157 of the
10,115 complaints filed about the Chevrolet Cobalt
are about the throttle and cruise control —
2% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2006.
157
Complaints
2%
Share of all complaints
19
Crashes
1
Fires
Acceleration & Cruise Control complaints by model year
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the contact struck a deer. The air bags did not deploy. Additionally, while driving at slow speeds, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact restarted the vehicle. There was an abnormal sulfur and fuel odor detected. The air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the MAP sensor needed to be reset. The mechanic reset the air bag light. The mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the air bag failure. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 33,000.
NHTSA complaint #11628768 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The tcm in my 5 cobalt is not working properly I've tested and replaced everything els and had the tcm reprogrammed still getting problems aiming back to the tcm it wasn't looked at by a business
NHTSA complaint #11553855 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My husband was driving and the car suddenly stopped taking gas and said reduced engine power. He got it back home as it was only a few miles but top speed was less than 10 mph. It never did run right anymore and then completely stopped a few days later. Also the key gets stuck in the car if the battery goes dead. I had to leave the key in with the window down because I was scared of getting locked out. When my husband was able to come and charge the battery some it released the key. It never had any issues like these until they suddenly started. These issues showed up in summer 2021. Codes mentioned general electrical failure, throttle control issues with pedal and tac module. High and low voltage to tac module.
NHTSA complaint #11458464 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT POINT FAILED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHIFT GEARS INCORRECTLY AND CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO JERK AND STALL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO BE DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT EXTRA EFFORT WAS NEEDED TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO OPERATE AS DESIGNED WHILE DRIVING, PROVIDING SPEED READINGS OF 40 MPH, 20 MPH, 50 MPH INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE HOWEVER, THE REPAIR FAILED TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TAKEN TO SEVERAL DEALERS AND INDEPENDENT MECHANIC HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
NHTSA complaint #11396948 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DRIVING UP HILL ON FREEWAY. GAS PETAL STUCK TO FLOOR INCREASING SPEED. COULD ONLY STOP BY PRESSING HARD( BRAKE PETAL ALMOST ALL THE WAY DOWN). TRIED TO DUPLICATE SCENARIO AGAIN BUT COULDN'T. TEMPERATURE WAS COLD <30F OUTSIDE.
NHTSA complaint #11365852 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. JEFF DRENNEN CADILLAC CHEVROLET BUICK GMC (3625 MAPLE AVE, ZANESVILLE, OH 43701, (740) 452-3611) WAS CONTACT AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.
NHTSA complaint #11331094 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I BOUGHT A USED 2009 CHEVY COBALT 2 YEARS AGO IN 2017 WITH 119K MILES. IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A HEADACHE WITH THINGS GOING WRONG! THE BIGGEST ISSUE IS THE CODE P2135 THAT SENDS THE CAR INTO REDUCED ENGINE POWER AND THE ENGINE SHAKES VIOLENTLY. THIS IS VERY SCARY ESPECIALLYWITH 3 YOUNG BOYS IN THE CAR WITH ME. I HAVE REPLACED THE ENTIRE THROTTLE BODY, ECM, ACCELERATOR PEDAL ASSEMBLY WITH NEW SENSOR, CRANKSHAFT POSITIONING SENSOR, CAMSHAFT SENSORS, SPARK PLUGS AND SPARK PLUG WIRES. AFTER ALL THESE THINGS I AM OUT OF IDEAS ONWHY THIS KEEPS HAPPENING IN BUT ALL THOSE NEW PARTS HAVE NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM THAT KEEPS OCCURRING. PLEASE TELL ME THERE IS A RECALL OR YOU CAN AT LEAST TELL ME WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. I HAVE READ MANY FORUMS ABOUT PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #11316325 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CAR WAS STATIONARY THEN GOT IN AND CAR WOULDN'T START AND KEY WOULDN'T GO TO OFF POSITION ONCE KEY WAS INSERTED. AFTER JUMP START ALL INFORMATION MILES ETC WAS CLEARED. WHEN DRIVING SEEMS LIKE IT WON'T GO INTO NEXT GEAR. SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING AND GOING SLOW EVEN 20 MPH RAMPS UP TO 4-4.5 RPM. POWER STEERING WARNING AND , AIRBAG WARNING STAYS ON IN ADDITION TO ENGINE LIGHT. TIRE PRESSURE INFORMATION STARTED WORKING ON 3 OF 4 WHEN STOPPED WORKING A YEAR AGO.
NHTSA complaint #11228354 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS THE ACCELERATOR STICKS AND THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN GET IT TO STOP IS TO TAP THE GAS PEDAL. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET IT TO DO THIS MULTIPLE TIMES.
NHTSA complaint #11157106 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN DRIVING AT A CONSTANT RATE, WITH CONSTANT ACCELERATOR PRESSURE, BETWEEN APPROXIMATELY 25 TO 50 MPH, THE RPMS JUMP/FLUCTUATE CAUSING THE CAR TO LURCH AND HESITATE. THIS CAN BE A SAFETY HAZARD, PARTICULARLY IN ICY CONDITIONS. THE ONLY WAY TO AVOID THE HESITATION IS TO ACTIVELY ACCELERATE OR DECELERATE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS OWNERS THAT HAVE POSTED AN IDENTICAL ISSUE ON MESSAGE BOARDS AND HAVE STATED THAT THEIR VEHICLES HAD SIMILAR ISSUES THAT WERE REMEDIED BY SIMILAR REPAIR PROCESSES AND THAT CHEVROLET HAS ALTERED THE PROCESS USED TO MAKE REPLACEMENT PARTS AS THE INITIAL PARTS WERE DEFECTIVE. IN ADDITION TO BEING A SAFETY HAZARD, IT IS ALSO AN EXCESSIVE AND COSTLY BURDEN ON VEHICLE OWNERS. MY VEHICLE HAS ONLY 40,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN DOING THIS SINCE UNDER 35,000 MILES. IT CANNOT BE DOCUMENTED WITHOUT A VIDEO. THE RPMS JUMPING IS A CONSTANT AND UNRELENTING ISSUE WHEN DRIVING AT A CONSTANT RATE OF SPEED BETWEEN APPROXIMATELY 25-50 MPH.
NHTSA complaint #11154053 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN ACCELERATING HARD TO GET ON THE HIGHWAY FROM EXIT OR GOING UP A HILL THE ACCELERATOR GETS SUCK. THE CAR WILL NOT SLOW DOWN WITH OUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE AS HARD AS POSSIBLE. WE JUST PRAY WE CAN GET OVER TO BREAK DOWN LANE WITHOUT HITTING ANYONE. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP CAR IS TO PUT IN NEUTRAL, KEEPING YOUR FOOT ON BRAKE AND PULLING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. ONCE THE CARE IS IN PARK YOU MUST SHUT OFF CAR AND RESTART. IT YOU PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE WITHOUT SHUTTING CAR OFF IT WILLL START RUNNING BY ITSELF AGAIN GOING 65MP IN THE BREAK DOWN LANE. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED IT WAS IN 2009 WITH ONLY 700 MILES ON THE CAR. THE SECOND TIME WAS IN 2014 AND AGAIN SEPTEMBER 2018. TOOK CAR BACK TO DEALERSHIP AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, THEREFORE IT DIDN'T HAPPENED. TOLD ME IT WAS A FREAK OCCURRENCE.PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. THE CAR IS A 2009 MODEL WITH ONLY 23,000 MILES ON IT BECAUSE, I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. MY HUSBAND DROVE MY CAR THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO. HE WAS ON THE MASS PIKE AND ALMOST HAD A HEART ATTACK BEFORE I COULD GET THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL. WE CALLED GM HEADQUARTERS BECAUSE WE GOT NO WHERE WITH OUR DEALERSHIP IN THE PAST. WOULD NOT TAKE CARE OF PROBLEM UNLESS WE PAID FOR THE ALL TESTS FIRST WHICH WE DID TWICE BEFORE. ALL THREE INCIDENTS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY WITH HEAVY TRAFFIC AND A HIGHER POWER WAS WATCHING OVER US. WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED ALONG WITH OTHER PEOPLE. TRAVELING 65MP IN THE BREAK DOWN LANE IS NO JOKE. THE CAR HAS ALSO HAD 2 RECALLS ON IT THAT WERE FIXED.
NHTSA complaint #11139468 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY TRACTION CONTROL CAME ON. I LOST STEERING CONTROL AND MY CAR STARTED SHIFTING ROUGH AND EVENTUALLY MY POWER DEMINISHED. NOW COMES ON PERIODICALLY FOR A COUPLE DAYS THEN WILL GO OFF AND DRIVE FINE. ALSO MY AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON FOR PASSENGER AND SHOWS IT TO BE OFF. HAS DONE THIS SINCE I BOUGHT IT.
NHTSA complaint #11100377 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE WITH TCM/ECM/PCM. THIS PROBLEM HAS CAUSED SEVERAL OCCURANCES WHERE DRIVING THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN HAZARDOUS. BECAUSE OF EITHER THE WIRING OR THE TCM ITSELF, I, THE CONSUMER, HAVE NEARLY BEEN IN 2 ACCIDENTS. AT FIRST I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE POWER STEERING ASSIST MODULE. REPLACED THAT AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED. WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURS, THE GAUGES JUMP UP AND DOWN AND COMPLETELY STOP WORKING (SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER), TRANSMISSION SHIFTS EXTREMELY HARD WHEN ACCELERATING, POWER STEERING ILLUMINATES IN THE DATA INFORMATION BOX WHICH IN TURN CAUSES LOSS OF POWER STEERING (REPLACED POWER STEERING ASSIST MOTOR, ISSUE STILL HAPPENS, 1 OCCURANCE OF LOOSING POWER STEERING AND BEING ABLE TO STOP BEFORE GOING OFF THE SIDE A MOUNTAIN WHEN TRYING TO MANEUVER A RIGHT HAND TURN), CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES, WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO REVERSE, REVERSE TO NEUTRAL, NEUTRAL TO DRIVE, THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGES VERY HARD AND RESULTS IN AN AUDIBLE "CLUNK". 1 OCCURANCE OF VEHICLE SWITCHING GEARS INTO NEUTRAL FROM DRIVE, WHILE DRIVING (SHIFT LEVER STILL IN DRIVE POSITION),PASSLOCK LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATES IN DASH. VEHICLE CONSISTENLY ACTS AS IT IS GOING TO STALL (HEADLIGHTS AND DASH LIGHTS DIM). CHECKED ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY, BOTH IN OPTIMAL WORKING CONDITION. PRESENTING DIAGNOSTIC CODE INCLUDE P0700 AND U0100. VEHICLE MAINTANENCE HAS BEEN PERFORMED AT 3,000 MILE INTERVALS BUT HAS BEEN PULLED OFF THE ROAD DUE TO THE 2 OCCURANCES OF NEAR ACCIDENTS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING ISSUES FOR SEVERAL MONTHS PRIOR TO REMOVING IT FROM OPPERATION. I KNOW FOR A FACT, THIS COBALT IS NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING THIS ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #11093283 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO MOVE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,386.
NHTSA complaint #11092279 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.