While I was home for Easter my dad told me the brakes were starting to pulse. So we went for a ride and sure enough they were. It seems to be at lower speeds, but it is quite noticeable. Our HHR has about 16,600 miles on it. From what I have heard this seems to be the HHR's weak point. So share some experiences/ advice with me! Is there any true cure for this problem? I have heard of people having to have multiple replacement rotors on. I really hope this isn't the case for us!

 

My experience at the dealer I work at, is this. Also GM did a study on this. What you are probably experiencing is a type of corrosion, but not of the rotor. Here is what happens according to GM. Brake pad material (dust) from the semi-metalic pads adheres to the hot rotor as it cools down. Causing a coating on the rotor. This coating then corrodes itself to the rotor surface causing pulsation in the brakes. The dealer should resurface your rotors at no cost to you, and replace if they go below minimum safety specs. Draw back is that when they do this you lose life on your rotors.
The only cure that I have found is to put full ceramic pads on, no dust and no metalic dust to adhere to the rotor. Hope this helps.
17k on my HHR and have had to have my rotors resurfaced already.

 

Only one other person has something to offer? Thank you night31 by the way.

 

Check out this thread: Warped Rotors

 

Resurfaced my rotors at 7500 miles. Steering wheel shimmied when brakes were applied at highway speed. For what it's worth

 

I had ceramic brake pads on my Malibu and hated them.

They were very noisy and produced so much dust they turned my hubcaps black. These were not top of the line brake pads though, so that may have been part of the problem.

 

Your welcome.....

Black Rose, if you got brake dust from ceramic pads, then they were not full ceramic. Full Ceramic pads will leave no dust and are extremely quiet. When I had my Blazer I think the full Ceramic pads cost me about $110 a set, front and rear. Have not put them on the HHR yet, but have noticed they do squeak.(brakes on the HHR that is)

 

Advise. Let Off The Gas Before Getting On The Brake. My Hhr Has 26000 And Just Had The Tires Rotated By My Chevy Dealer And The Brakes Front And Rear Looked New Still And Measures Very Little Wear. On All My Other Vehicles I Have Never Needed To Replace Brake Pads Or Shoes Before 100000 Miles.

 

Not quite accurate on the properties of ceramic brakes. Ceramics do produce dust, but it is lighter in color (semi-mets spray heavy black dust, ceramics light colored dust) and because there are no metallic particles they are safer for custom wheels, because it's not coating them in white-hot metallic particles when it sheds its dust.

 

all I know is that BMW brakes sure do create brake dust! my dad has a mini cooper, and his rims are always dirty from the brake dust. I have hardly noticed any brake dust on my HHR.