Problems · by component

2011 Chevrolet HHR air bags problems

30 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2011 Chevrolet HHR cite air bags, 15% of all 203 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
30
15% of all complaints
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
6
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 10, 2024Steering, Electrical system, Air bagsODI 11564742
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET HHR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE SERVICE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, WHICH WAS A SAFETY CONCERN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED AN UNKNOWN SENSOR, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 62,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 7, 2018Air bagsODI 11118299
“I HAVE CONTACTED MY LOCAL CHEVY DEALER, BECAUSE MY AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON. I ASKED ABOUT A RECALL THERE TOLD ME THERE HASNT BEEN ONE. NOW I AM CLEARLY SEEING THAT THERE WAS A RECALL. MY LIGHT HAS BEEN ON ABOUT A YEAR NOW AND I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE SERVICED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 11, 2018Air bagsODI 11084546
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET HHR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, A LOUD POPPING NOISE OCCURRED AND ALL THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT AND THE HEADLINER DETACHED FROM THE CEILING OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MONUMENT CHEVROLET (3940 PASADENA FWY, PASADENA, TX 77503) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT PROVIDED INFORMATION FROM THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST, BUT WAS INFORMED TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND LEFT A VOICEMAIL FOR A CALL BACK, BUT THERE HAD BEEN NO RESPONSE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 18, 2017Air bagsODI 11024023
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET HHR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER PROMISED TO ORDER THE PART. APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS LATER, THE PART HAD NOT BEEN ORDERED OR REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,977.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 5, 2016Air bagsODI 10882786
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET HHR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V047000 (AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,818.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 11, 2016Electrical system, Air bagsODI 10864386

Showing 6 of 30 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Air bags

Remedy pending

This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on February 10, 2014 that they are recalling 619,122 model year 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, and 2007 Pontiac G5 vehicles. On February 25, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 748,024 model year 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR and Pontiac Solstice vehicles and 2003-2007 Saturn Ion vehicles and 2007 Saturn Sky vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine. On March 27, 2014, GM notified the agency that the defective ignition switches may have been used as service replacement parts on other vehicles, and as a result GM will be recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, Saturn Sky, and Pontiac G5 and Solstice, and 2008-2011 Chevrolet HHR vehicles. The part numbers for the service parts are 10392423 (a/k/a ACDelco D1461F), 10392737, 15857948, 15854953, 15896640, and 25846762. This expansion represents an additional 823,788 vehicles.

Air bagsReported Feb 10, 2014NHTSA 14V047000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 9, 2026

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