My son has an HHR SS. Who knew that mechanical parts would be so hard to find. First it was the shocks that were NLA. Now the car has a leak in the turbo coolant return pipe. Yup, also NLA. WTF GM?!?! Going to have to see if the shop can fabricate something. Anyone want a 5spd HHR SS that's had a E36 M3 ton of work done to it?
It's a GM parts bin special, aren't there parts for the other vehicles that fit?
They made two dozen of those 15 years ago...
Try buying a door handle for a 15 year old Explorer from Ford. Nobody abandons cars like Ford.
It's one reason I like Volvos...
Most manufacturers only make arrangements with parts suppliers that last ten years after end of the model run.
I bought this fuel filler hose - '72 Datsun 240Z - still available.........
Someone bought the parts stock from GM after ten years. It's out there somewhere in a warehouse. GM doesn't scrap it. Search GM NOS parts for your vehicle.
Part number appears to be GM 12618973. GM Parts Outlet lists it as being available. Fits 2008 - 2010 Cobalt SS and HHR SS 2.0L
https://www.gmpartsoutlet.com/p/Chevrolet__Cobalt/Pipe-Line-Return/48252883/12618973.html
The description lists this as being a coolant return line, but it is an oil line (?)
DeadSkunk (Warren) said:Most manufacturers only make arrangements with parts suppliers that last ten years after end of the model run.
That's a nice idea, in practice some things are NLA long before that.
Some GN parts weren't available new, ever.
Streetwiseguy said:They made two dozen of those 15 years ago...
Try buying a door handle for a 15 year old Explorer from Ford. Nobody abandons cars like Ford.
It's one reason I like Volvos...
Truth about Ford. Even Mustang parts disappear all too soon.
Most of Ford's parts get sold to a company called Green Sales. http://www.greensalescompany.com/ Also, Ford dealers can search other dealer's inventory for obsolete parts. It's sometimes pretty amazing at what is out there collecting dust on a shelf.
Is 10 years the "standard" for supporting a given model? My 2010 CTS-V was totaled in 2023 after a spin with no body damage deployed the curtain airbags, which turned out to be NLA. That was not an outcome I had ever contemplated until it happened.
In reply to Spearfishin :
I've heard 7 years since last production. I assume it's a balance between being able to meet warranty obligations vs the cost of inventorying.
Ford likes to raise the price on things every year (covers inventory costs) and then they get rid of it when sales drop to nothing.
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
Ah, so I spun waaay too late to have a reasonable chance at repair with OEM airbags, haha.
Also, to ddavidv's comment, local GM dealer was able to search inventory and found both NLA bags in stock at other dealers. I'm in VA, one bag was in NC, other was in SC. Insurance company essentially told me "thanks for checking, but we're not going to get those".
I don't think I'll own another Ford for this reason. As someone said, even getting parts for a Mustang (with arguable the biggest aftermarket of any car) was difficult at times. I've had very good luck with Toyota and Honda getting parts on older vehicles. Saab was difficult at times for certain parts, but was generally OK because it shared a lot of mechanical bits with GM cars. Once body parts are NLA new, though, collision insurance rates tend to skyrocket because any accident can total the car if parts are NLA.
CJ said:Part number appears to be GM 12618973. GM Parts Outlet lists it as being available. Fits 2008 - 2010 Cobalt SS and HHR SS 2.0L
https://www.gmpartsoutlet.com/p/Chevrolet__Cobalt/Pipe-Line-Return/48252883/12618973.html
The description lists this as being a coolant return line, but it is an oil line (?)
Yep, that's the part. Sadly, they don't have any.
This dealership might have one - I was able to put it in the cart and start checkout without being told it's not available.
Too many unique parts on these. We had one brought in for a bunch of work (clutch and transmission), spent forever waiting on parts, and during the months it was sitting, the fuse block internally corroded. Turns out that the HHR SS fuse block is different from both the HHR fuse block and the Cobalt SS fuse block and no one makes them, and none are available. After months of searching, the customer found a used onee, brought it to us, and it had the same internal failure. It was another 7 months before he found another used one, which turned out to be good. Car sat at our dealership for over a year.
GM parts support is....not good. A customer had a 2015 Camaro convertible he brought in with a top issue, and it needed the switch. Already discontinued.
You'll have to do like we did while searching for parts for our 2020 Connect.. you have to be creative and hope things fit. Some parts fit, while others not so much. But we have a welding shop on hand just in case some sort of odd ball items is needed. We've had to research parts from the Focus, Volvo and Mazda. Plus a lot of parts for the Connect over seas. You'll just have to dig deeper into finding out what parts cross over from the HHR to something else.
Amazon has one, likely some reseller has it available.
https://www.amazon.com/AC-Delco-Turbo-Cool-Pipe/dp/B0CCPQHFC6
I have had good luck buying NOS NLA parts by calling dealers as noted above and also through setting up Ebay alerts.
Spearfishin said:In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
Ah, so I spun waaay too late to have a reasonable chance at repair with OEM airbags, haha.
Also, to ddavidv's comment, local GM dealer was able to search inventory and found both NLA bags in stock at other dealers. I'm in VA, one bag was in NC, other was in SC. Insurance company essentially told me "thanks for checking, but we're not going to get those".
When I was at GM a lot of dealer's operated on particular parts network and if stock was on your shelf for too long you could get a discount on it. Some dealer's wouldn't agree to it because if it was too long it was below cost. Right before I left I bought a GMPP c6 corvette exhaust for cost-50%. It was fantastic.
I wonder if the similar parts on the other FWD cars that used the LNF engine might be worth looking at? Maybe a Cobalt SS part is out there somewhere and if not identical, could be altered to fit.
In reply to SKJSS (formerly Klayfish) :
Sorry. Didn't say NLA...
02Pilot said:This dealership might have one - I was able to put it in the cart and start checkout without being told it's not available.
Most dealer online sites allow you to place the order, then refund your money and cancel when they realize its NLA. I've been through this countless times. Your best bet is to have your local dealer do a locator to see if there are any left in the country.
bobzilla said:02Pilot said:This dealership might have one - I was able to put it in the cart and start checkout without being told it's not available.
Most dealer online sites allow you to place the order, then refund your money and cancel when they realize its NLA. I've been through this countless times. Your best bet is to have your local dealer do a locator to see if there are any left in the country.
Truf. Tasca Parts is more than happy to take your money and hold it for a week or 2 before "whoops sorry we dont have this and dont know where you can get it. Also we cancelled your whole order". Screw those guys.
You'll need to log in to post.
