Chevrolet Cobalt Complaints

7,975 consumer complaints on file.

#10562735February 3, 2014
SERVICE BRAKES
REAR BRAKE CALIPER PISTON DRAGGING CAUSING EXCESSIVE INNER PAD WEAR. REAR BRAKES FREEZE UP. DAMAGED REAR ROTORS. INADEQUATE BRAKE PEDAL OPERATION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10561959January 29, 2014
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO TURN WHILE ATTEMPTING TO COMPLETE A TURN. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 10V073000 (STEERING) WAS PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED HOWEVER THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 59,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10561385January 24, 2014
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE NEW IN FEBRUARY 2005. I'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY DILIGENT IN MAINTAINING AND CARING FOR MY CAR. THIS SUMMER I HAD NOTICED A GASOLINE ODOR SEVERAL TIMES WHEN I GOT INTO MY CAR. I ALWAYS LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE FOR WET SPOTS OR DRIPPING BUT NEVER FOUND ANYTHING. IN JANUARY 2014 I TOOK MY CAR IN TO HAVE THE ANNUAL SAFETY INSPECTION DONE. THE INSPECTOR TOLD ME MY CAR NEEDED BRAKES ON BOTH AXLES AND FRONT ROTORS. HE ALSO TOLD ME HE SMELLED A GASOLINE ODOR BUT COULD NOT FIND AN ACTIVE LEAK EVEN THOUGH HE TURNED THE KEY ON AND PRIMED THE FUEL SYSTEM SEVERAL TIMES. BECAUSE IT WAS RAINING THAT DAY HE TOLD ME THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS WET WHICH PREVENTED HIM FROM FINDING ANY WET AREAS DUE TO A FUEL LEAK. HE TOLD ME HE WOULD CHECK AGAIN WHEN I BROUGHT IT BACK FOR THE RE-INSPECTION. A FEW DAYS LATER, AFTER THE BRAKE REPAIRS, THE INSPECTOR PUT MY CAR ON THE LIFT AND FOUND THE FABRIC HEAT SHIELD/SLEEVE WAS DAMP WITH GASOLINE. HE REMOVED THE HEAT SHIELD/SLEEVE AND FOUND THAT THE SUPPLY FUEL LINE HAD RUSTED THROUGH. I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND HAVE FOUND THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE COBALT MODEL. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND THEY GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF $647 TO REPLACE THE ONE BAD FUEL LINE! A FUEL LINE RUSTING THROUGH IN LESS THAN 9 YEARS? TERRIBLE DESIGN HAVING FUEL LINES RUN A FEW INCHES FROM THE EXHAUST PIPES. TERRIBLE QUALITY PARTS THAT FAIL PREMATURELY AND CAUSE A FIRE HAZARD MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE AT THE DEALERSHIP WITH AN UNCARING ATTITUDE AND STATEMENTS OF "IT'S A CAR, THEY DON'T LAST FOREVER" AND "IT'S ONLY $647, IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD". I GUESS SOMEONE'S CAR HAS TO CATCH ON FIRE, SOMEONE GET KILLED, AND GM GET SUED BEFORE THEY'LL DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS KNOWN AND COMMON PROBLEM. NOW I KNOW WHY THE US GOVERNMENT HAD TO BAIL OUT GM. SMH! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10561138January 23, 2014
SERVICE BRAKES
WHILE DRIVING IN THE LEFT LANE ON A MULTIPLE LANE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY THE DRIVER ON MY RIGHT CHANGED LANES INTO MY LANE. ON MY LEFT WAS A CONCRETE BARRIER WITHOUT ENOUGH ROOM FOR ME TO AVOID THE OTHER DRIVER. I AGGRESSIVELY APPLIED THE BRAKES TO TRY AND AVOID THE OTHER VEHICLE. EVEN THOUGH MY VEHICLE HAS ABS (ANTI-LOCK BRAKES), THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE LOCKED UP AND PULLED ME INTO THE CONCRETE BARRIER. AT NO TIME IN THE LIFE OF MY CAR HAVE I GOTTEN ANY INDICATION THAT THE ABS SYSTEM WASN'T WORKING PROPERLY. IN THIS SITUATION I WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER OFF NOT HAVING ABS THAN HAVING THE SYSTEM ONLY TO HAVE IT MALFUNCTION ON JUST ONE WHEEL. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10561173January 23, 2014
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THE POWER STEERING FAILED ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V073000 (STEERING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000. UPDATED 03/12/14*LJ
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10561205January 23, 2014
STEERING
I WAS DRIVING AND MY CAR'S POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND WAS NOT FUNCTIONING ANYMORE. IT BECAME HARD TO TURN AND TOOK MORE EFFORT TO TURN IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10560586January 19, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
I WAS TRYING TO START MY CAR AND TURNED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY AND TRIED TO TAKE THE KEY OUT, BUT IT WAS STUCK AND WOULDN'T COME OUT. I GOOGLED HOW TO TAKE IT OUT AND THAT WORKED, WE JUMPED THE CAR THINKING IT WAS THE BATTERY, BUT WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE LIGHTS AND ELECTRICAL ALLTURNED ON. THIS TELLS ME THAT THE CAR'S IGNITOR/SHIFTER WAS STUCK IN THE "ON" POSITION. IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DANGEROUS SITUATION IF I WERE ANYWHERE BUT HOME. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10560390January 17, 2014
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A GASOLINE ODOR BEING EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. HE LATER DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS A GASOLINE LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION, WHO STATED THAT THE FUEL LINE WAS RUSTED AND WOULD NEED A TOTAL REPLACEMENT. THE MECHANIC ALSO ADVISED THAT THE LINE COULD BE MENDED AS A TEMPORARY REPAIR. THE FUEL LINE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000. UPDATED 03/21/14*LJ UPDATED 03/28/2014 *JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10560422January 17, 2014
ENGINE
MY TIMING CHAIN BROKE CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE BLOCK. I TOOK IT TO MY CHEVY DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT REPAIRED BUT THEY WOULDN'T COVER THE COST. I TOWED IT TO MY MECHANIC TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AT A COST OF $4,500. THAT IS WHEN I WAS TOLD THAT THE TIMING CHAIN BREAKING IS VERY COMMON ON THIS MODEL CAR. SINCE THIS HAPPENED I HAVE HERD HORROR STORIES FROM OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH THE SAME STRESS WITH GM. I ALSO LOOKED ON LINE AND FOUND MANY OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. IT COST ME $250. TO RELEASE MY CAR TO TOW IT TO MY OWN MECHANIC AND THEY DID ABSOLUTELY NO REPAIRS. I CALLED GM DIRECTLY AND THEY OFFERED NO HELP AT ALL. THE TIMING CHAIN IS DEFINITELY A DEFECTIVE PART AND GM KNOWS IT!!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10560190January 16, 2014
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE BUT WITHOUT ANY POWER ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10560257January 16, 2014
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES, STRUCTURE:BODY
RANDOMLY, THE DRIVER'S DOOR LATCH FAILS TO FUNCTION. IF THE DOOR IS OPEN, IT WILL NOT LATCH CLOSED. IF THE DOOR IS CLOSED, NEITHER THE INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE WILL OPEN THE DOOR. OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS RATHER A SEVERE SAFETY CONCERN. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR AFTER AN ACCIDENT, AN UN-INJURED OCCUPANT COULD DIE FROM FIRE--OR DROWN IF THE CAR WERE SUBMERGED. I EXPLORED THE ISSUE ON MULTIPLE INTERNET FORUMS AND FOUND THIS IS A RATHER COMMON ISSUE. FOR INSTANCE, HERE IS A QUERY ON THE COBALT SS FORUM. JUST ENTERING "DOOR LATCH" COMES UP WITH THESE SEARCH RESULTS. HTTP://WWW.COBALTSS.NET/FORUMS/ESP_SEARCH.PHP?QUERY=DOOR+LATCH&REF=ESP-NAV-BAR&TYPE=ALL ON ONE POLL, FULLY 50% OF ALL COBALT OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE. 50%. I FOUND THERE IS AN NHTSA CASE ON THE ISSUE. THE ACTION NUMBER IS: "NHTSA: ACTION NUMBER: 10038344 SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER: 308836." THIS REFERENCES THE DEALER SERVICE BULLETIN #PI0011A. A DEALER APPLIED THE BULLETIN, THE ISSUE REMAINS. I AM NOW HAVING THE LATCH REPLACED, HOWEVER THAT IS NO GUARANTEE THAT THE ISSUE WILL BE RESOLVED. WORRIED I MAY HAVE THIS PROBLEM AT SOME POINT WITH THE PASSENGER DOOR, I LOOKED INTO THE LATCH ON THE PASSENGER DOOR. THE LATCH IS NOT AVAILABLE AND HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED BY GM. EVEN THOUGH THERE IS AN NHTSA ACTION ON THIS ISSUE, GM HAS SEEN FIT TO MAKE FIXING THE PROBLEM IMPOSSIBLE. ONE HAS TO ASK, "WHY IS THE PART SOLD OUT?" CLEARLY, THE FAILURE RATE HAS BEEN SO HIGH THAT GM HAS SOLD OUT THEIR ENTIRE STOCK OF REPLACEMENT PARTS. THE PART NUMBERS NEEDED FOR MY PASSENGER DOOR LATCH ARE EITHER 15906018 OR 15892690. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS. PEOPLE WILL DIE. GM ISN'T EVEN STOCKING ALL OF THE PARTS THAT MIGHT FIX THE ISSUE. THE SERVICE BULLETIN DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. GM KNOWS HOW TO MAKE A DOOR LATCH THAT WORKS. PLEASE, REQUIRE GM TO FIX THIS BEFORE PEOPLE DIE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10560134January 15, 2014
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
FIRST GOT A VERY SMALL CRACK IN WINDSHIELD AND NEXT DAY SPLINTERED ALL WAY ACROSS, STILL HAVE NOT REPLACED FIRST CHEVY I'VE OWNED THAT WINDOWS ARE CRAP. SPEAKERS HAVE NOT WORKED IN FRONT EVER AND ONLY COME ON AND WORK RANDOMLY NOW AND THAN. NOW BRAKE FLUID LIGHT CONSTANTLY COMING ON EVEN AFTER A DAY I PUT FLUID IN. THIS IS OFFICIALLY WORST CAR I'VE OWNED OUT OF ALL CHEVROLETS HAD!!!! BASICALLY ALL SERVICE TO IT COSTS AS MUCH AS CAR! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10560142January 15, 2014
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 10V073000 (STEERING). THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE AS LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 232,900.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10559174January 9, 2014
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED ACCOMPANIED BY THE ILLUMINATION OF THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V073000 (STEERING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 32,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10557536December 28, 2013
STEERING
WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE GAS STATION, THE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND THE POWER STEERING NO LONGER WORKED. IT HAS NOT WORKED SINCE THEN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10557249December 26, 2013
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE BRAKE CALIPER WAS RATTLING BECAUSE IT WAS BROKE I HAD A AUTO REPAIR MAN REPLACE PART THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT BRAKES AGAIN THAT WAS FOR THE FRONT AND BACK IT ALSO HAS ELECTED ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THE WINDOWS WORK WHEN THEY WANT AND THE CAR MOSTLY ALWAYS STALLS IT HAS EVEN STALLED ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC ON HWY WHAT IT DOES IS ACT REAL SLUGGISH AND THE MORE YOU PRESS ON THE GAS THE MORE IT BOGS OUT AND PULLS BACK INSTEAD OF TAKING OFF AS SUPPOSED TO THE TURN SIGNALS IN THE FRONT ALWAYS BLOW EVERYTIME REPLACED THERE IS ALSO INTERIOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS THE INTERIOR LIGHTING WORKS WHEN IT WANTS TO AND THE DOORS LOCK AND UNLOCK THEMSELVES WITH WILL UNSET THE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM AND ALLOW FOR PROWLERS TO TAKE THE CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10557251December 26, 2013
STEERING
POWER STEERING FAILURE. CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY (20,000 MILES) CONTACTED CHEVROLET WHO SAYS PART ALREADY REPLACED UNDER RECALL (APRIL 2010). THIS PART HAS FAILED FOR A SECOND TIME! MANUFACTURER OF THIS EXACT PART HAS HAD RECALLS WITH TOYOTA (2012) AS WELL. CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED BY NHTSA AND FORCE A SECOND RECALL UNTIL DESIGN FLAW IS RESOLVED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10557025December 23, 2013
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THERE A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE WARNING INDICATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH FORCE BEING APPLIED TO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND UPON RESTARTING, THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V073000 (STEERING). THE REMEDY FAILED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES WITHIN A PERIOD OF SIX WEEKS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000. ..UPDATED 02-28-14 *BF UPDATED 03/14/2014 *JS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10557092December 23, 2013
AIR BAGS
LIQUID WAS COMING OUT OF THE AIR BAG CAP AND NOW THE AIR BAG ALARM IS CONSTANTLY GOING OFF. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10556777December 20, 2013
STEERING
WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED (25 MPH) THROUGH AN "S" CURVE I ENTERED THE FIRST PORTION OF THE CURVE AND THE COBALT WAS OPERATING NORMALLY, WITHOUT ANY WARNING ENTERING INTO THE SECOND PORTION OF THE "S" CURVE SUDDENLY THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING. AN ALARM BELL CHIMED AND THE MESSAGE BOARD DISPLAYED "POWER STEERING" MESSAGE. I WAS ABLE TO STAY IN MY LANE OF TRAFFIC USING EXTRA FORCE TO CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE IS A RECALL # 82540 BUT IT APPEARS THE RECALL STOPPED BY 10,000 UNITS SHORT OF MY VIN #. SAME PROBLEM AS RECALL, BUT IT APPEARS THE RECALL DIDN'T RECALL ENOUGH VEHICLES? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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