2007 Chevrolet Hhr Problems: Steering (716 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2007 Chevrolet Hhr is Steering (53% of 716 owner reports). There are 5 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Steering — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 716 complaints · 5 recalls

What problems show up on the 2007 Chevrolet Hhr?

376 of 716 filings named Steering (53% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Electrical (66 reports).

There are 5 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Electrical. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2006 has 1,004 reports on file; this year has 716. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2007 Chevrolet Hhr

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 5 campaigns on file below.
  2. Steering. Check for play in the wheel, noises on lock and whether it tracks straight.
  3. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  4. Fuel system. Check for fuel smell, leaks and whether it starts and idles cleanly.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Steering. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Steering 376 complaints · 52.5% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 40
  • Fires 4
  • Injuries 27
  • Deaths 0
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Steering (STEERING) appears in 376 of 716 owner complaints (52.5%) in this vehicle snapshot. Steering (STEERING): 376 complaints, 52.5% of reports Steering (STEERING) 11 crash reports 376 · 52.5% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 66 complaints, 9.2% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 1 fire reports 66 · 9.2% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 48 complaints, 6.7% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 48 · 6.7% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 35 complaints, 4.9% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 4 crash reports 35 · 4.9% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 34 complaints, 4.8% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 1 crash reports 34 · 4.8% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 29 complaints, 4.1% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 15 crash reports 29 · 4.1% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 25 complaints, 3.5% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 1 crash reports 1 fire reports 25 · 3.5% Engine (ENGINE): 21 complaints, 2.9% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 1 crash reports 2 fire reports 21 · 2.9% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 18 complaints, 2.5% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 18 · 2.5% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 129 complaints, 18.0% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 10 crash reports 1 fire reports 129 · 18.0% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Steering (STEERING) 376 52.5% 11 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 66 9.2% 1 crashes · 1 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 48 6.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 35 4.9% 4 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 34 4.8% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 29 4.1% 15 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 25 3.5% 1 crashes · 1 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 21 2.9% 1 crashes · 2 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 18 2.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 129 18.0% 10 crashes · 1 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 2007; the first recall shown was reported in Jan 2008. 2007-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2007-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2008-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2008-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 2008-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2008-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2009-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2009-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2009-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2009-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2010-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2010-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 2010-Q3: 10 owner reports 10 2010-Q4: 18 owner reports 18 2011-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2011-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2011-Q3: 17 owner reports 17 2011-Q4: 18 owner reports 18 2012-Q1: 15 owner reports 15 2012-Q2: 13 owner reports 13 2012-Q3: 15 owner reports 15 2012-Q4: 16 owner reports 16 2013-Q1: 24 owner reports 24 2013-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 2013-Q3: 24 owner reports 24 2013-Q4: 14 owner reports 14 2014-Q1: 39 owner reports 39 2014-Q2: 94 owner reports 94 2014-Q3: 44 owner reports 44 2014-Q4: 21 owner reports 21 2015-Q1: 17 owner reports 17 2015-Q2: 12 owner reports 12 2015-Q3: 17 owner reports 17 2015-Q4: 18 owner reports 18 2016-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2016-Q2: 13 owner reports 13 2016-Q3: 14 owner reports 14 2016-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2017-Q1: 15 owner reports 15 2017-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2017-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2017-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2018-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2018-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2018-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2018-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2019-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2019-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2019-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2019-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2020-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2020-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2021-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2021-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2021-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2022-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2023-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2023-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2024-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2024-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2025-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2025-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2026-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jan 2007 Apr 2026 Recall campaign 08V046000 ◆ Recall campaign 08V046000 Recall campaign 08V444000 ◆ Recall campaign 08V444000 Recall campaign 14V047000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V047000 Recall campaign 14V171000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V171000 Recall campaign 14E021000 ◆ Recall campaign 14E021000
  • Campaign 08V444000 was reported 545 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 14V171000 was reported 2,429 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 14E021000 was reported 2,449 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2007-Q1 Owner reports 1
2007-Q3 Owner reports 5
2007-Q4 Owner reports 2
2008-Q1 Owner reports 7
2008-Q2 Owner reports 10
2008-Q3 Owner reports 9
2008-Q4 Owner reports 5
2009-Q1 Owner reports 7
2009-Q2 Owner reports 5
2009-Q3 Owner reports 5
2009-Q4 Owner reports 4
2010-Q1 Owner reports 8
2010-Q2 Owner reports 10
2010-Q3 Owner reports 10
2010-Q4 Owner reports 18
2011-Q1 Owner reports 11
2011-Q2 Owner reports 5
2011-Q3 Owner reports 17
2011-Q4 Owner reports 18
2012-Q1 Owner reports 15
2012-Q2 Owner reports 13
2012-Q3 Owner reports 15
2012-Q4 Owner reports 16
2013-Q1 Owner reports 24
2013-Q2 Owner reports 10
2013-Q3 Owner reports 24
2013-Q4 Owner reports 14
2014-Q1 Owner reports 39
2014-Q2 Owner reports 94
2014-Q3 Owner reports 44
2014-Q4 Owner reports 21
2015-Q1 Owner reports 17
2015-Q2 Owner reports 12
2015-Q3 Owner reports 17
2015-Q4 Owner reports 18
2016-Q1 Owner reports 11
2016-Q2 Owner reports 13
2016-Q3 Owner reports 14
2016-Q4 Owner reports 2
2017-Q1 Owner reports 15
2017-Q2 Owner reports 9
2017-Q3 Owner reports 7
2017-Q4 Owner reports 7
2018-Q1 Owner reports 4
2018-Q2 Owner reports 5
2018-Q3 Owner reports 13
2018-Q4 Owner reports 3
2019-Q1 Owner reports 2
2019-Q2 Owner reports 5
2019-Q3 Owner reports 4
2019-Q4 Owner reports 2
2020-Q1 Owner reports 4
2020-Q2 Owner reports 1
2020-Q3 Owner reports 7
2020-Q4 Owner reports 5
2021-Q1 Owner reports 1
2021-Q2 Owner reports 5
2021-Q3 Owner reports 4
2021-Q4 Owner reports 2
2022-Q2 Owner reports 4
2022-Q4 Owner reports 2
2023-Q2 Owner reports 2
2023-Q3 Owner reports 2
2024-Q3 Owner reports 2
2024-Q4 Owner reports 2
2025-Q2 Owner reports 1
2025-Q3 Owner reports 3
2025-Q4 Owner reports 2
2026-Q2 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 08V046000
Recall campaign 1 08V444000
Recall campaign 1 14V047000
Recall campaign 1 14V171000
Recall campaign 1 14E021000
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (5)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Electrical.

  1. Recall campaign 08V046000

    Safety recall 08V046000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    THIS STANDARD SPECIFIES PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS TO PROVIDE HEAD IMPACT PROTECTION FOR OCCUPANTS.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ENERGY-ABSORBING PLASTIC PIECE TO THE HEADLINER TRIM. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 2, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR THROUGH THEIR WEBSITE AT HTTP://WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  2. Recall campaign 08V444000

    Safety recall 08V444000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    THIS STANDARD SPECIFIES PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS TO PROVIDE HEAD IMPACT PROTECTION FOR OCCUPANTS.
    Remedy:
    A REDESIGNED LATCH WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 23, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, OR THROUGH THEIR WEBSITE AT HTTP://WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  3. Recall campaign 14E021000

    Electrical

    Report date
    Component:
    Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    If the ignition switch moves from the run position to accessory, the car would stall and the air bags will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of personal injury to the occupants.
    Remedy:
    UCI-FRAM Group has notified its purchasers to quarantine and return all inventory. Any switches already installed in vehicles will be replaced by GM dealers as part of NHTSA recall 14V-047, free of charge. UCI-Fram's purchasers should contact UCI-FRAM Group at 1-800-890-2075. GM vehicle owners requiring additional information on that recall campaign should contact GM at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-762-2737 (Pontiac) or 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn).
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  4. Recall campaign 14V047000

    Safety recall 14V047000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
    Remedy:
    GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. An interim notification was issued to owners of 2007 and earlier models on March 10, 2014, informing them of the safety defect. Owners of 2008 and later vehicles will be mailed an interim letter on April 21, 2014. All affected owners will receive another letter once parts are available. The recall began on April 18, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737 or Saturn at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for the initial recall is 13454 and 14063 for the expansion. GM’s recall number for the vehicles that may have received the replacement parts is 14092. Note: Until the recall repairs have been performed, it is very important that customers remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the vehicle key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. Always wear your seatbelt.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  5. Recall campaign 14V171000

    Electrical

    Report date
    Component:
    Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    If the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "off" position, the vehicle could roll away: (a) for an automatic transmission, if the transmission is not in the "Park" position; or (b) for a manual transmission, if the parking brake is not engaged and the transmission is not in the "Reverse" position. This potential for rollaway increases the risk for a crash and occupant or pedestrian injuries.
    Remedy:
    General Motors will notify owners, and for vehicles that were built with the defective ignition cylinder and have not previously had the ignition cylinder replaced with the redesigned part, dealers will replace the ignition cylinder and cut and, if necessary, re-learn two ignition/door keys for each vehicle. For vehicles that were built with the redesigned ignition cylinder or had the ignition cylinder replaced with the redesigned part, dealers will cut and, if necessary, re-learn two ignition/door keys for each vehicle. The recall began on April 18, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac owners at 1-800-762-2737, and Saturn owners at 1-800-553-6000. General Motors' number for this recall is 14113 for the ignition lock cylinder and key replacement, and 14133 for only key replacements. Note: Until a vehicle has been remedied, owners and operators are advised that when exiting, to be sure that the vehicle is in "Park," or in the case of a manual transmission, that the vehicle is in the "Reverse" position and the parking brake is engaged.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 10 of 716 complaints · page 1 of 29
2026-05-15Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11738005
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The fuel line rusted causing it to leak. We discovered it when we had some exhaust work done on the car. No one other then myself and the people that have done the exhaust work. There was no warning of the issue.
2025-12-05Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11703297
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Car has developed a fuel leak once again in the rear of the vehicle. this is the second time a fuel leak has been noted. the first time the mechanic replaced a portion of the line that had corroded and was leaking fuel near the driver rear tire. now the leak is in another section of the original pipe near the fuel tank. this is poor quality and engineering.
2025-11-20Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11700657
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Power steering went out while I was driving and it put me in danger and other drivers because it was hard to control the vehicle, the steering wheel was really tough to turn. The vehicle wasn't inspected by a professional because the problem just occurred.
2025-09-19Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11688527
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Power steering lights up and I am unable to turn the steering wheel. When I shut the motor down and start back up, the steering starts working again. This has been doing this for about 4 years now. I took it to White Allen Chevrolet when it first started happening and they told me that they drove it around and that it did not happen while they test drove the car. It happens intermittingly. I never know when it is going to happen. When it first started, it only happened about once every six months or so. Now it is happening every time I am in the car. Sometimes when I pull out onto a street and into traffic the power steering light comes on and I have to find a spot to get off the street so that I can turn the motor off and restart the engine. Today 09/18/2025, it cut off 3 times. I am checking to see if there is a recall on this model for the power steering. I have found out that it does not use power steering fluid but that it has a motor under the steering wheel that controls the power steering.
2025-08-06Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11678710
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My power steering keeps going out. It randomly makes it hard to turn which could cause a crash. It's common in other hhr models, mine has not been inspected personally yet. It has a chime and then the console says "power steering". There were no signs before it started. It goes away when you restart the car but will come back randomly. I was advised by an auto repair place to replace the battery, but it didn't help.
2025-08-05Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11678399
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Power steering motor went out. Went to the dealer to get special coverage 14119 ( I was aware of the issue ). Dealership refused to do work for free as stated in service bulletin. Called GM Corporate and they also said work would would not be done for free. 14119 specifically stated that power steering motor would be changed and I quote " at no cost to the customer " unquote. They want $175 just to look at my vehicle. When does the " at no cost to the customer " come in, apparently we seem to have forgotten that. I would like some legal clarification to this from the nhtsa.
2025-05-07Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11659516
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The fuel line on the left back side of the car (back drivers side) was leaking fuel when it was in parking or sitting and idling. Noted fuel smell when car started up and was idling, car was taken to independent mechanic, fuel line was broke in 2 places. It was broke close by the wheel are and the other spot was back by the exhaust
2024-12-07Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11629426
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The fuel line is leaking due to it being metal and rusted.
2024-11-25Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11627210
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Fuel line leaking next to exhaust. This is very dangerous and could kill someone. Bad design on Chevy's part.
2024-08-11Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11607862
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Fuel leak coming from the Left (Drivers Side) of the vehicle in the area of the rear wheel. There was a strong odor of fuel, Fuel was observed dripping to the ground under the vehicle in front of the Left rear wheel. This condition was observed only when the vehicle was running and in park. The condition does not seem to happen when the vehicle is off and not running. No repair has been made yet , vehicle can be inspected in its current condition. This is a severe safety concern of ignition/explosion due to a fuel leak; risk of property damage or even death. This problem has not been addressed yet to a dealer or local mechanic as of yet . Failed component has not yet been inspected by GM, Police or insurance. No warning lamps or messages were illuminated on dashboard, prior to failure, vehicle did have some difficulty starting, possibly due to this problem, but it did start.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2007 Chevrolet Hhr?

Owners named Steering most often — 376 of 716 reports (53%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2007 Chevrolet Hhr?

NHTSA lists 5 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Electrical. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2007 Chevrolet Hhr?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Check for play in the wheel, noises on lock and whether it tracks straight. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources