2011 Chevrolet HHR Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2011 HHR report two dominant themes: gasoline leaks from corroded fuel lines near the rear wheels, which show up mostly on higher-mileage vehicles, and intermittent stability-control events where the car cuts power and the dashboard lights up. Body hardware is the other frequent gripe, with interior door handles snapping off and doors that will not stay latched, while airbag warning lights and sudden loss of power steering assist appear in a smaller but consistent set of complaints.

1. 1
   Fuel system

   Fuel line rust and leaks near rear wheel

   • 44 complaints (22%)
   • median 104,482 mi at 10.0 yrs old (16 state mileage)
   • filed 2018–2026

   Complaints describe a strong gasoline smell inside or around the vehicle, followed by a visible puddle forming under the rear driver or passenger side near the rear tire, and in some cases fuel spraying onto the underside. Owners who inspected or had the car inspected report the steel fuel line corroded through, often at a bracket or near a heat shield, and say the line had to be replaced; one complaint reports a leaking fuel tank. According to the complaints, dealers diagnosed corroded lines needing replacement, and several owners say they were told their VIN was not covered by a recall. Almost all of these complaints are filed above 70,000 miles, many past 100,000, and several note the smell was first noticed after fueling or when parking.

   What to check: Have the fuel lines along the driver and passenger side rear wheel area inspected for rust and wet spots before buying, especially on a car from a road-salt region. A gasoline smell after parking or around the rear tires is worth taking seriously.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Intense gas smell and slight ignition delay. No gas smell until after it is running.. I understand I should not even drive vehicle to repair shop because of a fire danger. Many more complaints exactly like mind. This is a huge safety risk because of firze. I question why there was never a recall. We certainly don't have a year to wait for an investigation.”

   NHTSA complaint #11331290, filed 2020-06, 105,404 miles

   “My fuel line just in front of the drivers side rear tire has started leaking really bad. There is a strong smell of gasoline plus visible gasoline leaking on the ground. Very dangerous. After a search, it appears that this problem is being investigated by NHTSA and GM. Add my 2011 HHR to the list of fuel lines that has started leaking.”

   NHTSA complaint #11353475, filed 2020-09, 101,000 miles
2. 2
   Body and structure

   Interior door handles break, doors won't latch

   • 42 complaints (21%)
   • median 44,500 mi at 4.4 yrs old (37 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2011–2025

   Owners report inside door handles snapping off in the hand during ordinary use, leaving occupants to open the window and reach the outside handle; the rear handles are also described as failing to open the door from inside. A separate group of complaints describes doors that unlatch on their own while pulling out of a driveway or parking lot, or a door that will no longer stay shut because the latch will not catch. Complaints say dealers replaced a handle under warranty in one case, told another owner the problem was not covered, and in others offered no repair. Reported across a wide range, with many cases between roughly 20,000 and 45,000 miles and others past 70,000.

   What to check: Open and close every door from both inside and outside, pull each interior handle firmly, and check that each door latches solidly and stays shut when you tug it. Rear doors are worth extra attention, since owners report handles that stop working from inside.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While exiting the parking lot, pulling onto the street, my driver side door swung open and I nearly fell out of the car had it not been for my seat belt.the\at was 3 months ago. It happened again today while I was driving and pulling out of a store parking lot onto the main road, my door flew open on me again, it scared the living daylights out of me.”

   NHTSA complaint #10680245, filed 2015-01, 29,053 miles

   “I am filing this complaint, as a safty concern / hazard notice, associated with my 2011 Chevrolet HHR. Please be advised that this vehicle was purchased new by me, and has never been involved in any traffic accidents. This complaint concerns the mechanical failure of the vehicles passenger side, front door latch. This is the second door latch failure ( different door ) which has occurred on the same vehicle, and happened on march 31, 2017, during a stop at a shopping center. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10971234, filed 2017-04, 41,050 miles
3. 3
   Electronic stability control

   Stability control cuts power, engine reduced power

   • 28 complaints (14%)
   • median 59,000 mi at 4.0 yrs old (25 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2012–2019

   Owners describe the service ESC, ESC off and service traction messages lighting up, often together with a flashing stability-control icon, while the car jerks, loses speed and stops responding to the accelerator; some also see an engine power reduced message and a shaking engine. Complaints frequently note that shutting the car off and restarting restores normal operation, sometimes only for a few miles. Several owners report that dealers could not duplicate the problem or found no stored codes, while others were told a wheel hub, sensor or throttle-related part needed replacement. Reported from roughly 12,000 miles to beyond 120,000, with many cases between about 40,000 and 90,000 miles, and often occurring at steady highway or cruise speeds.

   What to check: Ask whether the ESC, traction and check-engine lights have ever come on, and have any stored codes read rather than relying on a test drive alone. Confirm the battery and charging system are healthy, since intermittent electrical behavior is a common part of these reports.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “It happens when the car is idling at a stop light or wherever it also happens when I'm driving. It gets a surge of power and starts running ruff. The car shakes all the lights on the dash come on, service ESC, service traction, ESC off, eng power reduced. At this point there is no power. I find a safe place to pull over and shut the engine off, wait a few minutes and restart the engine then it's fine again except the engine symbol stays on. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11078472, filed 2018-03, 74,011 miles

   “While driving at a speed of 45 miles per hour , all of a sudden in the dic a ESC active started flashing and my car start losing speed and it felt like the traction kicked in. I immediately looked down to make sure it had not jumped out of gear. It was in the correct gear. The ESC active went away after about 45 seconds, and about a mile down the road it did the same thing again and I had to put on mu emergency flashers and pull off the road. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10790442, filed 2015-11, 87,570 miles
4. 4
   Air bags

   Airbag warning light on, no deployment in crash

   • 27 complaints (13%)
   • median 50,500 mi at 3.5 yrs old (20 state mileage)
   • 8 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2011–2019

   Complaints describe the service airbag or check airbag light staying illuminated, sometimes after a sensor replacement, with one owner told by a dealer that both front airbags needed replacement. Two owners report the airbags did not deploy in collisions, one a rear impact and one a multi-car crash on ice, and both describe injuries. Several owners say they were told their vehicle was not included in the airbag-related campaign, and others report no diagnosis or repair. Reported mostly between about 45,000 and 105,000 miles, in some cases shortly after purchase and in others without any prior warning light.

   Recall 14V047000

   What to check: Turn the key to the run position and confirm the airbag light comes on and then goes out; a light that stays lit is worth diagnosing before purchase. Ask whether the ignition-switch campaign described by the agency as affecting airbag system operation was completed for this VIN.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was involved in a multiple car accident where a driver hit myself and several other drivers in icy conditions. The airbags in my car did not deploy, leaving me with multiple bruises and soreness even weeks after the accident. I also sustained a neck strain during the accident, and injured my knee.”

   NHTSA complaint #10566602, filed 2014-03, 50,000 miles

   “I've been having problems with my right front end since I bought the car. When I cut the wheel hard to the right, it makes a loud thumping noise like something is going to pop off. It makes the most noise in a slow or parking movement. Then I take it in and they pump up the tires with air, and say there's nothing wrong with it. Then the air low light for the tires comes on. You fill it up, and then another one comes on. Then check the air bag pops on. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10578633, filed 2014-04, 45,000 miles
5. 5
   Steering

   Power steering assist cuts out while driving

   Mentioned in 6 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners report the steering wheel suddenly becoming very hard to turn, with a warning indicator on the dash, sometimes at low speed and in one case at around 30 mph after which the car went over a curb. One dealer diagnosis in the complaints was a blown fuse and a power steering assist motor that needed replacement. Other complaints describe ongoing steering wheel shake, pulling to one side, and repeated tire and brake work without a lasting fix. Most of these complaints fall between about 20,000 and 60,000 miles.

   What to check: During a test drive, turn the wheel at parking speeds and listen for noises, and ask whether the power steering assist motor or its fuse has ever been replaced. A steering warning light or heavy steering effort at low speed is a reason to have the car inspected before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The radio has been going out when I turn the steering wheel. It wouldn't do it when I took it in but then we had the recall of the ignition switch. That was repaired and it's gotten worse. This morning it popped and size LED in the dash and thru the radio even after turning the radio and car off. It did start back up but every time I hit a bump the radio may go out. I called chev and they can't get me in until 11/17. This is my only vehicle. Something is wrong with these HHR electric systems. Somebody needs to find the problem and fix it.”

   NHTSA complaint #10652458, filed 2014-11, 55,000 miles

   “The ECM came on with no warning causing the vehicle to veer off the road to the right and skidding this happened three times in the past year which is scary at best also there is a smell of exhaust and fuel in the cabin.”

   NHTSA complaint #10605990, filed 2014-06, 44,000 miles

Buying note. A 2011 HHR can be a reasonable cheap runabout, but the fuel-line corrosion reports and the intermittent stability-control behavior are the two things to screen for first. Have the rear fuel lines inspected for rust and check that no warning lights are stored, and budget for door hardware repairs on cars whose handles feel loose.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.