I have a 2006 LT with 49K miles. Very recently there is a noticeable rattle in the left front area when going over bumps. Could this be the strut/sway bar issue that seems so prevalent on our HHRs? What is the best way to diagnose the problem? I do not have the ability to take off the front wheel myself. I do need to have the brakes checked -- is this something a brake shop can identify when the wheel is off?

 

I've had the same problem, at a lot fewer miles[10,000]. It's real hard to pinpoint the exact problem, due to noise traveling from one suspension component to another, the exact place ,hard to pinpoint. Noise could be from one or more components.
I bought a Steadman elecrtonic chassis ears[six leads that clamp to different places, with a electronic box, and a set of earphones], $150.00. Using it, and clamping onto everything from the fireway forward[a couple of times], I have narrowed it down to maybe sway bar bushings[where I got by far the most noise]. have bushings in hand and will install them, when the weather gets better.
It's hard to just try and pinpoint the problem just driving around. It could been about five or six different things, causing the noise. You'd have to change something, and if that did'nt fix it, change sometghing else
, and keep doing it until it either fixed the problem, or it was'nt fixable. These HHR's are noisy as hell in the front end, [especially after I installed the Pedders springs].
I'm determined to find the source of my noise, and good luck finding your's. It ain't easy. "Moon"

 

We had my girlfriends new-to-her HHR inspected locally at an independent shop before agreeing to purchase it. The mechanic found a noise in front, and diagnosed the source as right sway bar link/bushing. We got both pieces replaced on both sides. In retrospect, seller remembered he had noticed the noise but hadn't been bothered by it, so much that he pretty much forgot about it!

I have had lots of noises in my 2007 2LT but mercifully nothing from the "front end" as others have. Most mentions that I've seen on this forum seem to involve 2006 models. This doesn't seem to happen only to high-mileage 2006s, so I wonder if there was some change in these parts after the first year.

 

Noise in front of the HHR.
Two main reasons:
1. Stabilizer bar bushings;
2. Stabilizer lynks;
I wonder if the reason will be the third.
If with 49K Miles links have not changed - they should be replaced, they died for sure.
Stabilizer bar bushings - a weak spot in the HHR, I change them to 2 times a year.

 

Diagnosis Stabilizer bar bushings:
Visually. Two people stand on different sides of the car. Hands resting on the end roof they start rocking the car in the transverse plane. Rocking intense. Need to hear the characteristic noise. The one that you hear on the road. A third man lay on the floor with a lantern and looks at the Stabilizer bar. If the bushings loosened, the Stabilizer bar moves within the bushings. This is clearly seen. Rock the car easily - no need to fear. Involve your family.

 

I took my 2006 HHR with the clunk/rattle noise in the left front (when going over bumps) into the brake shop today. Good news was that at 49K miles the brakes were still down only 40%. The bad news is the front struts and rear shocks were all bad. I looked at each piece before and after replacement and they definitely needed replaced. However, after $734 in work being done, the clunk/rattle noise remains. Could this be something in the steering column. It does not happen all the time but it is noticeable when going over most bumps.

 

tucsondivots, did the shop say anything about the front sway bar links and bushings?

 

I'm thinking the intermediate shaft in the steering column, they can make noise over bumps. There have been a couple of threads on the problem if you do a quick search. This is a problem that affects some vehicles on the Delta platform like the HHR, Cobalt, Ion, and G-5.

 

after readin up on front end noises on this site and others, we all may be hearing different noises.
I think I'd start with the sway bar bushings, as they are the cheaper of the rest of the suspension parts.
I've got the noise problem, changed out the links[did'nt help]. Tracing it down [with a electronic chassis ear]to the sway bar bushings[I think], and will change them out as soon as weather gets better. "Moon"

 

When I finally replaced the link rods on our '06 to resolve the front end noise, I described the noise as a rattle, rather than a banging or thumping. Once I got to replacing the links, I removed the front wheel, and lowered the floor jack to take the preload off the link, and gave it a wiggle - it was definately loose at each ball socket.

The noise was most noticeable over small bumps - like a slightly rough gravel road - and can best be described as a rattle. There wasn't much noise going over bigger bumps (due to the preload being taken up I suppose).

PS: one of the ball-ends came apart in my hands while I was in the process of taking it off the car, so yeah, it was pretty badly worn.