Strange,
I also bought a new 2008 LT HHR in May of 2008..I keep the HHR in an un-heated garage and never have even a hint of this problem. I wonder if the GM HHR mud-flaps and factory running boards are helping out in a situation like this?

Bill

 

That is why I asked since I have no issue and flaps. This was just my hunch?

 

No. My LT had both the mud flaps and the running boards. My SS has both the mud flaps and the side skirts.

 

The trick is to clear the snow from the car before it starts melting. The water drains down there and will freeze again; I very occasionally had to use a wooden stick (the tip of my snow brush) to knock off some excess ice while the door was open.

You kind of have to watch it, but it's no biggie.

I have no garage, and the HHR sees snow for 5 months every year.

Yves

 

Florida is nice, no problems here,
dealer sounds smartest so far..

 

Never ever use hot water to melt ice on a car. The hot water will become ice itself in about 5 seconds. Michigan is a bit colder than NE Ohio and that's what happens to hot water here. I don't have a garage either. Get a jug of ice melting washer fluid. Prestone is good. Put some in a spray bottle or squirt gun or something and use that to loosen ice on doors and windows.

BTW F the guy in India. He's never seen snow in his life.

 

GM Call Centers are located in Newfoundland, Buenes Aires and Manilla for first level calls. If there is a need to esculate the call higher it goes to someone in the USA.

Texas aint bad either. We only have ice in Margaritas.

 

Ice piling up in the hinge area of the front doors is caused by melt from the area below the wipers, refreezing. It is an icicle - formed by the same conditions. Air below freezing but sun beating down on the hood.

Park in the shade.

 

It's not unique to the HHRs, my Dodge Ram had the exact same issue, you could see the corner of the door bending if you didn't clear the ice out. Making sure that there's little snow/ice left on the cowl cover and screen, and the front of the roof, where it can slide off during the day and melt and flow down the door pillars, and parking facing away from the sun if you can't get into shade, does help.

 

I'm so glad I have a garage. Always needed one anyway for my dirt bikes. Since I have a Panel, I guess I could crawl through the back hatch. Or does that freeze shut too?