Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2006 Chevrolet HHR owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Rear Section of the rear fuel line started to rott out and started leaking. The sction is where there is insulation on the line, adjacent to the Left rear tire. The rest of the line is good with no corrosion or rust. When the car is running and stopped a puddle forms under the car that is gasoline. I noticed it about a week ago , I smelled gas and thought the engine was the source, but later determined it was the fuel line as I could see the leak. It is by the rear plastic fuel line holder / support. The vehicle is always parked on a concrete driveway or paved street. Never on grass or dirt.
Fuel line rotting. Dripping gas towards rear of car. When I did my research this is very common with the Chevy cars. Like the HHR cavaliers and cobalts. Using a cheap metal then wrapping it in a heat shield that cause moisture to stay trapped causing the lines to rot.
On 11-01-2015, while driving the car, a fuel line began to spray gasoline. The leak appeared toward the rear tire on the driver's side. The leak was noticed because the fuel caught fire. The fuel must have been sprayed onto a hot part. The on-fire fuel landed on the pavement where it continued to burn until manually extinguished with a fire extinguisher. Turning off the engine stopped the spraying, but fuel continued to drip from the area for some time. The repairing mechanic told me that the line was rusted and had a hole. He said that part of the line sits in a pocket where it stays wet and dirt/salt accumulate. He found a fuel vapor line also was heavily rusted. The lines were replaced at a cost of 588.31. I'm reporting this now because of the recent announcement of an investigation of some model years for this problem. My year was not on the list, but the lines rusted. …
We noticed a gasoline smell when you shut the engine down, but since we were having a very frigid winter we just though it was from the temperatures. As it got warmer weather the odor was getting worse.we seen gas dripping from around the gas tank. Our son took it today to see what was making it do this and found that the upper gas line is rusted and has several pin holes in that is making it leak. After doing a search on this I seen that this is a common problem with this vehicle. We have already had the ignition recall, power steering recall and 2 more that I can't remember what they were. Another problem we've had is the clear coat paint that GM wouldn't even listen about. The issue is that my husband and I are both in poor health and have to have the car to get to dr. Appointments but we live on fixed income. …
Raw gas leading under the rear of the car in front of left rear wheel. Took it to a mechanic. He immediately took pictures and said although the car was older (just turned 10 with 93,000 miles), it was far too young for such severe rusting. The rust goes all the way back to the gas tank. He gave me the pictures and said to contact GM. Which I did. After a week of bantering back and forth with customer care, my case was sent to the executive office customer care following an email I sent to mary barra, ceo of GM. They offered a %15 discount on the $1000 estimate of repair. I refused that offer. The dealership will not let me drive the car off their lot because of the severe leak. I recently found that all the area dealerships carry a full supply of the expensive fuel lines for the HHR.. I'm told that they when they carry so many, it means that there is a high demand for replacement. …
Fuel lines are rusting to the point of needing replacing and the EVAP line is leaking fumes at the moment. I was told by best Chevy dealership in hingham, that the cause of this rusting is because fuel lines are so close to exhaust system a leak in the exhaust has accelerated rate of rusting for the fuel lines and EVAP lines. The dealership quote for replacing just the lines (not exhaust repair) at $1,600. Car has around 150K miles but was told the amount of rust is beyond what it should be for a car at this age/stage. I don't know if Chevy can make a better heat shield to keep fuel lines from deteriorating from heat from exhaust system or what can be done ... But I have read that many, many other people with same car have the same issue about rusted fuel lines. …
Both the fuel line (tank to engine compartment) and the return line (part of the EGR system) have rusted and are leaking fuel. The rust on both lines extends from just in front of the rear wheel (on the driver's side) to within about 6 inches of the fuel tank. The lines leak when pressurized, I.e., when fuel is pushed through them by the vehicle's electric fuel pump, and they seep gasoline after the vehicle is shut off. The smell of gasoline permeates the passenger compartment when stopped, and the engine is running, as at a traffic signal. The vehicle leaves a thin puddle of fuel, about 6" in diameter, beneath the car when parked. The leak is quite near the exhaust system, as well. The vehicle has approximately 152,800 miles. I am the original owner, having purchased it from robinson Chevrolet, in wheeling, wv on July 1, 2007. …
The Chevy HHR was built with steel fuel lines running from the fuel pump outside the fuel tank across the front of the tank to the drivers side of the vehicle where they turn and run just above the exhaust pipe. To prevent heat buildup the fuel lines are wrapped with an insulating tape of some sort. This tape loosens over time and allows water to accumulate within the wrapping of the fuel lines. This causes the fuel lines to rust to the point of failure wherein the fuel then leaks out very near or onto the exhaust pipe. This is a fire hazard and could result in the injury or death of any occupants of the vehicle in the event of a fire or explosion of the fuel tank. Although this is a problem with the design of the HHR, Chevrolet has yet to do anything about it. …
My car was taking longer to start and I noticed a strong fuel smell while driving. I stopped the car and discovered a small but rapidly expanding spot of fuel on the ground in front of the driver side rear wheel well. There was a near constant dripping of gasoline and by the next day there was a spot the size of a dinner plate on the driveway stained with gasoline. My mechanic examined the car and said that the fuel line had rusted through and that the vapor line also showed signs of serious rust. He also said that due to the design of the guard around the fuel line, rainwater would pool and keep the fuel line submerged which greatly accelerated the rusting process. Due to the amount of fuel leaking this could have very easily have turned into a fire, particularly on the fourth of July with so many people shooting fireworks. …
While on vacation, the car had not been started in 2 weeks. The weather had turned from warm and rainy to very cold. After getting back and starting the car, noticed a heavy fuel smell and thought the exhaust was burning extra rich due to the cold temperature. Getting out of the car to walk around to inspect the exhaust noticed a steady drip forming a circle on the asphalt just in front of the rear passenger tire on the driver's side. The location of the leak seems to be where the fuel line bends up and into the body channel. The car was taken to a dealer repair shop the next morning where it has been waiting on parts to replace the rusted steel fuel lines because the car is not safe to drive. Was advised the heat shield to protect the fuel line from the nearby exhaust system retains moisture and leads to the lines rusting and perforating. …
Fuel System complaints in other HHR years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2006 Chevrolet HHR?
NHTSA has 51 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2006 Chevrolet HHR, 5% of the model year's 1,006 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2006 Chevrolet HHR fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system recall for the 2006 Chevrolet HHR, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2006 Chevrolet HHR fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 129,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 2 fires and 1 injury to fuel & propulsion system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.