I bought a brand new 2008 HHR panel in September. On the LOT, the rear passenger door wouldn't open with the button. It's a two handed ordeal to get it open. Click, yank, click, pull to get it open. On a panel, there is no handle on the outside. The salesman assured me it would be an easy fix. It was the only panel van there, so I bought it.

5 months later, I've had it SIX TIMES to the dealer. They've replaced the hardware, made adjustments, nothing works. 5 x's in the service shop and once in the body shop. They don't know what to do!

HELP!! It's incredibly annoying to not be able to use the cargo door on the cargo van you just paid $25K for. Otherwise, other than the fuel economy I love the car. Hopefully it gets better once I have more KM on it??

 

So are you saying that the door popper doesn't pop the door open from the FOB only or from the switch too?

 

sorry to hear about your problem. if mine wouldn't work it would cost me my job. maybe you could try a different dealer. i hear that some are better than others.

 

Clicking the fob or the switch on the dash won't pop it 'open'. I click, it moves a couple mm, so I pull on the door, click it again, pull again sometimes it opens then, sometimes one more click.

At the dealership, once they've had it for awhile, they can get it to open with the fob in the shop over and over. BUT as soon as I drive it, it won't open again! Once I've parked and opened it with the above 'click pull' strategy a couple of times, it will open properly. Until the car is driven.

The door on the passenger side opens properly though.

 

Calling GM they suggested going to a Saturn or Pontiac dealer to have them look at it. As it is, each time I go to the Chevy dealer I bought it from its a 70 mile round trip. The other Chevy dealers are 120 mile round trips.

Honestly, I'm not going to keep bringing it to mechanics to 'play' with and return it to me NOT WORKING shrugging their shoulders.

Have any of you Chevy mechanics seen this before with the panels? Did I buy a lemon?? What would YOUR dealership do for me?? I'm not getting anywhere with my dealership. They don't even wash the car when they return it to me, once gave it back with greasy seat. Even when I wash the car to give it to them, they give it back with greasy handprints on the door. Is that standard protocol with Chevy service??

No offence, I'm just on here trying to figure out what is UP with my dealer compared to the national standard.

 

sometimes my passenger side door doesn't open with the dash or the fob on my panel. i thought you were talking about the rear hatch. you may try to clean and lube everything , including the weatherstriping. i don't think the rear hatch unlocks until you click the the key fob twice. could that be your problem?

 

Sorry, I should have specified it's the rear passenger door, not the gate/hatch. It's not just sometimes, it's every single time I stop and need to enter the passenger door. Which is EVERY time I stop. Since it's winter, pulling on the door panel to open it is very annoying as it's all muddy. I get dirty every time I need to get into the cargo area.

Honestly, I bought it brand new and really expect to be able to open the door without getting my own tools out. :)

Thanks for your replies though!

 

I would say you need to show them this bulletin:

https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/show...p?p=345279#186

 

I would begin checking your states lemon laws. They are are allowed a specific number of reairs attempts and/or days out of service before your car becomes eligible.

 

Thanks so much Texas Mgr and others for your help! Pretty wild that those bozo's at the dealership in Kamloops couldn't have found this out for me in these 5 months and 6 visits. I'm so looking forward to the door working!