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

    
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#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.

#154 of 337 2005 Chevy Cobalt A/C water leak, not draining properly by hgarte53

Dec 01, 2010 (12:23 pm)

">link titleOur '05 leaks A/C water onto the front passenger side floor. I attempted to clean out the weep holes and debris from the hood vents under the windshield... but still not fixed. Water is collecting and causing the carpet and interior to smell, Can anyone tell me how to fix this problem. Thanks

#155 of 337 Re: 2005 Chevy Cobalt A/C water leak, not draining properly [hgarte53] by imidazol97

Dec 01, 2010 (2:09 pm)

Replying to: hgarte53 (Dec 01, 2010 12:23 pm)
See previous post and link to HHR discussion about a cover on the heater box leaking water in air intake area under wipers.
 
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f0e875e/144#MSG144

#156 of 337 Re: 2006 Stall - Safety Hazard [stall_cobaltls] by anitalclark1

Dec 06, 2010 (2:56 pm)

Replying to: stall_cobaltls (Jun 27, 2010 6:18 pm)
Mine stalled at a red light after the power steering was replaced also, but the day after they fixed the power steering recall my aircond/heater blower went out. Last week I was getting on the Highway and my transmission stuck and ran up to 5 RPM's. I have taken it in at least 3 times for a rough shift between 30-40 mph I was told that is how the new transmissions are. I wish I had never purchased this 2007 Cobalt LT. it has been a money pit. The local service people even told me my car was not in the recall, but after they replaced the power steering motor my gas mileage went back up to between 28-36 MPG. I wish I had a FORD!

#157 of 337 Re: 2006 Stall - Safety Hazard [anitalclark1] by sharkman1

Dec 06, 2010 (3:19 pm)

Replying to: anitalclark1 (Dec 06, 2010 2:56 pm)
Apparently it is luck of the draw. My '06 LS coupe has performed very well, 110k and counting. Now, with that said, It did get a case of didn't know what gear to be in. Didn't do it all the time and if you pull over turn it off & recrank it, it wouldn't do it again that day maybe not the next day. Anyway, it was the Transmission Control Module.
 
Good luck
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