Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 190 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt SS. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 190 · page 1 of 8
I WAS DRIVING THE OTHER DAY AND NOTICED THAT ONE OF MY BACK BRAKES WAS STICKING AND SO I TOOK A LOOK AT IT AND FLUID LEVEL WAS FINE AND THERE WAS NO AIR IN THE BRAKE LINE. I FEEL THE CAUSE OF THIS IS BAD CALIPERS AND SOME OTHERS I HAVE TALKED HAD THE SAME ISSUE.
FUEL LINE RUSTS THROUGH CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK OUT NEXT TO EXHAUST PIPE. HAPPENS TO EVAP LINE AS WELL. POOR DESIGN IN THE HEAT SHIELDING TRAPS MOISTURE WHICH RUSTS THROUGH THE LINE. FUEL LEAKS OUT WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING, PARKED, MOVING OR NOT. REAR BRAKE CALIPER STICKS OUT FROM USING THE PARKING BRAKE AND PAD STICKS TO ROTOR CAUSING EXCESSIVE WEAR.
FUEL LINES UNDER THE CAR, DRIVER SIDE REAR STARTED LEAKING FUEL. THE LINES WERE RUSTED THROUGH AND FUEL LEAKED PAST THE EXHAUST SYSTEM WHERE A POTENTIAL CAR FIRE COULD HAVE HAPPENED IF NOT NOTICED RIGHT AWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE AND OFF WHEN I NOTICED THE STRONG SCENT OF GAS AND SAW A SMALL PUDDLE OF FUEL UNDER THE CAR. REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED AT PORTER CHEVROLET SERVICE IN NEWARK, DELAWARE. REPAIRS CONSISTED OF REPLACING THE FEED LINE AND FILL LINE. THE ESTIMATE QUOTED WAS $800. REPAIRS ENDED UP COSTING $480.
CONNECTOR FEEDING POWER TO THE A/C-HEATER BLOWER MELTED; CAUSED A CRACKLING SOUND, A SMELL, AND THE FAN TO STOP WORKING. THE CONNECTOR MELTED TOGETHER. TO GET A PICTURE OF THE PIN THAT FAILED REQUIRED ME TO BREAK THE CONNECTOR. POWER WAS PRESENT ON THE BROWN WIRE AS SOON AS THE IGNITION IS ON - THE BLOWER DID NOT NEED TO BE OPERATING TO GENERATE HEAT AT THE CONNECTOR. THE WIRE LEADING TO THE CONNECTOR WAS DISCOLORED FROM THE HEAT.
LEAKING FUEL LINES ABOVE EXHAUST. WHERE THE FUEL LINE COMES DOWN OUT OF THE TANK AND RUNS FORWARD, THERE IS A HOLDER THAT WAS WEARING ON THE FUEL LINE AND CAUSED A HOLE AND A LEAK.
THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT LIGHT STAY ON ALL THE TIME EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE IT MAY GO OFF BUT IT COMES BACK ON
THE FUEL LINES THAT ARE WRAPPED IN THE HEAT PROTECTIVE TAPE ON THE DRIVER REAR SIDE JUST AS THEY TURN UP TO GO TO THE FUEL TANK ARE RUSTED OUT BECAUSE THE HEAT SHIELD PROTECTOR HOLDS WATER ON THE FUEL LINES AND NOW MINE ARE RUSTED OUT AND LEAKING FUEL ALL OVER THE GROUND BY MY EXHAUST. THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE THAT HASN'T BEEN ADDRESSED WITH MANY CHEVY PRODUCTS. NOW IT'S GOING TO COST ABOUT $600 TO REPLACE THE LINES. CHEVY IS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY WITH THIS DEFECT AND COSTING PEOPLE MONEY AND PUTTING LIVES IN DANGER BY HAVING A LEAK PRONE LINE RIGHT BY THE HOT EXHAUST. PLEASE TAKE ACTION ON THIS. I HAD AT LEAST A GALLON SPRAY OUT WHILE DRIVING AND IT CONTINUED TO LEAK WHEN PARKED.
MY AIRBAG LIGHT STARTED RANDOMLY GOING ON AND OFF. I NOTICED THAT IT OFTEN OCCURRED WHEN SOMEONE WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. I ALSO NOTICED THAT WHEN SOMEONE WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THE INDICATOR OFTEN INDICATED THAT NO ONE WAS SITTING THERE. THEN AFTER ABOUT A WEEK OF THIS OCCURRING, THE LIGHT AIRBAG REMAINED ON AT ALL TIMES AND THE INDICATOR STATED THAT NO ONE WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT EVEN WHEN SOMEONE WAS. I THEN TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY ADVISED THAT IT WAS THE PASSENGER AIRBAG PRESENCE SENSOR AND THAT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THEY ADVISED THAT IT WOULD COST OVER $1,000. SO OBVIOUSLY I TOLD THEM THAT I COULD NOT AFFORD IT AT THIS TIME. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AND SHOULD BE AN IMMEDIATE RECALL. I HAVE SEEN AND READ HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE ON TWO DIFFERENT COBALT FORUMS, THE NHTSA WEBSITE, AND ON VARIOUS OTHER WEB SITES THAT I ACCESSED THROUGH GOOGLE. IT IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURERS PROBLEM AND IT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED DUE TO THE NEGLIGENCE OF CHEVROLET. I AM OBVIOUSLY GOING TO GET THIS FIXED WHEN I GET THE MONEY EVEN WITH OUT A RECALL, BUT I THING THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND I AM WILLING TO LET WHOM EVER USE/LOOK AT MY VEHICLE AS A STARTING POINT. NHTSA OR CHEVROLET PLEASE CONTACT ME SO WE CAN GET THIS PROCESS STARTED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED. IM NOT SURE ON THE MILEAGE WHEN THIS PROBLEM ORIGINATED A FEW MONTHS AGO BUT, I BELIEVE IT WAS AROUND 80,000
MICHELIN PILOT SPORT A/S PLUS TIRES ARE "CHUNKING" AND HAVE DRY ROT/CRACKING ON THE TREAD. THE TIRES ARE 3 YEARS OLD WITH LESS THAN 20K MILES. THEY HAVE BEEN PROPERLY ROTATED EVERY 6K MILES. MICHELIN WILL NOT ACCEPT A WARRANTY CLAIM, AS THE TIRES WERE INSTALLED BY THE VEHICLE'S PREVIOUS OWNER.
STRONG FUEL ODOR COMING FROM VEHICLE. FUEL DRIPPING FROM BOTTOM OF CAR NEAR FUEL TANK. FOUND FUEL LINES ROTTING AND CAUSING LEAKS ON MULTIPLE SECTIONS STARTING AT THE FUEL TANK UP TO THE ENGINE. PROTECTIVE HEAT WRAP HOLDING MOISTURE AND CAUSING LINES TO ROT.
REAR BRAKES WEAR OUT WAY TOO QUICKLY
MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON FOR MY PASSENGER SEAT. I HAVE TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE SPECIFIC CODE IS NOT COVERED BY A RECALL. THEY SAID MY PASSENGER PRESENCE MODULE NEEDS REPLACED.
ABOUT THE THIRD TIME THAT I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR BRAKES WITH IN LESS THAN 30000 MILES. THE PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT HOLD THE CAR. THE PADS WEAR UNEVEN, ONLY THE INTERIOR PAD IS BEING WORN. GM DEALERSHIP CONTINUES TO STATE THAT THIS IS NORMAL WEAR, WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE. AND BRAKING PERFORMANCE IS COMPROMISED BY THIS UNEVEN AND PREMATURE WEAR OF THE REAR BRAKES.
I STARTED MY CAR AND WENT TO TAKE OFF AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. THERE WAS A COUPLE OF INCIDENCES WHERE I HAD A PASSENGER AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON TO SERVICE AIRBAG. I'VE READ IN MULTIPLE PLACES WHERE THIS OCCURRENCE HAS HAPPENED AND THE MANUFACTURE SHOULD FIX THIS.
WHEN I DRIVE THE AIR BAG WARNING GOES ON,AND THE TIRE STRESS GOES ON(WHICH MAKE ME SLOW DOWN WORRIED ! ). I REPLACED THE TIRES COUPLE OF TIMES BUT I STILL GET THOSE WARNING(TIRES STRESS AND AIR BAG). LATELY I ALSO RAN TO PROBLEM WITH MY ENGINE. I TOOK IT TO PEP BOYS WERE THEY SAID I SHOULD REPLACE IT FOR 5700$. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET COBALT SS. THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: (AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000. UPDATED 5/18/15 CN UPDATED 10/05/2017*CN
I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT, REAR ENDED LADY GOING 50 MPH AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR
WANTED TO CHANGE OIL; HAD SMELLED GASOLINE FROM TIME TO TIME; CLOSER INSPECTION SHOWED LEAK AT FUEL TANK AREA. COULD NOT DRIVE DUE TO RISK OF INJURY TO FAMILY, INCLUDING TWO-YEAR-OLD CHILD. *TR
CAR SUDDENLY SHOWED SYMPTOMS OF COOLANT LOSS A DYE AND PRESSURE TEST WAS COMPLETED AND FOUND NO EXTERNAL LEAKS. I DROVE THE CAR TO WORK THE NEXT DAY 15 MINUTE COMMUTE AND UPON ARRIVING LOW COOLANT INDICATOR POPPED UP I CHECKED THE DIP STICK TO CONFIRM MY FEAR THAT THE COOLANT WAS ENTERING MY OIL SYSTEM 1-WAY. HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND AFTER 2 WEEKS OF TEARDOWN VERIFIED THE ENGINE HAD NOT SIGNS OF ABUSE AND THE HEAD AND HEADGASKET WAS NOT WARPED OR LEAKING/BLOWN. THE CAR WAS 2 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY AND GM DECLINED WARRANTY. LUCKILY I HAVE A 3RD PARTY WARRANTY AND THEY AGREED TO COMPLETE THE WORK DUE TO KNOWN ISSUES WITH SAID ENGINE/ SYMPTOMS . GM NOTIFIED ME THEY DID NOT HAVE A ENGINE AVAILABLE AND IT WOULD BE UNTIL OCTOBER BEFORE THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED AND DENIED TO OFFER RENTAL WHILE I WAITED AFTER A MONTH OF FIGHTING WITH GM CUSTOMER SERVICE THEY AGREED TO LEND A RENTAL CAR. TO THIS DAY MY CAR SITS IN A LOT ROTTING AWAY. A SHORT GOOGLE SEARCH OF CRACKED LNF ENGINES WILL BRING A HOST OF RESULTS EVEN MAJOR GM AFTERMARKET PERFORMANCE COMPANY'S ARE AWARE OF DEFECTIVE CASTINGS OF THE LNF ENGINE .. BELOW ARE A FEW EXAMPLES HTTP://WWW.COBALTSS.NET/FORUMS/DRIVETRAIN-79/CRACKED-BLOCK-2008-2-0-TURBO-62KMI-213316/ HTTP://WWW.COBALTSS.NET/FORUMS/PROBLEMS-SERVICE-MAINTENANCE-69/WHO-HAS-HAD-CRACKED-POROUS-BLOCK-LNF-287721/ *TR
I DRIVE A 2009 CHEVY COBALT SS, MANUAL TRANSMISSION WHEN I PARKED AT A FRIENDS APARTMENT COMPLEX I APPLIED MY E-BRAKE ON A SLIGHT HILL AND THE BRAKE DID NOT HOLD AT ALL. I HAD TO RE PARK MY VEHICLE ON A COMPLETELY FLAT SURFACE AND THEN PLACE IT IN FIRST GEAR. A FEW DAYS LATER I DECIDED TO TEST SOMETHING. SO I PARKED MY CAR ON A FLAT SURFACE AND ENGAGED THE E-BRAKE. THE LEVER WAS ABLE TO BE PULLED ALL THE WAY UP WITH VERY LITTLE RESISTANCE. I THEN GOT OUT OF MY VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO PUSH MY VEHICLE FORWARD WITH LITTLE RESISTANCE. I THEN TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY FIXED IT UNDER WARRANTY. I THEN BEGAN TO APPLY THE E-BRAKE AND PUT MY CAR IN FIRST GEAR EVERY TIME I PARK. THEN A FEW MONTHS AGO, ABOUT ON 01/05/2014 I EXPERIENCED THE SIMILAR ISSUE. I NOTICED THAT I WAS ABLE TO PULL MY E-BRAKE LEVER ALL THE WAS UP WITH LITTLE RESISTANCE. I THEN PARKED MY CAR WITH IT IN NEUTRAL AND THE E-BRAKE ENGAGED AND WAS ABLE TO PUSH THE CAR FORWARD WITH VERY LITTLE EFFORT. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE PART IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT FIX IT FOR FREE. WHILE LOOKING ONLINE I NOTICED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. I FOUND THAT THE BRAKE CABLE GET STRETCHED OUT VERY EASILY AND THAT ONE OF THE TWO BRAKE CABLES IS OFTEN MORE STRETCHED THAN THE OTHER. *TR
DECEMBER 29, 2011, I WAS DRIVING HOME ONE EVENING IN THE COBALT WHEN MY CAR'S ENGINE SHUT OFF AND I LOST CONTROL ON A SEMI-RESIDENTIAL A FEW BLOCKS FROM HOME. DRIVING AT ABOUT 35-45 MP, DOWNHILL, I HIT A PARKED CAR ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ROAD (NARROW ROAD, CARS PARKED ON BOTH SIDES, 2-WAY STREET). I THOUGHT, "I'M GOING TO DIE". THIS IMPACT MADE THE CAR CONTINUE ON, FASTER AND MORE OUT OF CONTROL, HITTING ANOTHER PARKED VEHICLE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE STREET AND I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BY HITTING THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL/BUMPER OF THE COBALT AGAINST THE A PARKED TRUCK TO AVOID DRIVING INTO AN INTERSECTION OR ANY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. NO AIRBAGS EVER DEPLOYED. THE CAR THEN FLIPPED OVER, AND THAT'S HOW THEY FOUND AND RECOVERED ME. I AWOKE HOURS LATER IN SHOCK TRAUMA AT WASHINGTON HOSPITAL CENTER IN DC (WHERE I WORKED AT THE TIME), WITH THE CAR TOTALED AND JUST A SCRATCH ON MY HAND. I JUST HAD ACHES/PAINS, NO BROKEN BONES, BUT HAD TO TAKE SOME TIME OFF WORK. I HAD NO HEALTH INSURANCE AS I WAS A CONTRACTED EMPLOYEE. CAR INSURANCE PAID OFF THE EXPENSE OF VEHICLE. THANK GOD NOBODY WAS KILLED NOR SERIOUSLY INJURED. I HAVE ALL PAPERWORK, PHOTOS BUT I STILL DON'T DRIVE, MAYBE JUST ONCE A WEEK. THE YEAR OF THE COBALT IS FROM 2009, BUT I BELIEVE THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE CLASS ACTION SUIT, AS IT WAS COMPLETELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR
VEHICLE'S AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS BEGAN TO ENGAGE AND DISENGAGE ON THEIR OWN, POSSIBLY LOCKING THE STEERING COLUMN AS VEHICLE ENTERED INTO A CURVE. CAUSED DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL GO INTO DITCH, BOUNCE OUT OF DITCH AND LOG ROLL THE VEHICLE. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DOOR LOCKS WERE STILL GOING UP AND DOWN SEVERAL HOURS LATER AT THE VEHICLE IMPOUND YARD AND WAS OBSERVED BY THE POLICE OFFICER AND NOTED IN HIS REPORT. ADDITIONAL. THIS PROBLEM IS MUCH BIGGER THAN BELIEVED! I HAVE A 2011 HHR AND HAVE HAD THE IGNITION SWITCH TURN OFF WHEN I HAVE DROPPED THE ADJUSTABLE STEERING COLUMN TO THE DOWN POSITION WHILE MOVING. I HAVE A HEAVY KEYRING AND WHEN I BROUGHT IT UP TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY TOLD ME THE KEYRING WAS THE PROBLEM. MY OTHER DAUGHTER'S 05 IMPALA HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WHEN SHE HIT A BUMP. *TR
REAR BRAKE CALIPER PISTON DRAGGING CAUSING EXCESSIVE INNER PAD WEAR. REAR BRAKES FREEZE UP. DAMAGED REAR ROTORS. INADEQUATE BRAKE PEDAL OPERATION. *TR
I WAS TRYING TO START MY CAR AND TURNED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY AND TRIED TO TAKE THE KEY OUT, BUT IT WAS STUCK AND WOULDN'T COME OUT. I GOOGLED HOW TO TAKE IT OUT AND THAT WORKED, WE JUMPED THE CAR THINKING IT WAS THE BATTERY, BUT WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, THE LIGHTS AND ELECTRICAL ALLTURNED ON. THIS TELLS ME THAT THE CAR'S IGNITOR/SHIFTER WAS STUCK IN THE "ON" POSITION. IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DANGEROUS SITUATION IF I WERE ANYWHERE BUT HOME. *TR
AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 4 MILES AND THEN BACK 4 MILES PARKED CAR. NOTICED GASOLINE DRIPPING IN THE DRIVEWAY. CALLED SERVICE GARAGE AND THEY SAID GET A TOW TRUCK,DANGEROUS TO EVEN TRY AND START CAR, ONE SPARK AND IT COULD EXPLODE. FOUND PROBLEM WITH FUEL TANK AND FUEL PUMP. HAD ONLY HAD CAR A FEW MONTHS. GARAGE REPLACED FUEL PUMP AND REPLACEMENT WAS DEFECTIVE ALSO. REPLACED IT AND PUT ON A NEW FUEL TANK. SEPT GOT A GM RECALL #12190 NOTICE. TO TAKE IT IN FOR FREE REPAIR TO A DEALER AROUND 40 MILES FROM MY HOUSE. HAD ALREADY PAID ALMOST $800 TO GARAGE WHEN I HAD THE CAR REPAIRED. NOW I HAVE A RECALL NOTICE 12045 BUT HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND OUT WHAT IT IS FOR. CALLED RECOMMENDED GARAGE TO SEE IF THEY HAD PART TO REPAIR (CALLED TWICE NEVER HEARD BACK FROM THEM). STILL HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THE ORIGINAL RECALL NOTICE ABOUT THE GAS PUMP HAD GONE OUT I BELIEVE A COUPLE OF YEARS EARLIER AND THIS WAS THE SECOND ROUND WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. GO TO A SITE ON LINE THERE IS ONE THAT COBALT DEALERS HAVE REPORTED THE PROBLEMS THEY HAVE HAD, THAT IS HOW I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE PRIOR RECALLI THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE TO TELL YOU WHAT IT IS THEY ARE RECALLING THE CAR FOR. IN THE FIRST GAS PROBLEM WE WERE LUCKY NOT TO HAVE HAD THE CAR EXPLODE. HAD I BEEN DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE IT WOULD HAVE MADE A BIG NOISE. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
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