Most common 2010 Chevrolet HHR problems
Share of the 515 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet HHR complaints by model year
Best HHR years: 2011, 2009. Years to avoid: 2006. Compare all years →
2010 Chevrolet HHR recalls (3)
Electrical system › Ignition
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.
Remedy: 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…
Steering › Electric power assist system
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.
Remedy: 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.
Air bags
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.
Remedy: 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.
What 2010 Chevrolet HHR owners say
Steering all 231 →
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated while reversing into her friend's driveway, the steering wheel lost power steering inadvertently. The power steering warning light illuminated. The contact forcefully steered the steering wheel and pulled to the side of the curb in front of her friend's residence. The contact stated that as she turned off and restarted the vehicle, the steering wheel regained power steering; however, the failure reoccurred while driving and making turns. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that no issues were found; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the same independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the power steering sensors had failed. The independent mechanic informed the contact that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V153000. …
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The power steering warning light was illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, the vehicle temporarily returned to normal functionality however, the failure reoccurred. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V153000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
Electrical system all 119 →
Noticed that the cruise control would disengage randomly when activated. I checked the function of the brake lights at night and found that the brake lights would turn themselves on randomly with zero brake input, disengaging the cruise control. In this state, depressing the brake pedal more than around 30-40% would turn the brake lights off, even with the brake pedal fully pressed. Furthermore, with the brake pedal pressed to a moderate level, the cruise control is able to be engaged, even with obvious brake pressure being applied. This defeats the cruise control disengagement feature and the cruise control system will fight against the braking system to maintain speed instead of turning itself off as it seems to rely solely on the brake lights for the automatic disengagement. …
This a recalled 2010 Chevrolet HHR. We had the ignition switch recalled, power steering system recalled, and right after the ignition switch was installed, the keys stop working and we had to get towed. Now, the airbag light came on. And when we went to re-start the car, nothing. The power went totally out, and the key is still stuck in the ignition switch. About a few weeks ago, we got another recall notice from GM that the transmission shifter May not properly transmit an electrical signal properly that will cause the key to stay in a lock position. We are now stranded. And we have to once again get the car towed to the dealer and pay for a rental. And there are still so many recalled cars at the dealer that they are so behind. All of this is going on while GM is showing off their new cars at the detroit auto show. Cars that will probably soon be on another recall list. …
Fuel & propulsion system all 52 →
Fuel line leaking right in front of rear driver side tire. Puddles up. Steady leak. And strong odor of gasoline in and outside of the car. Gets me woozy at times. It also gets on my tires and affects steering if I was parked on pavement for a while it puddles back to my rear tire. And makes me worry about a fire. Right in the back seat where a car seat would be. Because I was driving through my yard a while back and my family was burning some limbs and stuff. All at once I get flagged down where it has caught fire to my car. Luckily I put it out before it did any permanent damage. But it is not safe for sure.
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated that the underbody and rear wheel well were rusted and corroded adjacent to the exhaust pipe. The contact noticed that fuel was leaking. Eventually, the contact detected an abnormal odor of fuel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed the nickel installation shield on the fuel lines had several holes. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified however no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 129,000.
2010 Chevrolet HHR engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 22 / 32 / 26 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 22 / 30 / 25 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 22 / 30 / 25 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 22 / 30 / 25 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 29 / 24 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 29 / 23 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2010 Chevrolet HHR a good car?
Based on 515 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2010 HHR rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the HHR at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2010 Chevrolet HHR?
The steering — 231 complaints, 45% of all complaints for this model year, most often about electric power assist system. Next are the electrical system (119) and fuel & propulsion system (52).
How many recalls does the 2010 Chevrolet HHR have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2010 Chevrolet HHR, the most recent from April 10, 2014 (ignition). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet HHR?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2011 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2006. See the full Chevrolet HHR years comparison.
At what mileage do 2010 Chevrolet HHR problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 62,000 miles; 31% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.