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.
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 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the power steering failed and the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The power steering warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact mentioned that the transmission shifted and made a loud clicking noise. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 44,000 and the current mileage was 77,000.
Driving on highway and heard three dings and my car flashes power steering, it was difficult to steering to the next lane to try and get off the freeway then it just suddenly started working fine. But now I'm worried that it will happen again. I've received two letter about the recall but no dealer in my area has the parts, was told I'd be called when they arrive.
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that while driving 50 mph, the power steering indicator illuminated and the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 19,350.
Smelled gas and saw gas leaking from under car. Small fire started and put it out. Took car in. Steering wheel locked up fixed but never right. Now the ignition switch is being fixed but all the lights in the dash are lighted up due to this. No turn signals. Car is not right. Car has never been right!
I contacted graff Chevrolet in grand prairie tx about recall notice 14V047/14V171 (GM 13454, 14063, 14113, 14133) in may and was told to come back in June that they would have part available for the recall repair. I went on June 12 and was then told that we would be on waiting list for at least a month for parts to come in. I live with my older mom, and care for my grandmother who has alzheimers, both of which need constant medical treatment and medicines. I use my car to Transport both to their doctors visits and cannot have issues with my car regarding the recall notice. I have trouble with the key not turning the ignition at times, and sometimes the steering wheel will tend to want to lock while driving. These are very serious safety concerns especially when I have my mother and grandmother aboard while driving. I do not know why the dealership told us to call on the following month and now they are telling us we have to be on a waiting list and it may be a month or longer. I need this issue resolved. The ignition issue is a very serious matter to me since this car is my only means of transportation. Please help in having this issue resolved as soon as possible. Due to my need to Transport my mother and grandmother I cannot be worrying about a potential safety hazard. I am afraid to drive this car since it has the potential to create a serious accident, or leave us stranded in the Texas heat if it decides to not release or engage the ignition.
- Grand Prairie, TX, USA
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We took the cobolt to ourisman Chevrolet, alexandria, va for repairs to the ignition switch which is subject of a recall. Dealer kept saying the necessary parts were not available and it would take months. We took the car to them since we had 2 events when the ignition turned off and the steering wheel locked. To our surprise the dealer had the part and supposedly fixed it the same afternoon. About a week later, when we were pulling out of the parking lot, the car started to turn off and on and then the ignition turned off completely and the steering locked, which was the same problem before the supposed repairs and subject to the recall. We are lucky it didn't happen on the highway and want to alert federal authorities to potential faulty replacement parts or improper repairs. Either way, the problem can cause accidents, as it has in the past and could result in deaths. We called GM and was given a number. However, a customer advisor suggested the problem is something else and not related, which is hogwash. The same problem as before the so called repairs.
While driving the dashboard flashes "power steering" repeatedly. The check engine light came on and then the security theft light came on. As I came to a stop the car began to shake and down shifted hard. As I began to excel from a stop, it also shifted really hard. Also, while driving, my speedometer became erotic. On multiple incidences when I came to a stop by car's RPM dropped below 500 and acted as if it were about to stall. A few times it did stall and would not restart unless I had it in neutral and took off immediately. Another time, as I was waiting in a drive-thru, my shifter began to click.
Just got the car back from the ignition switch recall and was driving on a flat road. The car was driving normally at first, then without warning the car's speedometer and RPM gauges were moving up and down rapidly. The rpms went very close to zero and you couldn't tell how fast you were going. In addition, the info gauge displayed "power steering" and the car was very difficult to turn. Also, when trying to accelerate out of a stop, the car jerked violently as if it had trouble shifting. After turning the car off then on again, it drove normally again. Afraid that it could happen again without warning.
About 3 years ago I started to get a thumping noise in the front end of the 2006 Cobalt. I asked a mechanic what it could be and they gave me a couple things it might be also gave me idea on cost. Being a single mom of two and the thumping was not to bad I did not have the money to repair. As time went on got louder and worse. So, I brought it in to have problem fixed it was the lower tie arms and something else went bad and cost me almost $1000 to fix. I looked online and found many 2006 Cobalt owners say they have the same issue but was told by GM was not a safety issue so they were not recalling car it was our problem. I have noticed the lights on the dash sometime dim so low you can not see them then they will brighten again even after replacing the battery. Over this winter I started to get a humming in the steering column and asked my mechanic to look he told me I have electric power steering they could not fix. I got the recall about the ignition switch and was doing as they said and only driving with key and nothing else. But now every time I stopped I was checking key to make sure it was in place and a few times it had moved slightly but did not kick it out of the on position. If I had not checked it, it probably would have with all the pot holes. Then on April 6th 2014 on my way home from work (which is 24 miles away from home). When I was turning to go on the highway the steering wheel was humming again(I had no clue that there was any problems with steering columns at this point) I got onto the highway and the dash light came on and a dinging sound started and I had to fight, the car to the side of the road. I turned the car off then turned it on to see if it stopped and was able to get home. Looked online to see if others where having this issue and found tons of 2006 Cobalt owners having issue. That is when I saw they are recalling 2010's for it not 2006.
Car froze up my wife came home from work steering froze up engine throttle had problems then it died after waiting in the middle of the road it restarted with no steering asst. Just getting it home we aren't driving it till its repaired we have letter's from Chevrolet but no repairs have been made they said they would call still waiting my wife only drives 1 miles to work on slow city streets if she would of been on the free way real problems could of happened also power steering light go on works the stops.
At a speed of about 5-10 mph the steering failed. The recall number N100023 was preformed on 7/15/2010 at 63,057 miles. The part seems to have failed again. My wife was in the middle of teaching our daughter how to park and now we are afraid to even let her drive the car with the recall for the ignition switch, there has to be a solution fix for this problem reoccurring.
2006 Chevy Cobalt. Consumer writes in regards to ignition switch recall notice. The consumer stated the power steering light illuminated on the dashboard. The dealer informed the consumer, rodents had made their way underneath the hood. The consumer stated the dealer never mentioned the ignition switch problem. The consumer received the recall notice, the following day. When the consumer called the dealer to inquire about the recall, she was informed the parts were not available.
I had become aware of the recall, just the week prior and was planning on making arrangements to have the car fixed, once the parts (3-4 weeks out from what I was explained) arrived. I was also explained via the dealer and what I read on line that the car should be ok to drive so long as there was nothing on the key. So I requested my daughter to only use the key with absolutely nothing on it, when using my car. At approximately 2pm on a clear sunny day, my daughter was exiting the freeway. As she was slowing down, the car suddenly shut off on her. Before she had time to react she hit another vehicle. She was fortunately not injured, mainly because she was already slowing down and had it been a few minutes earlier, things may have been drastically different. I have had this car for 7 years and I drove it quite a bit and let my daughter do so as well. I am angry that GM has allowed my daughter and I to be at risk for such a long period of time and even as I am writing this (2 weeks later) the only answers I have really been given from GM are answers I have had to call and press them on, which for the most part is almost no information at all. I am sure they are being inundated with complaints and having to deal with the media, congress, NHTSA, but I cannot feel any empathy or sympathy for that matter, when they have had years to deal with this and simply swept this under the rug. Harsh and swift action must be taken to punish them and set an example to all others. Enough with the bail outs. Time to start being accountable.
This vehicle is not safe to drive and was not built right. The manufactures knew for many years that the Chevy Cobalt 2006 would have a leaking gasoline system, and they kept this faulty defect to themselves for many years before bring this issue to the customer. I was driving the vehicle leaking gas for a few years unit the crack was large enough for me to smell it, while not driving, the ignition switch; with the key in it while the car was in park has started the car engine without turning the key. The key wont come out of the ignition switch. The car has turned off on me on the freeway more than 9 times. The car turned off on me going in reverse, couldn't control the brake and steering power to move out of the pole. While driving in the freeway I have had to quickly react; putting my emergency lights on and praying to god a car doesn't hit me, while with the left had side is quickly waving at the vehicles coming from behind to stop. Please help me. I have two children and im tired of being exposed to the dangers of this M defected life threatening vehicle. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that an abnormal chiming noise was heard from the steering wheel area when suddenly, the power steering assist malfunctioned and the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the electric power steering motor was faulty and needed the be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the defect was not remedied. The manufacturer was notified and no solution was offered. The failure mileage was 45,000.
My electrical issue: I have had my car diagnosed so many times because I could not find the reason why my car RPM keeps going up and down. Than it came down to an electrical issue. Power steering: While I am driving my power steering completely goes out therefore it is causing me not to be able to control the car and have had multiple times where I almost wrecked my car due to this issue. I could be driving and or turning and all of a sudden it just completely goes out causing me not control the car especially when the roads are wet. I saw there was a recall back in 2010 but so many people are having the same issue now that it's 2014...it is not worth having death on their hands I just don't understand why nothing is up to date.
I own a 2006 Chevy Cobalt that yes is involved in the ignition switch recall. Just putting the key in the ignition I am sure helps a bit. But I have been checking the ignition position when I stop at lights and stop signs and a few times the key has slipped a little not enough to bounce it into the off position. But enough that if I did not push it back into position and I hit a bump it would have. However it has not been recalled in the steering column recall. I have for months off and on had a whining noise in the steering wheel and when it does this the car is hard to steer. On the way home from work the other day the steering wheel started to whine when I was turning onto the highway and steering got harder. When I hit the highway the warning light came on and car started to ding at me. I pulled over and turned car off for a minute and turned it back on and car was fine. When I got home I looked to see if there were other Cobalt owners having this issue. And there are hundreds of 2006 owners and even more for 2005 having the issue. That is when I found they were recalling cars for this issue but only 2010 Cobalt's which they had recalled in 2010 for the same issue. But the rest of us are not included in the recall but are having the same problem. There is also another problem with the 2006 Cobalt's front end. I brought my car in a couple months ago because it was making a banging noise in the front end. And found that the lower tie rods and the bearing were bad on both sides of the car. I again hit the internet to see if other owners where having this issue and I found again hundreds of 2006 Cobalt owners where having this same issue. And many of them stated that they contacted Chevy to talk to them about the issue and they were told that it was not a safety issue so therefore Chevy was not going to recall the car and fix the problem it was our issue.
Starting the car and pulling out, the power steering not working, car hesitating when accelerating and then I pull over and shut the car off. I wait a few seconds and start the car again, and its running fine. This started a month or so after our purchase (used) on May 15,2009. The dealer did not have any weekend service. The date above is when we 1st reported for service. But turning the car off/on always fixed the problem. Service dates-10/8/09,10/15/09,8/28/10,5/19/11.3/27/12. Dealer couldn't find any dialogistic problems. I brought the car in & running, on 7/2/13, while running a mechanic drove it, said he knew the problem. Dialogistic showed 2- cost $430. To repair. 2wks. Later, happened again, dialogistic showed 6. estimate $6-$800 plus. Too much to fix it. In the past 3 yrs., four times while driving at 60mph, on hwy., no power steering, gas hesitating, & down shifts to 25+/-while flooring the gas, car bucking, & speedometer bouncing B'twn.30-50. Very freighting and once there was no place to stop.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Richmond, VA, USA