Chevy HHR as a toad??

Is anyone towing an HHR? We are thinking of using ours, but the owners manual says there is a 65mph limit while towing. Why would there be any speed limit? What would be the issue with going 70MPH?
Any thoughts or experience anyone would care to share?

Andre & Ann,

We had the same issue with a '03 Suzuki a few years ago. We could never get to the real reason for the restriction except it might have been a CYA thing on Suzuki's part. Service folks had no idea and the Main U.S. office claimed they "couldn't give a reason except---Safety" It also had a 200 miles restriction to start the engine and let it run for some period of time.

I'll bet Chevy is just CYA to head off a law suit.

One of neighbors here tows a Chevy HHR, and I doubt very much if he restricts his speed to 65 MPH or less.

They've been towing it a couple of years now, so apparently it works out well for them.

I tow a 2008 Saturn VUE and the manual gave the same instructions - max speed of 65mph and start the engine and move the shifter through the gears every 500 miles. Recently, I saw a posting in FMCA magazine where these cautions had been removed by GM and there were no restrictions for the VUE. I'll find the magazine and look at the HHR if it is listed. I seldom go above 65 or travel more than 500 miles a day so these were not cautions I've been concerned about.

OK, as a safety professional I just have to ask, why would you seriously be interested in going over 65 MPH on the highway in a combined unit vehicle with a weight total in the mid 50,000 pounds? Another question you may want to pose is whether anyone is using an HHR as a toad and what supplemental braking system with a breakaway feature is in use?

Going 65 plus will get you into trouble a lot quicker than say 62.5 MPH will!

Will,

I normally travel between 65-68 MPH. BUT, I do go 70-72 MPH to clear bad traffic, pass trucks, etc.

And I always use supplemental braking with a break away feature.

I just want to know that I can go over 65 MPH if the situation calls for it.

I would suspect the 65 was more a mandate by their legal department than by engineers. I seriously doubt if occasional forays up into the Mach speeds will hurt it.

Jon is right, it is a legal issue.A friend who owned a GM dealership (until he got the letter) called GM for me and was told there is no restriction on speed or mileage. I have been towing my 2006 HHR for years sometimes at mach speed across the country. No problems however you must pull fuse number 6 to unlock the steering. I put a fuse link to a switch from Radio Shack mounted on the console side panel, flip it, put in neutral, turn the key to off and away we go. I don't use an aux. brake system in the car and have no issues down the mountains. The jake seem to do the job. That's how I roll.

Tpr,

Thanks, you gave me the answer I needed. Info from GM, and more important, 1st hand experience.