Chevrolet Cobalt Complaints (2005)

1,649 consumer complaints on file.

#10304019February 2, 2010
STEERING
MY SON WAS DRIVING HIS 2005 CHEVY COBALT (LESS THAN 25000 MILES) AT 55 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ALERTED HIM OF THE POWER SYSTEM FAILURE. HE WAS ABLE TO SAFELY STOP THE VEHICLE. THE DAY AFTER THE EVENT, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KEDDIE CHEVROLET FOR EVALUATION. A DAY LATER THEY REPLACED THE POWER STEERING MOTOR TO THE TUNE OF $302.10. GUESS WHO ENDED UP PAYING THE BILL? US. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10304044February 2, 2010
STEERING
ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING KEEPS GOING OUT ON MY 2005 CHEVY COBALT. I WILL GET MAYBE 1 TO 5 MINUTES DOWN THE ROAD AND THE POWER STEERING FAILS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10304057February 2, 2010
STEERING
WHILE DRIVING MY CAR MY STEERING WHEEL JERKED TO THE LEFT AS A TRIED TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE JERKING OF THE WHEEL A POWER STEERING MESSAGE FLASHED ON THE DASHBOARD. THIS IS THE 2ND TIME I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE STEERING. ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO MY STEERING WHEEL COMPLETLY LOCKED UP AS I WAS DRIVING. I WAS ABLE TO QUICKLY MOVE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AWAY FROM TRAFFIC WHERE I RESTARTED MY VEHICLE AND PROCEEDED TO DRIVE WITH NO MORE ISSUES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10304058February 2, 2010
STEERING
THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT IN MY CAR ALMOST EVERY DAY. SOMETIMES AS MUCH AS 5 OR 6 TIMES A DAY. IT MAKES IT SO THERE IS NO POWER STEERING UNTIL I PULL OVER AND TURN THE VEHICLE OFF ONCE YOU TURN IT OFF AND BACK ON IT WORKS FINE, SOMETIMES. IT HAS ALMOST CAUSE ME TO GET IN AN ACCIDENT AND HAS MADE IT SO MY WIFE REFUSES TO DRIVE FOR FEAR OF HER LIFE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10304053February 2, 2010
STEERING
MY 2005 CHEVY COBALT POWER STEERING WILL FAIL WITHOUT WARNING AT RANDOM TIMES. THERE IS NOTHING THAT I DO AS A DRIVER TO CAUSE IT SO FAR HAS I CAN TELL. IT WILL FAIL AT ANY SPEED AND IN A CURVE OR ON A STRAIGHT ROAD. I'VE HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR ABOUT FIVE WEEKS NOW. THE FIRST WEEK IT DID IT ONCE A DAY, THE SECOND WEEK IT ONLY FAILED ONCE. THE FOLLOWING TWO WEEKS IT WOULD FAIL ANYWHERE FROM TWENTY SECONDS TO ONE HOUR FROM STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE FIFTH WEEK I ONLY DROVE IT ONCE AND THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF A SHARP CORNER ON A COUNTRY ROAD AND I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR PULLED OUT OF A DITCH. IF I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND RESTART IT THE POWER STEERING WORKS AGAIN. MAYBE FOR THE REST OF THE DAY, MAYBE FOR ONLY FIVE SECONDS. THERE IS NO RHYME OR REASON FOR THE TIMING OF THE FAILURES. AFTER THE SECOND DAY I CALLED THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR. THEY SAID THAT IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE COBALT AND SAID THAT THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN WOULD NEED REPLACED WITH A PRICE BETWEEN $1500.00 AND $2200.00. VERY PRICEY! THEN AFTER THE FIRST WEEK I SEARCHED "CHEVY COBALT POWER STEERING" ON THE INTERNET, AND WAS SHOCKED BY WHAT I SAW. OVER ONE HUNDRED HITS ON THE ISSUE WITH PAGE AFTER PAGE OF HORROR STORIES OF THE SAME PROBLEM WITH POWER STEERING FAILURE. SO THIS ISSUE IS HARDLY UNKNOWN. AND WITH TONIGHT'S MENTION OF IT ON THE CBS NIGHTLY NEWS, IT WILL HOPEFULLY GAIN SOME MORE ATTENTION. PLEASE DO NOT LET THIS END UP LIKE THE TOYOTA RECALL AND LET PEOPLE DIE BEFORE IT GETS FIXED, BECAUSE IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. I HAVE SINCE STOPPED DRIVING THE VEHICLE THAT I STILL OWE SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS ON, AND HAVE BEEN BORROWING RIDES FROM FRIENDS AND FAMILY. BEING IN THE SAME POSITION HAS 14.8% OF AMERICA, UNEMPLOYED, THERE IS NO WAY THAT I CAN CURRENTLY AFFORD THE COST OF THE REPAIR. AND FROM WHAT I'VE READ ONLINE FROM OTHER VICTIMS, EVEN IF I WAS STILL UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY, I WOULD STILL HAVE TO PAY SINCE IT DOESN'T COVER THE STEERING COLUMN. HELP!!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10304060February 2, 2010
STEERING
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH, I HEARD A DING AND LOOKED AT THE CONSOLE. IT SAID "POWER STEERING". BECAUSE I WAS ON A STRAIGHT STRETCH OF ROAD, THE POWER STEERING GOING OUT WASN'T INITIALLY A BIG PROBLEM, SO I GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY AT THE NEXT EXIT AND PARKED SO I COULD TURN THE CAR OFF. AFTER A COUPLE MINUTES OF TALKING TO MY DAD, I TURNED THE CAR ON AND IT WAS FINE SO I CONTINUED ON MY TRIP. TWENTY MINUTES LATER IT DINGED AGAIN AND THE POWER STEERING WAS GONE AGAIN. I DROVE ABOUT 15 MINUTES LIKE THAT BECAUSE I WAS GETTING CLOSE TO MY DESTINATION UNTIL I REMEMBERED THE RAMP I NEEDED TO TAKE WAS A BIG CURVE AND I DIDN'T WANT TO ATTEMPT IT WITHOUT THE POWER STEERING. I PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED THE CAR OFF, AND THEN BACK ON. I WAS ABLE TO PULL BACK ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND AROUND THE RAMP BUT AS SOON AS I WAS ON THE NEXT HIGHWAY, IT WENT OUT AGAIN. I MANAGED TO MAKE IT A COUPLE MILES UNTIL I SAW A GM DEALER AND GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY. I NEARLY COLLIDED WITH A STOPPED CAR TRYING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN BUT MANAGED TO MAKE IT TO THE DEALER. THE POWER STEERING MOTOR HAD FRIED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO FIND OUT IF THE MODULE WAS BAD TOO. THE MOTOR COST ME $411 AND IF THE MODULE HAD GONE TOO IT WOULD HAVE COST $732. THANKFULLY IT WAS JUST THE MOTOR, BUT OF COURSE MY WARRANTY EXPIRED JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. I MAINTAINED MY CAR PROPERLY SINCE I BOUGHT IT IN 2005 WITH 6 MILES ON IT BUT I FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN RIPPED OFF. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10304067February 2, 2010
STEERING
I BROUGHT A 2005 CHEVY COBALT BRAND NEW MY POWERSTEERING WENT OUT A LITTLE OVER 75,000 MILES OUT OF EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE POWERSTEERING KEPT GO OUT UNTIL I HAD TO REPLACE IT AT NUCAR CHEVROLET IN NEW CASTLE DE IT COST ME OVER 800.00 DOLLARS IN NOVEMBER 08. THE DEALER SAID THE POWER STEERING WAS ELECTRIC AND THEY HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH OTHER COBALT SAME MODEL YEAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10304069February 2, 2010
STEERING
POWER STEERING FAILURE IN MY 2005 CHEVY COBALT. NO WARNINGS, STEERING GOES OUT AT ANY SPEED. I RECEIVE A WARNING RING TO READ MY COMPUTER BOARD WHICH READS "POWER STEERING" AT THIS POINT THERE IS NO POWER STEERING. ONCE THE VEHICLE IS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED THE POWER STEERING WORKS AGAIN, UNTIL IT GOES OUT AGAIN, AND AGAIN. THIS IS VERY VERY DANGEROUS, STEERING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER STEERING IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10304078February 2, 2010
STEERING
THE POWER STEERING IN MY 2005 CHEVY COBALT WENT OUT. FOR NO APPARENT REASON I LOST MY POWER STEERING WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH CHICAGO. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE THIS MAKES IT EXTREMELY HARD TO DRIVE. BEING A COLLEGE STUDENT I CAN'T AFFORD TO REPLACE THE FAULTY STEERING COLUMN. MY FIANCE AND I HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR LESS THAN TWO YEARS AND THE CAR HAD UNDER 80,000 MILES ON IT. THERE ARE SEVERAL SAFETY ISSUES AS I DO NOT HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE CAR. TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY I LIVE IN MICHIGAN AND THE WINTER DRIVING ISN'T EASY ESPECIALLY WITHOUT POWER STEERING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10303776February 2, 2010
STEERING
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND AT ANY RANDOM POINT THE POWER STEERING LIGHT GOES ON, NOW THE STEERING WHEEL IS EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN. THIS OCCURS ON A DAILY BASIS. THE AMOUNT OF TIMES THIS HAPPENS IS VERY RANDOM. THE MOST TIMES IT HAS HAPPENED IN A DAY IS 7 DRIVING WITHIN A 30 MILE RADIUS. THE ONLY TEMPORARY THING TO FIX IT IS TRY TO SAFELY PULL OFF THE ROAD AND SHUT THE CAR OFF AND START IT BACK UP, BUT IT CAN GO OUT AGAIN WITHIN THE NEXT MILE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10303815February 2, 2010
STEERING, SUSPENSION:FRONT
WE HAVE A CHEVY 2005 COBALT. THE FRONT END MAKE A REALLY BAD RIDDLING NOISE AND SOMETIMES THE STEERING IS HARD. I CALL AND TOOK IT TO A DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY WAS NO RECALLS. I SAID I HEARD IT ON TV AND ALSO THE PAPERS. MY DAUGHTER IS THE ONE THAT DRIVES THIS CAR MOST OF THE TIME. I WANT TO KNOW IS SHE GOING TO BE SAFE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW ASAP. I DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO HAPPEN TO HER. ITS ASKING FOR A DATE OF INCIDENT I'M NOT SURE. GUESS? THE NOISE IS MOSTLY ON ROUGH ROADS. THE STEERING IS ABOUT ONE TIME EVERY ?? THANK YOU PLEASE LET ME KNOW. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10303841February 2, 2010
STEERING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AND HE LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT LEAST TEN TIMES. HE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED IT SINCE OCCASIONALLY IT WOULD CORRECT ITSELF. THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED AFTER THE STEERING FAILED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE ISSUE WAS PREVALENT; YET, THE DEALER DID NOT MAKE ANY REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 52,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10303872February 2, 2010
STEERING
POWER STEERING FAILURE. STEERING AT FIRST STARTED GOING OUT ONLY DURING U-TURNS OR OTHER SHARP TURNS. THEN, STEERING WOULD GO OUT SUDDENLY AFTER DRIVING FOR 30-60 MINUTES. FINALLY, STEERING WOULD SHUT OFF ABOUT 15 SECONDS AFTER STARTING MY CAR. HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10303861February 2, 2010
STEERING
POWER STEERING FAILURE ON 2005 CHEVY COBALT. HAS HAPPENED OFF AND ON APPROX. 5 TIMES. STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT AT LOW SPEEDS. NO ACCIDENTS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10303914February 2, 2010
STEERING
ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PUMP WENT OUT WHEN MY DAUGHTER WAS COMING HOME FROM SCHOOL SHE COULD CONTROL CAR ON 2/2/09 WE CALLED GMAC TO SEE IF THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL OF THIS PART THEY SAID IT HAD NOT SO WE CALLED THE CAR LOT FROM WE PURCHASED THE CAR AND HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET TO GET THE CAR FIXED. I HATE TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF SHE HAD NOT REMAINED CALM WHEN THIS HAPPENED AFTER GETTING CAR FIXED SHE WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE IT FOR A WHILE. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT NO ONE IN THIS BIG COMPANY HAD NO IDEA THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING FROM READING THE BLOGS IN 2/09 THERE WERE COMPLAINS THEN THE COMPANY NEED TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE MONEY FIXED TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10303939February 2, 2010
STEERING
POWER STEERING: 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT SS SUPERCHARGED (MANUAL TRANSMISSION). I WOULD LIKE TO ADD MY TWO CENTS TO THE COMPLAINTS ON THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM IN MY CAR, MENTIONED ABOVE. IT HAS NOT CAUSED ME AN ACCIDENT BUT HAS CAUSED A FEW CLOSE CALLS. I HAVE NOTICED A FEW THINGS ABOUT THE FAILURE: -THERE IS AN 'OVERALL FREQUENCY' WITH WHICH POWER STEERING OUTAGES OCCUR, DEPENDING ON A NUMBER OF FACTORS I HAVE OBSERVED: -TURNING OFF AND RESTARTING THE IGNITION (EVEN GOING 80MPH ON THE HIGHWAY) WILL IMMEDIATELY FIX THE ISSUE FOR A RANDOM PERIOD OF TIME, BASED IN PART ON THE CURRENT 'OVERALL FREQUENCY'. -TIRE WEAR (RESULTING IN ADDITIONAL SURFACE CONTACT, PRESUMABLY) INCREASES THE FREQUENCY OF THE FAILURE. -WARMER TEMPERATURES SEEM TO MAKE OUTAGES MORE FREQUENT. -'SPIRITED', HIGH-RPM TYPE DRIVING (MY CAR IS THE SUPERCHARGED MODEL) RESULTS IN MORE FREQUENT STEERING SYSTEM OUTAGES...USUALLY WITH THE SYSTEM FAILING JUST AFTER REACHING THE PEAK RPM OF A GIVEN GEAR, AND REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE CAR IS CURRENTLY TURNING. -THE SYSTEM CAN GO DAYS AND WEEKS WITHOUT FAILING. IT IS USUALLY POSSIBLE TO GUESS HOW SOON THE OUTAGE WILL RETURN BASED ON HOW HARD THE WHEEL IS TO TURN ONCE THE SYSTEM HAS FAILED. IF THE WHEEL IS VERY HARD TO TURN, BASED IN PART ON THE FACTORS ABOVE, THEN RESTARTING THE CAR WILL ONLY CORRECT THE ISSUE FOR A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME (SOMETIMES AS LITTLE AS 15-20 SECONDS). IF THE WHEEL IS EASIER TO TURN WHEN THE STEERING IS OUT, THE SYSTEM STAYS ACTIVE FOR CONSIDERABLY LONGER PERIODS (PERHAPS 1 HOUR) BEFORE FAILING AGAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10303932February 2, 2010
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
SEVERAL INCIDENTS INVOLVING STEERING OF 2005 COBALT 2-DOOR. EACH INCIDENT OCCURRED ON THE FREEWAY WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT AT 55 TO 65 MPH. FRONT END OF VEHICLE "JUMPED" SIDE TO SIDE AND STEERING WHEEL RESPONDED ONLY WITH CONSIDERABLE EFFORT. LAST OCCURRENCE WAS WITNESSED BY HIGHWAY PATROL WHO ESCORTED ME FROM THE FREEWAY WITH LIGHTS FLASHING. EVENTUALLY, DEALER DID REPLACE ENTIRE STEERING MECHANISM (2006) AND PROBLEM HAS NOT RECURRED. ALSO HAVE HAD TO HAVE BRAKING SYSTEM REPLACED AS WELL AS COMPONENTS RELATED TO THE COMPUTER SYSTEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10303955February 2, 2010
STEERING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING 12 MPH, THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. HE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 52,000. UPDATED 03/04/10. *LJ
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10303959February 2, 2010
STEERING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING FAILED INTERMITTENTLY SINCE MARCH 2009. THE CONTACT HAD TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTART THE VEHICLE TO RESET THE POWER STEERING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 51,784. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 42,500.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10303962February 2, 2010
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF TO RESET THE POWER STEERING; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER HAS NOT DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,400.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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