2005 Chevrolet COBALT: complaints, problems and recalls

I PURCHASED THE CAR LITERALLY OFF THE SHOWROOM FLOOR. ONE DAY AND 38 MILES LATER IT STALLED OUT ON MY WIFE ON THE WAY TO CHURCH. TWO WEEKS LATER I GOT IT BACK. IT TURNED OUT TO BE A PROBLEM IN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE DEALER HAD TO FINALLY TAKE ONE FROM ANOTHER CAR TO HELP SOLVE MY PROBLEM. TWO DAYS LATER I NOW HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR "THIRD EYE" BRAKE LIGHT. IT WILL NOT GO OFF. I AM RETURNING THE VEHICLE ON MONDAY AND WILL WAIT TO SEE WHAT THIS PROBLEM IS. I KNOW THE COBLAT IS NEW BUT I SHOULDN'T BE HAVING THESE KIND OF PROBLEMS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10106004 at NHTSA ↗

CAR WOULD NOT START AND AND AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS REVERSE LIGHTS CAME ON. PROBLEM WAS DETERMINED TO BE A BROKEN SHIFTER CABLE. SHIFTER CABLE CAME OFF SHIFT CONTROL, CAUISNG THE NEATRAL SWITCH TO TO BLOCK THE STARTING . *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10107954 at NHTSA ↗

AUTO PURCHASED NEW. CAR AND STEERING WHEEL PULLS/DRIFTS TO THE LEFT. STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT RETURN TO CENTER AFTER MAKING LEFT HAND TURN. AUTO WAS FULLY INSPECTED AND FOUND TO HAVE NO DAMAGED PARTS. DEALER HAS DECIDED TO REPLACE ELECTRIC STEERING COLUMN UNIT. REPLACEMENT PART WILL TAKE 1 TO 2 WEEKS FOR DELIVERY.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 11 miles reported. Look up ODI 10110632 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. THE CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. DRIVER WILL CONTACT THE DEALER IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THIS INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED BY OLESHA'S BOY FRIEND BILLY.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10113851 at NHTSA ↗

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HER NEW (LESS THAN 300 MILES ON IT) COBALT LATE SATURDAY EVENING WITH OUR FOUR-YEAR OLD GRANDSON IN THE BACK SEAT. WITHOUT WARNING, THE DASHBOARD INDICATORS WENT OFF AS THE ENGINE DIED. THE DIRECTIONALS FAILED TO OPERATE. THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS WOULD NOT WORK. SHE WAS ABLE TO COAST OFF THE HIGHWAY, BUT WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED BY A LARGER VEHICLE THAT WAS FOLLOWING HER. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, BUT SHE WILL PURSUED THE MATTER WITH THE DEALER.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 290 miles reported. Look up ODI 10114509 at NHTSA ↗

I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW AND THERE HAS BEEN PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL GAUGE NOT REGISTERING FULL WHEN IT IS FILLED UP. SOMETIMES IT GOES TO THE 7/8 MARK AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T EVEN GO TO THERE. THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS A PROGRAMMING PROBLEM , AND THERE SHOULD BE AN UPDATE FOR THE COMPUTER. I TOOK IT IN FOR THE UPDATE AND APPARENTLY IT WAS NOT FIXED. ALSO, THE FAN MOTOR ON THE VENT CONTROLS ONLY WORKS ON HIGH. I HAVE HAD THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER TWICE FOR THIS ISSUE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 125 miles reported. Look up ODI 10114554 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING HOME A 2005 CHEVY COBALT, WE RAN OVER A SMALL ROCK THAT HAD FALLEN FROM A TRUCK IN FRONT OF US ( ABOUT 8" IN DIAMETER). WE HEARD A BANGING AND TEARING NOISE, THEN THE ENGINE WENT DEAD. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART, WE EXITED THE COBALT TO FIND FUEL GUSHING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. WE HAD OUR 3 CHILDREN MAKE A RUN FOR IT, GRABBED OUR POSSESSIONS, FOLLOWED THE KIDS, AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FROM A SAFE DISTANCE. FORTUNATELY WE, (AND OTHER MOTORISTS) WERE NOT INJURED. IN 25 YEARS OF DRIVING, WE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING …

Owner-reported narrative. 1,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10114677 at NHTSA ↗

WE PURCHASED OUR 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT IN MID DECEMBER. IN THE MIDDLE OF JANUARY WE NOTICED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS NOT BLOWING COLD AIR. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSION VALVE. APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK LATER THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DISPLAY THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT AND READ "POWER LESS REDUCED" THEN ,WE BEGAN TO HAVE DIFFICULTY ACCELERATING. THE GAS PEDAL BECAME STIFF. THE DEALEARSHIP REPLACED THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSION VALVE ONCE AGAIN. AGAIN THE PROBLEM SURFACED ABOUT A WEEK LATER. THE SAME PART WAS REPLACED ONC…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10116277 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2004-11-22 (November 22, 2004)

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THE BULB SHIELDS INSIDE OF THE HEADLAMPS CAN LOOSEN DUE TO VIBRATION.

Consequence: THE BULB SHIELD CAN LOOSEN OR BREAK BECAUSE OF VIBRATION. IF THIS OCCURRED ON A HEADLAMP INSTALLED IN A VEHICLE, ONCOMING DRIVERS MAY NOTICE ADDITIONAL GLARE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL TWO NEW HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 17, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.

Reported: 2007-01-18 (January 18, 2007)

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES NOT EQUIPPED WITH OPTIONAL ROOF-MOUNTED SIDE IMPACT AIR BAGS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 201, 'OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN INTERIOR IMPACT.'

Consequence: IN A CRASH, HEAD IMPACT PROTECTION MAY BE INADEQUATE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL ENERGY ABSORBING PLASTIC TO THE HEADLINER TRIM TO REDUCE THE SEVERITY OF HEAD IMPACTS IN A CRASH. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 21, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.

Reported: 2010-03-03 (March 3, 2010)

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 CHEVROLET COBALT AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 PONTIAC G5 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRIC POWER STEERING. THE DRIVER MAY EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST THAT COULD OCCUR AT ANY TIME WHILE DRIVING.

Consequence: IF POWER STEERING ASSIST IS LOST, IT WOULD REQUIRE GREATER DRIVER EFFORT AT LOW VEHICLE SPEEDS, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING MOTOR FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS ARE BEING NOTIFIED ON A ROLLING BASIS BETWEEN MARCH 29 THROUGH NOVEMBER 2010. A COPY OF THE MAILING SCHEDULE IS LOCATED IN THE RECALL FILE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 AND PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668 OR AT THE OWNER CENTER AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.

Reported: 2014-02-10 (February 10, 2014)

This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on February 10, 2014 that they are recalling 619,122 model year 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, and 2007 Pontiac G5 vehicles. On February 25, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 748,024 model year 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR and Pontiac Solstice vehicles and 2003-2007 Saturn Ion vehicles and 2007 Saturn Sky vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine. On March 27, 2014, GM notified the agency that the defective ignition switches may have been used as service replacement parts on other vehicles, and as a result GM will be recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, Saturn Sky, and Pontiac G5 and Solstice, and 2008-2011 Chevrolet HHR vehicles. The part numbers for the service parts are 10392423 (a/k/a ACDelco D1461F), 10392737, 15857948, 15854953, 15896640, and 25846762. This expansion represents an additional 823,788 vehicles.

Consequence: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. An interim notification was issued to owners of 2007 and earlier models on March 10, 2014, informing them of the safety defect. Owners of 2008 and later vehicles will be mailed an interim letter on April 21, 2014. All affected owners will receive another letter once parts are available. The recall began on April 18, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737 or Saturn at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for the initial recall is 13454 and 14063 for the expansion. GM’s recall number for the vehicles that may have received the replacement parts is 14092. Note: Until the recall repairs have been performed, it is very important that customers remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the vehicle key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. Always wear your seatbelt.

Reported: 2014-04-10 (April 10, 2014)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR, 2007-2010 Pontiac G5, 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice, 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "Off" position.

Consequence: If the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "off" position, the vehicle could roll away: (a) for an automatic transmission, if the transmission is not in the "Park" position; or (b) for a manual transmission, if the parking brake is not engaged and the transmission is not in the "Reverse" position. This potential for rollaway increases the risk for a crash and occupant or pedestrian injuries.

Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and for vehicles that were built with the defective ignition cylinder and have not previously had the ignition cylinder replaced with the redesigned part, dealers will replace the ignition cylinder and cut and, if necessary, re-learn two ignition/door keys for each vehicle. For vehicles that were built with the redesigned ignition cylinder or had the ignition cylinder replaced with the redesigned part, dealers will cut and, if necessary, re-learn two ignition/door keys for each vehicle. The recall began on April 18, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac owners at 1-800-762-2737, and Saturn owners at 1-800-553-6000. General Motors' number for this recall is 14113 for the ignition lock cylinder and key replacement, and 14133 for only key replacements. Note: Until a vehicle has been remedied, owners and operators are advised that when exiting, to be sure that the vehicle is in "Park," or in the case of a manual transmission, that the vehicle is in the "Reverse" position and the parking brake is engaged.