2010 Chevrolet HHR Steering Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Nov 30, 2024 · 231 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 231 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2010 Chevrolet HHR, 45% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 63,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “steering motor” (12% of reports).

What owners describe

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

  • Steering motor: mentioned in 28 of 231 complaints (12%)
  • Wheel became: mentioned in 17 of 231 complaints (7%)
  • Off restarted: mentioned in 17 of 231 complaints (7%)
  • Hard turn: mentioned in 15 of 231 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 2010 Chevrolet HHR at $420, and half of them between $360 and $460.

Based on 5 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2012–2018), 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 198 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles0 · 0%
10k–25k miles7 · 4%
25k–50k miles42 · 21%
50k–75k miles80 · 40%
75k–100k miles38 · 19%
100k–150k miles17 · 9%
150k+ miles14 · 7%

How serious are the reports?

Of 231 complaints, 8 mention a crash, 1 an injury.

Chevrolet HHR steering complaints by model year

Peak: 2006, with 458 complaints
2006: 45820064582007: 42420074242008: 29720082972009: 12720091272010: 23120102312011: 25201125

n = 1,562 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model yearSteering complaintsShare of that yearMedian miles
2011 HHR2512%48,201
2010 HHR23145%63,000
2009 HHR12725%60,000
2008 HHR29748%80,000
2007 HHR42458%77,600
2006 HHR45846%78,000

When owners reported it

Peak: 2014, with 60 complaints
2011: 3201132012: 302012302013: 562013562014: 602014602015: 252015252016: 172016172017: 112017112018: 7201872019: 5201952020: 3202032021: 2202122022: 5202252023: 5202352024: 220242

n = 231 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (1)

Steering:electric power assist systemMar 31, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V153000 · 1,373,177 vehicles

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.

Although this vehicle is a 2010 HHR, it has less than 23000 miles on it, has been garaged kept and maintained impeccably. The warning light blinks at random and then the power steering fails. It does not matter the speed of the vehicle and happens at random. Once turned off and restarted, the power…

Received Oct 4, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11618144

The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The power steering warning light was illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, the vehicle temporarily returned to…

Received Oct 4, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11618141

The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the power steering message was displayed on the instrument panel and while her daughter was driving the vehicle. The contact's daughter restarted the vehicle; however, the failure returned while driving at a…

Received Aug 9, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11537345
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 steering problems?

No. NHTSA has 231 owner complaints about steering for the 2010 Chevrolet HHR (45% 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 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 63,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 2010 Chevrolet HHR?

Owners report a typical cost of $420 (half paid between $360 and $460), from 5 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.

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

The most frequent phrase is “steering motor”, in 28 of 231 complaints, followed by “wheel became” (17).

Other 2010 Chevrolet HHR problems

See all 2010 Chevrolet HHR problems or steering problems across all HHR years.