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Power Steering

12 messages,  Last post on Mar 22, 2013 at 9:07 AM

You are in the Chevrolet HHR Forum.

What is this discussion about? Chevrolet HHR, Wagon

Messages Page 2 of 2

#2 of 12 Re: Power Steering [lulu76] by ray80

Jan 09, 2013 (12:55 pm)

Replying to: lulu76 (Jan 09, 2013 8:57 am)
My 06 hasn't had any problems with it (147,000 miles on it). Most of the power steering issues I have seen on the HHR are due to frying stuff by improperly jumping a vehicle

#3 of 12 Re: Power Steering [ray80] by lulu76

Jan 09, 2013 (1:06 pm)

Replying to: ray80 (Jan 09, 2013 12:55 pm)
I have never jumped a vehicle. I just think it's odd that GM would say "Oh, this part is bad in the Cobalt and Ion, but it's fine in the HHR." If it's a bad part; it's a bad part.
 
However, on my lunch break my power steering went out four times, but came back on as quickly as I could restart my vehicle, so I am going to have to deal with this whether GM does or not.
 
I'm hoping that they won't want to lose a lifetime customer (I've had two Cavaliers and a Sunfire prior to the HHR, not to mention my whole family drives Chevrolets) over an $80 part, but we'll see.

#4 of 12 Re: Power Steering [lulu76] by gmcustsvc

Jan 09, 2013 (1:38 pm)

Replying to: lulu76 (Jan 09, 2013 8:57 am)
lulu76,
 
Are you thinking about getting this checked into by your dealership? Please keep us posted as we're available to check into anything you may have questions on pertaining to your specific vehicle. We can be reached at socialmediagm.com (include your name, contact information, and the last 8 digits of your VIN with your inquiry).
 
Sarah, GM Customer Service

#5 of 12 Re: Power Steering [gmcustsvc] by lulu76

Jan 09, 2013 (1:51 pm)

Replying to: gmcustsvc (Jan 09, 2013 1:38 pm)
Sarah,
I am trying to get ahold of my dealership to have them check it out. I'm guessing since there have been so many problems with the motors that is the issue, but poking around the forums others have suggested fuses and things like that. But it seems like a lot of HHR owners have had similar issues.
 
I am just worried because it is getting worse. At lunch today, my power steering went out four times in less than an hour and I didn't make any hard turns. It resets itself when I turn my car off and back on, but that's not really an option when you're on the interstate.
 
I don't have my VIN number in front of me, but I will get it for you as soon as I can.

#6 of 12 Re: Power Steering [lulu76] by lulu76

Jan 09, 2013 (3:22 pm)

Replying to: lulu76 (Jan 09, 2013 1:51 pm)
After reading around here and seeing folks say that it's an $80 part and there are detailed instructions on how to fix it, I figure that I can convince my friend who's handy with cars to help me.
 
So, I call my local dealership to order the part. Holy guacamole, he wants $389.95 for the power steering motor! WTF? No one on here has paid that much for the entire repair, I don't think.
 
On the plus side, he was $15 cheaper on the cargo net than anyone else I'd asked.
 
However, I thought GM parts had pretty standard prices from dealerships. Needless to say, I think we know where I won't be buying my next car.

#7 of 12 Re: Power Steering [lulu76] by laserblue

Jan 10, 2013 (5:31 am)

Replying to: lulu76 (Jan 09, 2013 3:22 pm)
In doubt...call again for a price check. The clerk might have just entered the wrong part # or wrote a bad number in it.
  A wrong part # can make a big difference and if the parts department didn't notice, he only gave you the price that he saw on his monitor without revering to the name of the part.
  I once went to a G.M. dealer to buy a "gas cap" and the sales clerk came back with on and told me;"That'll be 89.99$" without realizing what he was saying...that when I ask him to check it over again. That's when he told me that he had made a mistake while entering the part number.
  Instead of 89.99$ it came up to 9.49$. What a difference.

#8 of 12 Follow up by lulu76

Jan 22, 2013 (12:48 pm)

Follow up: There is clearly something electrical going on with my car. In addition to the power steering going in and out, the "Service ESC" warning goes on and off and the check engine light is going on and off too (my mechanic that works on my car says there's nothing he can see causing that one). I'm also having issues with the remote starter, but I think that's because those are the absolute biggest piece of garbage General Motors has ever made (yes, including the Nova and the Sunbird).
 
Anyhow, I am going to have my friend check all the fuses and if there's nothing amiss there, then I will be sucking it up and paying a dealer to take a look at it.
 
I wish I could find a newer one still under warranty and I'd trade this thing in. Unfortunately GM doesn't currently make a car I would drive. Between the end of Pontiac and the end of the HHR, I may have to hoof it when I'm done with this car.

#9 of 12 Update by lulu76

Jan 29, 2013 (10:29 am)

I am taking my car into the dealership tomorrow to have them look to see what codes come up. It is going to be $80 for diagnostics, but my friend who fixes cars says you have to have the dealership look up the codes when all those lights are coming on.
 
I am hoping it is an easy fix, but to be honest, I am figuring the dealership will try to rip me off. I have made it clear they are not to do any work without telling me what's wrong and how much it will cost and that I will shop around if I don't like what they say, so perhaps that will help.
 
As much as I like GM products, the guys in the repair shops always treat women like idiots. When I was well-connected back in Detroit, I called someone very high up because I was once told I broke my Pontiac with my purse. That didn't go over well.

#10 of 12 Re: Power Steering [lulu76] by patti17

Mar 21, 2013 (5:38 pm)

Replying to: lulu76 (Jan 09, 2013 8:57 am)
The power steering in my 2009 HHR goes out w/o warning, at various speeds. When it started I contacted my local dealer and Chevy and was led to beleive that this was an unusual occurrence. Since then, I have seen hundreds of complaints, similar to mine, dating back to 2006. The power steering motors in these cars are faukty and dangerous and Chevy knows it. They have already recalled the same ones in Ions, Cobalts, and Malibus and have only failed to recall all of them because they have not yet been made to do so. Hopefully, they will take responsibility for wrecklessly endangering so many trusting consumers and adress this issue before someone gets killled, if it hasn't already happened.

#11 of 12 Re: Power Steering [patti17] by gmcustsvc

Mar 22, 2013 (8:06 am)

Replying to: patti17 (Mar 21, 2013 5:38 pm)
patti17,
Have you ever tried to get this repaired at all? Let us know if we can check into anything for you! We can be reached at socialmediagm.com (include your name and contact information, the last 8 digits of your VIN and mileage, and a summary of the situation).
 
Sarah, GM Customer Service

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