Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2010 Chevrolet HHR owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
While driving my 2010 Chevy HHR, I had just exited the highway and was entering the speedway fuel station, my steering just seemed to lockup on me and a dash alert flashed "service ESC" then I suddenly lost all power! In order to avoid any major tragedy like colliding with a gas pump or another vehicle, I was able to run it into the curb I felt like my arms were nearly ripped from the sockets. After having it towed to my home and the following day towed to a mechanic. Discovered that the experience was not exclusively mine, apparently some 444 others had as well. I checked for recall notices was told that the recalls were closed and repairs were done. I would like to know by whom, when and where exactly! It obviously was not done permanently nor satisfactorily as I'm very sore now, but could have been killed!
First my airbag system started coming on saying service airbags and the sensors are all new, second the service ESC comes on intermittently causing vehicle to shift extremely hard from 1st gear (automatic tranny) braking system was working fine and all of a sudden the brake pedal goes to the floor no brakes and the fluid is full and the system was working just fine after making GM aware of this their response to it all is the vehicle is out of warranty and there is nothing they can do but this was an issue from date of mfg and GM refuses to fix or correct the ongoing issues all of these things have happened on city streets and highways if NHTSA cant help with this issue then I have no where left to turn except either to a morgue or a scrap yard
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet HHR. While driving 20 MPH, the ESC warning indicator illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occurred when making a sharp turn or when traveling above 20 MPH. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The independent mechanic was unable to repair the vehicle due to not having the equipment to properly repair the vehicle. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to an authorized dealer to have the vehicle repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 206,000.
ESC is what it said on the dash. It sounded as if something had crawled and was keeping the vehicle from moving properly I looked up what the meaning of the message on the dash and it said traction control warning which I had no clue but when I pulled over walking around the car nothing seemed to be wrong the entire car was shaking it was a scary experience and the cars had to go around me. When I re-started the car the message went off and the car moved as if nothing happened.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet HHR. While driving 10 MPH, the brake pedal failed to respond and the electronic stability control warning indicator illuminated. As a result, the vehicle crashed into a trailer. The air bags failed to deploy. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the ignition cylinder needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 35,243.
While driving 25 miles an hour on dry flat pavement my ESC active light came on. I had a very hard time steering and the brakes were applying themselves. I was difficult to control. I was in rush hour traffic in the middle lane with no where to pull over. I am lucky I did not hit anyone. After 5 minutes or so it went off.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet HHR. While driving 40 MPH, the traction and ESC warning indicators illuminated. When the vehicle came to a complete stop, the brakes jolted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
ESC activation light comes on, car vibrates badly and hard to steer. Happens mainly on dry roads, at times going around a bend in the road. It is speratic, but last week happened almost everyday. Its been at the dealer 6 times to try to fix, but to no avail.
Please include repairing this issue in the recall of 2010 HHR vehicles. This is the most recent of multiple incidents where the electronic stability control (ESC) activates while traveling straight on dry pavement at speeds between 15 and 30 MPH. As a chime sounds, and a message is flashed on the display, the vehicle briefly loses steering and pulls to the right while brake is involuntarily activated. On this occasion, the servicer found the female connectors to the ABS speed sensor were not making proper contact. He crimped the new ones tightly when installing the replacement ends. The service advisor admitted that my car is not the only one with this issue, he had seen this problem repeatedly. After turning the car off and restarting, the car continues normally. Fortunately, this has not yet caused an accident. …
I have had two issues with this car and it has made me feel unsafe when driving it. The first involves the brakes. When braking after driving at 45mph or more, the steering wheel begins shaking. I was told the brake pads needed to be changed. I did and the problem still continued. Last month, the power steering light came on the dashboard. For a couple of days, it went away but soon the steering wheel became too hard to turn. Took it to mechanic who changed the power steering module as indicated by the diagnostics test. Once the change was done, the service ESC light came on and the car has been crazy ever since. I have yet to resolve the issue as nobody knows what is wrong with my car. It has been almost a month already. I am unhappy with this car and would not recommend to anybody. After looking it up, I see that many have this same issue. …
Traction Control complaints in other HHR years
Frequently asked questions
How common are traction control problems on the 2010 Chevrolet HHR?
NHTSA has 33 complaints about the stability & traction control of the 2010 Chevrolet HHR, 6% of the model year's 515 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2010 Chevrolet HHR traction control problems?
No. NHTSA lists no stability & traction control recall for the 2010 Chevrolet HHR, though it has 3 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 2010 Chevrolet HHR traction control problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 75,000 miles, and 10% 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.