Chevrolet Cobalt Complaints (2005)

1,649 consumer complaints on file.

#10399167May 5, 2011
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM, STEERING
LAST YEAR, MY 05 COBALT EXPERIENCED POWER STEERING FAILURE AND CONCURRENT HARD SHIFTING BETWEEN GEARS UPON POWER STEERING NOTICE OF FAILURE. I TOOK MY CAR IN TO THE DEALER TO BE FIXED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ASSOCIATED RECALL. LAST WEEK, ONE YEAR LATER, I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME EXACT PROBLEMS AGAIN. THE CAR WILL CHIME AND REPORT "POWER STEERING FAILURE". IF DRIVING ABOVE 15 MPH, THERE ISN'T MUCH TO NOTICE REGARDING POWER STEERING, HOWEVER, IF CHANGING SPEED REQUIRES YOUR CAR TO SHIFT UP OR DOWN TO A DIFFERENT GEAR, THE CAR WILL JERK ("HICCUP") HEAVILY, AS IF AN INEXPERIENCED DRIVER WAS TRYING TO DRIVE A CAR WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THE CAR HAS 46,000 MILES ON IT AND THIS IS CLEARLY NOT MY PROBLEM. PLEASE INSIST THAT GM ISSUE A RECALL WITH A REAL REMEDY FOR THIS ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10399067May 4, 2011
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD BANGING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND BEGAN TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND HEARD A POPPING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V073000 (STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 65,000. UPDATED 12/19/11
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10398493May 2, 2011
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOOR HANDLES WERE INOPERABLE AND HE WAS UNABLE TO ENTER OR EXIT THE VEHICLE IF A CRASH OR FIRE OCCURRED; THEREFORE, A PASSENGER HAD TO EXIT THROUGH THE WINDOW. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE DEALER OR MANUFACTURER OF THE FAILURE, NOR WAS THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 125,741 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 100,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10398416May 1, 2011
CHILD SEAT:LATCH CONNECTOR/CLIP, CHILD SEAT
SUPER LATCH BELT ON MY RADIAN XTSL (NITRO) LOOSENS VERY EASILY. WE HAVE 2 XTSL SEATS 1 IN FLORA AND ONE IN NITRO. THE FLORA SEAT DOES NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE. THE INSTALL FOR THESE SEATS ARE PERFECT AND EXACTLY THE SAME, BOTH INSTALLED WITH SL AND BOTH ARE REAR FACING INSTALLED OUTBOARD. HOWEVER I CAN JIGGLE THE NITRO XTSL SEAT NEAR THE BELT PATH AND THE SL BECOMES UNSAFELY LOOSE. (RELATED VEHICLE INFORMATION: MODEL YEAR=2005, MAKE=CHEVROLET, MODEL=COBALT). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10396868April 19, 2011
AIR BAGS, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I HAVE A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT 4 DR SEDAN. WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE SERVICE ROAD ON I-35 I STARTED TO COUGH, I BLACKED OUT FOR A SPLIT SECOND. AFTER COMING TO I REALIZED THERE WAS A SHARP TURN IN THE ROAD. I HIT THE BRAKES HARD, THE ABS DID NOT WORK. I WENT THROUGH A SIGN, IT TORE UP THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE OF THE CAR THEN HIT A CONCRETE BARRIER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FRONT END.I HIT MY HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY ON EITHER SIDE OF THE CAR. WITH THE ABS LOCKING UP IT CAUSED THE CAR TO SKID APPROX 300 FEET, WITHOUT SAFELY SLOWING DOWN. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10396590April 17, 2011
STEERING, EQUIPMENT
POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY WAS "REPLACED" UNDER THE RECALL, BUT STILL CONTINUALLY GOES OUT OFF AND ON. VERY UNSAFE!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10395944April 14, 2011
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
HAD THE POWER STEERING RECALL DONE A WHILE AGO. NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS BEFORE. NOW MY POWER STEERING FAILURE MSG WILL COME ON THE DASH, THEN THE TRANSMISSION WILL SHIFT REAL HARD, JERKING EVERYONE INSIDE. CAR WILL STALL OUT WHEN YOU COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, BUT IF YOU SLOW DOWN AND KEEP ROLLING, IT WILL JUST STAY IN OVERDRIVE AND TAKES FOREVER TO GET BACK TO SPEED. CAR ALSO NEVER GETS TO OPERATING TEMPERATURE IN THE WINTER, ACCORDING TO THE TEMP GAUGE. HAD THE TEMP SENSOR REPLACED, STILL NO CHANGE, BUT I DO HAVE HEAT IN THE WINTER. ALSO AT TIMES MY SECURITY LIGHT WILL COME ON THEN THE CAR WILL SHUTDOWN WHILE I'M GOING DOWN THE ROAD. OTHER TIMES IT WILL TAKE ABOUT 5 MINS TO GET THE CAR STARTED. THERE WILL BE OTHER TIMES THE CAR CHIMES 4 TIMES AND NOTHING SHOWS UP, THEN OTHER TIMES THE POWER STEERING MSG WILL APPEAR. I HAVE ONLY LOST POWER STEERING ABOUT 5 TIMES WITH THIS CAR SINCE THE RECALL WAS DONE, AND NEVER BEFORE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS AS I'VE BEEN READING INTERNET FORUMS. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR THE LAST 8-9 MONTHS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10395352April 9, 2011
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
2005 CHEVY COBALT --TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON DASH. LIGHT WOULDN'T GO OFF. KEPT HEARING CLICKING NOISES IN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT AREA. DEALER SAYS THEY CAN REPAIR BUT IT SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM ON MANY CHEVY COBALTS AND IT CAN BE A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT CAUSES THE CAR TO LOSE POWER TO TRANSMISSION. CAR ONLY HAS 30,000 MILES. ORIGINAL OWNER. LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME. WE TRIED RESETTING THE WARNING, BUT LIGHT STILL REMAINS AND CLICKING SOUND STILL REMAINS. RECOMMEND IT BE A SAFETY RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10395242April 8, 2011
SUSPENSION:FRONT
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED ON THREE OCCASIONS THAT THE FRONT CONTROL ARMS FRACTURED. AFTER THE FIRST FAILURE THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED. AFTER THE SECOND AND THIRD FAILURES THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10394950April 5, 2011
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN ON 6/3/10 AS A PART OF THE RECALL OF THE ELECTRIC POWER MOTOR. PRIOR TO THAT TIME THERE HAD BEEN TWO INCIDENTS WHERE ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD LOCK, THE CAR WOULD SHUT OFF AND AFTER STOPPING, AND RESTARTING THE CAR WOULD START. WE THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 15, 2011 TWO INCIDENTS HAPPENED WITH MY DAUGHTER 21 YEARS OLD IN THE CAR. THE FIRST WAS AFTER SHE HIT A SMALL POT HOLE, THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED SHE PULLED OVER RESTARTED THE CAR. THE SAME WEEK SHE WAS DRIVING ON I-94 AT 60 MILES PER HOUR THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED, SHE WAS ABLE TO GET TO SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND RESTART THE CAR. ON FEBRUARY 22 OR 23, 2011 WE TOOK THE CAR IN TO GEORGE MATICK CHEVROLET TO ASK THEM TO CHECK THE RECALL WORK BECAUSE IT WAS THE SAME PROBLEM. THE REPRESENTATIVES THERE SAID THAT WE HAD TO PAY $95.00 FOR AN INSPECTION. THEY INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE RECALL WORK THAT THEY DID, AND MORE THEN LIKELY IT WAS AN IGNITION SWITCH THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND THE COST FOR THAT WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $500.00 I WOULD NOT PAY FOR AN INSPECTION BECAUSE THIS IS EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY AND THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS YOU CAN NOT TELL WHEN OR HOW IT WILL HAPPEN. THE INSPECTION OF THE RECALL WORK THAT THEY DID WAS SIMPLY SITTING BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE CAR AND ATTESTING THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY NORMAL MECHANIC WHO DID A DIAGNOSTIC AND HE COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG AND SAID WE WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL IT FAILED AGAIN. THE PROBLEM IS THAT SOMEONE CAN GET KILLED WITH THIS. THIS RECALL DID NOT SOLVE THIS PROBLEM OR THE MOTOR I RECEIVED IN THE CAR IS STILL DEFECTIVE. I WOULD LIKE A DEFINITIVE ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. THE CONSUMER STATED HER DAUGHTER HIT A POT HOLE AND THE STEERING WENT OUT. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED IT APPEARED THE RECALL ISSUED BY G.M WAS NOT EFFECTIVE. UPDATED 06/23/11
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10394027April 2, 2011
STEERING
WHEN GOING DOWN A HILL OR COMING TO A STOP THE WHOLE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES. TOOK IT TO A GARAGE AND HE SAID THAT THE U JOINT IN THE STEERING COLUMN IS BAD AND IS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE, COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR. MY DAUGHTER DRIVES THIS CAR, BUT NOT ANYMORE. GARAGE SAYS HE HAS HAD ALOT OF COBALT'S WITH THIS ISSUE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS, OR DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE FIRST? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10393694March 30, 2011
STEERING
THE POWER STEERING FAILED IN MY 2005 COBALT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED A RECALLED POWER STEERING MOTOR. THEY JUST CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THAT DIDN'T FIX MY POWER STEERING FAILURE AND I WILL BE CHARGED FOR ANY FARTHER WORK BEING DONE. THEY OBVIOUSLY ADMIT HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THEIR POWER STEERING SYSTEM BUT WHAT THEY REPLACED DIDN'T FIX MY PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10393035March 27, 2011
STEERING
CAR LOSES POWER STEERING RANDOMLY, DEALER WONT RECOGNIZE RECALL. WILL BE TURNING AND CAR WILL ALL OF A SUDDEN LOSE THE POWER STEERING CAUSING MY CAR TO JERK AND I NEED TO CORRECT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10392725March 24, 2011
STEERING
ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ASSIST STOPPED FUNCTIONING. DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, DRIVER INFO CENTER MESSAGE "POWER STEERING" DISPLAYED. NO STEERING ASSIST. PARKED VEHICLE FOR SHORT TIME AND ASSIST RETURNED. DROVE FOR SHORT PERIOD AND ASSIST AGAIN CEASED TO FUNCTION. HAVE NOT BEEN TO DEALER YET TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10392502March 22, 2011
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V073000 (STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE HAD THE RECALL REPAIRS PERFORMED BUT CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10392300March 21, 2011
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE ENGINE DISABLED WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. AFTER WAITING A COUPLE OF MINUTES THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUE DRIVING. THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY FOUR TIMES IN THE SAME DAY AND CONTINUED TO RECUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000. UPDATED 04/07/11 *BF UPDATED 04/08/11
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10390570March 18, 2011
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
OUR 2005 CHEVY COBALT LS HAS KEY STUCK IN IGNITION. I FOUND COUNTLESS SIMILAR COMPLAINS ONLINE FROM OWNERS. IS THIS RELATED TO STEERING ISSUE. IF NOT PLEASE HAVE THEM FIX THIS LEMON. IT'S NOT SAVE AS WE ARE ONLY ABLE TO TAKE THE KEYS OUT IN THE ACCESSORY POSITION, IN WHICH CASE SHIFTER STICK IS NOT LOCKED AND KIDS ARE ABLE TO SHIFT IT FROM PARK. IT ALSO DRAINS THE BATTERY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10390393March 16, 2011
STEERING
MY 2005 CHEVY COBALT HAS BEEN HAVING SOME ISSUES WITH A KNOCKING SOUND WHILE DRIVING. ALMOST SOUNDS AS IF SOMETHING WAS LOOSE AND HITTING SOMETHING ELSE IS THE ONLY WAY I KNOW TO DESCRIBE IT. PEOPLE WHO HAVE DROVE IN MY CAR THOUGHT IT WAS BAD SHOCKS OR STRUTS, BUT THOSE HAVE BEEN CHECKED AND WORKING FINE. IT MAKES THE NOISE WHILE DRIVING, HITTING NORMAL BUMPS IN THE ROAD, ETC. I HAD A MECHANIC LOOK AT IT AND HE REPLACED SOME LOWER ARM BUSHINGS IN THE FRONT END. BUT THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. HE LOOKED AT A SERVICE BULLETIN AND NARROWED MY PROBLEM DOWN TO TWO THINGS. ONE BEING THE ELECTRIC MOTOR IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THIS PART WAS SUPPOSEDLY REPLACED BY MY LOCAL DEALER WHEN CHEVY PUT OUT A RECALL ON IT. THE OTHER PART WAS THE STEERING GEAR THAT TURNS THE WHEEL. HE SAID THIS COULD COST UP TO $500 TO REPLACE AND DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE A CHANCE AND THAT NOT BE IT. I DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO REPLACE IT ANY WAY. HE SAID HE DID NOT SEE A SAFETY ISSUE DRIVING THE CAR AS IS FOR NOW. BUT I WANTED TO REPORT THE PROBLEM IN CASE OTHERS WITH THIS VEHICLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES SO A RECALL CAN BE DONE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10390436March 16, 2011
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE POWER STEERING LIGHT, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND A BELL CHIMES. WHILE I AM IN TRAFFIC THE CAR SLOWS DOWN AND BEGINS TO JERK. IT HAS HAPPEN TWICE THIS WEEK MARCH 14 AND THE 16 IN 5:00 PM TRAFFIC. I WAS GOING 40 WHEN IT HAPPENED. I CALLED MY USED CAR DEALER AND HE STATED NO WARRANTY AND TO TAKE IT TO GET CHECKED OUT. I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS CAR 5 MONTHS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10390060March 14, 2011
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
MY 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT'S DOORS WONT OPEN. I GET STUCK IN THE CAR OR OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. I HAVE HAD TO CLIMB TO THE DRIVERS SIDE THREW THE PASSENGER SIDE AND I HAVE HAD TO CLIMB OUT THE WINDOW BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN LOCKED IN THE CAR. I HAVE ALREADY HAD MY CAR RECALLED BECAUSE I HAD NO POWERSTEERING AND NOW THIS. I CANT STAND GM - THEY CAN'T MAKE A SAFE OR RELIABLE CAR TO SAVE THEIR LIFE. I CALLED GM AND THEY SAID THEY CAN DO NOTHING FOR ME - EXCEPT CHARGE ME THE 100 DIAGNOSTIC TEST FEE. WHEN THERE ARE 100'S OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING THREW THE SAME THING I AM. THIS IS NOT SAFE WHATSOEVER. WHAT IF I AM IN AN ACCIDENT AND CANT GET OUT OF MY CAR. I SUGGEST GM DOES SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. THE CAR LOCKS UNLOCK AND LOCK BUT THE DOOR WONT OPEN. CLEARLY IT IS SOMETHING FAULTY. CAUSE IT IS HAPPENING TO BOTH DOORS. I AM SO ANGERED RIGHT NOW AND FEEL LIKE MY LIFE IS IN DANGER. I DON'T FEEL LIKE CLIMBING OUT MY WINDOW ONE MORE TIME. IT OCCURS EVERYDAY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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