Man, this HHR is about to become a coffee table - it's a 2006 if that matters. The turn indicator on the driver's side had been out for about two weeks - front bulb. I just fixed that tonight. Strangely, the turn indicator on the passenger side (same, front bulb) had been flashing really fast for about two days, I got out and checked, and it was out too. So today I got two bulbs and replaced the driver's side, first. The bulb had a black spot and was obviously blown when I pulled it out. I went to do the passenger side and the bulb looked absolutely fine - although it had been flashing fast, inside the car, and when I had checked the thing from the outside (the other day) it was not working. Since it looked fine I wondered if I was losing my mind, turned the car on and the old bulb was fine - so I just put it back together. When I pulled into AutoZone today I saw the reflection of my lights in the store windows and realized that the driver's side headlight was out - didn't know that, and, haven't replaced it yet. And I don't know if that has anything to do with any of this other stuff.

So: Tonight I go out in the driveway just to test the thing, one more time. Now, both turn indicators work, the driver's side headlight is out, but the orange turn indicator light on the driver's side is just on all the time. It works normally when I engage the left turn indicator, but, when I turn the turn indicator off the orange light just stays on - not flashing, it's just on. I don't know if this car needs an auto mechanic or an exorcism. What, on earth, would cause that turn indicator light to just be on all the time? I can find no references to something like this anywhere on the web. Thanks.

 

That is the DaytimeRunningLights(DRL) on 2006 model years. If it's only on drivers side then the passenger side has a problem.

 

Yes as RJ points out the turn indicator lights up front are the DRL and are on all the time. Pop the top off the under hood fuse box and push all the fuses and relays firmly into their places. Check the bulb holders for melted plastic, ensure you install the correct bulbs for the front turn signals.

 

The correct bulb is the one listed in your Owner Manual (link in my sig) NOT the one that the auto parts guy tells you "fits"; they are hotter and melt the plastic.

 

Well....as I described, everything was going nuts with this thing: sometimes the right-turn flasher worked, sometimes it blinked super fast on the dash like a bad bulb, sometimes the right headlight would work and sometimes it wouldn't, the wipers worked on high only and when turned off would stop in the middle of the windshield.....all kinds of stuff. And, bizarrely, a couple of times I started the thing and none of this happened. I did notice that when I looked at the breakers under the hood, and then slammed the lid back down to cover them up (the breakers appeared fine) the thing would start working again - for awhile. I ended up taking it to a guy who works out of his house but who used to work at a dealership and, according to him, electronics were his specialty (since we own an HHR it's a good thing I know this guy). As it turns out, according to him, the breaker box under the hood is attached to some sort of harness, or housing, or something and the connection between the box and this thing was fouled up. He fixed that and he also ended up replacing two relays. My right headlight was out (I wasn't sure if that was really out or part of this electrical mess) and he charged me 200 bucks to fix everything.... And the wipers were part of this mess - they work, now, too. I would have never figured this out. I don't know if this thing about the connection from the breaker box to this wire harness, or housing, or connector - whatever it is - could be anyone else's issue but it was ours. Anyway, if anyone has this bizarre array of problems with everything electrical and the fuses seem fine this connection from the breaker box to whatever it sits on could be the issue. It was the connection that was the problem.

 

We figured that out along time ago, first you need to push all the fuses and relays firmly into position, then tighten the 4 , 7 mm bolts tight past the clicks to tiger tight! Then check the battery, at 12.4 volts or below, that’s not enough voltage to start the car and then recharge the battery and keep the computers and other electrical items running.
glad you got it fixed and thanks for the update of your issues

 

4 times this week.
Would have been cheaper to buy a metric socket set and tightened the 4 bolts yourself.

Are the Russians paying for referrals to Telegram? That sort of advertising is against the site rules.

 

There we go, I changed that for you . Please no websites or email addresses or phone numbers.

 

I shoulda fiddled more but Ive been feeling lousy and just didn't really know that the thing could come loose - as stupid as that sounds. Well, now I know - minus 200 bucks, but, I learned a lesson.

 

We have had the same problem solved that way 4 time this week, that is 3 times the average lately. It is all over this site. It would have been our first or second suggestion if you had included all of the symptoms instead of "orange-turn-indicator-light-drivers-side-all-time". Almost ALL intermittent electrical problems seem to be the fuse box is loose