2008 CHEVROLET HHR Service

If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning does not come back on, you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues and you have not stopped, pull
over, stop, and park your vehicle right away.
If there is still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for three minutes while you are parked. If you still
have the warning, turn off the engine and get everyone
out of the vehicle until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.Cooling System
When you decide it is safe to lift the hood, here is what
you will see:
A. Pressure Cap
B. Coolant Recovery Tank
C. Electric Engine Cooling Fan
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{CAUTION:
An electric engine cooling fan under the hood
can start up even when the engine is not
running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing, and tools away from any underhood
electric fan.
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is
boiling, do not do anything else until it cools down.
The vehicle should be parked on a level surface.
When the engine is cold, the coolant level should be at
or above the COLD FILL line. If it is not, you may
have a leak at the pressure cap or in the radiator hoses,
heater hoses, radiator, water pump, or somewhere in
the cooling system.
{CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Do not touch them.
If you do, you can be burned.
Do not run the engine if there is a leak. If you
run the engine, it could lose all coolant.
That could cause an engine re, and you could
be burned. Get any leak xed before you drive
the vehicle.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check
to see if the electric engine cooling fan is running.
If the engine is overheating, the fan should be running.
If it is not, than the vehicle needs service.
Notice:Engine damage from running the engine
without coolant is not covered by the warranty.
Notice:Using coolant other than DEX-COOL
®may
cause premature engine, heater core, or radiator
corrosion. In addition, the engine coolant could
require changing sooner, at 30,000 miles (50 000 km)
or 24 months, whichever occurs rst. Any repairs
would not be covered by the warranty. Always use
DEX-COOL
®(silicate-free) coolant in the vehicle.
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Brake Wear
Your vehicle has front disc brakes and could have rear
drum brakes or rear disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed. The sound
can come and go or be heard all the time your vehicle
is moving, except when you are pushing on the
brake pedal rmly.
{CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that soon
the brakes will not work well. That could lead to
an accident. When you hear the brake wear
warning sound, have your vehicle serviced.
Notice:Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
pads could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates can cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are rst applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
the brakes.Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to torque specications in
Capacities and Specifications on page 5-125.
If your vehicle has rear drum brakes, they do not have
wear indicators, but if you ever hear a rear brake
rubbing noise, have the rear brake linings inspected
immediately. Rear brake drums should be removed and
inspected each time the tires are removed for rotation
or changing. When you have the front brake pads
replaced, have the rear brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer/retailer if the brake pedal does not
return to normal height, or if there is a rapid increase in
pedal travel. This could be a sign that brake service
might be required.
Brake Adjustment
Every time you apply the brakes, with or without the
vehicle moving, the brakes adjust for wear.
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5. Check that the jumper cables do not have loose or
missing insulation. If they do, you could get a
shock. The vehicles could be damaged too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some
basic things you should know. Positive (+) will go to
positive (+) or to a remote positive (+) terminal if
the vehicle has one. Negative (−) will go to a heavy,
unpainted metal engine part or to a remote
negative (−) terminal if the vehicle has one.
Do not connect positive (+) to negative (−)oryou
will get a short that would damage the battery
and maybe other parts too. And do not connect the
negative (−) cable to the negative (−) terminal on
the dead battery because this can cause sparks.
6. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+)
terminal location on the vehicle with the dead
battery. Use a remote positive (+) terminal if the
vehicle has one.7. Do not let the other end touch metal. Connect it to
the positive (+) terminal of the good battery. Use a
remote positive (+) terminal if the vehicle has one.
8. Now connect the black negative (−) cable to the
negative (−) terminal of the good battery. Use a
remote negative (−) terminal if the vehicle has one.
Do not let the other end touch anything until the
next step. The other end of the negative (−) cable
does not go to the dead battery. It goes to a
heavy, unpainted metal engine part or to a remote
negative (−) terminal on the vehicle with the
dead battery.
9. Connect the other end of the negative (−) cable to
the negative (−) terminal location on the vehicle with
the dead battery. Your vehicle has a remote
negative (−) ground terminal marked GND (−).
10. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for a while.
11. Try to start the vehicle that had the dead battery.
If it will not start after a few tries, it probably needs
service.
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Headlamp Aiming
The vehicle has a visual optical headlamp aiming
system. The aim has been preset at the factory and
should need no further adjustment.
However, if the vehicle is damaged in a crash, the
headlamp aim may be affected and adjustment may be
necessary.
If oncoming vehicles ash their high beams at you, this
may also mean the vertical aim needs to be adjusted.
It is recommended that the vehicle is taken to your
dealer/retailer for service if the headlamps need to
be re-aimed. It is possible however, to re-aim the
headlamps as described.The vehicle should:Be placed so the headlamps are 25 ft. (7.6 m) from
a light colored wall.
Have all four tires on a level surface which is level
all the way to the wall.
Be placed so it is perpendicular to the wall or other
at surface.
Not have any snow, ice, or mud on it.
Be fully assembled and all other work stopped while
headlamp aiming is being performed.
Normally loaded with a full tank of fuel and one
person or 160 lbs (75 kg) sitting on the driver seat.
Have all tires properly inated.
Have the spare tire is in its original location in the
vehicle.
Headlamp aiming is done with the vehicle’s low-beam
headlamps. The high-beam headlamps will be correctly
aimed if the low-beam headlamps are aimed properly.
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Replacement blades come in different types and are
removed in different ways. For the proper type and
length, seeMaintenance Replacement Parts on
page 6-14. Here’s how to remove the wiper blade:
1. Pull the windshield wiper arm away from the
windshield.
2. While holding the wiper arm, lift the clip up from the
blade connecting point, and pull the blade assembly
down toward the windshield to remove it from the
wiper arm.
3. Install the new wiper blade on the wiper arm
and press down on the clip to snap it into place.Backglass Wiper Blade Replacement
1. Remove the protective cap from the wiper arm.
If the protective cap is not removed before lifting
the wiper arm, the wiper arm could be damaged.
2. Pull the wiper arm away from the backglass and
into the service position.
3. Rotate the wiper blade, and pull down on it to
remove it from the wiper arm.
4. Install the new wiper blade, then set the wiper arm
back into its original position and replace the
protective cap.
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Tires
Your new vehicle comes with high-quality tires
made by a leading tire manufacturer. If you ever
have questions about your tire warranty and where
to obtain service, see your vehicle Warranty
booklet for details.
{CAUTION:
Poorly maintained and improperly used
tires are dangerous.
Overloading your vehicle’s tires can
cause overheating as a result of
too much exing. You could have an
air-out and a serious accident. See
Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-27.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)

Underinated tires pose the same
danger as overloaded tires. The
resulting accident could cause serious
injury. Check all tires frequently to
maintain the recommended pressure.
Tire pressure should be checked
when your vehicle’s tires are cold.
SeeInflation - Tire Pressure on
page 5-60.
Overinated tires are more likely to
be cut, punctured, or broken by a
sudden impact — such as when you
hit a pothole. Keep tires at the
recommended pressure.
Worn, old tires can cause accidents.
If the tire’s tread is badly worn,
or if your vehicle’s tires have been
damaged, replace them.
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Low-Prole Performance Tire
If your vehicle has P225/45R18 size tires, they are
classied as low-prole performance tires. These
tires are designed for very responsive driving on
wet or dry pavement. You may also notice more
road noise with low-prole performance tires and
that they tend to wear faster.
Notice:If your vehicle has low-prole tires,
they are more susceptible to damage from road
hazards or curb impact than standard prole
tires. Tire and/or wheel assembly damage
can occur when coming into contact with
road hazards like, potholes, or sharp edged
objects, or when sliding into a curb. Your
vehicle warranty does not cover this type of
damage. Keep tires set to the correct ination
pressure and, when possible avoid contact
with curbs, potholes, and other road hazards.
Tire Sidewall Labeling
Useful information about a tire is molded into its
sidewall. The examples below show a typical
passenger vehicle tire and a compact spare tire
sidewall.(A) Tire Size
:The tire size is a combination of
letters and numbers used to dene a particular
tire’s width, height, aspect ratio, construction type,
and service description. See the “Tire Size”
illustration later in this section for more detail.Passenger (P-Metric) Tire Example
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