Was it when you hit a bump or have a heavy key chain set. Some others were having the some issue. Found out if you pull down on key chain the ignition can go to the acc position turning the car off.

 

Yes that is exactly what is was diagnosed as. The problem was it took the local dealer 6 tries and it wasn't until I sent a nasty email to GM did anyone react.

The problem was fixed but then the AC failed, wheel bearing failed, and of course my second go around with warped rotors...

 

New guys have you had the lateral run out checked on you hubs? Hub run out can and will lead to uneven rotor wear that leads to the mis diagnosis of warped rotors. Replacing the rotors will not solve the issues if the bearing or hub is out .002. This is called Rotor Thickness Variation RTV.

Many cars cars today suffer from RTV since they have gone to the sealed hub bearing.
Many anymore need the rotors trued on the car with a rotor cutter that will do them in place on the car. Many Honda's and Acuras are this way.

Also have you made sure no one ever over tightend the lugs. If they are over tightened they can and will warp. This is the only way you can warp a rotor.

Also if you did not seat or burnish your brakes in this will lead to issues down the road in brake pedal judder that is often mis diagonsised as Warp too. Seating the pad is not done by the factory or the dealer so it is up to the driver to do so and use care in the first few hundred miles of driving.

These problems are misunderstood and have become repeat issues on many cars today.

If it was just cheap rotors then the issues would be easy to fix with other rotors but seldom does that ever solve the issue.

Go to http://www.bendixbrakes.com/techCorner/faq.php
Or raybestos.com and watch the video's under technical.

Times and the way we need to treat brakes have changed. You can bad mouth the HHR one some things but the brakes are not an HHR issue it is a industry issue that people just do not understand.

As for resale it is not great on most cars right now.

Not not all of us have issues with the brakes only the handful that complain. Some of use learned what to do to prevent it by getting caught up on the new tech. Please read the two web sites and watch the video's and learn the truth. It may just fix your issues on this car and other cars in your future.

I think bad hub bearings are the biggest issue as I see them fail often on many of the new cars. they are no where as good as the old style taper bearing on the spindel.

The sad part most of the industry is getting the same kind and even brand bearings and many are having similar brake judder issues.

You just can't throw pads and rotors on and go anymore. You need to do some checks and a proper seating to get long trouble free brakes anymore.

 

Monday my 2007 HHR goes in for vibrating brakes again for the 4th time. They have been replaced once and turned twice. Last week it had a new shifter installed, it has had a new steering column installed, front bearing and hub has been replaced, control arm bushings have been replaced. Paint was sandblasted before installation of running boards, splash guards were installed first, but offered no protection. I'd need to pull paper work to list all of the other computer and body control module and cosmetic (emblems and tailgate denting) problems this POS has had since I bought it new. I expected much more from GM. The dealership service department has been excellent. Now I am ready to give up, take the loss (wait until you see resale value of this JUNK car) and drive home in something else. Looking at a 2010 Equinox because the dealer service has been so good. GM still scares me to trust them again for quality. This is a damn shame for GM.

 

YES, torquing the lugs is VERY important on these cars. I found a huge difference after I personally re-torqued my wheels,used/rental car , but the turning did the final job. NO problems in 20K! Except for I insisted that the rotation of tires conforms to the Owner's Manual, DO NOT do it!!!!!! front to rear ONLY no crossing, much noise will ensue.

 

Torquing is not important on this car, it is important on all cars anymore.

Most of the issues listed above are not HHR issues they are industry wide issues. Brakes, electronics,thin metals, hub bearings etc are seen on all brands and models anymore. I see them all the time on everything from Ford to Honda and Hyundai.

Also shops have not kept up with many of the new ways to service cars. There are many good mechanics now doing things that do not fix issues in the long term. When the issue like brakes judder comes back they blame the car and not the guy who did not check the run out or other issues that could cause it. He slaps the parts back on and it happens again in 8,000 miles.

Few people notice many people do not have issues and they are using the same rotors and often the same pads with much better results. Again it is blame the symtom and not the real problem.

 

This is what happens when they try to save weight...parts start to become dependent on its neighbor to obtain the desired strength, thus if one part is installed incorrectly the whole assembly is compromised.
Example= lite weight rotors + lite weight hubs = strong hub rotor assy. So, if they are not joined correctly, both units are damaged.
Honeycomb panels are designed this way....

 

A better hub would solve 95% or these. I find many of the replacments are as bad or worse.

Just look at how many hubs fail on all new cars. I get calls for then all the time at work and we now stock them just because people need them so often. We never carried much in taper bearings and left them to the local markets.

The issue is crash standards have been raised to a level that has never been seen before. They crashed a 59 Imapala head on off set with a 09 Malibu to show the gains in safety and the BU killed the Impala. This is great but the penalty is weight.

Now the goverment wants more MPG. They can either give up smaller cars with weak engines or the size cars we want with weight cut from where they can. The issues is often to cut weight becomes expensive. Cast parts and suspension assemblys are a cheap way to cut weight.

A real catch 22.

 

With so many issues from so many people why is GM not replying? I mean I called them and they said they'd look into it and Nothing not a call back, Wait Til I return from OFFSHORE.I'm raising hell with someone, rip them a new ARSE. People look at post #70 call this lady and complain, let's give GM a piece of our mind....Maybe get a class action lawsuit for faulty design or something rolling...

 

The HHR design and bearing are a common design and bearing in the industry. They all are using the same or similar design and bearing even in larger rwd vehicles.

The bearings are should last at least 85,000 miles but often fail on all cars sooner.

Many have play and are gone before they make noise of a grinding sound. Untill they make noise people drive on with them.

I even recieved a notice from the Pontiac dealer recomending replacement at 65,000 miles.

If you jack up you wheel and it has any play like the old cars had the bearing is shot. todays hubs should have no play. Many feel this play and think of their old car where you had a little slop in the taper bearings. ALso if you hear noise or grinding it is a sign it is gone or going.

Forget the class action threat as it will only cost you time and money to get a free oil change as you make a lawyer rich. With 10 years worth of Toyota pick ups rusting in half I would not expect much to be done.

These beaings are not hard to replace or find if they are bad. A dial indicator can read the run out.

On a Honda and Acura you have to machine the rotor on the hub or it will judder from the start.

The best thing on this is to learn the cause, the proper way to identify the condition and the proper way to service it.

The real issue is they cut or replace the rotor but how many check the hub and the run out? I bet few guys on flat rate are doing this. By the time it goes bad again you don
t blame them you blame those dang cheap rotor.

The same for the Burnising of the brakes after they are installed. I quick drive around the dealer lot does not seat the brakes. How often has a service writer told you that you need to seat your brake upon pick up.

The biggest reason there are issues is because the real problems are never addresses.

Also note these new hubs are often ball bearings to cut rolling resistance. They have moved away from the larger taper roller bearing because the ball bearing will give MPG but has less life since it has less surface. There are some roller sealed units but they are not real common.

Like I said this is not a GM issue but a industry wide issue. I have replaced em in Honda's, Fords GM, Chryslers etc. In the past the taper bearings would last well over 100,000 miles if repacked regularly and today sealed hub bearing you will be lucky to get to 100,000 miles. One step forward two steps back.