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CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2006 Cobalt continued to carry the torch first lit by the 2005 model year. To be clear, that torch is burning bright with widespread power steering issues, electrical curiosities and a dangerous ignition switch defect which led to a massive recall by GM. This isn’t a great torch to carry.

The 2006 added it’s own special flare with gas leaks due to cracks in the “return portion of the modular reservoir assembly.” A recall of 2006 Cobalts was issued to fix the problem, but only to vehicles sold in or current registered in Arizona and Nevada, leaving other owners to pay for repairs themselves.

Between this car stalling while driving, giving owners fits with power steering failure and having it be a potential tinderbox because of gas leaks, we felt we had no other option than to award it our “Avoid Like the Plague” badge.

8.7

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$400
Average Mileage:
70,900 miles
Total Complaints:
3 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (3 reports)
2006 Chevrolet Cobalt accessories - interior problems

accessories - interior problem

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2006 Chevrolet Cobalt Owner Comments

problem #3

Apr 072011

Cobalt LT

  • Automatic transmission
  • 86,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Ever since the day I bought the car from the dealership it seemed like it had some problems. The lights would always dim when I would brake and sometimes feel like the car was about to stall. Then it did become a problem of the car stalling and it happened once on a rainy day and also during normal days as well. I brought it to my mechanic and he said I would need to replace the whole spark plug set because with the make of the vehicle you can't just replace one plug and need to replace all of them. I got that fixed and a few weeks later the problem came back a little bit but it didn't seem as bad as when I first got the car. It would still dim when I was braking. It has stalled within the year since then, but only at random times caused by unknown issues.

- Kimberly M., Andover, MA, US

problem #2

Jul 052010

Cobalt LT 2.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 122,552 miles

i drove down from california to nevada , to pick up some stuff i left in nevada , moving back to oregon, the brakes locked up and 75 mph , that was a real fun time tonight, then the transmission began to surge and not shift correctely, so i called gm from baker , california in the middle of the night , they told me that they would tow me back to palmdale, california, oh hell no, 350.00 tow bill but they wont cover, then my speedometer was flutuating along with the tach and i could keep in up to speed, called a friends told her to let my girlfriend know, that if i died in the car, to make sure gm is sued for yrs, i drove this car, down the mountain pass mountain just outside of baker, and down the hill to primm nevada, 10% down grade, no brakes, no power steering, had no idea what speed i was doing had to keep checking the dic, for exact speed, and on the way down the mountain my ignition decided it was going to shut it self off, i hit the brakes to slow down guess what no brakes.

gm wouldn't help me i am going to drive the so called car back to oregon and shove it up the dealers a#$ and get myself a good lawyer and start suing sob's from general motors. now i am leaving on 6 july 2010 going thru utah into idaho and back into oregon , its my only way home, if you hear about someone getting killed in one of these so called cars, make sure you contact me ill be in front kickin a dealers ass all the way to the courthouse. if this car wrecks something happens to me GOING POSTAL ISNT GOOD ENUF, i am very angry and this kind of b.s. shouldn't be happening to us anymore i feed up with computer controlled cars and trucks, and the manufacturers that dont stand behind what they make... i am going to a gm dealer in utah tomorrow and we'll see what kind of story he tells me tomorrow, and then he'll see just what angry is all about .... on most of the cobalts made here the manufacturers warrantee for the computer struts and electrical is 7 yrs, read the owners manual it says it in black and whitelet see 2006-2010 its only 4 yrs, wtf G.M.

- mfarris, Wood Village, OR, US

problem #1

May 112007

(reported on)

Cobalt LT 2.2

  • Automatic transmission
  • 4,000 miles

Haven't had the dealer look at it yet.. kinda spooky to have the power level drop along with your lights and A/C for a second while braking.

- Steve C., Kenner, LA, US

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