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Chevy HHR Brake Problems

389 messages,  Last post on Apr 29, 2013 at 4:35 AM

You are in the Chevrolet HHR Maintenance & Repair Forum.

What is this discussion about? Chevrolet HHR, Brakes, Wagon


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Messages Page 25 of 39

#240 of 389 Re: HH break problems,rotors by myhhr

Nov 04, 2010 (12:03 pm)

Hi, I also have the same problems with the pulsating and vibrations. My husband took the car to the dealer at 24k miles complaining that it doesn't seem normal the breaks should be giving us problems at this stage, well after charging us $300, new pads, re surfacing the rotors, all seemed fine until now at 32K miles. Mind you thats only 8K miles and the breaks are bad again?. Now I am beyond irate, My son who is a certified tech advised me to have them look up the service bulletin which mentions about torking the bolts all the same. Seems if the tech does this wrong it adds to the problem.. which stands to reason. We should have not paid for the first time, and I will be the car in tomorrow armed with my yakking self. mentioning the fact if I am not satisfied, I will be driving around with signs plaster on my car about this problem and how this dealer seems to care less about the customer after purchase. We r retired and simply cannot absorb the cost of Chevys error. I too am ready for a class action, or all hhr owners going to Chevy headquarters together. Power to the people. Numbers do matter...2007 HHR

#241 of 389 Re: HHR [calnmadsmom] by myhhr

Nov 04, 2010 (4:33 pm)

Replying to: calnmadsmom (Sep 30, 2010 2:47 pm)
Hi, if I knew that GM guy you know, maybe copy ALL these complaints or give us his email to forward complaints to. My husband is about ready to sell the car at a great financial loss. I am ready for any plan that will get us relief from this disaster. Funny thing is I love the care and my only other complaint was the design of the window button on the dash . Still have a hard time remembering where the hey it is to open a window. LOL. Seriously though something needs to be done. as a group not individually.

#242 of 389 Re: HHR [myhhr] by ray80

Nov 05, 2010 (7:08 am)

Replying to: myhhr (Nov 04, 2010 4:33 pm)
I can certainly understand your frustration as mine (bought in 05') had the same problem. I lived with it and kept an eye out for some magic fix until the rotors could be turned no more.
I tend to view things differently and bottom line I wanted the problem resolved so I had my independant mechanic replace the rotors (likely no GM) and have added quite a few miles without any additional worries. Its fixed and I'm a hppy camper and can just enjoy the ride.

#243 of 389 Re: HH break problems,rotors [myhhr] by rstruthers

Nov 05, 2010 (7:34 am)

Replying to: myhhr (Nov 04, 2010 12:03 pm)
Your problem is dealing with GM. Go to a good private mechanic to have the work done. He should install quality pads and rotors. Have the rotors turned even tho they are new. Then he should be sure the calipers are sliding on the two supporting pins smoothly so they don't bind and drag the pads. This dragging will heat the rotors as you drive. Quality parts and install is the key.
I did all this myself over a year ago (29k miles) and have no problems yet.
 
I wrote a note to ABC news on this a month ago as they had done a story on BMW's problem but have heard nothing yet. Maybe try the Press as a way to force GM to fix this.

#244 of 389 Re: HH break problems,rotors [rstruthers] by imidazol97

Nov 05, 2010 (7:48 am)

Replying to: rstruthers (Nov 05, 2010 7:34 am)
The cure is using high quality replacement rotors, not cheap ones in the aftermarket.
 
These new rotors do NOT have to be turned; it's better if they're not touched.
 
The calipers need to be perfectly lubed again and completely free. If any question, replace with rebuilt calipers.
 
The original GM rotors are a type of lighter weight metal that does not age well under some conditions and starts giving unevenness. The caliper slides are never cleaned and lubed when GM techs work on the rotors.
 
Turning the original rotors is fatal.

#245 of 389 Clunking front end noise solved!!!!! by calnmadsmom

Nov 05, 2010 (9:31 am)

Well this help came to me from chevyhhr.net. We are not the only ones out there with the rotor turning...clunking in the front..steering wheel shaking..And, believe it or not..after seeing the blog and what this guy did to fix it..I brought the info into the dealer mechanics...and low and behold it worked. Well it's worked for the last week...and I am hoping that the problem stays gone..Below I have posted what he as well as many others are doing for the same problems many of us are facing..below I cut and pasted what he did..... There are also photos to see exactly the tiny little piece that nobody..no dealer mechanic..has found..so he went by what I printed out...
 
"SO tonight I set out to find exactly, what was clunking. Alot of us have the mystery clunk, so I will fill you in on what I found. I don't trust a shop to 'find' it for me, so instead of them throwing parts at it, it was easier to find it myself.
 
I out my hands on everything underneath that car that had a bolt, nut, or bushing. Inside of the fender well's behind the caliper bracket there is a bar that attacked to the upper middle of the strut, down to the sway bar. I assume this is GM's idea of a sway bar end link. I had a friend rock the car as I found out I could recreate the noise by rocking the car back and forth. On the bolt that mounts it to the strut I put my hands on it and griped it firmly and low and behold no more clunking noise. My assumption is that there is some type of bushing, that has gone south.
 
I highly advise anyone with the mystery clunk in the front end to grab ahold of that bar while someone is rocking the car and see if that silences the noise.
 
I recently replaced my stock squeaky sway bar end links with MOOG #K750012 end links with zerk fittings. The new links are much quieter and have tighened up the feel of the steering."
 
Here's the stock end links, you'll need to jack up the front end and remove the wheel to get to this part. The green arrows point to the two bolts that will need to be removed. The outside one is easy to get to, the inside one is not too difficult to reach.
 
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...s/DSC09063.jpg
 
If by chance the nut spins there is a small area on the inside face of the link where you can get a grip on the bolt. On the new end links this piece is a full size nut that is much easier to work with.
 
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...s/IMG_2289.jpg
 
Both end links side by side. The MOOG is a larger diameter bar than the stocker. Note the 90 degree zerk fittings, once the end links are installed you may need to rotate them a quarter turn or so to reach them better with your grease gun.
 
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...s/DSC09066.jpg
 
Here's the installed end links, be sure to remember to grease them up before your test drive.
 
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i1...s/DSC09067.jpg

#246 of 389 Re: HH break problems,rotors [imidazol97] by calnmadsmom

Nov 05, 2010 (9:32 am)

Replying to: imidazol97 (Nov 05, 2010 7:48 am)
Hello..
 
actually that wasn't a fix it for my car... I will post below what another gentleman has found when his car did the same thing..
 
SO tonight I set out to find exactly, what was clunking. Alot of us have the mystery clunk, so I will fill you in on what I found. I don't trust a shop to 'find' it for me, so instead of them throwing parts at it, it was easier to find it myself.
 
I out my hands on everything underneath that car that had a bolt, nut, or bushing. Inside of the fender well's behind the caliper bracket there is a bar that attacked to the upper middle of the strut, down to the sway bar. I assume this is GM's idea of a sway bar end link. I had a friend rock teh car as I found out I could recreate the noise by rocking the car back and forth. On the bolt that mounts it to the strut I put my ahdns on it and griped it firmly and low and behold no more clunking noise. My assumption is that there is some type of bushing, that has gone south.
 
I highly advise anyone with the mystery clunk in the front end to grab ahold of that bar while someone is rocking the car and see if that silences the noise.

#247 of 389 Re: Clunking front end noise solved!!!!! [calnmadsmom] by imidazol97

Nov 05, 2010 (10:17 am)

Replying to: calnmadsmom (Nov 05, 2010 9:31 am)
The links for pictures in this post are dead. Photobucket says they're all removed or moved.

#248 of 389 Steering/suspension problems by kgp0271

Nov 23, 2010 (2:45 pm)

I have a 08 HHR that has been in for service several times for steering problems. They have replaced the steering column, power steering assembly, shaft insulators, etc.... There continues to be a marble rolling sound when accellerating from a stop, and when turning. has anyone else had these same problems?

#249 of 389 Re: Steering/suspension problems [kgp0271] by gmcustsvc

Dec 02, 2010 (10:58 am)

Replying to: kgp0271 (Nov 23, 2010 2:45 pm)
kgp0271,
Please e-mail me with your complete contact information (mailing address, phone, first & last name), VIN and current mileage, and the involved dealer. I would like to look into this further.
Christina
GM Customer Service

Messages Page 25 of 39

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