2006 Chevrolet Cobalt

2006 CHEVROLET COBALT WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT ISSUES CUSTOMER STATES THAT CAR IS A LEMON AND THAT SHE DROVE THE 2007 COBALT AND IT RAN BEAUTIFULLY**CC THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENTIRE SHIFTER SYSTEM HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION, THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED AND THE SYSTEM WAS REPROGRAMMED, THE ROTORS WERE MACHINED. *TR

I PARKED MY 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT IN MY DRIVEWAY AND OVERNIGHT AN ANIMAL CLIMBED UP UNDER A PLASTIC SCHROUD OVER THE 4 CYL ENGINE AND LITERALLY CHEWED THE MAIN WIRE HARNESS OFF THE CONNECTOR THAT FEEDS THE ELECTRICAL WIRING TO THE ENGINE COMPONENTS , APPROXIMATELY 20 - 30 WIRES. THE WIRES WERE INCHES TOO SHORT TO RECONNECT TO THE ENGINE CONNECTOR, AND THE WHOLE WIRING HARNESS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $826.00 AT A CHEVROLET DEALER. THIS AREA IS ACCESSIBLE TO ANIMALS, SUCH AS SQUIRRELS/ CHIPMUNKS, ETC. THEY APPARENTLY USED THE WIRING MATERIALS FOR NESTING PURPOSES. SHOULD THIS AREA BE ENCLOSED OR FURTHER PROTECTION BE PROVIDED ON THE WIRING COMPONENTS TO PREVENT FIRES OR MALFUNCTIONING COMPONENTS/SENSORS TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS OF SYSTEM FAULTS. EVERY WIRE ON THE CONNECTOR WAS SEPARATED AND SHORTENED OVERNIGHT. IT TOOK THE GM SERVICE GARAGE SEVERAL HOURS TO FIND THIS FAULT, AND WAS NOT COVERED BY ANY GM LIABILITY FOR LEAVING ACCESS TO THIS AREA. *AK

EVENTS THAT LEAD TO FAILURE: 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT RANDOMLY SHUT OFF, INSTRUMENT GAUGE NEEDLES RANDOMLY FLICKER/TWITCH, BAD SMELL THAT IN MY OPINION RESEMBLED A BURNT FOOD/SULFUR COMBINATION. IT STARTED OUT LIGHTLY AND RANDOMLY FOR A FEW WEEKS, BUT BECAME HEAVIER AND CONSTANT OVER A WEEK. A KNOCKING NOISE CAME FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR, IDLE SURGED, AND CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO DISENGAGE. FAILURE & CONSEQUENCES: FIRE! COMPONENT THAT FAILED WAS A CANISTER/SENDING UNIT REAR OF THE GAS TANK WITH THE CONSEQUENCE OF A FIRE AND THE TOTAL LOSS OF MY 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE EVENING PRIOR I CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEALER ABOUT THE SMELL AND I TOLD THEM I HAVE NO WARNING LIGHTS ON. THE NEXT DAY DRIVING TO THE DEALERSHIP THE SMELL/ODDER INTENSIFIED. MY THOUGHTS WERE, WE'LL AT LEAST THEY CAN'T SAY THEY DON'T SMELL IT OR GIVE ME THE "CAN'T DUPLICATE IT" DECISION. I ONLY MADE IT HALFWAY WHEN MY CAR HAD A MAJOR ELECTRICAL/MECHANICAL FAILURE. I WAS ASSISTED BY CARS TRAVELING BEHIND ME AS ONE POINTED OUT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE AND THE CAR SHUT DOWN, ALL WITHOUT ANY WARNING LIGHTS! THE FIRE SEVERELY BURNED THE ENTIRE BACK HALF OF THE CAR. AFTER BEING INSPECTED BY A VERY WELL SEASONED FIRE INSPECTOR THE FIRE WAS DIAGNOSED TO COME FROM A CANISTER/SENDING UNIT MALFUNCTION. AGAIN NO WARNING LIGHTS GM! IN MY OPINION THE RANDOM SHUTTING DOWN OF THE CAR, THE GAUGES TWITCHING/FLICKERING, THE STRANGE KNOCKING NOISE AND THE SMELL/ODDER WAS ALL PART OF THE SAME PROBLEM. CORRECTED FAILURES: IN REFERENCE TO THE FIRE, THAT WILL BE UP TO GM HOWEVER, AFTER READING THE NHTSA ALARMING NUMBER OF 2005-2007 CHEVROLET COBALT COMPLAINTS AND TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS ONE WOULD BE LED TO BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE MORE THAN JUST A COUPLE OF RECALLS. *AK

(1) CAR SHUTS ITSELF OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY. DURING@ RUSH HOUR I VEERED AWAY ( W-NO POWER TO CAR ),FROM TRAFFIC BEHIND ME. PARKED ,SHUT CAR OFF, TOOK KEY OUT OF IGNITION, THEN REPLACED AND STARTED IT BACK UP, AND PROCEEDED ENROUTE. (2) AFTER MARKET CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE TO SHUT OFF AND TURN ON. (3) RESULT OF ABOVE (2)AFTER MARKET CRUISE CONTROL TAKES ITS OWN MIND AND DECIDES TO FULLY ACCELERATE UNTIL GEARING DOWN IN HOPES IT 'AWAKES' THE COMPUTER (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION),THEN CRUISE CONTROL WILL FINALLY SHUT OFF. (CONSEQUENCE ) PASSENGER HAD A HEART ATTACK. I CALLED A TAXI. "HE'S OK" (4) SERVICE AIR BAGS LIGHT HAVE BEEN ON SINCE 20,K MILES I NOW HAVE 47,XXX MILES. (5)STOCK TIRES AND RIMS WOBBLE WITH IRRITATING CONTINOUS NOISES -CAN'T GE RID OF IT. (6) STOCK SEATS DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES BOTH WERE INSTALLED INCORRECTLYTHEY ARE REALLY SLANTEDLIKE THIS ( / \ ). (7) A CLUNKING BUCKET SOUNDING NOISE FILLS VERY SLOWLY, (HEALTH PROBLEMS) AN ODOR IS ALWAYS PRESENT LEAVING ME LIGHT HEADED ,NAUTIOUS WHILE DRIVING, DIZZY EXITING CAR,AND WITH BREATHING PROBLEMS -LIKE SHORTNESS OF BREATH. I HAVE SEVERE BACK PROBLEMS NOW, AND CAN NOT SIT IN THE CAR FOR MORE THAN 20 MIN, UPON A BREAK OF FRESH AIR AND A WALK FOR THE SPINE. (8) BRAKES SOUND AND FEEL (WHEN APPLIED),SCRATCHY.@5,000 MILES THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP HAD TO TURN AND SHAVE ALLREADY MY DISC BRAKES SAYING THEY WERE WORN IN. (9) MY HEATER MAKES A LOT OF NOISES WHEN USING IT. (10) ACCELERATION HESITATION. *JB

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER 06 CHEVY COBALT EXPERIENCED STALLING INCIDENTS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE WEATHER CONDITION AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENTS HAS BEEN FAIRLY WARM. THE CONTACT HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TWICE TO THE DEALERSHIP THE FIRST TIME WAS ON 12/05/06 AND THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE STILL CONTINUED TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, SO SHE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A SECOND TIME AND THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE KILL SWITCH. THE CONTACT CAN PROVIDE COPIES OF INVOICES IF NEEDED.

I WAS DRIVING MY 2006 CHEVY COBALT WHEN I WAS TAKING A FRIEND TO THE AIRPORT. I WAS ON I-495 N IN THE LANE LEADING TO THE EXIT THAT TAKES YOU TO THE AIRPORT TOLL ROAD. I APPLIED MY BRAKES AND THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN. HOPING TO COAST DOWN THE EXIT AND PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO VEER THE CAR LEFT. THE CAR KEPT GOING STRAIGHT. I KEPT HITTING THE BRAKES AND TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT, BUT THE CAR DID NOT STOP, NOR DID IT TURN. WE CRASHED INTO THE GUARDRAIL AT ABOUT 50 MPH. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. TURNS OUT THE CAR SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAD OCCURRED. IT HAPPENED BACK IN MAY 2006 AND I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY KEPT IT FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AND SAID IT WAS FINE. APPARENTLY NOT. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE ENGINE SHUT OFF FOUR TIMES SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER SITTING A SHORT WHILE, THE VEHICLE RESTARTED EVERY TIME. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE IN THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO EACH INCIDENT. THE MANUFACTURER ALERTED THE DEALERSHIP THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE IGNITION COIL. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE IGNITION COIL AND CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 9/20/2006 - *NM

WHEN TURNING THE HEADLIGHTS FROM THE AUTOMATIC TO THE MANUAL POSITION THE DASHBOARD INSTRUMENTATION DOES NOT LIGHT UP. THIS POSES A SAFETY HAZARD ON CLOUDY / FOGGY DAYS WHEN THE AUTOMATIC SENSOR SENSITIVITY IS SET TO HIGH TO ALLOW FOR PROPER LIGHTING OF THE HEADLIGHTS AND DASH INSTRUMENTATION. WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE SWITCHED TO MANUAL THIS SHOULD BYPASS THE AUTOMATIC SENSOR AND ALLOW FOR DASHBOARD ILLUMINATION HOWEVER THIS IS NOT THE CASE. *NM