dandhcomputers

i too have about 3000 miles on on my car and it has been in the shop 3 times to get the problem fixed and they did not . it is going back in and i told them to put on the brakes from an 08 ss and they sayed that they will try to get that appeoved thru GM .. I hope that this time it fixes the broblem . i told them that brembo brakes were an option on the ss .. i hope they are

Seeburg220

I'll have to mentiont that to my service manager. I'm dealing just with the service manager now, and not the advisors, who have not been adequate. He put on new rear brake shoes today and test drove it, and they still squeak. He can't figure it out. He is keeping the car until he does. He's in touch with GM Engineering, which is supposed to be 1 notch above the normal calls they make to GM when they have an issue. I mentioned to him that maybe the supplier for the rotors and drums used an inferior metal and / or process and that maybe an aftermarket rotor and drum would help.

He also looked on a GM-only computer (non public) that shows current issues that aren't yet TSB items. He didn't find anything on the brake problems.

I'm going to give them one more chance to remedy this, and if in 5000 miles, the brakes start squeaking and/or the rotors get warped again, I'm throwing the lemon-law at it. I really like the car, but 3x in 10k miles for the same problem is not acceptable.

Seeburg220

Okay, so I have my HHR back [again]. I'm not too optimistic at this point, that the squeaking rear brakes and the warped front rotors won't come back.

The Service Mgr did say that "if" I have to bring it back again, that he's been authorized by GM to replace the drums or rotors as needed. They turned them for the 2nd time, which I'm not thrilled about, as this just drastically shortened the life of them, WHEN they will need work in the future. They put on new shoes and pads and rear brake springs. He said the pads were made from a new material, but didn't elaborate. My receipt shows nothing descriptive, other than an "FP number" 15243704 Pad Kit 5.017.

After reading the other threads on squeaky brakes and warped rotors, perhaps at least for the automatic-equipped HHR's, the brakes are inadequate (size-wize). That would explain an awful-lot. It will be interesting to see if any of the SS models end up with brake problems, since they have larger brakes.

I really like my HHR, but if these brakes give me trouble again in 5k miles, I'm seriously considering the Lemon Law, which is 3x for the same repair. I think I would have a case, too, since it's been documented fairly well, and the dealer admitting they didn't know why it was doing it. Hopefully, I won't have to go through that, though.

froggy22

You should have the dealer replace the drums its not your fault they were turned twice already one more time and your done thats not fair to you get them swapped .also I had a 2001 yukon xl and went for new pads and rotor turning almost every year so this is common place for GM also I have about 6 GM work vans and all go for brakes about once a year..

prod

Ya this has been a common GM problem for years. I almost expect it to happen. In fact, I was driving mine home on the highway after buying it, and the very first brake application felt just like a warped rotor. Luckily, I think it was just crap on the rotors from being parked on the lot, it went away quickly.
However, I fully expect to have this problem at some point, at which time I will get decent aftermarket rotors and not be bothered by it again.