in several threads today, i've read lines about "axle problems". I used the search funtion, can't find anything related to axle. What problem is there with the axles?

 

You know funny you ask because I have NO IDEA what is wrong with mine. I asked the person on the phone when they told me they found the problem, but she had no idea exactly since she was only the messanger. I planned on asking next week more about it when I bring it in for the repair. I know with mine when I drove 25-40 and up hills it felt like the front was wobbling which ended up being an axle issue.

 

A bent axle shaft will causing a wobbling sensation, usually around 25-45 mph, so the repair they are doing sounds reasonable. Most of the time you cannot see the bent area.

Any easy way to find the problem is to lift the vehicle, place a old wheel on it's side, under one of the front tire assemblys and then lower the vehicle, which will block that axle and wheel assembly from turning. You then put it in gear and simulate what is happening while driving. If it doesn't wobble, you raise the vehicle and put the old wheel under the other side to block that wheel assembly from turning. This tells you wether it is the left or right front axle that is causing the problem. It's not like a bent rear axle where you can just lift it and put the vehicle in gear and then observe the wobble of the bent axle.

However I have not seen an axle assembly replaced on an HHR due to this condition.

Maybe they mean the AXLE STRIKE problem at American Axle.

 

So is an axle problem dangerous since I drive with two kids (7 and 2 years) in the vehicle? I've been wondering this for a few weeks now but was told naaaa your all right. Just like when I called to see if my vehile was involved in the recall and the chevy garage said nope your cars vin is fine than I get a notice two weeks later...I wasn't happy.

 

That's hard to answer on a forum, since there is no way for us to know what the defect or fault is. The front wheel drive axle has a shaft and two joints an inner and an outer. If a joint broke, the vehicle would no longer pull and depending on what speed could be a dangerous situation. But it is usually the shaft part that bends and it wont break. The joints make a clicking noise, worse on turns, when they go bad so if there is no noise is occuring, that's not the problem.

So I don't want to freak you out, when I don't know what the problem with the axle is.

Front axles and/or cv joint breakage, is rare on late model GM vehicles, but could occur such as during an accident.