OK so I buy my trailer, 650 pounds. Hook it up and after driving for a 3-5 minutes the HHR right rear directional stops working as well as the right rear trailer directional and the trailer brake lights. Went through all the trailer wiring all is A-O.K.. The trailer harness is made for the HHR and requires no wire cutting just plugs in line with the rear HHR bulbs. Only does this with the trailer connected. I then turn off the car and wait a minute or two, start it up and all is OK. after a minute or two the same thing happens all over again. If I drive the trailer has no brake lights as well as the passenger rear of the HHR has no brake light or directional(Front directional works but flashes fast). It won't correct itself (or reset) until I turn the car off. Was not fun driving 90 miles with no trailer brakes or right directional. Now I read it is all controlled by the computer. Anyone else have this problem with there HHR or do I need to go to the dealer and have something reprogrammed or changed?

 

Could possibly be a problem with the connector that fits in the bulb housing?
I thought I had blown 4 different rear bulbs recently. they turned out ok, the socket was bad. They would do similar to what is happening to you. possible bad connection in the socket?

 

I unplug the trailer and have no problems at all. I wonder if the additional load of trailer lights is drawing to much and the computer is tripping? Trying to minimize the load??

 

I would check for a short, unplug the harness and ohm the wires.

 

Your flasher relay (or turn signal relay) is too weak to handle the additional load for the trailer.

 

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. Found out the flasher is not to weak, the HHR does not have one. It is done in the computer. The clicking noise is not from the flasher but rather a digitaly recorded sound that plays!
Found the problem, the brand new trailer from the factory had the brake light and directional wire together on the drivers side trailer tail light. Corrected that and it corrected the problem. Thanks everyone.

 

Are you by any chance towing with a manual transmission HHR?? If so, how's it working out?

Vernon

 

Did not know the HHR didn't have a flasher relay. Another uaually easy fix that they made harder.

Electronic flahers don't always "tick" like the old mechanical style did.

 

I'm towing with an automatic.