Page 15 of 15 · complaints 701–710 of 710

2009 Chevrolet Cobalt complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2009 record →

Steering › Electric Power Assist System
Filed Oct 27, 2009145 milesNJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL, AND THEN THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THE STEERING COMPONENT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE REPAIR DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, AND WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 440. UPDATED 11/23/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE STEERING WOULD BIND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PARALLEL PARK. THE DEALER STATED IT WAS A FEATURE DESIGNED TO SHUT DOWN THE ELECTRIC STEERING PUMP. UPDATED 11/24/09

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Oct 14, 200923,000 milesGA

2009 COBALT SS. THE INNER REAR BRAKE PADS ARE COMPLETELY GONE WHILE THE OUTER BRAKE PADS STILL HAVE OVER 80% LIFE LEFT ON IT. BROUGHT THE CAR TO RICK HENDRICK CHEVY AND THE DEALERSHIP REFUSE TO FIX IT UNDER WARRANTY. THEY SAID IT WAS NORMAL. THE CAR HAS 23K MILES ON IT, JUST ABOUT ALL OF THAT IS HIGH WAY MILES. I DRIVE THE CAR NORMAL AND DO NO ABUSE IT. ALSO WANT TO STATE THAT THE FRONT BRAKES STILL HAVE OVER 50% LIFE LEFT. *TR

Air Bags › Frontal
Filed Oct 9, 20092,600 milesFL

MY CAR WOULD CHIME FOR ME TO LOOK AT INSTRUMENT PANEL TO SEE THAT THE "AIRBAGS NEEDED TO BE SERVICED".IT WOULD GIVE ME THIS MESSAGE EVERY 15 MINS. FOR THE HOUR DRIVE I WAS ON THE ROAD. THE NEXT DAY I CALLED THE DEALER & SET UP AN APPOINTMENT. THAT AFTERNOON WHEN THEY WERE DONE WITH MY CAR I WAS TOLD THAT THE MECHANIC HAD ALREADY SEEN THIS A FEW TIMES & KNEW EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS. MY PRINT OUT FROM SERVICE READS "DIAGNOSTIC CODE #B0012 STORED IN SYSTEM TEST CIRCUIT, MODULE SHORTING OUT UNDER STEERING WHEEL , REPLACED SIR COIL & REPAIR CIRCUIT.* MY CAR IS A 2009 CHEVROLET COBALT LT (JUST PURCHASED 06/05/09) WITH 2600 MILES. *TR

Power Train › Manual Transmission
Filed Sep 24, 2009118 milesTX

I PURCHASED A NEW 2009 CHEVROLET COBALT FROM CLASSIC CHEVROLET IN SUGARLAND, TX ON JUNE 8, 2009. ON JUNE 10, 2009 THE CLUTCH PEDAL FELL OFF AS A RESULT OF A RETAINER NOT BEING SECURED AT THE LORDSTOWN FACTORY. AT 8848 MILES, ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2009 I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR ITS FIRST SERVICE WORK TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP. I INFORMED THEM THAT THE CLUTCH PEDAL HAD BECOME INOPERATIVE AND THAT I HAD SECURED THE LOCKING NUT BUT ASKED THEM TO CHECK IT FURTHER. THE DEALERSHIP FOUND OTHER RETAINERS MISSING FROM THE CLUTCHES MASTER CYLINDER. THE CAR HAD LEFT THE FACTORY IN AN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN INJURY TO MYSELF OR OTHERS. *TR

Steering
Filed Sep 15, 2009650 milesPA

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING THE CONTACT LOSS CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND WAS FORCED SHUT THE ENGINE OFF SO THAT IT COULD RESET ITSELF. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 650.

Air BagsCrash
Filed Sep 12, 20092,500 milesLA

AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN A 2009 CHEVROLET COBALT CRASH THAT CAUSED $7,200 IN DAMAGE AND ON STAR DID NOT CALL OR REPORT THE CRASH. WHEN I ASKED WHY, I WAS TOLD "BECAUSE THE "BRAINS" OF ONSTAR WAS "KNOCKED OUT" IN THE CRASH, THAT SHUT DOWN THE AIR BAG SYSTEM AND OTHER SAFETY MEASURES." FORTUNATELY, THIS CRASH DID NOT CAUSE ANY BODILY HARM TO THE PERSON INVOLVED, BUT THE WHOLE FRONT END OF THE CAR WAS PUSHED IN, RADIATOR WAS PUSHED BACK, WITH LOTS OF OTHER DAMAGE. THE PERSON IN THE CAR WAS FINE, BUT IF THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE BEEN PUSHED IN FURTHER IN, IT COULD HAVE BEEN IN THE LAP OR, EVEN WORSE, THE CHEST OF THE PERSON DRIVING. I DO NOT HAVE ON STAR FOR IT TO BE "DISABLED" IN A CRASH BECAUSE OF WHERE IT IS PLACED IN THE VEHICLE. THIS SERIOUSLY NEEDS TO BE EXAMINED AND FIXED BEFORE SOMEONE DOES REALLY GET HURT, IF THIS HAD NOT HAPPENED ALREADY. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Aug 1, 20094,000 milesTX

NO INCIDENT HAS OCCURRED AT THIS POINT, HOWEVER, I SEE THIS AS A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE A 2009 CHEVY COBALT WITH BATTERY INSTALLED IN THE TRUNK. THE BATTERY VENT TUBE IS CONNECTED TO THE TOP OF THE BATTERY BY A PLASTIC ELBOW, A PLASTIC VENT TUBE IS CONNECTED TO THE MALE NIPPLE ON THE ELBOW. THE PLASTIC VENT TUBE INSIDE DIAMETER APPEARS TO BE TOO SMALL INSIDE DIAMETER FOR THE MALE NIPPLE. THE PLASTIC VENT TUBE IS SPLIT WHERE IT ATTACHES TO MY BATTERY WHERE IT IS PUSHED ONTO THE MALE NIPPLE WHICH WILL ALLOW THE VENTED HYDROGEN GAS TO VENT INTO THE TRUNK (WHICH IS PART OF THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT ONLY SEPARATED BY THE BACK SEAT) I THINK PRESENTS A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD AND POTENTIAL FIRE RISK. I CAN SEND YOU A PICTURE OF THE SPLIT VENT TUBE IF YOU NEED TO SEE IT. I ASSUME THAT THIS IS A FACTORY INSTALLATION DEFECT, THIS IS NOT AN IMPROPER REPAIR DEFECT, SO THIS SITUATION COULD EXIST ON OTHER MODELS USING THIS TYPE OF VENT TUBING. *TR

Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash
Filed Jul 6, 200916,000 milesFL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THAT THE BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY DUPLICATED THE FAILURE THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INFORMED OF WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. HE WAITED TWO WEEKS FOR A CLAIM PERSON TO CALL HIM BACK. HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE MUST GO THROUGH HIS INSURANCE COMPANY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSURANCE COMPANY DID NOT COVER BRAKE FAILURE. THE DEALER TURNED THE MATTER OVER TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. IT HAS NOT YET BEEN DECIDED IF THE VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY OR THROUGH THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 16,000.

Visibility
Filed Sep 27, 20081 milesTN

AT TIME OF PURCHASE OF A NEW 2008 CHEVROLET COBALT, IT WAS NOTICED THE DRIVER SIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR HAD LIMITED ADJUSTMENT RANGE AND COULD NOT BE ADJUSTED FOR A CLEAR REAR VIEW BEFORE THE ADJUSTMENT LEVER REACHED THE END OF ITS RANGE. THE DEALERSHIP REPORTED THAT MANY CUSTOMERS COMPLAIN OF THE SAME DEFECT BUT AS YET THE FACTORY HAS PROVIDED NO SOLUTION. I BELIEVE THIS FACTORY DEFECT HAS POTENTIAL TO CAUSE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS OR MISHAPS. *TR

Air Bags › Frontal
Filed Sep 23, 2008OK

MY WIFE HAS AN DEFRIBULATOR PACEMAKER. WE NEED THE AIR BAG DISENGAGED. WE HAVE BEEN HAGGLING WITH THE DEALER FOR ALMOST 2 WEEKS. THEY ARE DRAGGING THEIR FEET ON THIS MATTER. THE HEART HOSPITAL SAYS IF THE AIR BAG CAME OUT AND HIT MY WIFE, IT COULD KILL HER. THIS IS THE THIRD NEW VEHICLE I HAVE BOUGHT FROM DOBRINSKI'S IN OKEENE. I NEED SOMETHING DONE. I DO NOT HAVE TO BUY CHEVY'S. I MIGHT HAVE TO CHANGE DEALERS. THANK YOU, RUSTY FERRELL *TR

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Full record for the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt → · Every Cobalt year → · How the figures are calculated →