Help- HHR Won't Crank but turns on
06-04-2013 | 06:29 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Joined: 01-27-2013
Posts: 3
From: Atlanta
Help- HHR Won't Crank but turns on
Guys and Gals,
Just found this forum and hoping someone has experience with this issue. My wife's 2006 HHR randomly will not crank when you turn key but it's always just been periodic and after you try once or twice it would crank right up.
Now it won't crank at all but it turns on and the radio and etc comes on just fine. Just won't initiate the engine to turn over. The horn alarm also does not work now which it use to if you would lock the door and then open with the key. The key fab has never worked since she bought the car.
Mechanic tried to reset the key but had no luck after several attempts.
He said to get a new key since the one I had is worn and he would try to reprogram the new one. If that didn't work then on to replacing the ignition.
I went to the dealer and they said that they highly doubted a worn key would cause this issue. The mechanic did say he was getting a code that said basically the key wasn't closing the electrical loop needed to fire the engine.
As you can tell I'm no where close to a mechanic so any help would greatly be appreciated before I replace one thing after the next.
Just found this forum and hoping someone has experience with this issue. My wife's 2006 HHR randomly will not crank when you turn key but it's always just been periodic and after you try once or twice it would crank right up.
Now it won't crank at all but it turns on and the radio and etc comes on just fine. Just won't initiate the engine to turn over. The horn alarm also does not work now which it use to if you would lock the door and then open with the key. The key fab has never worked since she bought the car.
Mechanic tried to reset the key but had no luck after several attempts.
He said to get a new key since the one I had is worn and he would try to reprogram the new one. If that didn't work then on to replacing the ignition.
I went to the dealer and they said that they highly doubted a worn key would cause this issue. The mechanic did say he was getting a code that said basically the key wasn't closing the electrical loop needed to fire the engine.
As you can tell I'm no where close to a mechanic so any help would greatly be appreciated before I replace one thing after the next.
06-04-2013 | 07:45 PM
#2
Senior Member
Joined: 10-21-2008
Posts: 1,831
From: hemet, calif.
You need to check the battery voltage with a digital voltmeter open the hood and check from the red covered post and the ground on the strut which is marked GROUND should at least 12 volts, I had left the light on the mirror all night the battery voltage was 8.14 all electrical all worked but not enough voltage to start only a click, hope it worksout for you.
06-04-2013 | 08:38 PM
#3
Thread Starter
Joined: 01-27-2013
Posts: 3
From: Atlanta
Jay thank you for suggestion. I will check that and see.
06-05-2013 | 07:28 AM
#4
Thread Starter
Joined: 01-27-2013
Posts: 3
From: Atlanta
Key Turns but HHR Won't Crank
Hey guys, re-posting this in the right section. New sorry. 2006 HHR with 130k on it won't crank after turning key. All the lights come on just fine, radio and etc. This happened randomly over several months but now is permanent.
Also now when you unlock the door from the outside with the key the horn alarm does not sound. It appears to be something to do with the theft deterrent system.
My Mechanic isn't quite sure and tried relearning the key several times with no luck. He said the key appears very worn and is not making the right connection or closing the loop so to speak for the car to start. If that doesn't work then we replace the ignition.
He now suggested to get a new key from the dealer and let's try that but the dealer told me that is highly likely not going to work.
I'm really trying not to go down the road of this guessing game of replacing 10 different things and costing a fortune if possible.
Any ideas would be gratefully appreciated. The battery checked out okay so nothing with that.
Scott
Also now when you unlock the door from the outside with the key the horn alarm does not sound. It appears to be something to do with the theft deterrent system.
My Mechanic isn't quite sure and tried relearning the key several times with no luck. He said the key appears very worn and is not making the right connection or closing the loop so to speak for the car to start. If that doesn't work then we replace the ignition.
He now suggested to get a new key from the dealer and let's try that but the dealer told me that is highly likely not going to work.
I'm really trying not to go down the road of this guessing game of replacing 10 different things and costing a fortune if possible.
Any ideas would be gratefully appreciated. The battery checked out okay so nothing with that.
Scott
06-05-2013 | 08:31 AM
#5
Deceased
Joined: 06-30-2010
Posts: 25,739
From: Kannapolis NC
Forgive me for asking the obvious question, but here goes anyway. Do you have a spare key to try?
It does sound like the lock cylinder in the steering column has worn out, they are failure prone and largely made of pot metal.
It does sound like the lock cylinder in the steering column has worn out, they are failure prone and largely made of pot metal.
06-05-2013 | 11:13 AM
#6
Senior Member
Joined: 04-22-2009
Posts: 763
From: Southern California
Doesn't sound like a key issue, either the battery, you should have it load tested, or possibly the ignition switch, possibly. It could also be the starter, we had the starter in my wife's Toyota behave like that. I thought it was the battery, and replaced it, only to still have the problem. Dealer finally diagnosed it and fixed it, lots of $$'s for that one.
06-06-2013 | 04:24 PM
#7
Senior Member
Joined: 11-05-2010
Posts: 1,492
From: Detroit, Michigan USA
Guys and Gals,
Just found this forum and hoping someone has experience with this issue. My wife's 2006 HHR randomly will not crank when you turn key but it's always just been periodic and after you try once or twice it would crank right up.
Now it won't crank at all but it turns on and the radio and etc comes on just fine. Just won't initiate the engine to turn over. The horn alarm also does not work now which it use to if you would lock the door and then open with the key. The key fab has never worked since she bought the car.
Mechanic tried to reset the key but had no luck after several attempts.
He said to get a new key since the one I had is worn and he would try to reprogram the new one. If that didn't work then on to replacing the ignition.
I went to the dealer and they said that they highly doubted a worn key would cause this issue. The mechanic did say he was getting a code that said basically the key wasn't closing the electrical loop needed to fire the engine.
As you can tell I'm no where close to a mechanic so any help would greatly be appreciated before I replace one thing after the next.
Just found this forum and hoping someone has experience with this issue. My wife's 2006 HHR randomly will not crank when you turn key but it's always just been periodic and after you try once or twice it would crank right up.
Now it won't crank at all but it turns on and the radio and etc comes on just fine. Just won't initiate the engine to turn over. The horn alarm also does not work now which it use to if you would lock the door and then open with the key. The key fab has never worked since she bought the car.
Mechanic tried to reset the key but had no luck after several attempts.
He said to get a new key since the one I had is worn and he would try to reprogram the new one. If that didn't work then on to replacing the ignition.
I went to the dealer and they said that they highly doubted a worn key would cause this issue. The mechanic did say he was getting a code that said basically the key wasn't closing the electrical loop needed to fire the engine.
As you can tell I'm no where close to a mechanic so any help would greatly be appreciated before I replace one thing after the next.
Thanks,
Jessica L.
Chevrolet Customer Care
06-08-2013 | 08:16 AM
#8
Senior Member
Joined: 10-21-2008
Posts: 1,831
From: hemet, calif.
Did you check the battery voltage have not heard any thingmore??
05-31-2015 | 04:46 PM
#9
New Member
Joined: 05-15-2015
Posts: 17
From: Warner Robins, GA
I have a 2009 HHR having the same issues.... all lites and gauges work when i turn the key on but the car will not crank at all... i have replaced the starter, the ignition switch amd the ignition key cylinders. I have also checked the starter relay and the battery and tried reprogramming the keys with no luck... I NEED HELP.... I NEED MY CAR!!!
05-31-2015 | 05:12 PM
#10
Senior Member
Joined: 11-05-2010
Posts: 1,492
From: Detroit, Michigan USA
I have a 2009 HHR having the same issues.... all lites and gauges work when i turn the key on but the car will not crank at all... i have replaced the starter, the ignition switch amd the ignition key cylinders. I have also checked the starter relay and the battery and tried reprogramming the keys with no luck... I NEED HELP.... I NEED MY CAR!!!
Very sorry to see your HHR is experiencing these ignition concerns. If you'd like to have this addressed by your local Chevrolet dealership, I would be happy to have them reach out to you to set up an appointment. Just PM us with your contact info, VIN, mileage, and preferred dealership and I'll share the details of your situation with them.
Let us know if you have any additional questions as well.
Geoff G.
Chevrolet Customer Care