NHTSA Complaint #10629540 — 2006 CHEVROLET HHR

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THE ENGINE SHUT OFF WHILE TRAVELING DOWN 3 LANES OF TRAFFIC.( DEL PRADO EAST ) WAS ABLE TO ROLL DOWN WINDOW HIT FLASHERS AND WARN OTHER DRIVERS OF STALLED ENGINE, STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKES STILL WORKED; BATTERY POWER STILL INTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST INTO A LEFT HAND TURNING LANE WITH REAR END STILL OUT BLOCKING TRAFFIC HORNS BLARING !. TRIED TO START ENGINE 3 X'S IT STILL HAD BATTERY POWER SO WAS ABLE TO PUT CAR IN PARK AND STEP ON BRAKE TO START AS IS REQUIRED. AFTER 3RD TRY THE ENGINE CAME TO LIFE. I CROSSED OVER 3 LANES OF ON COMING TRAFFIC AND IT SHUT OFF AGAIN WAS ABLE TO GET IT STARTED AGAIN AFTER SEVERAL TRIES, PULLED INTO CAPE CORAL HOS PARKING LOT. AND TOOK BACK ROAD TO MY HOME, VEHICLE SHUT OFF AGAIN SAME PROCESS , AFTER 4 TRIES IT STARTED AND WAS ABLE TO GET HOME, TIME WAS 5:43 PM CALLED ROGER DEAN CHEV. SERVICE DEPT CLOSED. 3 TIMES THIS HAPPENED. TOOK TO SERVICE DEPT ON MONDAY 08/25/14 . DIAG INTERNAL FAILURE DTC CODE PO601 ECM, PART REPLACED 1 GTY/ 1259917 / MODULE 3.670 PART $ 670.00 LABOR $ 249.88 . TOLD THIS IS JUST A FAILURE BUT NOT A WORRY ENOUGH TO BE A RECALL, AND LIKE ANY COMPUTER IT CAN CRASH IE NO BIG DEAL ! A HOME COMPUTER DOESN'T CRASH IN TRAFFIC LIKE A CAR DOES. I BEG TO DIFFER IF I HAD NOT BEEN AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER I'M NOT TOO SURE HOW THE OUTCOME WOULD OF BEEN, AND GRATEFUL THAT MY 18 YEAR OLD GRANDCHILD WASN'T BEHIND THE WHEEL, THE OUT COME COULD OF BEEN TRAGIC ! WAS TOLD BY SERVICE DEPT I COULD GET A NEW CAR IF I WAS WORRIED ABOUT DRIVING IT. WHAT THE -------- THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THE INTERNAL FAILURE HAPPENED. *TR