NHTSA Complaint #10475519 — 2006 CHEVROLET HHR

AFTER TRAVELING BACK AND FORTH FROM ONE COUNTY TO ANOTHER (APPROX 130 MILES ROUNDTRIP) AS I EXITED THE FWY THE CAR WAS DRIVING NORMAL EXCEPT FOR I WAS ON EMPTY AT THIS POINT. I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHEN LIGHT TURNED GREEN I BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. UPON ACCELERATION AT APPROX. 10-15MPH THE CAR MADE A HARD JERKING MOTION AS THOUGH IT WAS HAVING A HARD TIME SHIFTING GEARS HOWEVER MY 06 HHR IS AN AUTOMATIC. AT THIS POINT I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD NOW ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. I TOOK THE CAR STRAIGHT HOME AND DID NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE AGAIN FOR 3-4 DAYS. THEN ONE DAY I DROVE IT APPROX 15 MILES ALL WAS GOOD. I WENT SHOPPING UPON LEAVING THE CAR STILL APPEARED TO BE NORMAL. THEN WHILE ON THE FWY APPROX 70MPH I NOTICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AGAIN AS WELL AS THE T/C LIGHT (TRACTION CONTROL) THE CAR CONTINUED TO DRIVE "NORMAL" BUT ONCE I CAME TO A STOP ON THE OFFRAMP AND BEGAN TO ACCELERATE THE JERKING MOTION HAPPENED AGAIN. I'VE NOTICED THAT ON A FEW OCCASIONS THIS HAPPENS ONCE THE GAS IS ON EMPTY. I ALSO NOTICED ON ONE OCCASION THAT ONCE I HAD PUT A LITTLE OVER HALF A TANK OF GAS IN AS WELL AS A BOTTLE OF FUEL INJECTOR CLEANER THAT THE INDICATOR LIGHTS SHUT OFF AS WELL AS THE JERKING HAD DISAPPEARS. WE HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION FLUSHED AND STILL THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. ASIDE FROM THAT WHEN YOU TRY TO REMOTE START THE ENGINE ONCE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON THE REMOTE START NO LONGER WORKS. YOU HEAR THE ELECTRICAL ALL COME ON BUT THAT'S IT. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE OTHER NIGHT I ATTEMPT TO EXIT MY CAR AND THE DRIVER DOOR HANDLE SNAPPED RIGHT OFF. MY HUSBAND CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP REQUESTING PRICE FOR THE PART AND WAS TOLD $300+. I JUST FOUND THE PIECE FOR $63.00 ONLINE. ..UNBELIEVABLE! BUT THE HANDLE BROKE SO EASILY. I DIDN'T PULL HARD. IF I HAD THE DOOR WOULD'VE AT LEAST POPPED OPEN A LIL. BUT IT DIDN'T BUDGE. *TR