Chevrolet

HHR (1st)

2006-2011 · Compact Hatchback · 7 engines
Best Engine ⚠️ Caution (2.7)
3,564 NHTSA Complaints
8 Recalls
29 Fire Reports
171 Crash Reports
Includes data from: HHRHHR PANEL
📋 Inspection checklist

NHTSA Safety Ratings About NHTSA ratings

Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
Side Crash
Rollover
4/5 (14.3% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: No LDW: No
Overall Not Rated
Frontal Crash
Side Crash
Rollover
4/5 (14.3% risk)
ESC: Standard FCW: No LDW: No

Engine Reliability Ratings

2.0T-I4-Gas

2.0L 4-cyl Turbo / 260 hp
⚠️ Caution (2.7)
72 complaints 21.3 per year Gasoline
1 fire report
View details

Complaint Breakdown

brakes
28
fuel system
24
steering
10
electrical
7
transmission
4

Known Issues

Brakes Issues (28 complaints)
Fuel System Issues (24 complaints)
Steering Issues (10 complaints)

LE8 -Flex Fuel (Gas/Alc), VVT, ALUM

2.2L 4-cyl
⚠️ Caution (2.1)
515 complaints 189.5 per year Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV)
2 fire reports
View details

Complaint Breakdown

steering
189
electrical
141
fuel system
74
body
58
safety systems
57

Known Issues

Steering Issues (189 complaints)
Electrical System Issues (141 complaints)
Fuel System Issues (74 complaints)

LCS

3.6L 6-cyl
⚠️ Caution (2.1)
303 complaints 101.0 per year
3 fire reports
View details

Complaint Breakdown

electrical
101
steering
71
safety systems
65
fuel system
59
body
16

Known Issues

Electrical System Issues (101 complaints)
Steering Issues (71 complaints)
Safety Systems Issues (65 complaints)

LE9

2.4L 4-cyl
⚠️ Caution (2.0)
173 complaints 57.7 per year Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV)
3 fire reports
View details

Complaint Breakdown

electrical
54
steering
48
fuel system
31
safety systems
30
engine
13

Known Issues

Electrical System Issues (54 complaints)
Steering Issues (48 complaints)
Fuel System Issues (31 complaints)

LE5

2.4L 4-cyl
Avoid (1.6)
826 complaints 206.5 per year Gasoline
6 fire reports 1 fatality
View details

Complaint Breakdown

steering
413
electrical
152
body
85
fuel system
80
brakes
62

Known Issues

Steering Issues (413 complaints)
Electrical System Issues (152 complaints)
Body/Trim Issues (85 complaints)

Chevrolet HHR Unidentified Engine

Avoid (1.3)
602 complaints 100.3 per year
8 fire reports 2 fatalities
View details

Complaint Breakdown

steering
270
electrical
150
body
62
safety systems
48
transmission
42

Known Issues

Steering Issues (270 complaints)
Electrical System Issues (150 complaints)
Body/Trim Issues (62 complaints)

L61/LBZ

2.2L 4-cyl / 170 hp
Avoid (1.0)
1,055 complaints 231.8 per year Gasoline
6 fire reports 5 fatalities
View details

Complaint Breakdown

steering
547
electrical
217
body
134
safety systems
76
fuel system
75

Known Issues

Steering Issues (547 complaints)
Electrical System Issues (217 complaints)
Body/Trim Issues (134 complaints)
Show 10 additional engine variants with limited data
These engines appear in fewer than 10 owner complaints and aren't included in the main ratings above. Low counts can mean a genuinely clean record, but they can also reflect VIN-decode anomalies in NHTSA data. Treat as informational, not as a confident rating.

LLY

6.6L 8-cyl Turbo
Recommended (5.0)
2 complaints 1.0 per year Diesel
View details

Complaint Breakdown

electrical
2
transmission
1
body
1

Known Issues

Electrical System Issues (2 complaints)
Transmission Issues (1 complaints)
Body/Trim Issues (1 complaints)

LFX - VVT, E85 Max, Aluminum

3.6L 6-cyl
Recommended (5.0)
2 complaints 1.0 per year Gasoline
View details

Complaint Breakdown

fuel system
1
steering
1

Known Issues

Fuel System Issues (1 complaints)
Steering Issues (1 complaints)

LR4

4.8L 8-cyl
Recommended (5.0)
2 complaints 1.0 per year Gasoline
View details

Complaint Breakdown

electrical
1
safety systems
1
brakes
1

Known Issues

Electrical System Issues (1 complaints)
Safety Systems Issues (1 complaints)
Brakes Issues (1 complaints)

6.1-V8-Gas

6.1L 8-cyl
Recommended (5.0)
1 complaint 1.0 per year
View details

LH2

4.6L 8-cyl
Recommended (5.0)
1 complaint 1.0 per year Gasoline
View details

Complaint Breakdown

electrical
1
steering
1

Known Issues

Electrical System Issues (1 complaints)
Steering Issues (1 complaints)

LK5

2.8L 4-cyl
Recommended (5.0)
1 complaint 1.0 per year
View details

Vehicle-Level Issues

These issues affect the Chevrolet HHR regardless of engine variant.

Steering Issues (1,558 complaints)
steering critical
Electrical System Issues (820 complaints)
electrical critical
Body/Trim Issues (356 complaints)
body critical
Fuel System Issues (344 complaints)
fuel_system critical
Safety Systems Issues (277 complaints)
safety_systems critical

Recalls (8)

14V153000Mar 30, 2014serious
Steering

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009 Pontiac G6. In the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist that could occur at any time while driving.

14E021000Apr 29, 2014serious
Electrical System

UCI-FRAM Group is recalling certain LS1328 ignition Switches sold as Wells LS1328, Duralast LS1328, Airtex 1S6097, and Carquest 53-27479, and LS1497 Ignition Switches sold as Wells LS1497, Duralast LS1497, Airtex 1S10961, and Carquest 53-27967, for use on various General Motors model and model year vehicles during repair and replacement of the original ignition switch. The weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the affected ignition switches to move out of the run position, turning off the engine and disabling the air bags.

14V171000Oct 3, 2014serious
Electrical System

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR, 2007-2010 Pontiac G5, 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice, 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "Off" position.

14V047000Oct 1, 2014serious
Air Bags

This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on February 10, 2014 that they are recalling 619,122 model year 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, and 2007 Pontiac G5 vehicles. On February 25, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 748,024 model year 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR and Pontiac Solstice vehicles and 2003-2007 Saturn Ion vehicles and 2007 Saturn Sky vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine. On March 27, 2014, GM notified the agency that the defective ignition switches may have been used as service replacement parts on other vehicles, and as a result GM will be recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, Saturn Sky, and Pontiac G5 and Solstice, and 2008-2011 Chevrolet HHR vehicles. The part numbers for the service parts are 10392423 (a/k/a ACDelco D1461F), 10392737, 15857948, 15854953, 15896640, and 25846762. This expansion represents an additional 823,788 vehicles.

09V073000Jun 2, 2009serious
Powertrain

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING 276,729 MY 2009 BUICK ENCLAVE, CHEVROLET COBALT, HHR, MALIBU, TRAVERSE, GMC ACADIA, PONTIAC G5, G6 AND SATURN AURA AND OUTLOOK PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLES SAFETY STANDARD 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT POSITION SEQUENCE, STARTER INTERLOCK, AND TRANSMISSION BRAKING EFFECT", AND FMVSS 114, "THEFT PROTECTION AND ROLLAWAY PREVENTION". ON SOME OF THESE VEHICLES, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE ADJUSTMENT CLIP MAY NOT BE FULLY ENGAGED. IF THE CLIP IS NOT FULLY ENGAGED, THE SHIFT LEVER AND THE ACTUAL POSITION OF THE TRANSMISSION GEAR MAY NOT MATCH. WITH THIS CONDITION, THE DRIVE COULD MOVE THE SHIFTER TO "PARK" AND REMOVE THE IGNITION KEY, BUT THE TRANSMISSION GEAR MAY NOT BE IN "PARK".

08V046000Jan 29, 2008cosmetic
Air Bags

GM IS RECALLING 181,516 MY 2006-2008 CHEVROLET HHR VEHICLES NOT EQUIPPED WITH OPTIONAL ROOF RAIL AIR BAGS FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 201, 'OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN INTERIOR IMPACT.' IN TESTS, ONE OF THE UPPER INTERIOR OCCUPANT PROTECTION TEST POINTS EXCEEDED THE STANDARD'S REQUIREMENT.

08V444000Mar 8, 2008cosmetic
Latches/Locks/Linkages

GM IS RECALLING 296,422 MY 2006-2008 CHEVROLET HHR VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 201, 'OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN INTERIOR IMPACT." THE DOOR ON THE STORAGE BIN IN THE TOP CENTER OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED TO REMAIN CLOSED AS REQUIRED.

06V417000Oct 30, 2006serious
Air Bags

CERTAIN VEHICLES ORIGINALLY BUILT WITH CLOTH SEATS THAT WERE EQUIPPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC AIR BAG PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM AND LATER REUPHOLSTERED WITH AFTERMARKET LEATHER SEAT COVER KITS ARE INVOLVED. TESTING HAS INDICATED THAT THE AFTERMARKET LEATHER SEAT COVERS CAN CAUSE THE PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM TO MALFUNCTION.

Alternatives in Compact Hatchback

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR problems?

The 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR has accumulated 3,564 NHTSA complaints. The most frequently reported problem areas are Steering, Electrical System, Body/Trim. As with any used vehicle, an inspection before buying and a vehicle history report are recommended.

Which Chevrolet HHR engine is most reliable?

The 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR was offered with 17 engine options. Based on NHTSA complaint data, the 2.0L Turbo 4-cyl has the lowest complaint density and is considered the most reliable choice for buyers.

Is the 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR a good used car?

The 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR can be a sound used car depending on trim, mileage, and maintenance history. With 3,564 total NHTSA complaints on record, prospective buyers should review the known problem areas and check for open recalls before buying.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR have?

The 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR has 3,564 complaints filed with NHTSA as of our latest data pull. Complaint counts reflect owner-reported issues and do not necessarily indicate defects or safety risks on their own.

What recalls affect the 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR?

There are 8 NHTSA recalls affecting some 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR vehicles. Recall status varies by VIN — check the NHTSA recall database at recalls.nhtsa.dot.gov with your specific VIN to confirm which campaigns apply.

What should I check before buying a used Chevrolet HHR?

Before buying a used Chevrolet HHR, verify all open recalls are completed via the NHTSA VIN lookup tool. Pay particular attention to Steering, Electrical System, Body/Trim, which are the most commonly reported problem areas. Request maintenance records, have an independent mechanic inspect the vehicle, and run a vehicle history report to check for prior accidents or title issues.

What are the NHTSA crash test ratings for the HHR?

The 2011 Chevrolet HHR received an overall N/A-star safety rating from NHTSA. Frontal crash: N/A stars. Side crash: N/A stars. Rollover: 4 stars (14.3% rollover probability). Electronic Stability Control: Standard. Forward Collision Warning: No. Lane Departure Warning: No. These ratings are based on standardized crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Data from NHTSA federal complaints database. 3,564 complaints analyzed. Data confidence: high. Last updated: 2026-05-23.

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