Ask the Car People.SM


Chevrolet Cobalt Electrical Problems

337 messages,  Last post on Feb 17, 2013 at 4:07 PM

You are in the Chevrolet Cobalt Forum.

What is this discussion about? Chevrolet Cobalt, Electrical, Coupe, Sedan

    
Go to NHTSA to file a safety complaint.
Or call Monday-Friday (8 am to 8 pm ET) (888) 327-4236 TTY: (800)424-9153

Messages Page 16 of 35

#144 of 337 Re: Problems with my 2005 Chevy Coblat..... [armywifey12] by lolita77

Oct 25, 2010 (8:47 am)

Replying to: armywifey12 (Oct 04, 2010 10:44 am)
I am having a lot of problems with my chevy cobalt 2005.
First of all, I have to say that I bought this car as a "rebuilt" and in the dealer, they said that it doesn't have warranty, even though it has only 50,xxx miles, only they could provide me the steering power recall. But getting in this recall was the start of the end, because one week after the recall was done by the dealer, the air conditioner was leaking gallons of water that flooded all the floor in the right side of the car and I had to pay to get fixed. Then the air conditioner just stops blowing whenever it wants, it doesn't matter if is sunny or raining, it just stops, and the only way to recover it, is turning off the car, opening the fuse box and get out and get in the A/C fuse. Also, sometimes my car didn't recognize the key and I have to wait 20 or 30 minutes to its recognizing the key and start... can you imagine this situation in the middle of nowhere or in a bad neighborhood... Now... oh my God, the doors lock and unlock like craziest and the alarm put itself when the doors are still opened. I close the car but then it unlocks the doors and my car remains open until I lock them again, but 10 minutes later they are open again... also the trunk is locked... I can't open it unless I use the key and the alarm goes on... what is happening to my car?... some people say that this is the beginning of the end and I am so worried, because I got this car in an auction because I don't have much money and I am so young that any insurance for a lease is impossible for me.
I though that I was the only one with this bad luck... but in this and other forums I can see that I am not the only one and GM is not doing anything to recall this issues.
I am so afraid... I read a girl that had to get out of her car by the window... I can't imagine me getting out by the window... for sure I will get trapped by the window too...
This is unbelievable... in our better times, my father has a Colorado and it has been the better car in the world for us... but now I hardly start my Cobalt and when I am driving it, is like entering in the twilight zone where my car is alive and hates human beings like me.

#145 of 337 Re: Problems with my 2005 Chevy Coblat..... [lolita77] by imidazol97

Oct 25, 2010 (9:44 am)

Replying to: lolita77 (Oct 25, 2010 8:47 am)
What did they do to fix the water from the AC on the floor?
 
I'm curious if that was the access patch under the air intake that was actually leaking rain water into the car. Was it rainy the week you had the wet floor on the front?
 
Also the leaky cover leaks water into where the resistor group is for the heater speed control.
 
The windshield wipers have a cover over the tap that holds them on.
The air intake has push pins that you lift up to take of the cover over the intakes.
 
See this link from the HHR forum for info on the leaking cover. It can be sealed back down with silicon or butyl caulks. Myself I'd probably use PL polyurethane caulk that I use for flexible gluing--available at Lowes.
 
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f1d1639/7#MSG7

#146 of 337 Re: Problems with my 2005 Chevy Coblat..... [imidazol97] by lolita77

Oct 25, 2010 (10:24 am)

Replying to: imidazol97 (Oct 25, 2010 9:44 am)
They cleaned some drain that is under the car and sealed something on the back closed to the panel (I think with silicon)... and it worked...
 
I'm sure that was A/C water 'cause when I turned off the A/C, leaking stopped at all.
 
They told me that this is a problem that could get worse and if it happens again they had to remove the front panel to seal inside.
 
Thanks,

#147 of 337 Me too.... by chrissylgk

Oct 25, 2010 (12:11 pm)

I got my 2006 Cobalt in 2008. Shortly after, I got the fuel leak and the broken pump. I paid $500 for parts and labor and I don't think GM will refund me because I paid a mechanic under the table and don't have a receipt.
 
I haven't had issues with steering, but today the Cobalt gods struck me down.
 
This morning, I tried to start the car as usual. It wouldn't start. When I cranked it, my dash showed the "Security Light" (picture of a car and a lock), and the engine light. The car clicked and made a small whine.
At first, I couldn't get the key out. After giggling it, it came out. I thought that the steering wheel wasn't locked (that's what I thought the Security light was for before looking in the book.)
I have manual locks and I don't think I have an alarm system, so I don't think this is really a security issue. I looked at other sites and they all said to leave the key in on "On" (without cranking) for 10-30 minutes and the lock will "reset" and the car will start.
When I left the key in on "On," everything started flashing- my control panel, my radio, the temperature, my headlights, and some of the warning lights in the dash. Also, the car kept clicking. The clicking and flashing would go in 15-20 second intervals. Then the car would be still and quiet for a few seconds and the clicking/flashing would start again.
After a couple minutes with the key in the ignition, my "Battery Saver On" light came up. At that point, I took the key out because I didn't want the battery to die out on me, too.
 
Later on, I tried again. I got new warnings: Check Airbag System AND Check Charge System. I can't tell if it's electrical, the engine, the starter, the ignition switch, the alternator, or anything because EVERYTHING is going nuts. I loved my car until today.
 
I can't miss work another day, so I am going to call the dealer and have them tow me to their shop if things don't change.

#148 of 337 Worst car EVER! by tharkins

Aug 04, 2011 (11:26 am)

I have a 2005 Chevy Cobalt and i gotta say its the biggest *****! Well first off let me just say everything in it is so cheaply made and falls apart easily. Now on the my adventures with this POS and how i now know all of the workers at chevy and my local gas station on a first name basis.
 
Right away first thing with the car i had was when i pressed my ***** sun roof button the damn button pressed all the way up into the car and the holder fell off leaving a hole in my roof i took it to get repaired and after 2 days and replacements i get car back try to open the sun roof again and the buttons holder falls off again and the button is dangling.......take it to the shop again....when i get it back it happend AGAIN. Get the car back press button it works but when i goto close the sun roof one corner wont close down......so im left with the sun roof half open........take it back to shop replace everything AGAIN.....i have not tried to open the sun roof anymore......the buttons holder falls off all the time and the button is still lose and kinda dangling but im not bothering with it anymore.
 
NEXT, the damn key wont come out of the ignition.....the key gets stuck when u try to turn car off and it wont come out......only way to get it out is pressing the button underneath the stearing wheel to manually release it.........so i take it to shop get the whole steering column and shifter replaced......a few months later it happens again.......had to get it replaced 2nd time.
 
3rd. Drivers side window doesnt work. Had to take to shop they replaced all electrical on driver side.
 
4th, CD Player dies and gets error. Take it to shop the cd players isnt covered by warranty they say will take over 500 bucks to fix and its completely broken i say screw that. A few weeks later i accidently press the cd button and the cd players starts working........
 
5th... Rear headlights wont turn off even when car is off......just the rear headlights stay on ran the battery down 3 times when i didnt notice.....replaced battery took car to shop replaced more electricals.....
 
6th....Just happend today car running fine i drive to store get back in car and turn the ignition and it just clicks a bunch of times and shows Check Charging System error on the dash.....no idea......battery seems fine lights come on, Radio works and plays, everything is fine but turn the ignition and CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK.
 
Fed up with this cheaply made ******* car.

#149 of 337 Re: Me too.... [chrissylgk] by imidazol97

Nov 05, 2010 (7:00 pm)

Replying to: chrissylgk (Oct 25, 2010 12:11 pm)
The place to start would be having the battery checked and recharged. When the battery deteriorates, such as a sulphated cell, the voltage is lowered. The computer controls in the car don't like working with voltages below certain levels. Some of the strange behaviors you're seeing are the result of low voltage.
 
Either a dying battery or bad cell. Your battery is 5 years old. 3 years is an average life according to the mechanic on the call in radio show I listened to Saturday.
 
Possibly a poor connection at the ends of the positive cable from the battery in the trunk to the connection in the engine compartment.
 
If you have someone with a jumper cable to another battery, connect that at the ground and the positive connection under the hood. I would try that first. I suspect all those strange symptoms will be gone with the higher voltage from the other battery.

#150 of 337 Re: Worst car EVER! [tharkins] by gmcustsvc

Nov 08, 2010 (5:07 pm)

Replying to: tharkins (Aug 04, 2011 11:26 am)
Tharkins,
I apologize for your frustrations. I would like to look into this for you. Can you please e-mail me with your Edmunds user name, complete contact information including a good telephone number to contact you, VIN, current mileage, and involved dealer. I look forward to your response.
Christina
GM Customer Service

#151 of 337 Re: Worst car EVER! [tharkins] by gimmestdtranny

Nov 28, 2010 (10:20 am)

Replying to: tharkins (Aug 04, 2011 11:26 am)
"4th, CD Player dies and gets error. Take it to shop the cd players isnt covered by warranty they say will take over 500 bucks to fix and its completely broken i say screw that. A few weeks later i accidently press the cd button and the cd players starts working"
 
gotta love a car that fixes itself..
 
but all kidding aside, from what i have been reading, the earlier Cobalts had a ton of wiring and electrical issues. Hope you were able to get some of the stuff sorted out.
I would wish you luck to get ALL the stuff sorted, but that almost seems like too much to hope for.

#152 of 337 Re: Worst car EVER! [gimmestdtranny] by cmtracy

Nov 28, 2010 (12:49 pm)

Replying to: gimmestdtranny (Nov 28, 2010 10:20 am)
Re:Worst car ever- that is how all of my problems started with the CD player, then the daytime running lights not working, then the gas gauge, then key getting stuck.
The car almost killed me several times, completely dying on the major highway in
Pennsylvania. Dealer kept saying car was fixed etc.making me look like I was an hysterical woman.
 
Lost so much money on this car, still got rid of it, hated driving it thinking it would kill me.
Good luck to you.

#153 of 337 Re: Worst car EVER! [cmtracy] by gimmestdtranny

Nov 28, 2010 (1:02 pm)

Replying to: cmtracy (Nov 28, 2010 12:49 pm)
Sorry to hear
 
One thing i have learned is to not keep going back to the same incompetent dlr. They are not all the same. Even a dlr whom u didn't buy from, will often help u out way better, and they know that you will keep them in mind for your next purchase if you stay with brands they sell.
 
What yr was yours?
 
My neighbour recently bought a (likely 2010) Cobalt. He was very happy, proclaiming all the bells and whistles it had for such a low price (which wasn't low at all considering they are clearing out a replaced car (with the Cruze).
 
I was shocked he traded in their Vibe on it! The Vibe/Matrix even though was a few years old, I suspect was a better sorted car than what he replaced it with. I didn't rain on his parade, but i suspect others already had, cuz he kept saying that at least he has new with full wty etc etc.
To myself, I stood there thinking/hoping he wouldn't need it but I think the new Cobalts had a lot of the issues sorted out that the 05 etc had. I would have bought their Vibe (for my nephew) had I known they were getting rid of it. The car was fine. Never had a problem with it. Gas and oil changes and tire rotations.

Messages Page 16 of 35

To POST a message, please Sign In.

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement