
Black plate (14,1)Chevrolet HHR Owner Manual - 2011
Instrument Panel Brightness
The control for this feature
is located to the right of
the steering wheel and
above the radio.
Move the thumbwheel to the left to dim the lights or to
the right to brighten the lights.
The dome lamps will turn on when the thumbwheel is
moved completely to the right.
Dome Lamp
The dome lamps turn on when any door is opened. To
turn on all dome lamps with the doors closed, turn the
instrument panel brightness thumbwheel completely to
the right. See Instrument Panel Brightness
on
page 4‑14.
Entry/Exit Lighting
The lamps inside the vehicle turn on when any door is
opened. These lamps will fade out after about
20 seconds after all of the doors have been closed or
when the ignition is turned to ON/RUN. These lamps
will also turn on when pressing
Kor theLon the
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter.
The lamps inside the vehicle will stay on for about
20 seconds after the key is removed from the ignition to
provide an illuminated exit.
Reading Lamps
There are reading lamps located on the front and rear
dome lamps.
To turn the front reading lamps on or off, press the lamp
lens. To turn the rear reading lamps on or off, press the
button next to the lamp.
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Black plate (15,1)Chevrolet HHR Owner Manual - 2011
Electric Power Management
This vehicle has Electric Power Management (EPM), an
advanced control system. It estimates the battery's
temperature and state of charge and then adjusts the
voltage for best performance and extended life of the
battery.
When the battery's state of charge is low, the voltage is
raised slightly to quickly put the charge back in. When
the state of charge is high, the voltage is lowered
slightly to prevent overcharging. If the vehicle has a
voltmeter gauge or voltage display on the Driver
Information Center (DIC), you may see the voltage
move up or down. This is normal. If there is a problem,
an alert will be displayed.
The battery can be discharged at idle if the electrical
loads are very high. This is true for all vehicles. This is
because the generator (alternator) may not be spinning
fast enough at idle to produce all the power that is
needed for very high electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when several of the
following loads are on: headlamps, high beams, fog
lamps, rear window defogger, climate control fan at high
speed, heated seats, engine cooling fans, trailer loads,
and loads plugged into accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive discharge of the
battery. It does this by balancing the generator's output
and the vehicle's electrical needs. It can increaseengine idle speed to generate more power, whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce the power demands
of some accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in steps or levels, without
being noticeable. In rare cases at the highest levels of
corrective action, this action may be noticeable to the
driver.
Battery Run-Down Protection
The vehicle has a battery saver feature designed to
protect the vehicle's battery.
When any interior lamp is left on and the ignition is
turned off, the battery rundown protection system
automatically turns the lamp off after 20 minutes. This
prevents draining of the battery.
Accessory Power Outlet(s)
Accessory power outlets can be used to connect
electrical equipment, such as a cell phone or
MP3 player.
The accessory power outlets are located on the
instrument panel below the climate controls and at the
rear of the center console. There may be an outlet in
the rear cargo area on the passenger side.
Remove the cover to access and replace when not
in use.
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Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet HHR Owner Manual - 2011
Climate Controls
Climate Control System
The heating, cooling, and ventilation for the vehicle can
be controlled with this system.
For vehicles with remote start, the climate control
system comes on and uses the prior temperature
settings selected before exiting the vehicle.
A. TemperatureControl
B. Fan Control
C. Air Delivery Mode Control D. Air Conditioning
E. Outside Air F. Air Recirculation
G. Rear Window Defogger
9(Off): Turn the fan control to this position to turn the
fan off.
Temperature Control: Turn clockwise or
counterclockwise to increase or decrease the
temperature.
9(Fan): Turn clockwise or counterclockwise to
increase or decrease the fan speed. In any setting other
than off, the fan runs continuously while the ignition is in
ON/RUN. The fan must be turned on to run the air
conditioning (AC) compressor.
Air Delivery Mode Control: Turn clockwise or
counterclockwise to change the direction of the airflow
inside the vehicle.
To change the current mode, select:
H(Vent): Air is directed to the instrument panel
outlets.
)(Bi-Level): Air is divided between the instrument
panel outlets and the floor outlets.
6(Floor): Air is directed to the floor outlets, with some
air directed to the windshield and side windows.
-(Defog): This mode clears the windows of fog or
moisture. Air is directed to the windshield, side window,
and floor outlets. In this mode, the system runs the air
conditioning compressor. To defog the windows faster,
turn the temperature control knob clockwise to the
warmest setting.
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Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet HHR Owner Manual - 2011
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a warming grid to
remove fog from the rear window.
The rear window defogger only works when the ignition
is in ON/RUN.
<(Rear):Press to turn the rear window defogger on
or off. Be sure to clear as much snow from the rear
window as possible. An indicator light comes on to
show that the rear window defogger is on.
The rear window defogger turns off approximately
15 minutes after the button is pressed. If turned on
again, the defogger only runs for approximately
seven minutes before turning off.
If the vehicle speed is greater than 80 km/h (50 mph)
and the rear defogger is on, it remains on as long as the
speed is greater than 80 km/h (50 mph). The defogger
can also be turned off by turning off the engine.
For vehicles with the remote start feature, the rear
defogger automatically turns on if it is cold outside.
When the vehicle transitions out of the remote start
mode, the rear defogger turns off. See Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) System Operation on page 3‑4 Notice:
Do not use anything sharp on the inside of
the rear window. If you do, you could cut or damage
the warming grid, and the repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. Do not attach a
temporary vehicle license, tape, a decal or anything
similar to the defogger grid.Outlet Adjustment
Turn the outlets and move the outlet vanes to change
the direction of the airflow and to open and close the
outlets.
Operation Tips
.Clear away any ice, snow or leaves from the air
inlets at the base of the windshield that may block
the flow of air into the vehicle.
.Use of non-GM approved hood deflectors may
adversely affect the performance of the system.
.Keep the path under the front seats clear of
objects to help circulate the air inside of the vehicle
more effectively.
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Black plate (28,1)Chevrolet HHR Owner Manual - 2011
Charging System Light
This light comes on briefly
when the ignition key is
turned on, but the engine
is not running, as a check
to show it is working.
It should go out once the engine is running. If it stays
on, or comes on while driving, there could be a problem
with the charging system or it could indicate that there
are problems with a generator drive belt, or that there is
an electrical problem. Have it checked right away. If the
vehicle must be driven a short distance with the light on,
to turn off the accessories, such as the radio and air
conditioner.
Up-Shift Light
The vehicle may have an
up-shift light.
When this light comes on, shift to the next higher gear if
weather, road, and traffic conditions allow.
See Manual Transmission Operation
on page 3‑29for
more information.
4-28

Black plate (29,1)Chevrolet HHR Owner Manual - 2011
Brake System Warning Light
The vehicle brake system consists of two hydraulic
circuits. If one circuit is not working, the remaining
circuit can still work to stop the vehicle. For normal
braking performance, both circuits need to be working.
If the warning light comes on, there is a brake problem.
Have the brake system inspected right away.
EnglishMetric
This light should come on briefly when the engine is
started. If it does not come on then, have it fixed so it
will be ready to warn if there is a problem.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
also comes on when the parking brake is set. The light
stays on if the parking brake does not fully release. If it
stays on after the parking brake is fully released, it
means the vehicle has a brake problem. If the light comes on while driving, pull off the road and
stop carefully. Make sure the parking brake is fully
released. The pedal might be harder to push or, the
pedal could go closer to the floor. It can take longer to
stop. Try turning off and restarting the vehicle one or
two times, if the light is still on, have the vehicle towed
for service. See
Towing Your Vehicle on page 5‑28.
{WARNING:
The brake system might not be working properly if
the brake system warning light is on. Driving with
the brake system warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after the vehicle has
been pulled off the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for service.
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Black plate (30,1)Chevrolet HHR Owner Manual - 2011
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light
For vehicles with the
Antilock Brake System
(ABS), this light comes on
briefly when the engine is
started.
If it does not, have the vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the system is working normally the indicator light then
goes off.
If the ABS light stays on, turn the ignition off. If the light
comes on while driving, stop as soon as it is safely
possible and turn the ignition off. Then start the engine
again to reset the system. If the ABS light stays on,
or comes on again while driving, the vehicle needs
service. If the regular brake system warning light is not
on, the vehicle still has brakes, but not antilock brakes.
If the regular brake system warning light is also on, the
vehicle does not have antilock brakes and there is a
problem with the regular brakes. See Brake System
Warning Light on page 4‑29.
For vehicles with a Driver Information Center (DIC), see
DIC Warnings and Messages
on page 4‑40for all
brake related DIC messages.
Enhanced Traction System (ETS)
Indicator/Warning Light
For vehicles with the
Enhanced Traction
System (ETS), this light
serves as an indicator
and warning light.
This light comes on briefly while the engine is started.
If it does not, have the vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the system is working normally the indicator light then
goes off.
If the indicator/warning light is on and not flashing, the
ETS system could have been disabled. Check all
related Driver Information Center (DIC) messages to
determine whether the system has been turned off or if
the system is not working properly and the vehicle
requires service. If the ETS has been disabled, wheel
spin is not limited.
If the indicator/warning light is on and flashing, the ETS
is actively working. The LOW TRACTION DIC message
also appears when the system is actively limiting
wheel spin.
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Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet HHR Owner Manual - 2011
Engine Coolant Temperature
Warning Light
This light comes on briefly
while starting the vehicle.
If it does not, have the vehicle serviced by the dealer.
If the system is working normally the indicator light
goes off.
Notice: Driving with the engine coolant temperature
warning light on could cause the vehicle to
overheat. See Engine Overheating
on page 6‑28.
The vehicle's engine could be damaged, and it
might not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Never
drive with the engine coolant temperature warning
light on.
The engine coolant temperature warning light comes on
when the engine has overheated.
If this happens pull over and turn off the engine as soon
as possible. See Engine Overheating
on page 6‑28for
more information.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge
The vehicle has an
engine coolant
temperature gauge. With
the ignition turned to ON/
RUN, this gauge shows
the engine coolant
temperature.
If the gauge pointer moves into the red area, the engine
is too hot because the engine coolant has overheated.
If the vehicle is operating under normal driving
conditions, pull off the road, stop the vehicle and turn off
the engine as soon as possible.
See Engine Overheating on page 6‑28.
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