Problems · by component

2010 Chevrolet HHR service brakes problems

25 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2010 Chevrolet HHR cite service brakes, 5% of all 516 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
25
5% of all complaints
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the service brakes

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“Noticed that the cruise control would disengage randomly when activated. I checked the function of the brake lights at night and found that the brake lights would turn themselves on randomly with zero brake input, disengaging the cruise control. In this state, depressing the brake pedal more than around 30-40% would turn the brake lights off, even with the brake pedal fully pressed. Furthermore, with the brake pedal pressed to a moderate level, the cruise control is able to be engaged, even with obvious brake pressure being applied. This defeats the cruise control disengagement feature and the cruise control system will fight against the braking system to maintain speed instead of turning itself off as it seems to rely solely on the brake lights for the automatic disengagement. This issue is quite dangerous as this seems to happen quite often with the brake lights, but I cannot find any sort of consistent scenario that causes these issues to occur.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 3, 2023Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Service brakesODI 11530229
“ON GOING ISSUE OF BRAKE LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY COMING ON WITHOUT TOUCHING BRAKE PEDAL. FIRST NOTICED SOMETHING WRONG BECAUSE CRUISE CONTROL WOULDN'T ACTIVATE. FOUND PROBLEM AT NIGHT WHEN I COULD SEE THE GLOW FROM MY BRAKE LIGHTS ON THE TOP INSIDE EDGE OF MY REAR HATCH. REPLACING BRAKE SWITCH ABOVE PEDAL DID NOT FIX PROBLEM. SOUNDS KIND OF FUNNY, BUT I GOT BRAKE LIGHTS TO GO OFF WHILE SETTING IN DRIVEWAY AND POUNDING MY CENTER CONSOLE OUT OF FRUSTRATION. INTERNET SEARCH FOUND OTHER GM VEHICLES WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND FRUSTRATED OWNERS THAT TOOK VEHICLES TO DEALERSHIPS THAT DIDN'T FIX THEIR PROBLEM. ISSUE APPEARS TO BE CIRCUIT BOARD RELATED WITH CIRCUIT BOARDS LOCATED ON PASSENGER SIDE LOWER CENTER CONSOLE. A SHARP RAP WITH THE PALM OF MY HAND IN THAT AREA WILL ALWAYS GET THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO GO OFF WHEN THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ON. DOESN'T HAPPEN OFTEN, BUT SEEMS CRAZY TO HAVE TO KEEP CHECKING TO SEE IF MY CRUISE WILL SET SO I KNOW IF MY BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON. DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THEY HAVEN'T SEEN THIS PROBLEM, THOUGH AS I STATED EARLIER, INTERNET SEARCH WILL FIND OTHER GM OWNERS WITH SIMILAR ISSUE OF BRAKE LIGHTS ON WITHOUT TOUCHING BRAKE PEDAL. HAVE HAD ISSUE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 21, 2019Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Service brakesODI 11290572
“I WAS APPROACHING A RED LIGHT ON ALDI DR. AND ROUTE 48.WHEN I APPLIED MY BRAKES THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR RESULTING IN RUNNING THRU THE LIGHT STOPPING IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION OF ROUTE 48 AFTER USING EMERGENCY BRAKE TO GET STOPPED.IT WAS A MIRACLE THAT I DIDNT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.I DO HAVE A PA. CERTIFIED INSPECTION MECHANICS LICENSE.I GOT OUT OF CAR AND SEEN BRAKE FLUID RUNNING OUT OF RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WITH 4 WAYS ON I BACKED CAR OFF OF ROUTE 48 INTO HOME DEPOT PARKING LOT AND CHECKED OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS.I SEEN THE CALIBER BRAKE HOSE HANGING DOWN TOWARDS THE GROUND WITH FLUID RUNNING OUT.I CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK TO TAKE ME HOME.WHEN GETTING AUTO HOME I JACKED RIGHT FRONT OF CAR UP AND PLACED JACK STAND UNDER CAR.THEN REMOVED R-FRONT WHEEL AND SEEN THE THAT THE METAL CLAMP HOLDING THE BRAKE HOSE TO THE CAR RUSTED AWAY ,IT WAS PAPER THIN RESULTING IN THE HOSE BLOWING OFF.WITH ABS AND A SINGLE MASTER CYLINDER IT WAS A COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE! I CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS AND THE WERE SORRY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED .I HAVE CHANGED BOTH FRONT BRAKE HOSES.THE BOTH HOSES WHERE UNDER $40.00 DOLLARS.THIS IS THE WORST BRAKE FAILURE THAT I HAVE SEEN IN MY LIFETIME! I…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 23, 2018Service brakesODI 11153273
“FIRST MY AIRBAG SYSTEM STARTED COMING ON SAYING SERVICE AIRBAGS AND THE SENSORS ARE ALL NEW, SECOND THE SERVICE ESC COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHIFT EXTREMELY HARD FROM 1ST GEAR (AUTOMATIC TRANNY) BRAKING SYSTEM WAS WORKING FINE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR NO BRAKES AND THE FLUID IS FULL AND THE SYSTEM WAS WORKING JUST FINE AFTER MAKING GM AWARE OF THIS THEIR RESPONSE TO IT ALL IS THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO BUT THIS WAS AN ISSUE FROM DATE OF MFG AND GM REFUSES TO FIX OR CORRECT THE ONGOING ISSUES ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS IF NHTSA CANT HELP WITH THIS ISSUE THEN I HAVE NO WHERE LEFT TO TURN EXCEPT EITHER TO A MORGUE OR A SCRAP YARD”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 5, 2018Air bags, Electronic stability control (esc), Service brakesODI 11060657
“ON NOVEMBER 29TH, 2017 I WAS DRIVING SOUTH ON THE HIGHWAY AND I WAS ABOUT 200 FEET BACK WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE BREAKS WENT DOWN TO THE FLOOR BOARD AND I FREAKED OUT AND DIDNT KNOW WHAT TO DO. THERE WAS KNOW LIGHT THAT CAME ON FOR BREAK OR ABS LIGHT. I HIT A CAR IN FRONT AT THE STOP LIGHT AHEAD AND RAN INTO TO HER MY CAR IS TOTALED. I HAD A TOW TRUCK COME AND GET THE CAR AND HE SAID AS WELL THERE WERE NO BREAKS WHAT SO EVER. ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO I WAS NOTICING MY CAR WAS ACTING UP WITH THE ELECTRICIAL SYSTEM I HAD A OFFICER AT THE HOSPITAL COME OUT AND HELP ME AND HE SAID THATS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND HE HAS NEVER SEEN THAT BEFORE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 6, 2017Service brakesCrash reportedODI 11052827
“I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HUB BEARINGS ON MY FRONT WHEELS, TWICE IN TWO YEARS. VERY LOUD NOISES AND CAR SHAKES VERY BAD WHEN TRYING TO STOP. FRONT BRAKES, HUB BEARINGS, PADS AND ROTORS REPLACED TWO YEARS AGO. NOW HAVE TO REPLACE THE HUB BEARINGS AGAIN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 7, 2017Suspension, Service brakesODI 11022202

Showing 6 of 25 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.