Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Chevrolet HHR owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I have a 2009 HHR and I have been having a number of problems the ESC and the ABS warning lights come at low speeds around 5 to 15 MPH and the brakes make a growling noise I drive 80 miles a day back and forth to work in stop and go traffic on the interstate and the turnpike I am afraid I will rear end somebody or worse I don't want to let my wife drive the car because when it occurs she might not know on to react. When I turn the car off and it goes away for a while but comes back. And the service air bag light comes on from time to time when it is raining or heavy dew I had the recall performed on the air bags and it still is happening the passenger air bag display on the dash will come on when there is no one sitting in the passenger seat. …
Car when stopping began to run rough. After engine light came on. Went off day later. Had oil changed then the ABS track light and brake light came on. Messages: service tracking and ESC. Had diagnosed . No one so far has been able to figure out problem. Code co550 was read but no specific problem code shows up. There is no end to expense to correctly diagnose problem. GM has on line similar problems with malibu and equinox. But not 2009 HHR. They should be able to assist fixing this problem. If car no fixed will not pass inspection. It could cost upwards of 800 dollars before it can be figured out. GM shoud know the problem cause and help out. This car was made in Mexico. Could this be the problem?
For the last month my electrical system has been going haywire, all of a sudden all my gauges start fluctuating and all service indicator lights will come on and after the car is off for a while all warning lights will go off. This morning on my way to work my security lock and ESC warning lights came on and when I stop and start to go again the car feels like it is getting hit from behind. My two rear windows no longer work, front passenger door will not unlock automatically and driver door handle is broken. I have seen a lot of electrical issues on this site, yet there have been no recalls. What is going on??
My 2009 HHR has a problem with the shift gear sticking and not releasing to put it in drive or reverse also I bet problems where the car is revving up while driving and then jerks like someone is hitting it from behind I took it into bachman Chevrolet to have it fixed and they said it was fixed it is now doing the same problem again I'm afraid I'm going to be hit while driving when it starts jerking and hesitating and the engine is revving while in drive not sure what is going on while I'm driving.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet HHR. While driving 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled and the ESC warning indicator illuminated. The contact mentioned that the security lock warning indicator also illuminated. The contact had to make multiple attempts of turning the ignition key back and forth before the vehicle restarted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
Approx : March 2016 - - 48000 miles, my cruise control system stopped functioning completely ,when turned on. Indicator light still works, researching I've found a simple burnt out brake light bulb May be the cause for this defective unrelated failure. Either way I'm not seeing any error messages or warnings alerting me to what problems I might really have so that they can be addressed. If there isn't a recall yet , maybe an investigation is in order. Tia, l-t-g
2009 Chevy HHR had problems with stick gear stuck and will not move on position to dr or rev for several minutes. Car has been hesitating and racing to then jerks like I'm being hit. Happens everyone I press on the gas . I took it into bauchman Chevrolet to have serviced and was told it was fixed 2 weeks later it is doing it again. It almost caused a rear end due to hesitation. I need to get this fixed by dealership. Others have reported same issues .
The EPS (electronic power steering) goes out in my 2009 Chevrolet HHR every single day, usually after about 5 minutes of driving. It hasn't caused me to have a major accident yet, but it caused me to scrape against a guard rail. The EPS motor needs a recall immediately, as this is a well known issue with many HHR owners!!!
The ESC has gone out and the turn signals work, but now I have to turn them off manually. The ignition has been replaced twice. Once when it was new because the ignition would not turn off. The second time was a recall. The digital display which includes the radio, and information system turns on and off intermittently.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet HHR. When the traction control button was pushed, the vehicle only vibrated. The contact stated that the "service ESC" indicator remained illuminated. The failure was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 51,000.
Traction Control complaints in other HHR years
Frequently asked questions
How common are traction control problems on the 2009 Chevrolet HHR?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the stability & traction control of the 2009 Chevrolet HHR, 5% of the model year's 508 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2009 Chevrolet HHR traction control problems?
No. NHTSA lists no stability & traction control recall for the 2009 Chevrolet HHR, though it has 4 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 2009 Chevrolet HHR traction control problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 87,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to stability & traction control 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.