SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
Speed
30 mph
Severity
Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No
Narrative
2006 HHR LT. HISTORY OF ABS/BRAKE/FRONT END COMPONENT FAILURES AND ELECTRONIC MALFUNCTIONS SINCE PURCHASE IN WINTER OF 2005. WHEN APPLYING BRAKES STEERING WHEEL SHOOK HARD FROM L TO R AND BRAKES GRABBED/RELEASED. DEALER FOUND ROTORS WARPED AT LESS THAN 10K MILES. WARRANTY REPAIR/RESURFACE. PROBLEMS CONTINUED: ABS ENGAGED ON DRY PAVEMENT UNDER 10 MPH BUT WOULD NOT ENGAGE AT ROAD SPEEDS WITH BRAKES HEAVILY APPLIED. AT SAME TIME, PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. ASE CERTIFIED GM MECHANICS TOLD ME THIS WAS IMPOSSIBLE - UNTIL SERVICE MANAGER TEST DROVE AND CONCLUDED PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR; CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. CLAIM OPENED/RESOLVED WITH GM. DEALER FOUND DEFECTIVE WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLY (LEFT) THAT CAUSED ABS FAILURE BELOW 8K MILES. (NO ACCIDENT) NEXT FAILURE OCCURRED IN THE RIGHT WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLY AND AN ACCIDENT RESULTED. GM AND THE DEALER CLAIM NO DEFECT BUT ONLY ERROR CODE IS RIGHT FRONT ABS FAILURE WITH PRIOR 7 PAGES HISTORY OF ABS/BRAKE/ELECTRONIC PROBLEMS (SUBMITTED TO INS COMPANY AND GM AND IN POSSESSION OF THE DEALER). THIS FAILURE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE WHEELS/RIMS/UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE. GM AND THE DEALER CONCLUDED - WITHOUT BENCH TESTING THE RIGHT WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLY - THAT THERE WAS NO DEFECT; HOWEVER, THE ONLY ERROR CODE RECORDED IS AN ABS FAILURE (CLAIM OPENED WITH GM). GM AND DEALER HAVE CALLED TO SEE HOW THE VEHICLE IS DOING - I DECLINED TO COMMIT SAYING THAT I WOULD BE MAKING A DETERMINATION AS TO THE VEHICLE'S PERFORMANCE SHORTLY. GOOD