Chevrolet Cobalt Complaints (2005)

1,649 consumer complaints on file.

#10251915December 16, 2008
STEERING, EQUIPMENT
THE INCIDENT DATE BELOW WAS THE FIFTH TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED. FIRST NOTICED TRACTION CONTROL AND POWER STEERING LIGHT COMING ON-THE CAR "BUCKS" AND POWER STEERING IS LOST-SEVERAL TIMES CAR WILL LOSE POWER AND HAVE TO BE RESTART. AFTER RESTART WARNING LIGHTS WILL GO AWAY AND POWER STEERING RETURNS. SEEMS TO COME BACK TO NORMAL AFTER RESTART, RUNS OK UNTIL THE PROCESS STARTS AGAIN. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED MAY 08 AND FIRST INCIDENT WAS AUG 15 2008-TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY RESET THE COMPUTER, SECOND AND THIRD TIME THE CAR SEEMED OK UNTIL THE 4TH INCIDENT AND RETURNED TO DEALER AGAIN AND RESET AGAIN. I WAS TOLD THAT THE COMPUTER CODES WERE SHOWING U2105 AND U2100 U2107 AND CAR RETURNED. THIS LAST INCIDENT (12-11-08) THE CAR WAS DOING THE SAME THING AND DROVE RIGHT TO DEALER TO SHOW SERVICE WHAT THE CAR WAS DOING. THEY CLAIMED THE CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRIC STEERING COLUMN AND IT DISENGAGES FROM THE COMPUTER AND THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND A COMPUTER MODULE. GAVE THEM PERMISSION TO CORRECT THIS BECAUSE I CAN'T LET MY SON DRIVE A CAR KNOWING AT ANYTIME HE WILL LOSE POWER STEERING. HE HAS BEEN LUCKY HE WAS TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN THIS OCCURS. IF HE WAS ON A HIGHWAY AND IN FRONT OF A TRACTOR TRAILER AND LOST POWER HE MIGHT BE KILLED BECAUSE HE WOULD LOSE PS AND STALL. THIS IS A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE EQUIPMENT (ELECTRIC POWER STEERING COLUMN) WHEN AT ANY TIME WITH NO WARNING YOU CAN LOSE YOUR STEERING, STALL AND/OR BUCK. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH INTO THE 2005 COBALT, I HAVE FOUND 805 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE PROBLEMS OF CONTROLLING THE CAR WHEN THIS HAPPENS. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH THE MALIBU IS HAVING THE SAME ISSUES WITH STEERING. GUESS WHAT KIND OF STEERING IS IN THE MALIBU. CHECK "WWW.ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM" FOR COMPLAINTS REGARDING STEERING COLUMN. SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE DESCRIBED INCIDENTS WHERE THEIR SAFETY WAS COMPROMISED. PLEASE HELP GM REP CLAIMS CAN'T RECALL COLUMN WITHOUT YOU. PLEASE HELP *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10251855December 15, 2008
STEERING
DRIVING THE CAR, AND THEN, NO POWER STEERING. CALLED MECHANIC TOLD "DIDN'T WANT TO TOUCH EPS SYSTEM. CALLED DEALER TOLD TO BRING IN TO LOOK AT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10251512December 11, 2008
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CONTACT CHANGED LANES QUICKLY TO AVOID ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE STEERING LOCKED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, BUT HE SPUN OUT TWICE AND EVENTUALLY PULLED OFF THE ROAD. THE DAY BEFORE THE FAILURE, THE POWER STEERING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED FOR TWO SECONDS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS COMPONENT. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 35,300. UPDATED 12/30/08. *LJ UPDATED 01/05/09.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10251101December 8, 2008
STEERING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A CHIME FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS FAILING AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED DUE TO THE COST. SHE FELT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING COULD LOCK AT ANY MOMENT WHILE DRIVING. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,834 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10250825December 5, 2008
STEERING
'05 COBALT: FAILURE OF ELECTRIC POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING. CONDITION WILL CLEAR BY TURNING CAR OFF THEN RESTARTING, BUT FAILS AGAIN WHILE DRIVING. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH COBALTS, BUT GM WON'T ISSUE A RECALL. PLEASE DON'T WAIT FOR THIS TO BECOME AN ACCIDENT! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10250450December 2, 2008
STEERING
WITH LITTLE WARNING, POWER STEERING WENT OUT AS I WAS LEAVING MY DRIVEWAY; I BARELY COULD TURN THE STEERING WHEEL; WHEN THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF, I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE SHORT DISTANCE AND THEN THE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON. FORTUNATELY, THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY; MY STEERING COLUMN HAD TO BE REPLACED. NOW I CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT END, WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON!!!! I THOUGHT CHEVY COBALT HAD GOOD CONSUMER REPORTS. WHAT HAPPENED CHEVROLET??? DID YOU ALL DECIDE THAT QUALITY JUST ISN'T WORTH A [XXX]! HOW ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY!!! I AM AN RN AND AM OUTRAGED AT THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS SAME ISSUE, AND YET NO PUBLIC RECALL HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE FIRST? *TR INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10250515December 2, 2008
STEERING
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY SHUTS OFF. THE FAILURE PROGRESSIVELY WORSENED OVER TIME. THIS CAUSES EXTREME DIFFICULTY IN TURNING, ESPECIALLY SCARY IN URGENT SITUATIONS WITH CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10249649November 24, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE, THE KEY REMAINED STUCK IN THE ACCESSORY STAGE OF THE IGNITION MODULE. THE FAILURE PREVENTED HER FROM TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE. SHE HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 42,500.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10249505November 21, 2008
STEERING
THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION WAS BEING DRIVEN AT THE TIME WHEN (WITH LITTLE WARNING), THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND CAUSED THE DRIVER TO ALMOST HAVE A CAR ACCIDENT. THANK GOD HE WAS DRIVING SLOW (IN CITY LIMITS) AND NOT 65 MPH ON A HIGHWAY! A LOCAL DEALERSHIP DID THE REPAIR WORK WHICH MEANT THE STEERING COLUMN IN QUESTION WAS FIXED WITH THE SAME KIND OF STEERING COLUMN REPLACEMENT. I HAVE RECEIVED INFORMATION THAT NOT ONLY THIS MAKE AND MODEL HAVE THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING GOING OUT, BUT ALSO ANOTHER CHEVY MAKE AND MODEL AS WELL. OUR CONCERN IS THAT THIS "SHOULD" BE A RECALL FOR THE VEHICLES IN QUESTION. WE FEEL IT IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE AND WE DON'T WANT TO SEE THIS HAPPEN AGAIN TO US OR ANYONE ELSE. GOD FORBID THERE BE A TRAGIC ACCIDENT AND/OR FATALITY BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10249399November 20, 2008
STEERING
I ALMOST WRECKED MY CAR 2 WEEKS AGO BECAUSE MY 2005 CHEVY COBALT'S POWER STEERING JUST STOPPED WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF A SLIGHT BEND CAUSING ME TO ALMOST SIDE-SWIPE ANOTHER VEHICLE. WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW IS WHEN YOU START THE CAR, WITHIN A FEW SECONDS YOU HEAR A CLICKING SOUND & THE POWER STEERING JUST STOPS WORKING. I THINK THERE'S A SERVICE BULLETIN BUT NOT A RECALL. I JUST PURCHASED THE CAR USED IN JANUARY BUT IT WAS ONLY A 30 DAY WARRANTY. I HAVE ALREADY BEEN TO OUR LOCAL DEALER & THEY STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDS REPLACED BUT I WOULD COST ME $800 PLUS TAX. I HAVE ALSO BEEN IN TOUCH WITH GM IN ORDER TO GET THIS FIXED UNDER A WARRANTY REPAIR BUT HAVE BEEN GETTING NOWHERE WITH THEM. THEY STATED THAT THEY WERE UNAWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT MEANWHILE I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS BLOGS ON THE INTERNET WHERE PEOPLE HAVE ALSO CONTACTED GM & GM HAS TOLD THEM THE SAME THING. "THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE ARE HEARING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM." I HAVE REFUSED TO DRIVE THE CAR AS IT IS UNSAFE, SO MY HUSBAND HAS TO BE UNCONVINCED BY TAKING ME WHERE I NEED TO GO BECAUSE I CANNOT STEER IT. IT'S NOT SAFE FOR US OR OTHER PEOPLE, WHILE THIS CAR IS GOING DOWN THE ROAD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10248487November 11, 2008
STEERING
I'VE HAD MY COBALT FOR A LITTLE BIT OVER 3 YEARS AND MY 'POWER STEERING' WARNING LIGHT STARTED TO COME ON. IF I STOPPED AND RESTARTED THE CAR IT WOULD GO AWAY FOR A BIT BUT THE WARNING WOULD COME BACK. I TOOK IT TO A DEALER AND THEY SAID THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND OF COURSE MY WARRANTY JUST RAN OUT SO I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. MY DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE HAD TO REPAIR IT ON OTHER COBALTS. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS I AM. WHY HASN'T SOMETHING BEEN DONE ABOUT THIS? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10248238November 10, 2008
STEERING
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ON THE DIC WILL COME ON AND POWER STEERING WILL BE LOST. YOU CAN PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND BACK ON AND THE PROBLEM WILL GO AWAY FOR 5 MINUTES, 5 HOURS OR A DAY BEFORE OCCURRING AGAIN. THIS HAS OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS. THE DEALER HAS SAID THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN MUST BE REPLACED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10247943November 7, 2008
STEERING
I AM HAVING AN ISSUE WITH MY POWER STEERING FAILING IN MY 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT. THERE WERE REALLY NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE THAT I SEE AS POSSIBLY HAVING AN EFFECT ON THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE OCCURS QUITE RANDOMLY. SOME DAYS IT WILL FAIL UP TO 4 TIMES, AND THEN IT MAY GO A WEEK OR TWO WITHOUT FAILING. IT DOES SEEM TO OCCUR MORE FREQUENTLY IN WARMER WEATHER. I AM OBVIOUSLY CONCERNED BECAUSE THE FAILURE OF POWER STEERING IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN OR WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS COULD CERTAINLY BE FATAL FOR NOT ONLY MYSELF BUT ANY OTHER DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS INVOLVED. I AM EXTREMELY UPSET BY THE FACT THAT CHEVY WILL NOT REPLACE THIS ELECTRONIC PART AT NO COST TO ME SINCE I DO NOT CONSIDER IT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ON THE CAR. I FIND THIS TO BE MORE AN ISSUE OF CHEVROLET USING A LESS THAN SATISFACTORY PART FOR THE CAR. THEY HAVE RESPONDED THAT MY WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER IT. I'VE RESEARCHED NUMEROUS FORUMS AND IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS NOT JUST A PROBLEM IN MY 2005 COBALT BUT ONE FACED BY AT LEAST 100-200 OTHERS. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED BY A CHEVY DEALER, BUT FOR THE $1000 REPAIR COST THEY QUOTED ME I HAVE BEEN FORCED INTO DRIVING AN UNSAFE CAR UNTIL I CAN FIND A MORE REASONABLE PRICE OR CHEVY ISSUES A RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10247705November 4, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STEERING
I OWN A 2005 CHEVY COBALT WHICH I PURCHASED NEW IN 2005. TONIGHT WHILE DRIVING HOME A 'POWER STEERING' MESSAGE DISPLAYED ON MY DASH AT THE SAME TIME THAT MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND TURNED MY CAR OFF. I TURNED MY CAR BACK ON THINKING MAYBE IT WAS JUST A GLITCH IN MY COMPUTER AND IT DROVE FINE FOR ANOTHER 5 MILES THEN THE MESSAGE POPPED UP AGAIN AND AGAIN I LOST POWER STEERING. I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A NEARBY GAS STATION TO ATTEMPT TO SEE IF I WAS LOW OF FLUID BUT FOUND OUT ITS ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING. SINCE I WAS ONLY A FEW MORE MILES FROM HOME I WAS ABLE TO, WITH HAZARDS FLASHING, DRIVE THE REST OF THE WAY HOME HAVING TO STOP ONCE MORE TO TURN OFF AND ON MY CAR TO REMOVE THE WARNING AND TO RE-ENGAGE MY POWER STEERING. I'VE READ ONLINE ABOUT MULTIPLE OTHER COBALT OWNERS HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE AND I THINK IT IS DEPLORABLE OF CHEVROLET TO NOT HAVE RECALLED THIS BY NOW. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10247468November 2, 2008
STEERING
POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT GOES AND ON OFF. SOMETIMES LOSE POWER STEERING DURING DRIVING. WHEN CAR IS TURNED OFF AND RE-STARTED PROBLEM GOES AWAY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10247220October 30, 2008
STEERING
POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE I WAS ON A CURVE GOING AT A HIGH SPEED. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND I WAS UNABLE TO RESUME DRIVING. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS OR SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE KILLED! IT IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10246951October 28, 2008
STEERING
I WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN THE POWER STEERING WHEN OUT, LUCKILY I WAS PAYING ATTENTION AND DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT ROAD. NO ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES OCCURRED. THE CAR IS BEING LOOKED AT NOW BY THE DEALERSHIP. I RESEARCHED THIS TOPIC ONLINE AND THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10247094October 28, 2008
SUSPENSION:FRONT
HORRIBLE RATTLING NOISES IN THE ENTIRE VEHICLE. I HEAR RATTLING FROM EVERY DIRECTION. IT IS A VERY BUMPY AND NOISY RIDE. NOT WORTH THE MONEY I PAID. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10246877October 27, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, EQUIPMENT
I OWN A 2005 CHEVY COBALT 4 DOOR. I'VE HAD NUMEROUS ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE - FROM IMPROPERLY FITTING AND NOISY HUB CABS TO BROKEN CONTROL ARMS... HOWEVER I AM WRITING ABOUT THE SHIFT CONTROL ASSEMBLY. ON 3-17-06 I TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE KEY WOULD NOT RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION. THEY REPLACED THE FLOOR SHIFT CONTROL ASSEMBLY. NOW, SINCE 10-20-08, I AM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM - AGAIN. AND OF COURSE, THE CAR IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY. I FIND IT HARD TO FATHOM THAT THIS PART SHOULD "FAIL" AGAIN IN SUCH A SHORT TIME, IF EVER AGAIN. IT WOULD SEEM THAT INFERIOR PARTS ARE JUST BEING REPLACED WITH MORE INFERIOR PARTS. AFTER READING SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE - I SEE GENERAL MOTORS IS CONTENT TO CREATE CHRONIC AND EXPENSIVE HEADACHES FOR CHEVY OWNERS. NEVER AGAIN GM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10246671October 24, 2008
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
MASSIVE FUEL PUMP LEAK IN 2 AREAS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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