automatic transmission CHEVROLET HHR 2009 1.G User Guide

Torque Lock (Automatic Transmission)
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift into
P (Park) properly, the weight of the vehicle may put too
much force on the parking pawl in the transmission. You
may nd it difficult to pull the shift lever out of P (Park).
This is called “torque lock.” To prevent torque lock, set
the parking brake and then shift into P (Park) properly
before you leave the driver seat. To nd out how, see
Shifting Into Park (Automatic Transmission) on
page 2-34.
Move the shift lever out of P (Park) before you release
the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission, so
you can pull the shift lever out of P (Park).
Shifting Out of Park
(Automatic Transmission)
This vehicle is equipped with an electronic shift lock
release system. The shift lock release is designed to:
Prevent ignition key removal unless the shift lever
is in P (Park) with the shift lever button fully
released, and
Prevent movement of the shift lever out of
P (Park) unless the ignition is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the regular brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock release is always functional except in
the case of a an uncharged or low voltage (less than
9 volt) battery.
2-35

Running the Vehicle While Parked
It is better not to park with the engine running. But if you
ever have to, here are some things to know.
{CAUTION:
Idling a vehicle in an enclosed area with poor
ventilation is dangerous. Engine exhaust may
enter the vehicle. Engine exhaust contains Carbon
Monoxide (CO) which cannot be seen or smelled.
It can cause unconsciousness and even death.
Never run the engine in an enclosed area that has
no fresh air ventilation. For more information, see
Engine Exhaust on page 2-37.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle
if the automatic transmission shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake rmly set.
The vehicle can roll. Do not leave the vehicle
when the engine is running unless you have to.
If you have left the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure the vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground, always set the
parking brake and move the shift lever to P (Park).
Follow the proper steps to be sure the vehicle will not
move. SeeShifting Into Park (Automatic Transmission)
on page 2-34.
If parking on a hill and pulling a trailer, seeTowing a
Trailer (Automatic Transmission) on page 4-34or
Towing a Trailer (Manual Transmission) on page 4-41.
2-38

Storage Areas
Glove Box
Lift up on the glove box lever to open it.
Cupholders
There are two cupholders located in the oor console
between the front seats. There is also a cupholder
for the rear seat passenger located at the rear of the
oor console.
If your vehicle is an SS model, the automatic
transmission vehicles have a cupholder in front of the
shift lever.
Cupholders have inserts that can be removed for
cleaning.
Instrument Panel Storage
Your vehicle has a storage compartment on the
instrument panel above the air vents. Push the button
on the compartment to open the cover.
Floor Console Storage Area
There are two small storage compartments on the oor
console.
Rear Storage Area
Your vehicle may have two rear storage areas that can
be used for small items.
2-51

The main components of the instrument panel are the following:
A.Outlet Adjustment on page 3-24.
B.Cruise Control on page 3-10(If Equipped).
C.Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-7.
D.Instrument Panel Cluster on page 3-27.
E.Windshield Wipers on page 3-8andWindshield
Washer on page 3-9.
F.Instrument Panel Storage on page 2-51.
G.Traction Control System (TCS) on page 4-10
(If Equipped). Electronic Stability Control (ESC).
SeeElectronic Stability Control (ESC) on page 4-7.
H.Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-31.
I.Rear Side Cargo Door (HHR Panel Only) on
page 2-12(If Equipped).
J.Hood Release on page 5-13.
K.Driver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-48.
L.Horn on page 3-6.M.Audio Steering Wheel Controls on page 3-94
(If Equipped).
N.Instrument Panel Brightness on page 3-17.
O.Audio System(s) on page 3-61.
P.Climate Control System on page 3-21.
Q.Rear Window Wiper/Washer on page 3-10.
R. Shift Lever (Manual Shown). SeeManual
Transmission Operation on page 2-30andAutomatic
Transmission Operation on page 2-28.
S.Accessory Power Outlet(s) on page 3-19
(If Equipped) and Cigarette Lighter (If Equipped).
SeeAshtray(s) and Cigarette Lighter on page 3-21.
T.Fog Lamps on page 3-16(If Equipped).
U.Hazard Warning Flashers on page 3-6.
V.Glove Box on page 2-51.
3-5

Headlamps
The lever on the left side of the steering column operates
the exterior lamps.
The exterior lamp switch has the following four positions:
2(Headlamps):Turns on the headlamps, parking
lamps, and taillamps.
;(Parking Lamps):Turns on the parking lamps and
taillamps only.AUTO (Automatic Headlamp System):Automatically
turns on the Daytime Running Lamps during daytime, and
the headlamps, parking lamps, and taillamps at night.
P(Off/On):This position is the momentary Off/On
switch for the Automatic Headlamp System. In Canada,
this only works when the vehicles with an automatic
transmission are in P (Park) and vehicles with a manual
transmission have the parking brake set and the
vehicle is not moving.
When operating in AUTO, a momentary turn of the
switch to off/on will turn off the Automatic Headlamp
System. An AUTO LIGHTS OFF message displays on
the Driver Information Center (DIC) and a chime will
sound. Turning the switch to off/on again will turn the
Automatic Headlamp System back on. An AUTO LIGHTS
ON message displays on the DIC. The Automatic
Headlamp System is always turned on at the beginning of
an ignition cycle for vehicles with manual transmission.
3-14

Wiper Activated Headlamps
The headlamps and parking lamps are activated
15 seconds after the windshield wipers are turned on.
For this feature to work, automatic lighting must be
enabled. SeeHeadlamps on page 3-14for additional
information.
When the ignition is turned off, the wiper-activated
headlamps will immediately turn off. They also turn off
15 seconds after the windshield wiper control is
turned off.
Headlamps on Reminder
If the drivers door is opened with the ignition off and the
lamps on, a warning chime will sound. This indicates
that the headlamps are still on.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
Fully functional daytime running lamps are required on
all vehicles rst sold in Canada.The vehicle has a light sensor on top of the instrument
panel. Do not cover this sensor or the headlamps
will come on when they are not needed.
The DRL system will make the headlamps come on
at reduced brightness when the following conditions
are met:
The ignition is on.
The exterior lamp control is turned to AUTO.
The light sensor detects daytime light.
The shift lever is not in P (Park).
While the DRL system is on, the taillamps, sidemarker
lamps, and instrument panel lights will not be on.
For vehicles with an Automatic Transmission, the
DRL system is off any time the vehicle is in P (Park).
For vehicles with a Manual Transmission, the DRL
system will be off when the vehicle is rst started, the
park brake is applied, and the vehicle has not moved.
The DRL system on U.S. vehicles can also be turned
off by using the off/on switch for one ignition cycle.
The regular headlamp system should be turned on when
needed.
3-15

Automatic Headlamp System
When it is dark enough outside, the automatic system
turns on the headlamps at the normal brightness along
with other lamps such as the taillamps, sidemarker,
parking lamps, instrument panel lights, and interior switch
backlighting.
Do not cover the light sensor, located on top of the
instrument panel. If the sensor is covered the headlamps
may remain on when they are not needed.
If the vehicle is driven through a parking garage, overcast
weather or a tunnel, the automatic headlamp system may
turn on.
There is a delay in the transition between the daytime
and nighttime operation of the automatic lamp control
system so that driving under bridges or bright overhead
street lights does not affect the system. The automatic
lamp control system will only be affected when the light
sensor sees a change in lighting lasting longer than this
delay.
If the vehicle is started in a dark garage, the automatic
lamp system turns on immediately. Once the vehicle
exits the garage, it will take about 20 seconds for the
automatic lamp system to change to DRL if it is light
outside. During that delay, the instrument panel cluster
may not be as bright as usual. Make sure the instrument
panel brightness control is in the full bright position.
SeeInstrument Panel Brightness on page 3-17.To idle the vehicle with the system off, turn the ignition
on and turn the exterior light switch to the off/on position.
For vehicles rst sold in Canada, the transmission must
stay in P (Park) for this function or the parking brake must
be set for vehicles with manual transmissions.
Turn on the regular headlamps when they are needed.
Fog Lamps
For vehicles with fog lamps, the button is located on the
instrument panel, to the right of the steering wheel.
The ignition must be on to use the fog lamps.
#:Press to turn the fog lamps on and off. An indicator
light on the button comes on when the fog lamps are on.
The parking lamps automatically turn on and off when the
fog lamps are turned on and off.
The fog lamps will turn off while the high-beam
headlamps are turned on.
Some localities have laws that require the headlamps to
be on along with the fog lamps.
3-16

Instrument Panel Cluster
The instrument panel cluster is designed to show how the vehicle is running. It shows how fast the vehicle is going,
about how much fuel is left in the fuel tank, and many other things needed to drive safely and economically.
United States Manual Transmission Cluster shown, Automatic, SS and Canada similar
3-27

OFF:The doors will lock immediately when pressing
the power lock switch or the lock button on the
RKE transmitter.
SeePower Door Locks on page 2-9,Delayed Locking
on page 2-10, andRemote Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation on page 2-4for more information.
To select a setting and move on to the next feature,
press the information button while the desired setting is
displayed on the DIC.
AUTO UNLK (Unlock)
This feature, which allows the vehicle to automatically
unlock certain doors, can be enabled or disabled. When
AUTO UNLK appears on the display, press and hold
the reset button for at least one second to scroll through
the available settings:
ALL (default):All of the doors will automatically unlock.
DRIVER:The driver’s door will automatically unlock.
NONE:None of the doors will automatically unlock.
You will need to manually unlock the doors.
If you have a manual transmission vehicle, the door(s)
will automatically unlock when the key is turned off.
If you have an automatic transmission vehicle, you
can select when the automatic unlocking will occur.
See “UNLK (Unlock) (Automatic Transmission Only)”
following.SeeProgrammable Automatic Door Unlock on page 2-10
for more information.
To select a setting and move on to the next feature,
press the information button while the desired setting is
displayed on the DIC.
UNLK (Unlock) (Automatic
Transmission Only)
This screen displays only if your vehicle has an automatic
transmission and DRIVER or ALL is selected for the
AUTO UNLK feature. This feature determines when the
automatic door unlocking will occur. When UNLK appears
on the display, press and hold the reset button for at least
one second to scroll through the available settings:
KEY OFF:The door(s) will unlock when the key is
turned off.
SHIFT TO P (Park) (default):The door(s) will unlock
when the vehicle is shifted into P (Park).
SeeProgrammable Automatic Door Unlock on
page 2-10for more information.
To select a setting and move on to the next feature,
press the information button while the desired setting is
displayed on the DIC.
3-59

Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle............4-2
Driving for Better Fuel Economy.......................4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunk Driving.................................................4-3
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-3
Braking.........................................................4-4
Antilock Brake System (ABS)...........................4-5
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-6
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)......................4-7
Traction Control System (TCS).......................4-10
Enhanced Traction System (ETS)....................4-12
Limited-Slip Differential..................................4-13
Steering......................................................4-14
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-16
Passing.......................................................4-16
Loss of Control.............................................4-16
Racing or Other Competitive Driving................4-18Driving at Night............................................4-18
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-19
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-20
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-20
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-21
Winter Driving..............................................4-22
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow.............................................4-24
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-25
Loading the Vehicle......................................4-25
Towing..........................................................4-31
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-31
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-31
Towing a Trailer (Automatic Transmission)........4-34
Towing a Trailer (Manual Transmission)...........4-41
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1