Chevrolet HHR 2006–2011
Single generation · GM Delta (GMT001)
NHTSA data through 13 August 20264,750 complaints, 3,794 with mileageMethod
- Reports with mileage
- 3,794
- Median of reported failures
- 67,000 mi
- Most-reported system
- Steering (33.5%)
- Recalls
- 3
Before-you-buy checklist ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 42,000 and 100,000 miles.
Figure 1 · Chevrolet HHR 2006–2011 · 3,794 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 5,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 206 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 46 complaints (1.2%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 18,000
- 25%
- 42,000
- Median
- 67,072
- 75%
- 100,000
- 90%
- 139,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 151 | 4.0% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 76 | 2.0% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 95 | 2.5% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 81 | 2.1% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 83 | 2.2% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 81 | 2.1% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 130 | 3.4% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 172 | 4.5% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 165 | 4.3% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 169 | 4.5% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 206 | 5.4% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 175 | 4.6% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 195 | 5.1% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 178 | 4.7% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 172 | 4.5% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 135 | 3.6% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 167 | 4.4% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 154 | 4.1% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 131 | 3.5% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 101 | 2.7% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 110 | 2.9% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 77 | 2.0% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 84 | 2.2% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 70 | 1.8% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 78 | 2.1% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 61 | 1.6% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 72 | 1.9% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 53 | 1.4% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 59 | 1.6% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 32 | 0.8% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 55 | 1.4% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 20 | 0.5% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 35 | 0.9% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 20 | 0.5% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 22 | 0.6% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 19 | 0.5% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 21 | 0.6% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 19 | 0.5% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 15 | 0.4% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 9 | 0.2% |
| 200,000+ | 46 | 1.2% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 4,750 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006–2011 Chevrolet HHR, and 3,794 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 42,000 and 100,000 miles. The median is 67,072 miles.
The most-reported areas are the steering (33.5% of complaints, typically around 73,000 miles), the electrical system (16.0% of complaints, typically around 60,000 miles), the airbag system (7.0% of complaints, typically around 55,000 miles).
3 recall campaigns cover this generation.
If you arrived asking “is it reliable?” — this page answers the version of that question the data can support: which problems owners reported, and at what mileage.
How many miles does a 2006–2011 Chevrolet HHR last?
Half of the failure reports on the 2006–2011 Chevrolet HHR were filed by 67,000 miles and 90% by 139,000 miles — figures drawn from 3,794 NHTSA complaints that record an odometer reading, so they time reported failures, not the cars whose owners never filed one.
46 reports (1.2%) came in past 200,000 miles — each one proof a HHR reached that mileage, not that it died there.
Before you buy a 2006–2011 HHR: the 3-minute check
Generated from 3,794 mileage-tagged complaints, 3 recall campaigns, 4 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 3 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Ask for hydraulic brake circuit repair records. This area fails at a median of 12,000 miles — on any car this age it already happened or never will; the question is whether it was fixed under warranty.
- Check ignition switch on 2006–2011 cars. Ignition switch detent torque too low: weight on the key ring or a jarring road event can move the switch out of 'Run', shutting off the engine and with it power steering assist, power brake assist and airbag…
- Check electric power steering on 2009–2010 cars. Loss of electric power steering assist from failure of the steering column assist motor/torque sensor circuit; steering reverts to manual effort. GM recalled a subset of 2009-2010 HHR under its 2014 power-steering…
- Check timing chain (2.4l le5) on 2006–2011 (2.4L cars) cars. Plastic timing chain guides and the hydraulic tensioner degrade, producing cold-start rattle from the passenger side of the engine and chain slack. The Ecotec is an interference design, so a jumped or broken chain…
- Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 42,000 and 100,000 miles, with a median of 67,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the steering and the electrical system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The electrical system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 60,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
What fails, and when
Figure 2 · Chevrolet HHR 2006–2011
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Airbag system332 reports55,00035,000–90,000Airbag system: 332 reports, median 55,000 miles, middle half 35,000 to 90,000 miles.
- Latches and locks145 reports58,00040,000–78,000Latches and locks: 145 reports, median 58,000 miles, middle half 40,000 to 78,000 miles.
- Electrical system762 reports60,00039,000–100,000Electrical system: 762 reports, median 60,000 miles, middle half 39,000 to 100,000 miles.
- Body structure264 reports60,00039,000–88,000Body structure: 264 reports, median 60,000 miles, middle half 39,000 to 88,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline193 reports61,00039,000–92,000Transmission and driveline: 193 reports, median 61,000 miles, middle half 39,000 to 92,000 miles.
- Steering1,591 reports73,00052,000–100,000Steering: 1,591 reports, median 73,000 miles, middle half 52,000 to 100,000 miles.
- Fuel and propulsion system316 reports120,00090,000–150,000Fuel and propulsion system: 316 reports, median 120,000 miles, middle half 90,000 to 150,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 1,591 | 33.5% | 73,000 | 52,000–100,000 |
| Electrical system | 762 | 16.0% | 60,000 | 39,000–100,000 |
| Airbag system | 332 | 7.0% | 55,000 | 35,000–90,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 316 | 6.7% | 120,000 | 90,000–150,000 |
| Body structure | 264 | 5.6% | 60,000 | 39,000–88,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 193 | 4.1% | 61,000 | 39,000–92,000 |
| Latches and locks | 145 | 3.1% | 58,000 | 40,000–78,000 |
| Hydraulic brake circuit | 138 | 2.9% | 12,000 | 2,500–30,000 |
| Engine | 132 | 2.8% | 80,000 | 51,000–119,000 |
| Electronic stability control (esc) | 115 | 2.4% | 76,000 | 44,000–112,000 |
Where your car sits
Failure reports by the odometer reading they were filed at. Pick the anchor nearest your car — or type the exact mileage: your marker lands on this curve and on the timing chart above.
Figure 3 · Chevrolet HHR 2006–2011 · 3,794 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 42% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 68% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 83% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it below
The staircase tops out at 99%: the remaining 1.2% of reports (46) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
At 60,000 miles
42% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
In the reporting window
- Steering — middle half 52,000–100,000 mi
- Electrical system — middle half 39,000–100,000 mi
- Airbag system — middle half 35,000–90,000 mi
- Body structure — middle half 39,000–88,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — middle half 39,000–92,000 mi
- Latches and locks — middle half 40,000–78,000 mi
Mostly reported later
- Fuel and propulsion system — middle half 90,000–150,000 mi
At 90,000 miles
68% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Airbag system — median 55,000 mi
- Body structure — median 60,000 mi
- Latches and locks — median 58,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Steering — middle half 52,000–100,000 mi
- Electrical system — middle half 39,000–100,000 mi
- Fuel and propulsion system — middle half 90,000–150,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — middle half 39,000–92,000 mi
At 120,000 miles
83% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Steering — median 73,000 mi
- Electrical system — median 60,000 mi
- Airbag system — median 55,000 mi
- Body structure — median 60,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline — median 61,000 mi
- Latches and locks — median 58,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Fuel and propulsion system — middle half 90,000–150,000 mi
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 67,072 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The steering accounts for 33.5% of complaints (1,591 reports, 1,383 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 73,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 52,000 and 100,000 miles.
A single system taking 33.5% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The electrical system accounts for 16.0% of complaints (762 reports, 549 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 60,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 39,000 and 100,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 7.0% of complaints (332 reports, 223 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 55,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 35,000 and 90,000 miles.
The fuel and propulsion system accounts for 6.7% of complaints (316 reports, 187 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 120,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 90,000 and 150,000 miles.
Body structure accounts for 5.6% of complaints (264 reports, 221 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 60,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 39,000 and 88,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 4.1% of complaints (193 reports, 172 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 61,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 39,000 and 92,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2006 model year drew the most — 1,367 complaints — while 2011 drew the fewest at 288. The median year sits at 735.
The first year of the generation, 2006, sits above the median. That is a common pattern — early production of a redesigned vehicle tends to surface problems that later years do not repeat — and it is worth weighing when choosing between years.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 3 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 4,750 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 265 (5.6%)
- Fires
- 38
- Injury reports
- 164
- Fatality reports
- 5
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Documented problems
Ignition Switch 2006–2011
Ignition switch detent torque too low: weight on the key ring or a jarring road event can move the switch out of 'Run', shutting off the engine and with it power steering assist, power brake assist and airbag deployment. Covered by GM's 2014 ignition-switch recall campaign, initially for 2006-2007 cars and later expanded to the full 2006-2011 HHR range.
Electric Power Steering 2009–2010
Loss of electric power steering assist from failure of the steering column assist motor/torque sensor circuit; steering reverts to manual effort. GM recalled a subset of 2009-2010 HHR under its 2014 power-steering campaign (the same defect family as the Cobalt/G5/Ion EPS recalls).
Timing Chain (2.4l Le5) 2006–2011 (2.4L cars)
Plastic timing chain guides and the hydraulic tensioner degrade, producing cold-start rattle from the passenger side of the engine and chain slack. The Ecotec is an interference design, so a jumped or broken chain causes valve-to-piston contact.
Engine Oil Consumption (2.4l Le5) 2010–2011
Excessive oil consumption between changes on 2.4L Ecotec engines, attributed to piston ring/PCV system design; GM issued a technical service bulletin covering 2010-2013 2.4L vehicles.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 1,367 | 1,121 |
| 2007 | 943 | 755 |
| 2008 | 781 | 619 |
| 2009 | 689 | 550 |
| 2010 | 682 | 540 |
| 2011 | 288 | 209 |
Recalls (3) — is your car included?
Jul 2014 · 2009–2010 · SteeringIf power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds…
The defect. 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.
What can happen. 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.
The free 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 fr
Apr 2014 · 2006–2011 · Electrical SystemIf the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "off" position, the vehicle could…
The defect. 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.
What can happen. 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.
The free 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 Gener
Apr 2014 · 2006–2011 · Air BagsIf the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash…
The defect. 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 vehicle
What can happen. 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.
The free 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. GMÂ’s re
What owners reported
Transmission would not lock when put in park and could not get key out of ignition. Left car in garage overnight and next morning battery was dead. Had to jump start car and drove it to gm dealer. Service tech said shifter needed to be replaced and that he had seen this happen before. Tech said gm had redesigned the…
2006 · 45 miles · Transmission and driveline
I have a 2006 chevy HHR the first year i bought it i had a small animal run in front of the car, the car skid a long way and i ended up having to change the tire because it made a flat spot on the driver side tire. I have have been in accidents twice in the last 4 years due to having to stop abruptly on the highway…
2006 · 65 miles · Brakes
I have a 2006 chevy HHR lt with just 30k. Drove it off the lot with 3 miles and at 200 miles it had the rotors turned for the first of about 30 times. The steering wheel shudders when breaking or at speeds above 45 MPH so much so that at times the car is hard to control. The answer to this very dangerous problem…
2006 · 200 miles · Steering
Built from 3,794 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-18 · open data · reproduce this page