Acceleration complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I purchase Chevy HHR in good conditions until I got on the freeway. As I was immerging in to the freeway the accelorator got stuck on 6rpm and was speeding 60mph I tried to slow down and the brakes didnt go down at all. It was all locked up my kids and I freak out with the speed that the car was picking up and how the breaks werent working I decided to use the emergency handdle and some side bushes to slow down the car and nothing worked! I checked to see if the cruise control was on and nothing then I checked to see if it was on drive it was the I pushed hard on the breaks but never once it went down at all it was so hard I force my foot so much and the break handdle emerged off the freeway and immediately hit something more solid to stop the car. It was then we headed to a building but I hit a palm tree. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet HHR. While driving approximately 50 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal noise and the service traction and service ESC warning lights flashed randomly. The vehicle suddenly reduced speed and hesitated as if it would stall. The accelerator pedal did not respond each time the failure recurred and the vehicle jerked violently and reduced speed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer more than once and they were not able to replicate and diagnose the failure. The dealer test drove the vehicle and found no failures. Upon turning off and restarting the vehicle, the computer reset and the warning lights dimmed, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified and provided no remedy. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.
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. …
The gas pedal would stick and the car would not decelerate when removing pressure from it. This happened a couple of times on separate days but would unstick and decelerate fairly quickly. Then today the gas pedal not only became stuck but it accelerated and I had to hit the brakes to get it to stop accelerating.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet HHR. While driving 60 MPH with the cruise control activated, the contact depressed the accelerator pedal, but the vehicle failed to accelerate and remained in first gear. In addition, the air bag, traction control, and check engine indicators illuminated. The vehicle was serviced per manufacturer recall number: 08016. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer where it was diagnosed that there was an air bag failure. The vehicle was repaired, but the contact stated that the vehicle experienced the same symptoms. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 191,000.
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
vehicle ecm keeps reporting an error code p2138 that refers to a correlation issue between sensors on the throttle/pedal system, causing the vehicle to enter into reduced power and eventually disables engine. Problem persists even after replacing pedal component. Apparently water enters the compartment where the part is located and corrodes wiring between the ecm and the pedal system. GM is apparently aware but so far has done nothing. Problem is especially hazardous because engine power is reduced during acceleration and happens without warning. Vehicle could be in high density traffic and then suddenly experiences lack of power or total disability, and driver must try to navigate to the side of the road--not always possible or safe to do.
Vehicle in mention, Chevy HHR 2008, sudden acceleration going down freeway reaching 80 MPH. RPM's went up to 6 and stayed for over 7 minutes. The vehicle almost hit another vehicle in front of me due to no where for me to turn. I slowed the vehicle down by engaging neutral and continue breaking. The breaks were pushed to the floor. My right foot was immediately taken off when sudden acceleration occurred. I did not have many options on a two lane northbound freeway 101 in northern california. I could turn to the right and go down an embankment or turn left and hit median and another vehicle or keep going forward and Ram the vehicle in front. The car was still accelerating in park when I finally stopped. The engine was still revved up and RPM's at 6 still. I did turn car off and started again and car was still revved up, very loud engine noise. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Chevrolet HHR years have acceleration problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2008 (12), 2007 (10), 2009 (10), 2006 (9) and 2010 (6) model years. Acceleration complaints make up 2% of all complaints for the 2008.
Is there a recall for Chevrolet HHR acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for any Chevrolet HHR model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Chevrolet HHR acceleration problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 95,000 miles; 27% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the cruise control (5 mentions), followed by the accelerator pedal (1).
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.