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2009 Chevrolet HHR

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2009 HHR.

Body SUV

The 2009 Chevrolet HHR is built on Chevrolet’s compact SUV platform and is lubricated by a 5‑quart supply of 5W‑30 API‑rated oil, reflecting the modest powertrain it shares with its contemporaries. Owner feedback for this model year recorded 508 complaints, with steering issues emerging as the most frequent problem, and the vehicle was subject to five recalls during its production run. Within the broader 2006‑2011 HHR complaint timeline, 2009 sits toward the middle, trailing the 2006 peak of 1,006 complaints but still above the 2011 low of 203, indicating a moderate reliability standing for the generation.

Model year2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 90 · 600 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12580255. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 90 · 600 CCAOEM · verified

Tire sizeLS, 1LT P215/55R16; 2LT P215/50R17;OEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12580255 alt 12605566
Engine air filter	22731072 alt 20774655
Spark plug	12681663 alt 12681658
Front wiper blades	84574892
Serpentine belt	12634319 alt 12634320
Thermostat	12622410 alt 03522676
Cabin air filter	52493319

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	176.4 in
Overall width	69.3 in
Overall height	65.4 in
Wheelbase	103.5 in
Curb weight	3155 lb
Track (front / rear)	59.1 / 58.7 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	57/43

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the HHR of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.2–9.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.20 sec — 2008 SS Wagon

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
2008	SS Wagon 2.0L Turbo I-4	6.20 sec	14.80 sec	260 hp	FWD
2006	2LT Wagon 2.4L I-4	7.90 sec	16.20 sec	172 hp	FWD
2006	2LT Wagon 2.4L I-4	8.00 sec	16.10 sec	172 hp	FWD
2006	2LT Wagon 2.4L I-4	8.90 sec	16.90 sec	172 hp	FWD
2006	2LT Wagon 2.4L I-4	9.00 sec	16.60 sec	172 hp	FWD
2006	2LT Wagon 2.4L I-4	9.40 sec	16.90 sec	172 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid	ATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity	7
Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	DEX-COOL OR EQUIVALENT
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	5 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	5 qt

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	10.3 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	10 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	10 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Front Wheel Hub

155 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-3-4-2
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Gap	0.035-0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque	15.0 ft-lbs
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Gap	0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque	15.0 ft-lbs
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	.90 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	4.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	90
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	600 cca
Standard BCI Group Number	90

Service checks

Pressure Test	15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	188-206 °F
Injector Primary Resistance	11-14 @ 50-90 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression	100
Engine Compression	100
Engine Compression	100
Engine Oil Pressure	50-80 psi

Brakes

Brake Application	WITH RPO J41, JM4 / WITH RPO JL9
Torque Caliper to Bracket	26 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	96 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Brake Application	WITH RPO J41, JM4 / WITH RPO JL9
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	1.023 in / 0.551 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

74 ft. lbs., step 2: 125

74 ft. lbs

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

74 ft. lbs., step 2: 125

74 ft. lbs

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts.

1	22.0 ft. lbs.	22 ft. lbs
2	155 degrees	155 degrees
3	Outer bolts 26.0 ft. lbs.	26 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 25,000 mi	Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect)
Every 50,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 100,000 mi	Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2009 Chevrolet HHR sits within a clear downward trend in complaints across the generation, dropping from 1,006 in 2006 to 508 in the target year, then further to 203 by 2011. Recalls remain steady at 5 for 2007–2009 before declining, and the single investigation in 2009 mirrors 2008, suggesting unresolved but not escalating regulatory attention. The top complaint areas—steering (85), electrical system (76), air bags (65), and fuel/propulsion system (62)—highlight specific, persistent trouble spots, though the data does not specify root causes. With 20 crash complaints and 7 fire complaints, the 2009 model carries moderate risk compared to the quieter later years. While it represents a significant improvement over the launch year, a 2010 or 2011 HHR would likely offer fewer reported problems and lower recall exposure, making the 2009 a reasonable but not standout choice if thoroughly inspected for steering and electrical faults.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

1003

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

508

Owner complaints

20 involved a crash · 7 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’06 ’07 ’08’09’10 ’11

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 508 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering85

Electrical System76

Air Bags65

Fuel/Propulsion System62

Steering,Electrical System17

Structure15

Electrical System,Air Bags11

Fuel System, Gasoline11

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

14V171000Electrical System:IgnitionReported 10/04/2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR, 2007-2010 Pontiac G5, 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice, 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky vehicles. In… Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and for vehicles that were built with the defective ignition cylinder and have not previously had the ignition cylinder replaced with the…

14V153000Steering:Electric Power Assist SystemReported 31/03/2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will perform one of four bulletins. Parts are not currently available. GM expects to send an interim notification around May 28, 2014. When…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 1003 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
13598	2025-09-09	Unknown Or Other	New Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH
PIC5650M	2025-08-06	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIP5601C	2025-07-18	Unknown Or Other	This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
PIT5074R	2025-05-30	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5074R	2025-05-30	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific HHR. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 90 battery Vehicles taking 5 qt Engine oil filter 12580255 Engine air filter 22731072 Spark plug 12681663 Front wiper blades 84574892

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2009 HHR take?

5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2009 HHR have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.