Single generation · GM Delta (GMT001) · 4,750 complaints, 3,794 with mileage
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.
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 1,591 | 33.5% | 73,000 | 52,000–100,000 |
| Electrical System | 762 | 16.0% | 60,000 | 39,000–100,000 |
| Air Bags | 332 | 7.0% | 55,000 | 35,000–90,000 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 316 | 6.7% | 119,500 | 90,000–150,000 |
| Structure | 264 | 5.6% | 60,000 | 39,000–88,000 |
| Power Train | 193 | 4.1% | 61,400 | 39,000–92,000 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 145 | 3.1% | 58,000 | 40,000–78,000 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 138 | 2.9% | 11,604 | 2,553–30,000 |
| Engine | 132 | 2.8% | 80,370 | 51,386–119,000 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 115 | 2.4% | 75,799 | 44,000–112,000 |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 1,367 | 1,121 |
| 2007 | 943 | 755 |
| 2008 | 781 | 619 |
| 2009 | 689 | 550 |
| 2010 | 682 | 540 |
| 2011 | 288 | 209 |
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 119,500 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 61,400 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 39,000 and 92,000 miles.
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.
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.
Of the 4,750 complaints filed against this generation, 265 reported a crash; 38 reported a fire; 217 reported an injury; 8 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 5.6% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
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 67,072. 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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 14V153000 | 2014-07-17 | Steering:Electric Power Assist System |
| 14V171000 | 2014-04-18 | Electrical System:Ignition |
| 14V047000 | 2014-04-18 | Air Bags |