15 miles power steering light comes on & i lose power steering. now my power steering goes out unexpectedly whenever it decides to. took back to dealer because i felt this was something they messed up and was told this is just a problem with hhrs and that power steering motor needs to be replaced. after researching this...it is very common with this car, along with brake issues, severe shaking in front, bearings going out and many other problems that i have also had. i realize my car is high mileage, i work as a home health nurse & use this car for work, but i do keep it maintained. i hope that i will be able to get into different car before i get in accident in this one. *tr

Power steering ceased to function. *tr

While driving, the power steering light came on and the vehicle became hard to steer. it does this almost every time we drive the vehicle, but luckily it has not yet done it while turning a corner. when you turn the vehicle off and turn it back on, it works again. there does not seem to be anything in particular that triggers an event. it may happen after 2 minutes of driving, or 40 minutes of driving, or it may not happen at all on any one particular trip. this is a very dangerous situation and seems to be common amongst hhr owners. there is currently a canadian recall on this, but not here in the us. there is a gm tsb (231703) referencing this, but that does not require gm to repair this dangerous problem. *tr

I was on vacation driving 25 mph when the car started chiming and the power steering went out. i was close the my motel so i drove there. i turned the car off let it sit a few minutes then started it again and the steering was back. i took it the dealer when i got back home and the dealership said they drove it and it never went out. it didn't happen again until 2 weeks ago. now it happens every couple of minutes. i have to stop turn the car off then back on. it's fine for a few minutes then car chime and power steering is gone. i have done a search and have found a lot of people having the same problem. the same components were used on chevy cobalt and they were recalled. *tr

Driving on freeway at 55 mph power steering indicator came on and steering was very hard to turn. continued home very slow and steering the car was difficult and dangerous. power steering worked upon restart. now this happens every day. i will have to get it repaired and i am not happy after reading all of the similar problems with this steering unit. why has the 2008 hhr not been included the previous recalls? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet hhr. the contact stated that while driving 2 mph, the power steering motor turned off independently. the failure recurred numerous times. the vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing and the contact was informed that the power steering pump needed to be replaced. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure mileage was 88,000 and the current mileage was 90,000. the vin was unavailable.

The power steering went out while i was driving on city roads. it will briefly come back on after the car is shut off and restarted, but it goes out again shortly after the vehicle begins moving. my warranty is up and the manufacturer has refused to reimburse me, either fully or partially, for the cost of replacement. there was a canadian recall for the same model of car, but i cannot find any information on the difference between the power steering units of the us and canadian models such that not having a us recall would be justified. please investigate this issue. it is not only unfair for people to have to pay for expensive repairs for a relatively new vehicle, it is a serious safety risk that should be fixed by the manufacturer. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet hhr. the contact stated while driving approximately 25 mph, the power steering warning light illuminated on instrument panel and the steering wheel became difficult to turn; however, the contact managed to coast into a parking lot. the vehicle was towed to the her residence. the vehicle was taken to a dealer for a diagnostic testing and the mechanic confirmed that the power steering motor needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 85,000. updated 10/2/14*cn

Electric power steering goes out at random times. is not related to speed, or even being used at the time. can be at a full stop and the power steering will stop working and the power steering message comes on the dash. turning off car and restarting will get it working again, but may go right back out within minutes, apparently for no obvious reason. happened to me 3 times in a one mile trip. and this is a repeated occurrence. vehicle is very hard to steer when the power steering stops working. doing online research has show that many other owners are having the same issue and that replacement of the power steering motor usually fixes the problem. same as with the below mentioned problems with the chevrolet cobalt. recall. number 10023. there is currently a recall on this exact same problem with the exact same part on the chevrolet cobalt. i believe the hhr should have been added to this recall. this can potentially be a very deadly problem depending on circumstances. how me deaths or injuries does it take for chevrolet to do the right thing for all affected owners of faulty components? *tr