If I'm sitting with the engine running, gear selector in park, and I pump the brake pedal up and down the engine idle will go up and down and the engine almost wants to stall.

Does this indicate a problem? This is parked, with auto trans in "park".

Could a faulty brake booster somehow be letting some brake fluid suck into the booster vacuum hose?

 

You might have a vacuum leak or it is just not making vacuum at idle?

 

pumping the brakes most liekly used up all the spare vacuum in the booster and started taking vacuum from the idleing motor. you formed a huge vacuum draw on the motor doing this, which is the same as a huge vacuum leak. don't do this to your brakes.

oh, this would be a normal effect for this cause of action.

 

I'm not trying to bag on you or anything, but do you just sit around trying to find ways to make the car seem like it's broken?

 

This car is broken. One day it runs great and pulls hard, the next (and with same weather cond.) it is boggy and feels like its pulling a trailer. All on same tank of gas.

The reason I pumped the brakes was I was backing into my garage yesterday and when I stopped in reverse before shifting into park the engine idle dropped out momentarily. Hadn't done that before. I was investigating that and noticed the above described idle drop out.

I'm getting tired of the inconsistent performance. No SES light, no codes, two visits to dealer with nothing found.

I want to like this car, but the intermittent problem is wearing on me.

Probably time to think about trading it off on something else. I like the SS, and was seriously going to order one, but from lurking the SS forum it looks like a lot of guys are having issues with their SS's, too.

I need a wagon, but need MPG and style. That hugely narrows the choices. Thinking about the Audi A3 turbo (200hp & same EPA rating as HHR) but not decided yet.

 

Sounds like another excuse to buy a new SS to me

 

No, I'm beginning to think another GM product might be a mistake. Probably go the import brand route, *if* I trade. Which is tough decision for me to make, because I have owned quite a few Chevrolets.

 

You find a car you really like and then get these little problem like you have. Does make one think about going with another "Brand" but you know it can happen with any of them. Hope the decision is a good one for you and end up with a car /wagon that meets your needs. Stick with a HHR and you can stay on the forum and tell us how great your new HHR is.

 

If you are this much of a hypochondriac over the HHR, you'll never survive an experience with Audi.

The HHR and other modern vehicles have powertrain systems that are designed to balance power and emissions in real time. Some days my car feels like it's bogged down, but those are usually nice hot, humid days with the air on and hard driving on a cold engine. My point is that your car is fine. You've had all of these so-called "issues", but nothing has ever actually been wrong with the car. If you really hate it that much, trade it for something else. But you'd better be damn sure you test drive the hell out of it before you sign on the dotted line and waste your money again.

 

Do you know what an Audi A3 turbo costs and how much fuel you can buy with the differance? You need to make some sort of sense.