NHTSA Complaint #10557038 — 2009 CHEVROLET HHR

CHEVY HHR ALL MODELS, ALL YEARS: WHEN EXITING MY VEHICLE THE DRIVERS DOOR HANDLE SNAPPED. IT IS MADE OF PLASTIC!! AFTER RESEARCH I DISCOVERED THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM WITH ALL MODELS AND ALL YEARS OF THE CHEVY HHR SINCE ALL INTERIOR HANDLES ARE MADE FROM PLASTIC. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE PART BECAUSE IT REQUIRES THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE INTERIOR DOOR PANEL. IT IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE ONCE THE HANDLE HAS SNAPPED THE ONLY MEANS TO OPEN THE DOOR IS TO UNROLL THE WINDOW AND OPEN WITH THE OUSIDE HANDLE OR TO HAVE ANOTHER PERSON OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE - NOT IDEAL, ESPECIALLY IF ONE IS IN AN ACCIDENT OR EMERGENCY. I BELIEVE CHEVY SHOULD REPLACE ALL HANDLES WITH A STURDY, NON-BREAKABLE METAL HANDLE. THIS WOULD IMPROVE SAFETY OF THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION.