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I love/hate my Cobalt

200 messages,  Last post on May 01, 2009 at 7:25 AM

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What is this discussion about? Chevrolet Cobalt, Car Warranties, Coupe, Sedan

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#38 of 200 My Cobalt has officially DIED by az714gal Nov 28, 2006 (3:12 am)
I purchased my 05 Cobalt at a tent sale by Chevrolet in May 2005 in AZ. It has 27,000 miles on it, and up until now I've had small lil' frustrations with it here & there.   So, what's the big problem? My car won't start & the key is STILL stuck in the ignition! Yesterday my brother goes out to my car to get his sweater & uses the keyless entry. He said when he pushed the "unlock" button, it didn't work. So, then he had to use the key to unlock the door. Then, he says he tried to pop the trunk (using the button), and nothing. He then thinks he needs to put the key in the ignition to activate the power, and when he does the trunk still doesn't pop open. After that he couldn't release the key from the ignition. Next, he said he tried to start the engine to release it, and the car never started! So he goes & gets me... and of course I'm thinking you just need to mess with the key for a bit & it'll pop out. But what suprised me was the car was COMPLETELY DEAD! And no, it wasn't my battery! Even if it was the battery, the trunk should still be able to pop open, right? So, everyone there gives it a shot, and nothing. I wait about 2 hours & try it again. The key only moves forward (which starts the engine), then moves back but I still can't get it out!   So I call the dealership, and the lady says everyone is busy & someone will have to call me back. She gets my name, and number & the type of vehicle I drive. So I'm waiting here thinking someone will call within the hour, nothing. I call again, she says the same thing, "Nobody is available for her to transfer me to", and says she can get my info again. So... Here I am on the net tryin to research & see if this has been a problem for anybody else. I can see that the key getting stuck in the ignition is quite common. BUT... I think I've only seen one other person post about a "lease" they had where the car didn't start, but they were able to get the key out, but had to get it towed back to the dealership, and got another Cobalt. Well, mine is a purchase & I'm pretty much stuck with it unless I shop for a new vehicle. I'll admit that I was having the whole "key stuck in the ignition" problem as well for at lease 3-4 weeks, but my busy schedule kept me from gettin it to the dealership. I guess that was my problem for not getttin it taken care of right away.... BUT WHY DID MY CAR HAVE TO DIE??? Since nobody from the Dealership is calling me back it looks like I need to get it towed. I'm sure they're gonna have it for more than a day. Do you know if they pay for a rental while it's getting worked on?   I'm soooooo ticked about this! That was the whole point of me gettin a brand new vehicle, so I wouldn't run into any problems like this. It's only been a year & a half since I've had my Cobalt =( Replies to this message: ray_h1 (Nov 28, 2006 8:43 am) chancediaz (Dec 02, 2006 12:19 am)
#39 of 200 Re: My Cobalt has officially DIED [az714gal] by ray_h1 Nov 28, 2006 (8:43 am)
Replying to: az714gal (Nov 28, 2006 3:12 am) That is bad news. Time for a sitdown and some herbal tea. The good news is that your warranty is through Chevrolet Division of General Motors - not the selling dealership, which by your account seems to be remarkably unresponsive. (The morons may actually be doing you a favor! ) Try another Chevy dealership - it's always YOUR option with which Chevrolet dealership to have warranty and routine service matters dealt with. Since this is a warranty matter, check the warranty section in your owner's manual - towing may be covered, too. Your frustration is understandable, but keep in mind your ailing car is fixable.   (One final point - your car didn't "HAVE TO DIE". It just did. The lock-the-ignition-key-in-the-switch malady is an equal opportunity aggravation.)
#40 of 200 Re: Some other problems with the cobalt [tony62] by gonzam02 Nov 28, 2006 (10:03 am)
Replying to: tony62 (Nov 20, 2006 6:36 am) Good Day,   Do you know what has to be done with in regards to the steering vibration? I have been to the dealership 4-5 times about this problem and they can not figure out what it is. The vibration occurs once every 2 months or so, but it's scary as heck... Any advice will help! thanks!
#41 of 200 Re: My Cobalt has officially DIED [az714gal] by chancediaz Dec 02, 2006 (12:19 am)
Replying to: az714gal (Nov 28, 2006 3:12 am) interesting story. Coincidence i guess, but my girlfriend who lives with me has a 05 Cobalt also and almost this exact same thing JUST NOW happened! We get back from dinner get out and lock the door and she saw it lock and the light flashed and she thinks they turned off. It almost seemed the computer messed up or something right when they flashed because all the lights that do flash were still on. a few hours later someone knocks on my door and says the light are on. so we try to unlock the car to turn them off but nothing works. not the trunk button, lock, unlock or the alarm. I figure its the computer so ill just undo the battery then re hook it and it should reset it. but first i manually unlock the door then put it in to see if it will start or if the trunk button would work. neither happens ( the headlights were very dim so i figure the battery was close to dead) i still dont know why i tried to start it. I should have manually opened the trunk where the battery is located but now the key is in the ignition and its stuck! so i cant start the car and cant open the trunk. so basically the car is stuck out on the street with the dim lights still shining, the keys in the ignition and we have to leave the door unlocked because we only have one set of keys. Maybe someone has a suggestion??
#42 of 200 Re: Love/Hate my cobalt too... [bellabalt311] by logmgr Dec 09, 2006 (7:36 pm)
Replying to: bellabalt311 (Oct 07, 2006 3:25 pm) I have an 05 Cobolt...averages around 34mpg...has 23K on it.....also have an 06. Basically happy with both. ONE problem I have had....while driving down the innerstate at 70 MPH the brake warning light blinked on...checked fluid and that was ok...it did not do it again for 3000 miles. This is one of those deals where the dealer cannot duplicate the problem because the light does not blink regularly...only twice in 23000 miles. I did notice that the brake pedal seems to be higher/lower at randon. Has anyone else had this difficulty? I would just like to find out what needs replaced. Thanks.
#43 of 200 Re: 06 Cobalt Trouble free [gerald41] by logmgr Dec 23, 2006 (4:38 am)
Replying to: gerald41 (Nov 11, 2006 8:00 pm) My cobalts ( I have an 06 and an 05)have about the same miles as yours. Have you ever had a problem with uneven tire wear or vibration ? Both of mine have and I just do not know what to have checked. Replies to this message: ray_h1 (Dec 23, 2006 8:17 am)
#44 of 200 Re: 06 Cobalt Trouble free [logmgr] by ray_h1 Dec 23, 2006 (8:17 am)
Replying to: logmgr (Dec 23, 2006 4:38 am) Presuming neither car has collision damage, start with having the tires rebalanced (after checking and adjusting tire pressures to at least what your owner's manual specifies - preferably 2 or 3 lbs above. Then take the cars to a good alignment shop to verify/adjust toe-in/toe-out as necessary that the front wheels are aligned to factory specs for proper tracking.
#45 of 200 Re: i hate and love my cobalt by ejackson75 Dec 31, 2006 (2:17 am)
Replying to: bill_sully (Oct 03, 2006 11:22 am) I have to say I bought a fully loaded brand new Cobalt LT (4 miles on the odometer when I signed all the dotted lines -- 2 of which I put on it during the test drive. It boasted leather seats, sunroof, premium sound chrome wheels..... you get the idea -- beatiful car. I drove it from Nevada to Montana once and then from Nevada to Washington State once. It was functional and I loved how I could do a u-turn in it and not even take up 2 lanes to do it in. The sound sytem was awesome and I was overall impressed and pleased with the car. I loved the car when I drove it off the lot, but once it hit about 12,000 miles all HELL broke loose lets see.....   1) The car sat in my drive way over night several times and had to be jump started -- I took it to the dealership and apparently the battery was dead bad fuse or wire or something...... funny little thing is that after the battery was replaced the car still had to be jumpstarted a coupl eof times my husband and I finally deducted that I had to UNPLUG the cell phone charger I think that thing only pulls 1 amp, but apparently the poor car couldn't handle it .... so those people charging their cell phones in their cars over night I wouldn't reccommend it with this car.   2.) The motor in the sunroof died .... then the bracket around the button to the sunroof fell out of the ceiling.   3.) The little ashtray/garbage container wouldn't close it kept falling open and I kept having to replace it.   4.) The clip on the center console broke.   5.) The paint on the bumper started peeling for no real good reason?????? Get that one.   6.) Then lastly -- the straw that snapped the cammels back was -- getting pulled over by a cop because the brake lights and my left turn signal were out.   I have owned other makes/models of cars in the past 10-15 years I have never had to replace lightbulbs, or window motors in the cars before my loan was finished!!!!   7.) The most pitiful part of all is that I decided to trade it in and buy Sebring Convertible and the fleet manager said he couldn't give me a good deal on the trade because he was going to send the car to auction and not recondition it for resale --- I know some of you are thinking oh the dealership is lying to you ..... BUT my husband works for that dealership and they had to really work a deal so I could get out of my headache that we all call a Chevrolet Cobalt.   Maybe I got a LEMON, but truthfully my husband worked for that dealership when I bought that car. It was a new model and he now tells me that people are turning them in like hotcakes and that because their is such a high turn over and the market is saturated with them that they don't hold their value.   BUYER BEWARE!!!!!
#46 of 200 Guess I'm lucky... by gman55 Jan 06, 2007 (8:06 pm)
Bought '06 LS in June. Put on 12K so far with just a few "minor" issues...   - Cheap wheel covers "squeak" over road bumps. (dealer re-taped) - Seatbelt retract mechanism getting weak, closing door on it. - Spoiler's left pylon leaks water days after a high pressure wash.   Haven't had any of the other problems listed here though...   Guess I'm just lucky...so far.
#47 of 200 problem solved by sepheroth Jan 21, 2007 (11:15 pm)
TO EVERYONE WITH A 05 OR 06 COBALT WITH A NEW MODEL CAR COMES NEW PROBLEMS BUT DONT WORRY WITH THE 07 COBALT COMES GOOD NEWS CHEVROLET HAS COME UP WITH A WAY TO FIX THE "KEY" ISSUE BUT MOST OF US DONT OWN 07 COBALTS FOR THOSE OF US WHO OWN 05 OR 06 COBALTS INSIDE THE SHIFTER IS A MICROSWITCH THAT TELLS THE CAR THAT THE SHIFTER IS IN PARK THE MICROSWITCH IS A NEW SWITCH NEVER PUT INTO A CAR BEFORE THE 05 COBALT AND THE SWITCHES ARE BREAKING WHICH MAKES YOUR KEYS NOT COME OUT WHEN YOU WANT IF YOUR CAR DOES THIS DONT FEAR HELP IS HERE UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL THERE IS A SMALL PANEL THIS PANEL WAS PLACED SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS REASON MOST OF THE TIME YOUR FINGER NAIL CAN GET THE PANEL OPEN ONCE OPEN SLIDE YOUR FINGER INTO THE SLOT AND FEEL AROUND FOR WHAT FEELS LIKE A PLUNGER WITH A SPRING ON THE BACK PUSH THAT FORWARD AND THAT WILL ENGAGE THE KEY LOCK AND ALLOW YOU TO PULL YOUR KEYS OUT SOON AFTER GET TO A DEALER AND THEY SHOULD PUT A NEW SHIFTER INTO THE CAR IT WILL TAKE ABOUT 5 DAYS AND GM WILL PAY FOR A RENTAL FOR THE TIME YOU LOST YOUR CAR WITH NO EXPENSE TO YOU UNLESS YOU GET THE RENTAL INSURANCE   I HOPE THIS HELPS YOU COBALT OWNERS I WISH I HAD THIS KNOWLEDGE WHEN IT HAPPENED TO MY CAR!!! Replies to this message: orbit9090 (Feb 02, 2007 6:15 am)

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