What breaks most · 2006 to 2011 model years
Chevrolet HHR problems by year
Owners have filed 3,161 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Chevrolet HHR across model years 2006 to 2011. Three years stand out: 2006 for steering complaints, 2007 for steering complaints and 2008 for steering complaints. The quietest years are 2009.
- Years to check closely: 2006, 2007, 2008
- Fewest complaints: 2009
- Complaints on file
- 31612006 to 2011, all trims
- Worst year
- 2006964 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 16520 fires · 132 injuries · 8 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 66kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 28Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 964 | 47 | 6 | Steering (437) | |
| 666 | 39 | 5 | Steering (398) | |
| 526 | 28 | 5 | Steering (283) | |
| 413 | 19 | 5 | Electrical system (140) | |
| 441 | 19 | 4 | Steering (211) | |
| 151 | 13 | 3 | Electrical system (36) |
What fails on the 2006 Chevrolet HHR
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 45% |
437 | 19 | Shop steering parts for the 2006 Chevrolet HHR |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 23% |
218 | 10 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2006 Chevrolet HHR |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 12% |
117 | 4 | Shop body and structure parts for the 2006 Chevrolet HHR |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 8% |
81 | 2 | Shop powertrain and transmission parts for the 2006 Chevrolet HHR |
| Latches and locksDoor latches and actuators | 7% |
68 | 0 | Shop latches and locks parts for the 2006 Chevrolet HHR |
| Air bags | 6% |
61 | 20 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 5% |
44 | 5 | Shop brakes (hydraulic) parts for the 2006 Chevrolet HHR |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 4% |
38 | 1 | Shop engine parts for the 2006 Chevrolet HHR |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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Electric power steering malfunctioning causing power steering to shut off while operating vehicle at highway speeds. Should be a recall for this. All models but hhr were recalled for this issue
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Power steering goes out. Warning light indicates power steering. Occurs while freeway or city driving and while stopped at a traffic light or stop sign. Occurs from 0 to 65 mph. To resolve issue you must turn off the engine wait a few seconds then turn it back on. Issue has been occurring for the last 3 to four months.
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Steering wheel does not respond immediately when turning at a slow speed. Within the past 8 months, the EPS signal came on while driving and went off within a few minutes.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Chevrolet HHR years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2006, 2007, 2008 carry the most filings on the Chevrolet HHR. The 2006 alone has 964 complaints, led by steering.
What is the most common Chevrolet HHR problem?
On the 2006 model year, the most-reported component is steering with 437 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Chevrolet HHR problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Chevrolet HHR complaints that include mileage is about 66,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.