AI Damage2010 Chevrolet HHR: common problems
Owners of the 2010 Chevrolet HHR filed 516 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 516
- involving a crash
- 19
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 45% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 23% of all complaints
- 3 Air bags 9% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel/propulsion system 9% of all complaints
- 5 Structure 9% of all complaints
- 6 Electronic stability control 6% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 5% of all complaints
- 8 Powertrain 4% of all complaints
- Steering: 232 complaints (45% of all), 8 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 120 complaints (23% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 49 complaints (9% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 46 complaints (9% of all).
- Structure: 44 complaints (9% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 2.2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 2.4 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speednamed in 1 complaints
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 516 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 232 | 8 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 120 | 3 | 0 |
| Air bags | 49 | 6 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 46 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 44 | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 32 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 28 | 4 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 21 | 2 | 0 |
| Engine | 14 | 3 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 7 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The car has a recall about the power steering, . This was found out when a deer hit the car and it was in a shop, was not fixed by shop , need it looked at chevy said it was replaced a year or so ago then why is it acting up? Need it looked at asap daily driver.
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.
Also, the airbags did not deploy when the crash happened. I suffered a concussion due to the accident. I was the only person injured.
The airbags failed to deploy. The contact sustained unknown injuries and medical attention was required. A police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the diagnosis of the failure was unknown. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
While driving approximately 20 mph, the vehicle decelerated without warning and stalled. As a result, another vehicle crashed into the side of the contact's vehicle. A police report was filed and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified.
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.
The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph, the steering wheel locked causing the vehicle to crashed into a fire hydrant, a mailbox, and landed into a ditch. A police report was filed and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was destroyed. The vehicle was towed to a collision center.
The contact stated that the vehicle stalled and caused the contact to crash. The air bags did not deploy. The approximate speed at the time of failure was 40 mph. The contact was injured and required medical attention. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 716 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 2% most complained about).
On average one model year of the HHR has 596 complaints (6 years in the data). This year has 516, about average.
What to check before buying
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2010 Chevrolet HHR?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, electrical system, air bags. Total complaints: 516. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: steering or power steering problems (39%), warning lights, check engine (15%), door locks, latches, handles (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2010 Chevrolet HHR?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2010 Chevrolet HHR from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2010 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.