This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that while driving 5 mph, the engine stalled without warning. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection where they stated that they ignition switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 201,000.
While accelerating moderately from a stop, the engine completely died while in first gear. I coasted to a stop on the side of the road and turned on the hazard lights to alert other motorists. Each time I tried to restart the engine, it sputtered and shook violently and then died. I kept trying for about five minutes and on one try the engine finally started and stayed running. The RPM gauge remained at zero even though I was able to accelerate and drive away from where I had initially pulled over. After about a minute, the RPM gauge started functioning normally. Please advise. Thank you.
This is my second E-mail to you about my timing chain breaking and destroying my engine which I had to replace at my expense ($5,100) because GM would not pay for the repairs. I am resending this because of the recent recall on Cobalts ignition switches that they knew about 10 years ago and did nothing. The timing chains on these models (Cobalts) have been breaking for years according to 3 mechanics I spoke to whom all said there should have been a recall years ago just like the ignition switches they ignored up to now. Please look into this defect because I have also herd from 5 other Cobalt owners who have gone through the same problem as me.( not a coincidence).
The ignition switch wouldn't turn when I inserted the key, the key got stuck. I had to play with it for it to finally turn. I took it to a car locksmith and had another key made for the car which cost me $100. Yesterday, October 8, 2013 I begin to encounter the same problem all over again. The key gets stuck in the ignition switch and the ignition switch does not turn. I have to jiggle and play with it for the key to finally turn and the car turn on. I have read that numerous people have posted very similar complaints with the Chevrolet Cobalts. It appears that this may clearly qualify as a recall issue. I should not have to go through this time and time again.
- Hialeah, FL, USA
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I have a 2007 Chevy Cobalt and I have 89000 miles on it. I have been unable to remove the key for the last 3 months. I know there is a recall on 2009 Chevy Cobalts but there isn't one for 2007 models. I have read many complaints about this problem with 2007 models and the cost is $425 to get it fixed. Because I cannot afford that amount, I have to press a little button in the steering column.
While braking, the vehicle's security system warning light lit up, tachometer dropped to zero, and power steering warning briefly flashed. Restarting the car turned off the warning light and car drove fine. Two weeks later the incident happened again while driving on the highway; again restarting the car solved the issue. The power steering recall was performed on the vehicle a week after the second incident. A month later, the incident occurred again, while braking. Several minutes later the gauges started going up and down and the information display shut off. Restarting the car did not clear the warning, and car jerked with changes in tachometer. Restarting the car a few hours later cleared the warning. Car was brought to a mechanic the next morning, and the incident could not be duplicated nor did the computer read an error occurring. The error recurred moments after leaving, and was brought back to mechanic who stated the front lights were also turning on and off. Restarting the car several times cleared the warning, but information display no longer turns on properly. The most recent failure mileage was 75,500 miles.
I received a recall on the power steering. I called them and told them that my power steering had gone out twice on the car while I was driving it. They told me to bring it in immediately since I was experiencing problems. I brought it in and they fixed it promptly but ever since I have been having other electrical problems with the blinkers not clicking off, the dashboard lights coming on and off. I also had a problem with my gas tank leaking. I had someone to fix it because it was pouring gas out and I didn't have the money to pay what a dealer would charge. Several months after I had it fixed I got recall in the mail for the faulty gas tank. I also had a wheel bearing that went out but the car was still under warranty and the dealer fixed it free of charge.
Edited partial news entry from the deadly accident: South Idaho crash kills two, including nampa woman; ipt (Idaho press-tribune) newsroom; gooding county--a nampa woman died after a car accident in gooding county Friday (12-21-12), according to Idaho state police. A burley man also died in the two-vehicle crash, which took place around 6:45 P.M. on interstate 84 about 35 miles outside mountain home. Three others from burley were injured. Young woman, 22, of nampa, was driving West on the interstate in a Chevrolet Cobalt. Authorities aren't sure why she lost control of the vehicle. She drove into the median and overturned. Her vehicle continued into the eastbound lanes of travel, colliding with a Nissan maxima driven by 23- year-old young man of burley. Young man died at the scene of the crash. Young woman was transported by air ambulance to a boise hospital, where she later died. Three passengers related to young man, all of burley...were taken by air ambulance to a boise hospital. All drivers and passengers were wearing seatbelts. [source: www.idahopress.com/news/S-Idaho-crash-kills-two-including-nampa-woman/art- - icle_7E5ce650-4C9A-11E2-8D7F-001A4bcf887A.html] because the roads were clear and dry, the Idaho state police speculated that the young woman was perhaps somehow "inattentive" in her driving. But the fact she was not on her cell phone or otherwise engaged with any other known distraction and the fact that her wrist was snapped back resulting in a serious compound fracture suggests that the vehicle violently and suddenly jerked out of her control. We know the Chevy Cobalt vehicles were under investigation for "steering problems" by the NHTSA and the investigation was closed in July 2010. With these fatalities perhaps it is time to review your previous findings. Updated 09-18-13 updated 9/24/13 updated 09/25/2013
Was driving on city street approximately 20 mph when it felt as if I were driving on rocks. The T/C light went on. I stopped the car, turned the ignition off and looked under the hood. Found nothing. Turned on the ignition on again. Returned to origin I had left less than a block away from incident and parked and turned off the car. It had stopped by now. I turned on the car again and proceeded to attempt my drive on same road. The car began to do the same thing, this time it did not stop. The car would not accelerate and the engine made a rattling noise. I had to call a tow truck to take it to my mechanic. The car was diagnosed as the throttle body was the problem. I had a used body throttle installed and on 03/16/13 I took the car to a Chevrolet dealer, miami lakes automall to have a new throttle body installed. The dealer refused to give me warranty on it. On Wednesday 07/17/13 the T/C light came on and got message, service traction on the display window. I took the car to the same Chevrolet dealer where I had the new throttle body installed. When I turned off the car the light turned off. The car was checked and they claimed they didn't know what was wrong and couldn't help me.
Recently my 2007 Cobalt that I have only had for about a year started twitching out on the dashboard. I started the car to find the gauges fluttering, the security system light came on, it flashed power steering and low fuel ( car has full tank) as well as check engine. I pulled it into to drive where it clunked hard and there was a clicking sound coming from the shifter as well as the power steering was out. I disconnected the battery cables and it reset the computer with no problems thus far. The car has been ok for the last day and a half until today when very quickly the power steering light flashed and went off.the driver side speaker stopped working but flashes on randomly as well as the radio buttons don't work from time to time. I noticed a lot of recalls and similar problems with other peoples vehicles. I would like to know what is causing this electrical issues and have them fixed, I feel my safety is at risk, especially if the power steering shuts off again, this time while I am driving.
Vehicle was recalled around 2010 for steering and fixed. Since then numerous electrical failures, power brakes, and steering failures have happened. Vehicle has been in dealer and numerous other shops over the years for same problems. Chevy dealer (kerry Chevrolet in alexandria Kentucky), where car was bought kept saying they did not know what was wrong. Even after hundreds of dollars spent to fix, problems eventually came back ( electrical failure, gauges fluttering, radio flashing, steering lock, power brake failure). This past weekend, gauges started fluttering, steering locked up while driving and car went into a spin running off the road. Chevrolet dealer has always passed all these things off as not their problem. I would like any info on what can be done about this. We are now afraid to have vehicle fixed again and drive it fearing steering may lock while driving at a faster speed. At least this power failure happened at a low speed and no one in the other lane during spin. Next time might not be so lucky. Please give us any info on what can be done. Thank you.
Speakers doesn't work and turn blinker doesn't chill..... it can cause a incident....that's why I only driver that car..... and the gas gauge it stop working below one 1/4 or sometimes at all...the tcm it stop working and will not shift out from first...
Check engine light with the code 0410. On Friday I took my car to a shop because my car started to smell like electrical wires were burning and that is when I noticed the my engine light was on. When the shop checked it had a code for 0410. I looked this code up and I had said there was a recall on this code but I noticed that my car was not on this list.
Have had many issues with the front steering, dealership claims nothing found. Now it will not pass inspection due to the steering knuckles. Radio was replaced 3 times!!! door locks do not stay locked/unlocked. Dealer states they never found any problems with it. Vehicle now has 110,000 miles on
I bought my car new, every since I have had it they have been a problem. First the outside temperature didn't work so I took it back to the same place I bought it from which is a hour drive one way & they said they replaced it. Next the doors started leaking air so I took it back to the same place they took all day but suppose to have fixed that problem. Now the rubber seals on both back doors keeps falling off finally fixed them. Total upset because they fixed one thing and messed another up. I start taking my car to rameys, were they fix the outside temperature which the other place was suppose to fix. At less than 35,000miles the rotor had to be turned. I take it for a oil change explain that the speed and tack hand moves on it own you when the engine is cut off & they said they didn't see it do anything.I take it back to the rameys for the next oil change and at this time the recall had been issued on the steering & I told them that sometimes its difficult to steer & again they say nothing is wrong well as time has gone by it is getting worse. Now the doors are all sticking. I got out of my vehicle & noticed my light were still on, they never turned off until I twisted the nob that worked for a little bit then it got to were they wouldn't even go off if you twisted the nob so my husband took out the fuse out now I don't have anything but bright lights. A few weeks later the signal lights stop make a sound I thought that my bulb was blown so I checked them all & they all worked but the odd thing is sometimes when I am driving they will make the sound. After going to rameys& getting the answer nothing wrong, I took it to a private garage were he thought it was the switch itself, he installed a new one & that didn't solve the problem is board in the fuse box.the speaker on the drivers side don't work either & the trunk slams down when you let go of the trunk door.
Noticed that the car turn signals were working, but there was no ticking sound inside the car. Noticed that the front left speaker went off and on. When it worked, the turn signal sound would return after going over a bump, but then stop working again. Then the right front speaker stopped working. Learned that all audio warning devices in the car are connected to the front speakers. If a child in the back seat removes his or her seat belt, there is no auditory signal to the driver of this danger, same if the car door is opened, etc. Contacted GM last week and they said they would help with repair costs, which I had done at their dealership, but now they are saying I was given the incorrect information from their consumer office and they will not pay the almost $200 bill to replace the speakers. This is a safety issue as all auditory warnings come through the front speakers of this car. Also I was never notified of a recall for a leaking gas pump or even the existence of this problem in this make and model.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Elberton, GA, USA