2008 Chevrolet Cobalt Other / unspecified Problems

Power steering is locking up while driving. Windows won’t go down.

NHTSA ID

11472698

Incident

Jul 6, 2022

WHILE IN MOTION THE SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT COME ON AND GOES OFF RANDOMLY. A MALFUNCTION IN THE SENSOR OR OTHER AREA HAS LEAD TO PREMATURE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IN OTHER'S VEHICLES. AIRBAGS ARE A SAFETY FEATURE THAT GIVE PIECE OF MIND THAT I CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE. THIS IS THE CAR WE ARE CONSIDERING HANDING DOWN TO OUR TEENAGE SON BUT AM CONCERNED WITH THIS WARMING THAT WILL NOT GO AWAY. THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT RANDOMLY COMES ON AS WELL, EVEN WHEN TIRES HAVE ADEQUATE AIR. *TR

NHTSA ID

11329277

Incident

Jun 16, 2020

Mileage

10,000 mi

AT 3:30AM, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOUGLAS PERFORMANCE GT-H TIRE 195/60R15 88H TIRE SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED WHILE SITTING IN MY GARAGE. IT BENT THE METAL FRAME AROUND THE WHEEL WELL, BLEW THE HEADLIGHT OUT COMPLETELY, AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE INTERIOR OF THE WHEEL WELL.

NHTSA ID

10870934

Incident

May 26, 2016

MY FUEL PUMP WAS LEAKING, SO WE HAD THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED AND NOW THE AIR CONDITIONING/HEATER/DEFROST SYSTEMS NO LONGER WORK. WE'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN, THE FUEL INJECTION, AND A LEAKING FRONT WINDSHIELD TWICE.ALSO THE FUEL SWITCH. NOW THE CAR SOMEWHAT STALLS WHEN TRYING TO START.

NHTSA ID

10846315

Incident

Jan 15, 2016

Mileage

110,000 mi

WHEELS- THE CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS WEAR TREMENDOUSLY AND RATTLE MAKING THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKE UNCONTROLLABLY. STEERING- THE STEERING WHEEL HAS A TON OF "PLAY" BEFORE IT ENGAGES IN A TURN. BRAKES- THE REAR DRUMS AND SHOES WEAR EXCESSIVELY FAST CAUSING SEVERE DETERIORATION AND GRINDING.

NHTSA ID

10763960

Incident

Jul 31, 2015

Mileage

151,565 mi

LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILURE. VERY DANGEROUS !!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10575628

Incident

Mar 10, 2014

Mileage

58,776 mi

ON FEBRUARY 21TH, 2011, I WAS DRIVING ON THE I-95 EXPRESSWAY. SUDDENLY, I LOST THE CONTROL OF MY CAR WHICH WAS HIT BY ANOTHER CAR DRIVEN BY [XXX] (CASE # [XXX]). ON JUNE SEVENTH, 2010, MY WIFE HAD SIMILAR ACCIDENT WITH HER 2006 CHEVY COBALT. THE FACT THAT BOTH CRASHES WERE SO SIMILAR MADE DUBIOUS ABOUT OUR RESPONSIBILITY ON THEM. I ASKED TO INSPECT MY VEHICLE TWICE (3/25/11 AND 4/9/11), BUT INSPECTORS SAID THAT MY CAR WAS OK. ON DECEMBER 12, 2011 I PRESENTED A COMPLAINT TO F. H.S. M. V. D. M. S. (COMPLAINT #[XXX]), ON DECEMBER 16, 2011 ITS ANSWER WAS; YOUR COMPLAINTS DO NOT FALL WITHIN ITS JURISDICTION. DEJECTED, I DID NOT FORWARD ANY MORE ACTION. I HAVE JUST RECEIVED FROM GM A WARNING ABOUT A DEFECT WHICH RELATES TO MOTOR VEHICLES SAFETY EXISTS IN 2005-2007 MODEL YEAR (MY) CHEVROLET COBALT, THEN I READ ON TV NEWS, AND INTERNET, THAT GM ISSUED THAT IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE AIR BAGS MIGHT NOT DEPLOY IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT. IN THIS MOMENT WE REALIZED THAT BOTH THE 2006 AND 2008 CHEVY COBALT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, REGARDLESS BOTH VEHICLES CRASHES WERE ON FRONT BUMPER ALLSTATE INSURANCE PAID THE AMOUNT OF $6440.58 TO REPAIR MY CAR. WE HAVE RECEIVED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF LETTERS FROM LAWYERS AND ALLSTATE INSURANCE DEALING WITH INJURES DAMAGES AND MONETARY COMPENSATION. ALLSTATE PAID TO MR. SENTMANAT THE SUM OF $10 000, CONSEQUENTLY OUR ALLSTATE INSURANCE PREMIUM WAS RAISED SUBSTANTIALLY. THIS ENTIRE SITUATION HAD CAUSED STRESS, ECONOMIC PROBLEMS AND LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN BOTH MY WIFE I. BECAUSE BOTH CRASHES HAPPENED IN THE AFTERNOON RUSH HOUR, I-95 TRAFFIC WAS CROWDED AND SLOW, BUT IN OTHER CONDITIONS AND AS CONSEQUENCE OF AIR BAG MALFUNCTION MY WIFE AND MIGHT HAVE DIED. FOR THE REASONS EXPLAINING ABOVE I, THE WRITER, DEMAND FROM GM A MONETARY COMPENSATION FOR THE PSYCHOLOGICAL, LEGAL, AND MONETARY PROBLEMS CAUSED BY MY CAR MALFUNCTION. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10574921

Incident

Feb 21, 2011

Mileage

68,180 mi

AT RANDOM THE VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY EXHIBIT ESC FAILURE, TRACTION CONTROL FAILURE, AND SEVERAL OTHER TROUBLE CODES WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY LOSING ALL GAUGE FUNCTION AND POWER STEERING. THE ERROR WILL CONTINUE TO ESCALATE CAUSING A MALFUNCTION IN THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL MECHANISM CAUSING GRINDING WHILE TURNING. THE ERROR OFTEN SUBSIDES AFTER SHUTTING THE IGNITION OFF FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10547858

Incident

Oct 28, 2011

Mileage

68,122 mi

WHEN DRIVING THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS WARNING COME ON TOGETHER AND IT MAKES THE CAR SHAKE DURING BRAKING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10510210

Incident

May 17, 2012

Mileage

110,000 mi

THE CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH LESS THAN 8000 MILES ON THE CAR. THEY WENT SO BAD THE CAR SWERVED AND CLANKED AND CHATTERED WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. LESS THAN 8000 MILES ON THE CAR??? THIS IS A JOKE. I SEE ON THE INTERNET A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH SAME COMPLAINTS. WHY NO RECALL? *TR

NHTSA ID

10490281

Incident

Dec 27, 2012

Mileage

7,972 mi

THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT IS ON ALL THE TIME AS WELL AS TRACTION CONTROL. ALSO I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR THE KEY NOT COMING OUT OF THE STEERING AND CAME OUT OF DEALERSHIP WITH A BROKEN TURN SIGNAL (IT WORKS BUT I HEAR A CLICKING SOUND WHEN I TURN THE STEERING WHEEL). *TR

NHTSA ID

10468329

Incident

Jul 30, 2012

Mileage

91,000 mi

UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF STEERING, WHEEL CONTROL OR BRAKING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10436769

Incident

Nov 22, 2011

THIS IS A 3 YEAR OLD 2008 GM COBALT WITH LESS THAN 35,000 MILE. I WAS OUT RUNNING ERRANDS 7/18/11. I DROVE IN TO PARKING SPOT AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN MY CAR OFF. THE KEY DID NOT TURN TO TURN THE CAR OFF NOR COULD I REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. I DROVE MY CAR TO GM DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE IGNITION CYLINDER NEEDED REPLACEMENT. I WAS SURPRISED BECAUSE THE CAR IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD AND I HAD NO OTHER PROBLEM. I HAVE OWNED TWO OTHER CARS, ONE FOR 10 YRS AND ONE FOR 11 YRS NEVER AT ANY TIME DID I HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH GETTING THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION OR PROBLEMS TURNING MY CAR OFF. I BELIEVE THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER WAS DEFECTIVE AND SO I SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING FOR A DEFECTIVE PART TO BE REPLACED. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENTER MY COMPLAINT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10418441

Incident

Jul 18, 2011

Mileage

33,324 mi

IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT TURN OFF. HAD TO HAVE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10411592

Incident

Jul 6, 2011

Mileage

65,925 mi

THE STEERING IN MY CAR ALL OF A SUDDEN BECAME HARD TO CONTROL, HARD TO TURN AND YOU HAVE TO PULL THE STEERING WHEEL BACK AFTER A TURN AND THEN THE CAR JERKS. THIS HAPPENED AFTER MY CAR WAS RECALLED FOR POWER STEERING DEFECTS, AND AFTER THE APPROPRIATE WORK WAS DONE TO REPLACE THE RECALLED PART. I NOW HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY POWER STEERING ( EVEN THOUGH I HAD NO PREVIOUS STEERING DIFFICULTIES PRIOR T RECALL ). THAT THE MECHANICS AT THE DEALERSHIP HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE AS APPARENTLY IT IS NOT THE POWER STEERING( YET TWO OTHER MECHANICS FROM OTHER SHOPS ARE REPORTING TO ME THAT IT IS INDEED THE POWER STEERING AT TO GO BACK TO MY DEALERSHIP AS THIS IS ON RECALL ) THIS IS A DRIVING HAZARD AND I AM THOROUGHLY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS CAR, THE AMOUNT OF MAINTENANCE IT HAS REQUIRED. I HAVE PUT MORE WORK INTO THIS 2008 CHEVY COBALT IN THE PAST THREE YEARS THAN MY TEN YEAR OLD 10 YEAR OLD MAZDA EVER HAD. I WILL NEVER AGAIN BUY A CHEVY AS THIS IS THE SECOND VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED THAT HAS REQUIRED A LOT OF MAINTENANCE AND, THE QUALITY IS VERY POOR. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR, SWAY BAR (TWICE ), BRAKES, SHOCKS, TIRES, BUSHEL'S AND MY FUSES ARE CONSTANTLY BLOWING IN MY CAR AND NOW CONTINUE TO HAVE A PROBLEM AND A VERY SERIOUS STEERING AND SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10393737

Incident

Feb 1, 2011

Mileage

108,400 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW TRACTION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO CHECKED THE TIRES AND TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE; THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NHTSA ID

10379672

Incident

Sep 30, 2010

Mileage

50,000 mi

WHEN I STARTED MY CAR AND AT THE SAME TIME I WANTED TO PULL DOWN THE WINDOW IT DIDN'T WORK. I THINK IT WAS ALREADY TOO MUCH FOR THE CAR. IT HAPPENED ALREADY 3 TIMES IN 2.5 YEARS AND THE CAR WAS NEW. EVERY TIME I HAVE TO GO TO THE DEALER TO CHANGE THE REGULATOR IN THE WINDOW. *TR

NHTSA ID

10351624

Incident

Aug 9, 2010