2009 Chevrolet HHR Steering Problems
Owners have filed 127 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2009 Chevrolet HHR, 25% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 60,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “power steering motor” (10% of reports).
- 127steering complaints
- 60,000median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $920typical repair cost reported by owners
- 26%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Power steering motor: mentioned in 13 of 127 complaints (10%)
- Chevy cobalt: mentioned in 8 of 127 complaints (6%)
- Became difficult: mentioned in 7 of 127 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the 2009 Chevrolet HHR at $920, and half of them between $560 and $1,150.
Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2011–2014), 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 steering problems happen?
Based on 111 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 127 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 1 an injury.
Chevrolet HHR steering complaints by model year
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Steering:electric power assist system
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009 Pontiac G6. In the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist that could occur at any time while driving.
Risk: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will perform one of four bulletins. Parts are not currently available. GM expects to send an interim notification around May 28, 2014. When parts are available, owners will be mailed a second letter to come in to have the applicable bulletin applied. Bulletin 14115 covers model year 2004-2007 Saturn Ion, 2009-2010 Chevrolet HHR and 2010 Chevrolet Cobalts. Dealers will replace the EPS motor. Bulletin 14116 covers model year 2004-2006 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx, 2005-2006 Pontiac G6 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from March 1, 2008, through June 27, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly. Bulletin 14117 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from February 1, 2008, through February 28, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly and EPS motor controller unit. Bulletin 14118 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from October 1, 2007, through January 31, 2008. Dealers will replace the EPS motor controller unit. The recall began on July 17, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, and Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668. GM's number for this recall is N140115. Note: GM bulletin number 14119 will be implemented for model year 2006-2008 and early production of 2009 Chevrolet HHR (non-turbo) and model year 2003 Saturn ION to provide EPS Motor replacement for the life of the vehicle.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the power steering warning light, the ESC service, the ESC off, and the traction control warning lights illuminated, followed by the loss of power steering functionality. The vehicle was taken to the dealer…
When driving my 2009 HHR the steering wheel shakes & vibrate at different intervals. Usually while slowing down to a stop & sometimes after during high speeds. Recently the noise it made was frightening. I had to use my emergency flashers & drive 50 mi per hr. on the freeway to arrive home safely…
Something with steering and ESC problem unknown for now. The fuel line leaked and needed replacement. The drivers wiper is in visibility
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2009 Chevrolet HHRs have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 127 owner complaints about steering for the 2009 Chevrolet HHR (25% of the 508 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 2009 Chevrolet HHR steering?
Yes: 1 safety recall list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 60,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 2009 Chevrolet HHR?
Owners report a typical cost of $920 (half paid between $560 and $1,150), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2009 Chevrolet HHR?
The most frequent phrase is “power steering motor”, in 13 of 127 complaints, followed by “chevy cobalt” (8).
Other 2009 Chevrolet HHR problems
See all 2009 Chevrolet HHR problems or steering problems across all HHR years.