2008 Chevrolet Cobalt Transmission Problems

TRANSMISSION MODULE FAILURE LEADS TO TEMPORARY POWER STEERING FAILURE. WHILE DRIVING MY 2008 CHEVY COBALT, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER STARTED MALFUNCTIONING. THE SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, AND FUEL GAUGE ALL STARTED BOUNCING AROUND ERRATICALLY. THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER STARTED FLASHING "POWER STEERING". THIS ALL TOOK PLACE WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON THE FREEWAY AY ABOUT 60 MPH. AS I WAS TRYING TO PULL TO THE BREAKDOWN LANE THE POWER STEERING FAILED. I THOUGHT THE POWER STEERING PUMP WENT OUT. AFTER GETTING THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNING IT OFF I CALLED MY MECHANIC. HE TOLD ME HE HEARD OF THIS BEFORE AND TOLD ME TO RESTART THE CAR. I DID AND EVERYTHING WAS BACK TO NORMAL. I DROVE STRAIGHT TO HIS SHOP WHERE HE PLUGGED IN HIS DIAGNOSTIC CHECK COMPUTER. HE TOLD ME THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE TRANSMISSION MODULE AND IS A WELL KNOW PROBLEM WITH THE CHEVY COBALT. I HAVE SINCE GOOGLED IT AND FOUND MANY COBALT OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. I SPOKE TO CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE MY CAR HAS 125,000 MILES IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND NOT COVERED. I DON'T CARE SO MUCH ABOUT THAT AS THE POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. IF THE POWER STEERING FAILS WHILE ON THE ROAD AGAIN IT COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE SINCE AND I HAVE MANAGED TO PULL OVER BEFORE THE STEERING SHUT DOWN. IS THIS AN ISSUE YOU COULD LOOK INTO ON THESE CARS? *TR

NHTSA ID

10397325

Incident

Apr 10, 2011

Mileage

124,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ABOUT TO GET ON THE FREEWAY AND "POWER STEERING" SHOWED UP ON MY CARS MESSAGE CENTER. IF, WHILE DRIVING, I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, TURN IT OFF AND BACK ON, THE POWER STEERING WORKS AGAIN, BUT ONLY FOR A FEW SECONDS, USUALLY LONG ENOUGH TO DO A TURN. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS TIMES THAT I HAVE ALMOST HIT ANOTHER CAR BECAUSE I LOST MY POWER STEERING RIGHT BEFORE A TURN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10304774

Incident

Dec 20, 2009

Mileage

95,000 mi

PROBLEM STARTED SPEED AT 55 NOISE ON RIGHT FRONT THEN HARD VIBRATION WHEN YOU APPLY BRAKES IT IS WORSE .NOW AT 45 IT DOES THIS NOT ALL THE TIME ABOUT ONCE A WEEK AND AFTER 5 MILES OR MORE IT WILL FINALLY QUIT HAVE HAD WHEELS REBALANCED TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT THE PROBLEM AND HAVE CHANGED TIRES STILL NO DIFFERENCE.THEY DID TELL ME SEEPAGE AROUND STRUTS BUT NOT BAD.TOLD ME TO TAKE TO DEALER AS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. TOOK TO CHEVY DEALER IT DROVE OK FOR THEM AND THEY HAD ME DRIVE IT TO EXPLAIN MY PROB THEY PUT ON A LIFT AND THEY SEE NOTHING SEEPAGE AROUND STRUTS NO BIG DEAL UNLESS DRIPPING. THEY SAID UNLESS IT HAD VIBRATION WHEN THEY DROVE OR I KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS COULDN'T HELP ME NOTHING DONE TO CORRECT PROBLEM .DEALER TOLD ME NEXT TIME IT HAPPENED TO BRING IT IN AND THERE WOULD BE NO CHARGE. THAT WAS A JOKE. WHEN IT HAPPENS MAY NOT BE CLOSE ENOUGH TO A DEALER UNLESS I PAY A TOW PERSON TO TAKE IT THERE. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABT 3 MONTHS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10274963

Incident

Mar 9, 2009

Mileage

37,562 mi

A 2008 CHEVY COBALT WAS DRIVEN ABOUT 10 MILES, PARKED, SHUT OFF, THE KEY REMOVED & LOCKED WITH REMOTE. A FEW HOURS LATER THE CAR WAS UNLOCKED WITH REMOTE, THE KEY WAS INSERTED IN THE IGNITION BUT IT WOULD NOT TURN NOR COULD THE GEAR SHIFTER BE MOVED OUT OF PARK. THE CAR WAS STARTED USING THE REMOTE BUT SHUT OFF AFTER THE 10 MINUTE TIME-OUT. TRIED TO CALL ON-STAR BUT NOTICED THE GREEN LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED AND WOULD NOT WORK. HAD TO USE HOME PHONE TO CONTACT THEM. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER THE NEXT DAY. DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND REPLACED IT. DEALER WOULD NOT REPAIR IT W/O COST EVEN THOUGH THERE APPEARS TO BE A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS PROBLEM. CAR HAD ABOUT 37,000 MILES HOWEVER PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION NOT TURNING ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT WERE NOTICED ON MANY OCCASIONS PRIOR TO FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10269469

Incident

May 16, 2009

Mileage

37,585 mi

PURCHASED COBALT "REVOLUTION" WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION IN FEB 2009. ALWAYS GOT SOME MINOR GRINDING WHEN SHIFTING INTO 4TH GEAR. WAITED DURING BREAK-IN PERIOD BUT ONLY GOT WORSE. AROUND 15,000 MILES TOOK TO DEALER, HE COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE GRINDING GOT WORSE AND EXTENDED TO 3RD GEAR TOO. AT APPROX 30,000 MILES IT WAS ALMOST CONSTANT. DEALER REPLACED THE 3RD AND 4TH SYNCRO GEARS. PROBLEM RECURRED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY IN 3RD ONLY. SHIFTER FAILED AND HAD TO BE TOWED AT APPROX. 50,000 MILES. DEALER AGAIN REBUILT TRANSMISSION AND REPLACED A SHIFTER LINKAGE PIN. PROBLEM RECURRED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY IN 3RD ONLY. SHIFTER AGAIN FAILED AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER WAITING FOR BACKORDERED CABLE FOR SHIFTER AND THEN WILL "TRY" TO FIX GRINDING. DEALER SAYS CABLE IS NOT PART OF POWER TRAIN WARRANTY! *TR

NHTSA ID

10263948

Incident

Mar 13, 2009

Mileage

15,000 mi

I PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2008 COBALT SPORT AND FROM THE FIRST FEW WEEKS THAT I GOT IT , TO THIS DAY, I FOUND THAT SOMETIMES WHEN GOING INTO THIRD OR FOURTH GEAR W/CLUTCH FULLY ENGAGED THERE IS A VIBRATION AND NOTICEABLE GRINDING WHILE ENGAGING INTO GEAR, IT IS ALSO VERY DIFFICULT TO GET INTO 2ND GEAR IN VERY COLD WEATHER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10263056

Incident

Sep 5, 2008

Mileage

450 mi

WENT TO START 2008 CHEVY COBALT WITH JUST OVER 8000MILES. WHEN INSERTED KEY INTO IGNITION KEY GOT STUCK AND WOULD NOT RELEASE/TURN TO START VEHICLE. CAR WOULD NOT EVEN SHIFT OUT OF PARK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10253433

Incident

Jan 1, 2009

Mileage

8,325 mi

4TH GEAR SYNCHRO NOT FULLY FUNCTIONAL(MANUAL TRANSMISSION)....AVERAGE OF 10% OF THE TIME WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SELECT 4TH GEAR W/CLUTH FULLY ENGAGED GRINDING NOISE & VIBRATION OCCURS...DOES GO INTO GEAR, BUT GRINDS...DEALER TOLD ME THAT CHEVY TOLD THEM THAT NO DAMAGE WILL BE CAUSED BY PROBLEM, AND TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE WITH DEFECTIVE PART...NEW PART FOR 08 IN TRANNY VS 05-07 TRANNY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10217720

Incident

Feb 8, 2008

Mileage

34 mi