From A GM Bulletin:

Power Steering Inoperative/Steering Wheel Hard to Turn
PWR STR Message Displayed on Driver Information Center After Jump Starting Vehicle (Replace Fuse and Instruct Owner How to Jump Start Vehicle)

#05-02-32-002B - (Sep 30, 2005)Power Steering Inoperative/Steering Wheel Hard to Turn, "PWR STR" Message Displayed on Driver Information Center (DIC) After Jump Starting Vehicle (Replace Fuse and Instruct Owner How to Jump Start Vehicle)

2006 Chevrolet HHR

Fixed Operations Manager and Technician:

Some customers may comment that the steering wheel is hard to turn and that a message of "PWR STR" is displayed on the Driver Information Center (DIC) of the instrument panel (I/P) cluster. They may also comment that this condition occurred after they had to have the vehicle jump started. Cause

Improper "jump starting" of the vehicle has been determined as a cause for the power steering fuses to open (blow). Customers may mistakenly believe that the Underhood Junction Block (UHJB) is actually the battery; therefore, they believe there is both a positive and negative post in the UHJB. After only seeing one post, they may remove the cover and discover there is another small post on the passenger side of the UHJB. The small post on the passenger side of the UHJB is the B+ post for the electric power steering . When the jumper cables are attached to both of these posts and the cable is connected to another vehicle, the power steering fuses will blow. Correction

Replace the blown fuses and verify that concern is eliminated.

Caution: Batteries can hurt you. They can be dangerous because: • They contain acid that can burn you. • They contain gas that can explode or ignite. • They contain enough electricity to burn you. If you do not follow these steps exactly, some or all of these things can hurt you.

There is a lot more, but basically it says: to properly jumpstart your HHR or another vehicle, place the POSITIVE cable on the red terminal found on the underhood fusebox, and place the NEGATIVE cable on one of the driver’s side strut bolts NOT on the other terminal in the fusebox.

Hopefully, this will save a few HHR owners’ some grief!

 

A guy in my apts. asked me to jump start him the other day. I opened the hood and I told him I had no idea where the battery was (I really do know). I'm glad I didn't let him connect to those terminals and screw up my ride.

 

I tried to jump start one of my other cars this way and it didn't work. I even let it charge for about 10min and still nothing. so I tried hooking directly to the battery and it fired-up on the first try.

 

I jump started my HHR last summer just after I purchased it. I had called the 800 number for chevrolet and they told me to jump start it from under the hood. It worked but just last week I had to do it again and this time it blew atleast 3 fuses. My power steering went out along with my a/c, cruise control, windshield wipers and the service airbag indicator came on. Was no one else told were to jump start theirs from when they purchased it or was it just me? My local dealer wont even warranty it. whats up with that.

 

Yup! Happened to me the first time I jumped mine. Bummer was it happened to me when I was 200 miles from home in a small down, on a Sunday, when it was snowing. I was just waiting for something else, other than losing my power steering, to happen all the way home. Very easy fix though.

Pretty crappy that your dealer won't replace a fuse for you. Would make me wonder how they'll act when there is a major issue.

You think it makes sense that the pole opposite of the + would be the - . But not on this one. You have to put the ground to the strut tower cap bolt.

 

What did you do differently?

There is a sticker on the strut tower that indicates to hook the "-" there. Exactly as it says in the owner's manual!

 

Well I talked to the dealer late today and they made sure everything was warrantied so Im not paying for anything. Apparently when I had a aftermarket 12" sub and amp put into the car by Best Buy they wired it so that the wires were always hot. I took the Sub out to move and the wires apparently touched causing the short or whatever it was. thanks for replying

 

happened to me as well.

 

I ran into a problem today. Somehow my battery went dead and I needed a jump. I popped the hood and connected the cables to the positive and negative terminals and saw a spark. I'm thinking, OK thats normal. Went to turn the motor over and nothing happened. Let it sit a couple minutes and tried again, nothing.
I went under the hood and thought maybe one of the claws came off the terminals but than I noticed that one of the fuses (#1 EPS) was blown. I called my dealership and they said you should use the actual battery in the back. I asked what the heck is the point of the terminals under the hood if your not supposed to use them. So I did that, and it fired right up.
The #1 fuse (EPS) is for the Electronic Power Steering. It's a 60 amp fuse. I got a new one at the dealer and it was not fun trying to drive the HHR without the power steering. Just a little insight I thought I should share with all of you. Thanx

 

Look at the owner's manual and tell that to dealership guessing not chevy? suppose to connect jump cables on postive of fuse box and negative on the strut bolt. Should have sticker or emblem saying ground (-) Electronic power steering fuse gets blown as you found out if not done right. Has been discussed on the forum multiple times.