2008 Chevrolet Cobalt engine problems

ENGINE

Heavy fuel leak

NHTSA complaint #11544308 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30-35 MPH, the power steering warning light illuminated before the vehicle lost power. The contact shifted the vehicle into park and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle regained normal functionality. The failure occurred a total of 4 times. The contact had not taken the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 114,000.

NHTSA complaint #11429244 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I HAD RECALLS FIXED IN 2015. AND THEN SUDDENLY POWER STEERING TURNS ON AND OFF. NEVER BEFORE THEY TOUCHED IT WAS THERE AN ISSUE. IT HAPPENS HERE AND THERE AND STOPS. THIS YEAR IS HAPPENING EVERY DAY AND WON'T GO AWAY. MY POWER STEERING TURNS OFF IN MIDDLE OF DRIVING. DASH BOARD LIGHTS GO OFF AND CAR STARTS CRANKING. GOES SUPER SLOW . I'M SCARED ITA GOING TO EXPLODE. I CAN'T DRIVE ON FREEWAY . AND NOW BESIDES THE LOCK ON SCREEN COMING ON MY ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON NOW . NOT SURE WHAT TO DO WITH IT. CAR SHOPS CAN'T HELP. WHEN I 1ST HAD THE ISSUE I CALLED THE DEALER BECAUSE THEY FIXED THE RECALL AND THEY SAID NOTHING COULD BE DONE BECAUSE THEY HAD ALREADY FIXED THE RECALL

NHTSA complaint #11360824 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL FUEL ODOR IN THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. AN UNKNOWN DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,731. *BF

NHTSA complaint #11340691 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, FOR TWENTY MINUTES GAS WAS LEAKING OUT OF THE TANK AND THE FUEL METER DECREASED TO EMPTY. HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO VISUAL SIGN OF FUEL ON THE GROUND. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL ODOR OF GAS EMERGING IN AND OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE TO CONTACT THE LOCAL DEALER AS WELL AS THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,875.

NHTSA complaint #11144165 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MALFUNCTIONING, SPEEDOMETER AND WARNING INDICATORS FLASHING, GOING OUT, RESUMING NORMAL OPERATION, THEN REPEATING THE FAILURE SYMPTOMS REPEATEDLY. DURING FAILURE SYMPTOMS THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE BOG DOWN, STALL AND THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILS (WITH ENGINE STILL RUNNING) . RANDOM ELECTRICAL ISSUES SUCH AS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, CAR ALARM SENSOR, ETC FLASH ON AND OFF THEN START WORKING AGAIN TOTALLY NORMALLY. CAN NOT GET THE FAILURE TO OCCUR AT THE DEALERSHIP OR MECHANICS. FAILS SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK. FAILS WHEN DRIVING ON STREET, HIGHWAY AT LOW SPEEDS, MEDIUM SPEEDS OR HIGH SPEEDS.

NHTSA complaint #11104312 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

MY 2008 CHEVY COBALT BEGAN SECRETING A VERY STRONG FUEL ODOR; IT DIDN'T MATTER IF IT WAS PARKED, OR DRIVING, THE ODOR HAS BEEN PROMINENT 24/7. I CHECKED FOR LEAKS AND FOUND NOTHING. I RECENTLY MOVED, SO I HAVE YET TO FIND A NEW, TRUSTWORTHY MECHANIC, SO I'VE BEEN DRIVING MY HUSBANDS CAR DUE TO THE FACT THAT I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CHEVY AT THIS POINT. I HAD HOWEVER, BEEN REGULARLY STARTING THE ENGINE ONCE A WEEK, WHILE TRYING TO LOCATE A MECHANIC, HOWEVER NOW. MY CHEVY IS COMPLETELY DEAD; IT WONT TURN ON, NOR WILL THE LOCK SYSTEM EVEN FUNCTION VIN NUMBER: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'

NHTSA complaint #11032845 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHETHER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OR WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ABNORMAL FUEL ODOR. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS FUEL LEAKING UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA complaint #11031491 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

COOLANT IS NOT READING, AIR CONDITIONER DON'T WORK AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. IT WILL STAY LIKE THIS FOR A DAY OR SO THEN BY THE TIME I GET IT INTO THE SHOP IT STARTS TO READ AGAIN AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES OUT AIR CONDITIONER WILL WORK AGAIN AND THERE ARE NO CODES TO READ. REPAIR SHOP CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THEY SAID POSSIBLE THERMOSTAT ISSUE OR SENSOR ISSUE BUT WITHOUT CODES OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON THEY HAVE NO IDEA. IT KEEPS DOING IT BUT IT SEEMS TO CORRECT IT SELF BEFORE I CAN GET IT BACK TO THE GARAGE USUALLY OVER A WEEKEND WHEN THEY ARE CLOSED OR VERY BUSY. I HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE FOR A COUPLE MONTHS NOW, IT HAS NOT APPEARED TO CAUSE ANY OVER HEATING OR MADE ANY OTHER SOUNDS THAT I AM AWARE OF.

NHTSA complaint #11024764 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

START OF THE PROBLEM THE GAUGES WILL GO ERATIC, MY CAR CHIMES A FEW DINGS THEN THEFT LIGHT COMES ON. I DON'T HAVE A THEFT SYSTEM. LS MODEL. ALSO EFFECTS THE TRANSMISSION(AUTOMATIC) CAUSE IT WILL SHIFT HARD AND JERK THE CAR. THE AC ALSO SHUTS OFF DURING THIS ISSUE, IT WILL BLOW AIR BUT IT WON'T BE COLD. SEEMS LIKE THE ISSUE ALWAYS COMES BACK WHEN IT'S EXTREMELY HOT OUTSIDE. THIS IS AN ON GOING ISSUE FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS AND IT COMES AND GOES. EVERY MECHANIC I WENT TO THEIR CAR READER CAN'T READ MY CAR. ALSO IT HAS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND AGAIN WHEN I'M PARKED AND JUST STARTED THE CAR. AND I HAVE HAD ALL THE RECALLS FIXED THAT WERE REPORTED.

NHTSA complaint #10876175 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE OXYGEN SENSOR MAY HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA complaint #10861664 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I STARTED MY CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY, IT STARTED AND THEN STALLED IMMEDIATELY AND WOULD NOT START AT ALL. I DIAGNOSED IT ALONG WITH MY FRIEND WHO IS A CERTIFIED MECHANIC. THE CAM CHAIN GUIDES BROKE AT LESS THAN 79000 MILES, CAUSING SLACK IN THE CAM CHAIN WHICH CAUSED IT TO JUMP TEETH ON THE INTAKE CAM, THROWING IT OUT OF SYNCHRONIZATION. THIS CAUSED THE INTAKE VALVES TO BE OPEN WHEN THE PISTON REACHED THE TOP OF ITS TRAVEL, WHICH BENT THE VALVES. THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE ON THE 2.2 ENGINES, BUT VERY UNUSUAL FOR SUCH A LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE HAS A 100,000 MILE WARRANTY BUT ONLY FOR 5 YEARS. I ONLY DRIVE ON AVERAGE 10,000 MILES A YEAR. THE ENGINE IS WELL BELOW 100,000 MILES AND GM WILL NOT ADMIT THAT THEY HAVE A DESIGN FLAW ON THESE ENGINES AND WILL NOT MAKE THIS REPAIR FOR ME UNDER WARRANTY.

NHTSA complaint #10852333 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

MY FUEL PUMP WAS LEAKING, SO WE HAD THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED AND NOW THE AIR CONDITIONING/HEATER/DEFROST SYSTEMS NO LONGER WORK. WE'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN, THE FUEL INJECTION, AND A LEAKING FRONT WINDSHIELD TWICE.ALSO THE FUEL SWITCH. NOW THE CAR SOMEWHAT STALLS WHEN TRYING TO START.

NHTSA complaint #10846315 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

WAS DRIVING TO SAN DIEGO, FIRST STOP OF SEVERAL ON A VACATION. STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT. WENT TO PROCEED AS LIGHT TURNED GREEN, HEARD A SCRAPING AND GRINDING SOUND; THERE WAS LITTLE TO NO POWER FOR THE CAR. IT COULDN'T GO ABOVE 30 MPH, AND MADE A "LOUD NOISE" (AS STATED ON PAPERWORK FROM DEALERSHIP). GOT TO CITY (BY THE BAY) CHEVROLET. I ENDED UP SPENDING $1334.21 FOR A NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND TWO GASKETS. I WAS ALSO OUT $111.26 FOR A RENTAL AS I WAS GOING TO DISNEYLAND AND KNOTT'S BERRY FARM AFTER A STOP TO SAN DIEGO. I HAD TO HAVE THE RENTAL FROM THURSDAY TO SATURDAY OR I WOULD HAVE MISSED TIME AT DISNEYLAND. I PICKED THE DAY FOR KNOTT'S BERRY FARM. ACCORDING TO CHEVROLET, THE 2005-2007 COBALTS IN NEVADA (WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND LIVE) ARE AFFECTED BY A CATALYTIC CONVERTER ISSUE; HOWEVER AFTER CONTACTING CHEVROLET AND ADVISING THEM OF MY ISSUE -- THEY TELL ME (DESPITE THE IDENTICAL ISSUE) -- MY MODEL IS NOT AFFECTED. I AM LOOKING FOR $1445.47 IN COMPENSATION FOR ACTUAL LOSSES. I WOULD LIKE COMPENSATORY DAMAGES SINCE CHEVROLET IS REFUSING TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND INVESTIGATE OR REIMBURSE ME AND IT AFFECTED MY VACATION. ALSO, I WANT THE RECALL EXTENDED TO THE 2008 MODELS. UPDATED 09/15/15*LJ UPDATED 11/03/2017

NHTSA complaint #10731532 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROUTE 20 AT ABOUT 50MPH IT STARTED TO RAIN AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" LIGHT WENT ON. MY CAR STARTED SLOWING DOWN AND I HAD TO TURN TO THE CLOSEST STREET SO THAT I WASN'T HIT BY THE CAR BEHIND ME. THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE, LAST YEAR WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY DRIVING TO CLEVELAND, MY CAR BEGAN RAPIDLY SLOWING DOWN AND I COULDN'T PICK UP SPEED WHILE PRESSING THE GAS. I TOOK THE NEAREST EXIT AND HAD TO WAIT TWO HOURS BEFORE THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD TURN OFF. ALSO, WHILE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, IT ALSO SAYS "TRACTION OFF" AND MY CAR SHAKES. BOTH TIMES IT WAS RAINING, AND I WAS DRIVING AT 50MPR SPEEDS.

NHTSA complaint #10725919 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

THE SERVICE TRACTION LIGHT COMES ON AND THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT..... SHIFTS REALLY HARD AND RUNS VERY ROUGH AND FEELS LIKE IT WILL STALL. VERY AFRAID.... BEING TOLD IT IS A CYLINDER MISFIRE... I HAVE READ A LOT ABOUT THIS ON LINE AND FIND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS RELATED TO THIS SAME ISSUE IN THIS SAME MODEL.... PLEASE HELP... I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY MATTER.... COULD STOP IN TRAFFIC OR ON EXPRESSWAY WHICH I TRAVEL EACH DAY. MANY THANKS!

NHTSA complaint #10725117 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

CLUTCH IS LOSING PRESSURE, CAN NOT SHIFT GEARS TO DRIVE THE 2008 CHEVY COBALT LS (MANUAL). MUST PUMP CLUTCH OVER 200 TIMES TO GET PRESSURE BACK. THE CLUTCH PRESSURE GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING ON STREET AND THE HIGHWAYS, MAKING IT NO WAY TO DOWNSHIFT/ SLOW DOWN. COULD CAUSE INJURY TO ALL PASSENGERS.

NHTSA complaint #10681314 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE THERMOSTAT BECAME INOPERABLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

NHTSA complaint #10648320 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STARTED EXHIBITING THIS PROBLEM AFTER BEING REPAIRED UNDER RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V047000 (AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 209,000.

NHTSA complaint #10630846 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE REPAIRS WERE UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 10/22/14

NHTSA complaint #10609433 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE COOLANT LEVELS MALFUNCTIONED FOR OVER A WEEK. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE COOLANT FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

NHTSA complaint #10597679 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

WHILE TRAVELING, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK AS IF THE BRAKES WERE BEING APPLIED. CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THIS IS COMMON IN THE COBALTS UNTIL THE CAR KNOWS YOUR DRIVING HABITS. SAME OCCURRENCE IN THE 2007 COBALT. THE DEALER HAD TO ADJUST THE TRANSMISSION. DEALER WILL NOT TAKE ACTION AS TO DATE FOR THIS ISSUE STATING THAT IT HASN'T HAD A CHANCE TO ADJUST TO THE DRIVING HABITS. WE HAD THE CAR FOR MORE THAN A FEW MONTHS AND PUT OVER 3000 MILES ON IT. CAR DOESN'T FEEL SAFE TO DRIVE ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS. DEALER IS MADE AWARE OF THIS. INFORMED BY DEALER, NOT A SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA complaint #10577622 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I WAS DRIVING MY CHEVY COBALT WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE GAS STATION I COULD NOT TURN OFF THE CAR. THE KEY WAS STUCK IN THE DRIVING POSITION AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. I THEN PROCEEDED TO GO TO MY FATHER'S HOUSE TO TRY AND HAVE HIM HELP ME REMOVE THE KEY AND SHUT OFF THE CAR. HE WAS NOT ABLE TO AS WELL. I THEN CALLED A CHEVROLET DEALER LOCATED ON SW 152 ST IN MIAMI, FL WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A RECALL PROBLEM AND THAT I SHOULD;D BRING IN THE VEHICLE BUT THAT IT WOULD TAKE ABOUT A WEEK TO FIX. ON THE WAY THERE, MY CAR BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. I THEN PULLED OVER AND TRIED AGAIN TO ATTEMPT TO SHUT OFF THE CAR AND REMOVE THE KEY. THE CAR REACHED 300 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND SOON AFTER SHUT OFF, LEAVING ME STRANDED WITH MY TWO SMALL CHILDREN. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A MECHANIC IN HIALEAH, FL WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE WAS BLOWN DUE TO THE CAR OVERHEATING. I THEN CALLED GM AND EXPLAINED THIS TO THEM, I THEN WAS ADVISED TO CALL THE SERVICE MANAGER AT MIAMI LAKES CHEVROLET. THE CAR HAS SINCE BEEN TOWED THERE AS I WAS TOLD THE CAR WOULD NEED TO BE DIAGNOSED. HOWEVER, MIAMI LAKES CHEVROLET IS NOW HASSLING ME THAT THEY CAN NOT TOUCH MY VEHICLE BECAUSE IT IS A REBUILT TITLE VEHICLE, ALTHOUGH I HAVE REPEATEDLY EXPLAINED THAT HAD MY CAR BEEN ABLE TO BE CUT OFF THEN IT WOULD NOT HAVE OVERHEATED TO IT'S MAXIMUM AND I WOULD STILL HAVE A VEHICLE. I AM VERY UPSET AS I WAS UNAWARE OF THE KEY IGNITION RECALL AND I AM NOW LEFT CARLESS WHICH IS MY LIVIHOOD FOR MY KIDS AND FAMILY AS WELL AS I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON A VEHICLE WHICH IS NOT FUNCTIONING DUE TO A RECALL I HAD NOT CLUE ABOUT!

NHTSA complaint #10576388 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

MY KEYS CAN BE TAKEN OUT WHILE CAR IS STILL RUNNING. ALSO THE SWITCH STICKS AND YOU HAVE TO PLAY WITH IT TO GET IT TO TURN . I CALL GM AND WAS TOLD THAT 2008 COBALTS ARE NOT ON RECALL.THE KEY HAS CAME OUT WHILE DRIVING. GM CALL CENTER TOLD ME TO TAKE TO DEALER HAVE IT CHECKED I AM AFRAID THAT THEY WILL CHARGE ME TO REPLACE IT AND JUST IGNORE THE PROBLEM ON THE 2008 COBALT.

NHTSA complaint #10573425 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

THE ENGINE LOST POWER MOMENTARILY GOING UP HILL ON A COUNTY HIGHWAY. THEN THE ENGINE STARTED IT'S SELF AND KEPT MOVING. ON A HUMID 80 DEGREE DAY.

NHTSA complaint #10572592 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

IGNITION SWITCH JAMS; AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON; CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING; AIRCONDITIONER STOPPED WORKING; TIRE LIGHT STAYS ON; ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON; AND NOW HEATER IS BARELY WORKING.

NHTSA complaint #10572604 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.