2010 Chevrolet Hhr Problems: Steering (514 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2010 Chevrolet Hhr is Steering (39% of 514 owner reports). There are 4 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Steering — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 514 complaints · 4 recalls

What problems show up on the 2010 Chevrolet Hhr?

201 of 514 filings named Steering (39% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Electrical (81 reports).

There are 4 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Electrical and Steering. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2009 has 507 reports on file; this year has 514. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2010 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 4 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 201 complaints · 39.1% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 19
  • Fires 1
  • Injuries 13
  • 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 201 of 514 owner complaints (39.1%) in this vehicle snapshot. Steering (STEERING): 201 complaints, 39.1% of reports Steering (STEERING) 5 crash reports 201 · 39.1% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 81 complaints, 15.8% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 81 · 15.8% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 49 complaints, 9.5% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 fire reports 49 · 9.5% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 35 complaints, 6.8% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 35 · 6.8% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 25 complaints, 4.9% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 4 crash reports 25 · 4.9% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 19 complaints, 3.7% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 2 crash reports 19 · 3.7% Engine (ENGINE): 12 complaints, 2.3% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 3 crash reports 12 · 2.3% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 12 complaints, 2.3% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 2 crash reports 12 · 2.3% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 9 complaints, 1.8% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 1 crash reports 9 · 1.8% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 110 complaints, 21.4% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 3 crash reports 110 · 21.4% 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) 201 39.1% 5 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 81 15.8% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 49 9.5% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 35 6.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 25 4.9% 4 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 19 3.7% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 12 2.3% 3 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 12 2.3% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 9 1.8% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 110 21.4% 3 crashes · 0 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 Apr 2010; the first recall shown was reported in Feb 2014. 2010-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2010-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2010-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2011-Q3: 12 owner reports 12 2011-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2012-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2012-Q2: 23 owner reports 23 2012-Q3: 12 owner reports 12 2012-Q4: 16 owner reports 16 2013-Q1: 18 owner reports 18 2013-Q2: 21 owner reports 21 2013-Q3: 31 owner reports 31 2013-Q4: 23 owner reports 23 2014-Q1: 20 owner reports 20 2014-Q2: 43 owner reports 43 2014-Q3: 39 owner reports 39 2014-Q4: 20 owner reports 20 2015-Q1: 12 owner reports 12 2015-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2015-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2015-Q4: 10 owner reports 10 2016-Q1: 16 owner reports 16 2016-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 2016-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2016-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2017-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2017-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2017-Q3: 11 owner reports 11 2017-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2018-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2018-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2018-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2018-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2019-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2019-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2019-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2020-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2020-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2021-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2021-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2022-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2022-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2022-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2023-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2023-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2023-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2023-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2024-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 Owner reports Apr 2010 Oct 2024 Recall campaign 14V047000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V047000 Recall campaign 14V153000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V153000 Recall campaign 14V171000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V171000 Recall campaign 14E021000 ◆ Recall campaign 14E021000
  • Campaign 14V153000 was reported 964 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 14V171000 was reported 1,428 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 14E021000 was reported 1,448 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2010-Q2 Owner reports 2
2010-Q3 Owner reports 3
2010-Q4 Owner reports 2
2011-Q1 Owner reports 1
2011-Q2 Owner reports 5
2011-Q3 Owner reports 12
2011-Q4 Owner reports 7
2012-Q1 Owner reports 8
2012-Q2 Owner reports 23
2012-Q3 Owner reports 12
2012-Q4 Owner reports 16
2013-Q1 Owner reports 18
2013-Q2 Owner reports 21
2013-Q3 Owner reports 31
2013-Q4 Owner reports 23
2014-Q1 Owner reports 20
2014-Q2 Owner reports 43
2014-Q3 Owner reports 39
2014-Q4 Owner reports 20
2015-Q1 Owner reports 12
2015-Q2 Owner reports 11
2015-Q3 Owner reports 9
2015-Q4 Owner reports 10
2016-Q1 Owner reports 16
2016-Q2 Owner reports 10
2016-Q3 Owner reports 9
2016-Q4 Owner reports 6
2017-Q1 Owner reports 3
2017-Q2 Owner reports 7
2017-Q3 Owner reports 11
2017-Q4 Owner reports 7
2018-Q1 Owner reports 3
2018-Q2 Owner reports 4
2018-Q3 Owner reports 5
2018-Q4 Owner reports 6
2019-Q1 Owner reports 1
2019-Q2 Owner reports 6
2019-Q3 Owner reports 2
2019-Q4 Owner reports 5
2020-Q1 Owner reports 1
2020-Q2 Owner reports 1
2020-Q3 Owner reports 8
2020-Q4 Owner reports 8
2021-Q1 Owner reports 1
2021-Q2 Owner reports 4
2021-Q3 Owner reports 2
2021-Q4 Owner reports 4
2022-Q1 Owner reports 4
2022-Q2 Owner reports 4
2022-Q3 Owner reports 7
2023-Q1 Owner reports 6
2023-Q2 Owner reports 2
2023-Q3 Owner reports 6
2023-Q4 Owner reports 3
2024-Q3 Owner reports 1
2024-Q4 Owner reports 3
Recall campaign 1 14V047000
Recall campaign 1 14V153000
Recall campaign 1 14V171000
Recall campaign 1 14E021000
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (4)

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 and Steering.

  1. 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 →
  2. 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 →
  3. Recall campaign 14V153000

    Steering

    Report date
    Component:
    Steering (STEERING)
    Consequence:
    If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    GM will notify owners, and dealers will perform one of four bulletins. Parts are not currently available. GM expects to send an interim notification around May 28, 2014. When parts are available, owners will be mailed a second letter to come in to have the applicable bulletin applied. Bulletin 14115 covers model year 2004-2007 Saturn Ion, 2009-2010 Chevrolet HHR and 2010 Chevrolet Cobalts. Dealers will replace the EPS motor. Bulletin 14116 covers model year 2004-2006 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx, 2005-2006 Pontiac G6 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from March 1, 2008, through June 27, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly. Bulletin 14117 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from February 1, 2008, through February 28, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly and EPS motor controller unit. Bulletin 14118 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from October 1, 2007, through January 31, 2008. Dealers will replace the EPS motor controller unit. The recall began on July 17, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, and Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668. GM's number for this recall is N140115. Note: GM bulletin number 14119 will be implemented for model year 2006-2008 and early production of 2009 Chevrolet HHR (non-turbo) and model year 2003 Saturn ION to provide EPS Motor replacement for the life of the vehicle.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  4. 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 514 complaints · page 1 of 21
2024-11-30Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11628096
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Car is leaking gas on left rear side. Corrosion and rust due to fuel line.
2024-10-04Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11618144
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Although this vehicle is a 2010 HHR, it has less than 23000 miles on it, has been garaged kept and maintained impeccably. The warning light blinks at random and then the power steering fails. It does not matter the speed of the vehicle and happens at random. Once turned off and restarted, the power steering works for approx 5 minutes and then fails again. There was a recall on 2009-2010 HHRs for sudden loss of power steering issued in 3/2014, recall # 14V153000. This recall is not VIN# specific. However, when I contact the dealer for repair of this vehicle, I am told that the recall does not pertain to my VIN#, so its not covered. NHTSA has more than 135 complaints about HHRs since 10/2019 with more than half of them being steering issues. This clearly is a wider recall issue than originally thought. My vehicle is inoperable due to this safety issue. I filed a complaint with GM. They told me it was not their issue and I could pay to have it diagnosed and fixed at a dealership. This is a GM issue due to the amount of complaints about this exact problem from other owners. I am hoping GM is made aware of the widespread issues and does the right thing, issuing another recall for all 2009-2010 HHRs regardless of VIN#.
2024-10-04Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11618141
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The power steering warning light was illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, the vehicle temporarily returned to normal functionality however, the failure reoccurred. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V153000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
2024-07-27Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11604907
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Gas lines rusted out after purchase.
2023-12-31Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11562846
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Rear door locking system failure. Door opened suddenly and without warning while driving endangering occupants. The door locking mechanism will not allow the door to remain secure and closed when shut. Online search revealed many similar incidents occurring for other drivers.
2023-12-27Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11562075
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Gas line rusted and leaking. Gas everywhere, strong odor, highly flammable. Under inspection at the Chevy dealer in Highland Twp. No warning lights were on.
2023-10-24Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11551536
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the driveway, the vehicle released gasoline fumes inside and around the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the VIN was not under recall for the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
2023-09-22SUSPENSION
NHTSA ODI 11545986
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Loss of power while driving 35mph and service traction light along with airbags light keeps showing at random times
2023-08-17Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11539093
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Fuel leak coming from rear wheel area on drivers side of the vehicle
2023-08-17Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11539043
CrashFireInjuryDeath
While operating vehicles , the smell of fresh gasoline was coming into cabin. Made left hand turn to pull over and check gas cap, as I turned the rear of my car spun around like I was on ice. Almost hit pedestrians, my rear tires soaked with gasoline…scary. Gas pouring out from real lines next to Muffler.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2010 Chevrolet Hhr?

Owners named Steering most often — 201 of 514 reports (39%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2010 Chevrolet Hhr?

NHTSA lists 4 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Electrical and Steering. 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 2010 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