POWER STEERING COMES UP IN MESSSGE CENTER OVER 10 MPH. STEERING IS VERY HARD. WHEN YOU TURN THE MOTOR OFF AND RESTART IT RESETS. OVER 10 MPH POWER STEERING COMES UP AGAIN. BROUGHT IT TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND DIAGNOSTIC TEST DONE BUT TEST COMES UP WITH NO PROBLEMS. GM RECALLED ONLY THE 2010 HHR FOR THIS PROBLEM, NOT THE OTHER YEAR MODELS. I PURCHASED MY 2006 HHR NEW IN DECEMBER 2005.
2006 Chevrolet HHR steering problems
severe 458 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700
Complaints
458
Recalls
0
Crashes
19
Avg fix
$700
What owners are reporting 12 most recent
AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 65 MPH THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND I GOT A NOTIFICATION ON MY DASH PANEL. I HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF TO RESET IT, AND NOW ITS BEEN GOING OUT AT LEAST ONCE A DAY EVERYDAY SINCE THEN. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE FAILURE OCCURRED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
while driving the car after a few miles, the door locks start going up and down, the power steering light comes on and is hard to steer, the check engine light comes on, the speedometer stops working and the tach malfunctions. the car surges while moving foward. if you shut the car off it will reset itself. once you start the car again it starts to malfunction again. one gararge owner did so…
DRIVING WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON, WEATHER VERY NICE AND ROAD DRY AROUND 7-7:30PM ON FAMILIAR ROAD. CAR HAD BEEN PULLING TO THE RIGHT FOR ABOUT A WEEK. HAD SON CHECK TIRES BEFORE LEAVING NEWARK OH AND HEADING HOME. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE WENT OFF ROAD TOTALED CAR AND I WAS IN HOSPITAL FOR 2 1/2DAYS. HAD BEEN KNOCKED OUT, SEAT BELT RUBBED NECK TO ALMOST BLEEDING, AIR BAG BURNED HOLE IN SLE…
THE FIRST INCIDENT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS PULLING MY VEHICLE OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY, I WAS IN REVERSE AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND BEGAN DRIVING, AFEW SECONDS LATER, I HEARD A WARNING CHIME AND A MESSAGE CAME UP ON MY DASH SAYING "POWER STEERING". THE CAR WAS VERY HARD TO MANEUVER, I STOPPED THE CAR AND TURNED IT OFF. I NEEDED TO GET IT BACK INTO MY DRIVE WAY SO I TURNED THE CAR ON TO GO BACK HOME, ONCE …
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED UPON SHIFTING INTO DRIVE. THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DURING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE F…
BOUGHT 2006 HHR LT NEW FOR MY COMPANY. PURCHASED IT FROM MY COMPANY FOR PERSONAL USE IN EARLY 2011. WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS PRACTICING PARALLEL PARKING AT THE DMV (FOR LICENSE TEST), THE POWER STEERING QUIT WORKING. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN SHE WAS FULLY STOPPED AND TURNED THE WHEEL ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT TO BEGIN THE PARKING MANEUVER. IT HAPPENED ON THE …
WHILE DRIVING, THE "POWER STEERING" WARNING LIGHT CAME ON ACROSS THE DASHBOARD IMPEDING STEERING MANEUVERS. AFTER A COMPLETE STOP AND DISENGAGING THE ENGINE, THE WARNING LIGHT A POWER STEERING SEEMS TO RESUME NORMAL PERFORMANCE. HOWEVER, THE WARNING LIGHT AND IMPEDED STEERING RETURNS WITHIN 20-25 MILES OF TRAVEL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE IT REGAINED POWER STEERING CAPABILITIES. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING OVER ANY UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE,…
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2006 Chevrolet HHR?
It's a meaningful issue. 458 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $700.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
Some links on this page are affiliate links.