2007 Chevrolet HHR Electrical System Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated May 15, 2026 · 111 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 111 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2007 Chevrolet HHR, 15% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 65,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “ignition switch” (20% of reports).

What owners describe

Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.

  • Ignition switch: mentioned in 22 of 111 complaints (20%)
  • Air bags electrical: mentioned in 14 of 111 complaints (13%)
  • Smd consumer: mentioned in 11 of 111 complaints (10%)
  • Key released: mentioned in 6 of 111 complaints (5%)

How much does it cost to fix?

Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the 2007 Chevrolet HHR at $830, and half of them between $830 and $830.

Based on 5 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2016–2020), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.

At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?

Based on 75 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles5 · 7%
10k–25k miles6 · 8%
25k–50k miles9 · 12%
50k–75k miles20 · 27%
75k–100k miles11 · 15%
100k–150k miles18 · 24%
150k+ miles6 · 8%

How serious are the reports?

Of 111 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 2 an injury.

Chevrolet HHR electrical system complaints by model year

Peak: 2006, with 222 complaints
2006: 22220062222007: 11120071112008: 10820081082009: 15120091512010: 11920101192011: 39201139

n = 750 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model yearElectrical System complaintsShare of that yearMedian miles
2011 HHR3919%65,000
2010 HHR11923%50,000
2009 HHR15130%55,000
2008 HHR10818%64,000
2007 HHR11115%65,000
2006 HHR22222%69,000

When owners reported it

Peak: 2014, with 50 complaints
2007: 1200712008: 222009: 3200932010: 442011: 5201152012: 332013: 8201382014: 50502015: 172015172016: 882017: 2201722018: 222019: 1201912020: 112021: 1202112022: 33

n = 111 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (2)

Electrical system:ignitionApr 10, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V171000 · 2,191,014 vehicles

Problem: 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 removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "Off" position.

Risk: If the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "off" position, the vehicle could roll away: (a) for an automatic transmission, if the transmission is not in the "Park" position; or (b) for a manual transmission, if the parking brake is not engaged and the transmission is not in the "Reverse" position. This potential for rollaway increases the risk for a crash and occupant or pedestrian injuries.

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 will replace the ignition cylinder and cut and, if necessary, re-learn two ignition/door keys for each vehicle. For vehicles that were built with the redesigned ignition cylinder or had the ignition cylinder replaced with the redesigned part, dealers will cut and, if necessary, re-learn two ignition/door keys for each vehicle. The recall began on April 18, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac owners at 1-800-762-2737, and Saturn owners at 1-800-553-6000. General Motors' number for this recall is 14113 for the ignition lock cylinder and key replacement, and 14133 for only key replacements. Note: Until a vehicle has been remedied, owners and operators are advised that when exiting, to be sure that the vehicle is in "Park," or in the case of a manual transmission, that the vehicle is in the "Reverse" position and the parking brake is engaged.

Air bags; electrical system:ignition:switchFeb 10, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V047000 · 2,190,934 vehicles

Problem: 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. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on February 10, 2014 that they are recalling 619,122 model year 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, and 2007 Pontiac G5 vehicles. On February 25, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 748,024 model year 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR and Pontiac Solstice vehicles and 2003-2007 Saturn Ion vehicles and 2007 Saturn Sky vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine. On March 27, 2014, GM notified the agency that the defective ignition switches may have been used as service replacement parts on other vehicles, and as a result GM will be recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, Saturn Sky, and Pontiac G5 and Solstice, and 2008-2011 Chevrolet HHR vehicles. The part numbers for the service parts are 10392423 (a/k/a ACDelco D1461F), 10392737, 15857948, 15854953, 15896640, and 25846762. This expansion represents an additional 823,788 vehicles.

Risk: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

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 safety defect. Owners of 2008 and later vehicles will be mailed an interim letter on April 21, 2014. All affected owners will receive another letter once parts are available. The recall began on April 18, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737 or Saturn at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for the initial recall is 13454 and 14063 for the expansion. GM’s recall number for the vehicles that may have received the replacement parts is 14092. Note: Until the recall repairs have been performed, it is very important that customers remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the vehicle key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. Always wear your seatbelt.

What owners report

Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.

The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated while exiting the driveway of a restaurant, the steering wheel failed to respond as needed. The contact turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that while attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle failed to restart. There were…

Received Dec 7, 2022 · NHTSA complaint 11496417

The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated while driving at various speeds between 30-65 MPH, the steering wheel became extremely difficult to steer and the vehicle lost electrical power. The contact stated that she would veer to the side of the road or park the vehicle whenever the…

Received Nov 23, 2022 · NHTSA complaint 11494735

While driving, more specific while turning the powersteering goes out at any given time. It has also done this while switching lanes on the freeway.

Received Jun 23, 2022 · NHTSA complaint 11470605
Chevrolet HHR
2008 Chevrolet HHR SS photographed at the Montreal Sport Compact Performance Show.. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Bull-Doser, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently asked questions

Do all 2007 Chevrolet HHRs have electrical system problems?

No. NHTSA has 111 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2007 Chevrolet HHR (15% of the 726 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.

Was there a recall on the 2007 Chevrolet HHR electrical system?

Yes: 2 safety recalls list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.

At what mileage do electrical system problems start?

The median reported mileage is 65,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the 2007 Chevrolet HHR?

Owners report a typical cost of $830 (half paid between $830 and $830), from 5 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.

What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2007 Chevrolet HHR?

The most frequent phrase is “ignition switch”, in 22 of 111 complaints, followed by “air bags electrical” (14).

Other 2007 Chevrolet HHR problems

See all 2007 Chevrolet HHR problems or electrical system problems across all HHR years.