Engine Shut Off Without Warning Problems of Chevrolet HHR

Started smelling smoke and the whole vehicle shut down with the being stuck on ignition. Couldn't open the doors and smoke was billowing out and fire start coming out of lower middle console. Luckily was able to open door and exit vehicle. Fire then erupted and quickly traveled straight down the center console to the rear of the car. Within minutes the car was totally engulfed in flames and was completely burned to nothing. Suffered several burns and smoke inhalation and the car and every thing in it was destroyed.

See all problems of the 2009 Chevrolet HHR 🔎.

In a parking garage on the 4th floor. Backing out of space. While backing up, I hear a loud boom. Nothing behind me. Thought perhaps a tire failure. Put vehicle in drive to pull forward out of traffic lane, and the engine accelerated uncontrollably. Brakes wouldn't respond. By the grace of g-d or reflexes, I turned the wheel to the right to avoid flying through the guardrail and off the 4th story of the parking garage. Vehicle came to a halt when it smashed into a concrete support pillar. Both air bags detonated, passenger-side air bag apparently broke the windshield on that side. Engine shut off. Lights in passenger compartment turned on, hazards started flashing on/off (couldn't turn them off). Waited for tow truck for 5 hours. Tow drivers had to jump battery - couldn't get front hood open, back door electronic lock non-functional due to dead battery. Tow driver climbed inside car, removed inside decking to access battery. Tow driver jumped battery, attempted start. First two or three times, it wouldn't start, eventually on the 4th or 5th time it started but the engine was racing again. Tow driver put car in reverse and it flew backward (I thought it was going to go off the deck of the garage backwards. . . ). He stopped the vehicle, turned the wheel and headed forward - it shot down the ramp until they got it out of the garage and on the truck (I was outside the vehicle watching from a safe distance while he did this). Vehicle totaled. Not sure what the problem is/was, but I'm lucky to be alive. Have heard of issues involving stuck idle solenoids, drive train problems, etc.

See all problems of the 2010 Chevrolet HHR 🔎.

While I was driving down the road I got a message saying "engine power reduced" and then "engine disabled" and my car shut off. I tried starting it a few times and it wouldn't even turn over. After a few minutes it started back up.

See all problems of the 2006 Chevrolet HHR 🔎.

While driving vehicle the engine shut off while traveling down 3 lanes of traffic. ( del prado east ) was able to roll down window hit flashers and warn other drivers of stalled engine, steering wheel and brakes still worked; battery power still intact was able to coast into a left hand turning lane with rear end still out blocking traffic horns blaring !. Tried to start engine 3 x's it still had battery power so was able to put car in park and step on brake to start as is required. After 3rd try the engine came to life. I crossed over 3 lanes of on coming traffic and it shut off again was able to get it started again after several tries, pulled into cape coral hos parking lot. And took back road to my home, vehicle shut off again same process , after 4 tries it started and was able to get home, time was 5:43 pm called roger dean chev. Service dept closed. 3 times this happened. Took to service dept on Monday 08/25/14 . Diag internal failure dtc code po601 ecm, part replaced 1 gty/ 1259917 / module 3. 670 part $ 670. 00 labor $ 249. 88 . Told this is just a failure but not a worry enough to be a recall, and like any computer it can crash ie no big deal ! a home computer doesn't crash in traffic like a car does. I beg to differ if I had not been an experienced driver I'm not too sure how the outcome would of been, and grateful that my 18 year old grandchild wasn't behind the wheel, the out come could of been tragic ! was told by service dept I could get a new car if I was worried about driving it. What the -------- that doesn't change the fact the internal failure happened.

My vehicle is on gms recall list because of an ignition problem. I was driving down a small hill on Friday may 2, 2014, when my car shut off. I had nothing on my ignition key ring when this happened and had just my key in the ignition when this happened. I called gm and let them know what had happened they offered to give me a rental car that they will pay for until my car is fixed . My concern is that these cars should not be on the road because they are a safety hazard to not only the person driving these cars but also to the people on the road with them, I know gm is doing all that it can to fix the problem and wonder why they are being allowed to be driven on the roads when they are unsafe. I do not feel comfortable driving my car because of the risk it poses not only to me but to others on the road and will be getting a rental . Oh and by the way when my car shut off, it was all I could do to steer it around the corner because off course my power steering was gone making it difficult to steer.

While driving on a wet road at 30 to 35 miles per hour. The car shuts off when I topped a small hill and I lost all power. No place to pull off the road. I placed the car in park and turn the key to off and restarted. The engine light came on and the message displayed was engine power reduction. I drove 20 to 25 miles per hour to my destination the car would only go 30 miles per hour and the car shifted roughly and jumped. A nice guy there, turned the key to the on position 3 times before the engine light would go off. Called dealership and they said bring it in, I already had the recall letter and ask him if it could be related to the recall (as I am on a fixed income) he said no and it would cost 150. 00 I have not had any other episodes and I hope I don't it was very scary. Glad I was going slow and not a busy road. I had previously removed the key fob and was only using my ignition key as per the recall letter instruction. Waiting for the next letter for the recall and hope the fix prevents it from happening again.

See all problems of the 2007 Chevrolet HHR 🔎.

Engine shut off first time resulting in minor contact with garage door while pulling into driveway. Shut down 2 more times at low speeds and a 4th time at 50mph in a cement barriered construction zone on a bridge, no road shoulder, due to speed at shut down was able to coast through construction to roadside. Ignition control module was replaced after incident, however shutdowns continued after. Drove car with single key only since ignition control module was replaced, however my vehicle stills shuts down! it has been included in the recall but it still is not safe and I don't believe will be safe after recall repair! I don't want to wait until I kill someone to have the gov, gm, or anyone care, that the cars that are actually shutting down need to be taken off the road and replaced! please someone help the car owners like me! help us feel safe again and not as though we are playing russian roulette every time we drive our cars! I am begging someone at this agency to please make them replace our known defective and unsafe cars! my car continues to shutdown after removal of all things on the key! help! I have 2 small kids and have to keep them safe!.

Driving on I-25 on the west side of eisenhower pass & the engine shut off leaving me with no power steering or breaks. I was able to thread my vehicle through semis & spring break ski traffic to the side of the road to a runaway semi lane. The car restarted after I stopped shaking & was able to make it home to basalt. 2 months later the same thing happened on CO hwy 82 on a straight away between carbondale & glenwood springs. I was able to safely maneuver the car to the side of the road. Both times I checked the internet for recall information finding nothing. The recent media attention alerted me to the current recall & have called my dealership & made an appointment for the ignition switch to be replaced.

See all problems of the 2011 Chevrolet HHR 🔎.

The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Hhr. The contact stated that the battery died without warning. The battery was replaced, but the vehicle could not be started. The engine shut down warning light was also illuminated. The contact spoke with the manufacturer in regards to the failure and the manufacturer advised that the engine would need to be reset. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 55,000.

2006 Hhr - 50,164 miles - engine and dash shut off while driving with normal highway/weather conditions and speeds of 65+ mph after hitting bumps/transition points of pavement in the road. These bumps are pavement that sometimes buckle in the summer. The car would still have steering and brakes, but no dash lights or turn signals. No dummy lights illuminated, no warnings came on. The hazards worked fine and the radio was still on. The car would restart on the shoulder of the tollway but he first incident caused the transmission to shift hard and almost shut the car off when coming to a stop. The car was driven to its destination and shut off. Upon the next restart which was approximately an hour later, the car shifted fine. The local chevy dealer took the Hhr in and performed many diagnostic tests and checked numerous electrical connectors and all was fine. The very next week, during a pouring rain, the car again shut off after going over a bump on the tollway. Again, no dash lights came on, the dash shut completely off, the engine shut off, and the wipers stopped, all while traveling at highway speeds in a thunderstorm. The car was again pulled safely to the side of the road and restarted. A mile or two down the road, the same thing happened again. The car was again pulled to the side of the road in rush hour traffic and during a thunderstorm! the car was once again restarted and able to get off the tollway. Calls were placed to two different Chevrolet dealers in the area - one had no power because of the storm, and the others service department had just closed. The rest of the drive home was done on secondary roads at slower speeds and plenty of shoulders to pull off onto. This car is driven daily 60+ miles on the illinois tollway.