2011 Chevrolet Hhr Problems and Recalls (201 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2011 Chevrolet Hhr is Fuel system (23% of 201 owner reports). There are 3 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Fuel system — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 201 complaints · 3 recalls

What problems show up on the 2011 Chevrolet Hhr?

46 of 201 filings named Fuel system (23% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Electrical (19 reports).

There are 3 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 2010 has 514 reports on file; this year has 201. 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 2011 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 3 campaigns on file below.
  2. Fuel system. Check for fuel smell, leaks and whether it starts and idles cleanly.
  3. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  4. Steering. Check for play in the wheel, noises on lock and whether it tracks straight.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Fuel system. 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: Fuel system 46 complaints · 22.9% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 13
  • Fires 3
  • Injuries 16
  • 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 Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) appears in 46 of 201 owner complaints (22.9%) in this vehicle snapshot. Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 46 complaints, 22.9% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 fire reports 46 · 22.9% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 19 complaints, 9.4% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 19 · 9.4% Steering (STEERING): 19 complaints, 9.4% of reports Steering (STEERING) 3 crash reports 19 · 9.4% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 19 complaints, 9.4% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 19 · 9.4% Engine (ENGINE): 17 complaints, 8.5% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 17 · 8.5% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 16 complaints, 8.0% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 3 crash reports 16 · 8.0% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 9 complaints, 4.5% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 9 · 4.5% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 8 complaints, 4.0% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 4 crash reports 8 · 4.0% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 5 complaints, 2.5% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 1 crash reports 5 · 2.5% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 59 complaints, 29.4% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 2 crash reports 2 fire reports 59 · 29.4% 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)
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 46 22.9% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 19 9.4% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 19 9.4% 3 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 19 9.4% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 17 8.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 16 8.0% 3 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 9 4.5% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 8 4.0% 4 crashes · 0 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 5 2.5% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 59 29.4% 2 crashes · 2 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 Jul 2011; the first recall shown was reported in Feb 2014. 2011-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2012-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2012-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2013-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2013-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2014-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2014-Q2: 18 owner reports 18 2014-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2014-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2015-Q1: 14 owner reports 14 2015-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2015-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2015-Q4: 10 owner reports 10 2016-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2016-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2016-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2016-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2017-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2017-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2017-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2018-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2018-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2018-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2019-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2019-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2020-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2021-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2021-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2022-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2022-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2022-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2023-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2023-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2023-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2025-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2026-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jul 2011 Jan 2026 Recall campaign 14V047000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V047000 Recall campaign 14V171000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V171000 Recall campaign 14E021000 ◆ Recall campaign 14E021000
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2011-Q3 Owner reports 2
2011-Q4 Owner reports 2
2012-Q1 Owner reports 3
2012-Q2 Owner reports 1
2012-Q3 Owner reports 1
2012-Q4 Owner reports 3
2013-Q2 Owner reports 1
2013-Q3 Owner reports 3
2013-Q4 Owner reports 3
2014-Q1 Owner reports 9
2014-Q2 Owner reports 18
2014-Q3 Owner reports 13
2014-Q4 Owner reports 5
2015-Q1 Owner reports 14
2015-Q2 Owner reports 9
2015-Q3 Owner reports 6
2015-Q4 Owner reports 10
2016-Q1 Owner reports 3
2016-Q2 Owner reports 5
2016-Q3 Owner reports 5
2016-Q4 Owner reports 3
2017-Q1 Owner reports 4
2017-Q2 Owner reports 6
2017-Q3 Owner reports 1
2017-Q4 Owner reports 1
2018-Q1 Owner reports 5
2018-Q2 Owner reports 5
2018-Q3 Owner reports 3
2018-Q4 Owner reports 2
2019-Q1 Owner reports 2
2019-Q2 Owner reports 1
2020-Q1 Owner reports 1
2020-Q2 Owner reports 2
2020-Q3 Owner reports 6
2020-Q4 Owner reports 3
2021-Q1 Owner reports 2
2021-Q2 Owner reports 2
2021-Q3 Owner reports 6
2021-Q4 Owner reports 6
2022-Q1 Owner reports 4
2022-Q3 Owner reports 3
2022-Q4 Owner reports 1
2023-Q1 Owner reports 5
2023-Q2 Owner reports 2
2023-Q3 Owner reports 3
2023-Q4 Owner reports 1
2024-Q1 Owner reports 1
2024-Q3 Owner reports 1
2024-Q4 Owner reports 1
2025-Q2 Owner reports 1
2026-Q1 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 14V047000
Recall campaign 1 14V171000
Recall campaign 1 14E021000
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (3)

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 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 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 201 complaints · page 1 of 9
2026-03-26Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11727282
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Started with gas smell and I was able to see gas dripping down from fuel pipeline in the rear wheel driver side.
2025-06-23Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11668600
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet HHR. The contact stated that while approaching the locked vehicle, the contact noticed that the rear driver's side door had failed to latch securely and was open. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 42,495.
2024-12-19Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11631633
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Last week, I noticed fuel leaking out from the bottom of my vehicle on the rear passenger side in my driveway after returning home. I had my vehicle towed into a local shop to get looked at. The shop informed me that my entire fuel line assembly needed to be replaced. They stated that the metal assembly has rusted and corroded over time. At the time of this writing, my vehicle is still in the shop awaiting to get fixed. It is available to be inspected upon request. There are no warning signs on my computer system prior to this. This leaking fuel could have put myself and my family at risk for harm due to the fire risk.
2024-08-24Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11610617
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Fuel lines corroded just like millions of other HHR's. Gas is leaking. What does it take to have a recall on this? Does someone really have to be killed?
2024-01-10Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11564742
CrashFireInjuryDeath
There is a serious electrical glitch that's in the computer, that causes the car to perform poorly at a slow speed, which cases the steering to become very hard to turn, and maintain lanes while driving. All lights, warnings, and gauges fluctuate back and forth, while the bell inide the car when stared keeps chiming.
2023-10-23Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11551279
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Fuel line/gas leaking from faulty tube carrying ignitable flammable fluid...no warning just smell and sighting at stop..went to savoy IL dealer immediately and had replaced @ 1k cost approx. 2+ yrs ago...cel
2023-08-21Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11539705
CrashFireInjuryDeath
fuel line leak
2023-08-17Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11539144
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Fuel Line is leaking on back left rear. Other models have recall but i have a 2011 with the same exact problem
2023-07-08Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11531015
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Fuel line/s started leaking just infront of the left rear wheel about 06/27/2023. Ignition switch started sticking about 06/22/2023.
2023-06-17Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11527554
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I left vehicle running on my concrete driveway while I ran in the house to get my father for an errand. When I came outside and went to get into the vehicle I noticed a fire in the front of the rear wheel on the driver's side kind of dripping flames from the vehicle on to the concrete. Luckily I reacted quickly enough to release the parking brake. [Car is a manual transmisson]. The car drifted forward [driveway has small downhill pitch]and I turned the motor off. Then I [luckily] ran over to a hose and brought it to the vehicle to extinguish the fire.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2011 Chevrolet Hhr?

Owners named Fuel system most often — 46 of 201 reports (23%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2011 Chevrolet Hhr?

NHTSA lists 3 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 2011 Chevrolet Hhr?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Check for fuel smell, leaks and whether it starts and idles cleanly. 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