
Black plate (36,1)Chevrolet HHR Owner Manual - 2011
Driving on Grades
Notice:Do not tow on steep continuous grades
exceeding 9.6 km (6 miles). Extended, higher than
normal engine and transmission temperatures may
result and damage the vehicle. Frequent stops are
very important to allow the engine and transmission
to cool.
When towing under severe conditions such as hot
ambient temperatures or steep grades, the vehicle may
experience more transmission shifting. A COOLING
MODE ON message may also appear in the DIC. This
alerts the driver that the shifting mode is in progress
and is aiding engine cooling. See DIC Warnings and
Messages
on page 4‑40DIC Warnings and Messages
for more information.
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear beforestarting
down a long or steep downgrade. If the transmission is
not shifted down, the brakes might have to be used so
much that they would get hot and no longer work well.
Pay attention to the engine coolant gauge. If the
indicator is in the red area, turn off the air conditioning
to reduce engine load. See Engine Overheating
on
page 6‑28.
Parking on Hills
{WARNING:
Parking the vehicle on a hill with the trailer
attached can be dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move. People can be
injured, and both the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always park the rig on
a flat surface.
If parking the rig on a hill: 1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn the wheels into the curb if facing downhill
or into traffic if facing uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the brake pedal until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and shift into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
5-36

Black plate (37,1)Chevrolet HHR Owner Manual - 2011
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal while you:
.start the engine,
.shift into a gear, and
.release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
The vehicle needs service more often when pulling a
trailer. See this manual's Maintenance Schedule or
Index for more information. Things that are especially
important in trailer operation are automatic transmission
fluid, engine oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling system
and brake system. It is a good idea to inspect these
before and during the trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
The cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. See Engine Overheating
on page 6‑28.
Towing a Trailer (Manual
Transmission)
Do not tow a trailer if the vehicle is equipped with a
manual transmission.
5-37

Black plate (29,1)Chevrolet HHR Owner Manual - 2011
WARNING: (Continued)
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine if
it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
If No Steam Is Coming from the Engine
Compartment
If an engine overheat warning is displayed but no steam
can be seen or heard, the problem may not be too
serious. Sometimes the engine can get a little too hot
when the vehicle:
.Climbs a long hill on a hot day
.Stops after high-speed driving
.Idles for long periods in traffic
.Tows a trailerIf the overheat warning is displayed with no sign of
steam:
1. Turn the air off.
2. Turn the heater on to the highest temperature and to the highest fan speed. Open the windows as
necessary.
3. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in N (Neutral) while stopped. If it is safe to do so, pull off the
road, shift to P (Park) or N (Neutral) and let the
engine idle.
If the temperature overheat gauge is no longer in the
overheat zone or an overheat warning no longer
displays, the vehicle can be driven. Continue to drive
the vehicle slowly for about 10 minutes. Keep a safe
vehicle distance from the car in front of you. If the
warning does not come back on, continue to drive
normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park the
vehicle right away.
If there is no sign of steam, idle the engine for
three minutes while parked. If the warning is still
displayed, turn off the engine until it cools down.
6-29

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet HHR Owner Manual - 2011
Once a Year
.Starter switch check. SeeOwner Checks and
Services on page 7‑6.
.Automatic transmission shiftlock control function
check. See Owner Checks and Serviceson
page 7‑6.
.Ignition transmission lock check. See Owner
Checks and Services on page 7‑6.
.Parking brake and automatic transmission P (Park)
mechanism check. See Owner Checks and
Services on page 7‑6.
.Throttle system inspection for interference, binding
or for damaged or missing parts. Replace parts as
needed. Replace any components that have high
effort or excessive wear. Do not lubricate
accelerator or cruise control cables.
.Underbody flushing service.
First Engine Oil Change After Every
40 000 km/25,000 Miles
.Passenger compartment air filter replacement
(or every 24 months, whichever occurs first). More
frequent replacement may be needed if you drive
in areas with heavy traffic, areas with poor air
quality, or areas with high dust levels.
Replacement may also be needed if you notice
reduced air flow, windows fogging up, or odors.
Your dealer can help you determine when it is the
right time to replace the filter.
First Engine Oil Change After Every
80 000 km/50,000 Miles
.Engine air cleaner filter replacement. See Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter on page 6‑20.
.Automatic transmission fluid change (severe
service only) for vehicles mainly driven in heavy
city traffic in hot weather, in hilly or mountainous
terrain, when frequently towing a trailer, or used for
taxi, police, or delivery service. See Automatic
Transmission Fluid on page 6‑21.
7-5

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet HHR Owner Manual - 2011
Heated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-7
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-18Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Height Adjuster, Driver Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-5
Hideaway Rear Storage Bins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-47
Highbeam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-37
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Hood Checking Things Under . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12
Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-13
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-3
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Hydraulic Clutch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-22
I
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-21
Indicator/Warning LIghts Enhanced Traction System (ETS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-30
Infants and Young Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-36
Inflation - Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-54
Instrument Panel Brightness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
Storage Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-42
Instrument Panel Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-23 Integrated Trailer Brake Control
System (ITBC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31, 5-37
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-2
J
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-34
K
Keyless Entry Remote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Keyless Entry System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-4
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-3
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-48
Lamps
Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-45
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-28
LATCH System for Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-43
Liftgate
Carbon Monoxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
i - 7

Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet HHR Owner Manual - 2011
Tires (cont.)Inspection and Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-60
Installing the Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-82
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-33
Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-57
Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-55
Removing the Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-82
Removing the Spare Tire and Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-80
Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-70, 6-78
Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-48
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-87
Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-51
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-65
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-67
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-67
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-62
Towing Recreational Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Towing a Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31, 5-37
Your Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Limited-Slip Differential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Traction System Enhanced . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-30
Transmission Fluid, Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-21
Fluid, Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-22 Transmission Operation, Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Transmission Operation, Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-29
Transportation Program, Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-9
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-4
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-4
U
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-65
Up-Shift Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-28
V
Vehicle
Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Loading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Parking Your . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33
Remote Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-35
Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iv
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-15
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-99
Service Parts Identification Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-99
Vehicle Personalization DIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-45
Ventilation Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-20
Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
i - 13