2010 Chevrolet HHR Electrical System Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Nov 30, 2024 · 119 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 119 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2010 Chevrolet HHR, 23% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 50,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “ignition switch” (24% of reports).

What owners describe

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

  • Ignition switch: mentioned in 28 of 119 complaints (24%)
  • Turn off: mentioned in 27 of 119 complaints (23%)
  • Remove key: mentioned in 9 of 119 complaints (8%)
  • Fuel pump fuse: mentioned in 7 of 119 complaints (6%)

At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?

Based on 91 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles6 · 7%
10k–25k miles8 · 9%
25k–50k miles31 · 34%
50k–75k miles27 · 30%
75k–100k miles10 · 11%
100k–150k miles6 · 7%
150k+ miles3 · 3%

How serious are the reports?

Of 119 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 1 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 38 complaints
2010: 1201012011: 182011182012: 232012232013: 132013132014: 382014382015: 8201582016: 5201652017: 3201732018: 1201812019: 4201942020: 2202022023: 320233

n = 119 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.

Loss of power while driving 35mph and service traction light along with airbags light keeps showing at random times

Received Sep 22, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11545986

Noticed that the cruise control would disengage randomly when activated. I checked the function of the brake lights at night and found that the brake lights would turn themselves on randomly with zero brake input, disengaging the cruise control. In this state, depressing the brake pedal more than…

Received Jul 3, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11530229

Power steering goes out while driving

Received Jul 2, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11530003
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 2010 Chevrolet HHRs have electrical system problems?

No. NHTSA has 119 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2010 Chevrolet HHR (23% of the 515 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 2010 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 50,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2010 Chevrolet HHR?

The most frequent phrase is “ignition switch”, in 28 of 119 complaints, followed by “turn off” (27).

Other 2010 Chevrolet HHR problems

See all 2010 Chevrolet HHR problems or electrical system problems across all HHR years.