Letter from senator nelson on behalf of constituent concerning the chevy recall on cobalts for ignition key recalls; he handling for his daughter, the owner of the car; send respond directly to senator office, please ref: constituent. *smd the consumer stated while driving, he lost power momentary. There was no steering ability, and when he applied the brake, all the warning lights illuminated on the dashboard. The vehicle the continued as normal. However, the traction control light and the brake light remained on. The dealer informed the consumer, the brake warning light and ABS were not related to the recall, he then went to a local repair shop, where the found the ABS fuse was blown and a wire was traced to a short in the ignition switch. However, the parts were not available .
2006 Chevrolet Cobalt brakes complaints
Page 2 of 3: complaints 11 to 40 of 51, newest first, as owners wrote them.
On the first week of june 2014, my 2006 chevy cobalt went in for the safety recall 13454 (replacement of ignition switch). (this was the second recall this car has had.) on june 19th, 2014 with the new ignition switch installed by the local chevy dealership, while driving the car in town, at speeds of 20 and 30 MPH the car lost power to steering, brakes which made difficult even to stop and maneuver safely off the road. The car lost most of the engine performance but stayed running. The car was then turned off and restarted, with dash light warnings of engine light, tc light and a car security emblem light on. The car ran with very limited power and strange clicking noise which was coming from the shifter. I have cell phone video of the shifter nob clicking along with cell picture of the dash warning lights that are on. Car had to be "man handled" to get it to a safe destination. The battery was disconnected a then reconnected, with the thought of resetting computer. When battery was reconnected the car was 100% back to normal. For how long, is anyone guess, this strange occurrence has happened more than once. The car is scheduled to go to the chevy dealership for further diagnostics. They informed that it will be a week or so because their all booked up. What a pain in the (you fill the blank). If I had enough $$ to replace the car, I would have this car crushed so that I would no longer be responsible for any accidents it may cause.
2006 chevrolet cobalt. Consumer requests reimbursement for ignition key lock repairs. *smd the consumer stated the key became stuck in the ignition. The ignition cylinder was replaced. Also, she had ongoing problems with the brakes, which almost resulted in an accident. *jb updated 06/12/14 the consumer is seeking reimbursement. Updated 07/02/14
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet cobalt. The contact stated that while traveling various speeds, the vehicle failed to respond to deceleration attempts and the contact crashed into the preceding vehicle. Upon impact, the air bags failed to deploy. The driver was thrown forward and hit their face on the dashboard and sustained injuries to the face and back. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure. The failure and current mileage was 90,000.
A vehicle in front of my 2006 chevrolet cobalt quickly applied their brakes which caused my daughter to quickly apply hers thus causing her to hit the rear of the vehicle in front of her. The air bags immediatly deployed. My son, who was in the passenger seat, noticed within seconds of the crash that the engine was on fire. He had to quickly unhook both his and my daughters seat belt so they could evacuate the vehicle before the cabin caught fire. Once my daughter was able to relax and gather herself and tell me what she had remembered about the accident, she told me that it was very difficult to apply the brakes and it didn't seem like it was stopping as quickly as usual. I ask her if she thought that the car had stalled prior to the accident and she stated that she didn't know what it would feel like to have a car stall while she was driving. I am unsure as to, number one, why the engine caught fire immediatly after a 35mph impact and two, why was it very difficult for my daughter to push on the brake pedal to stop at a time when you need to trust your vehicle the most????
There is a bcm (body control module) problem in all cobalts which hasn't came to light yet it's very dangerous. It's all over the internet and there are videos on youtube, search for "cobalt electrical problems" "cobalt power steering warning" this problem will cause the car gauges to go crazy and it will say engine light, power steering, the transmission goes into safe mode and shifts very hard and then car wants to chug and stall while your driving forcing you to pull over if possible to avoid causing a major accident and then you have to turn the car off this just as dangerous or more dangerous then the ongoing ignition switch recall. While looking on the internet for answers to why this is happening I have found lot's and lot's of other people who are having the exact same problems I have a 2006 ss cobalt and this is what is happening to me. It has happened 5 times in the last 2 months, I have made arrangement with a gm dealer from where I have purchased the car to have the bcm (body control module) replaced at my expense and hopefully this will make my car safer. But I don't know if it will for sure. *I repeat this is not related to the on going ignition switch recall on the 2005-2010 chevrolet cobalt models, this is another safety issue that needs to be addressed and investigated right away. Please take action right away to avoid further loss of lives*
It was a single car crash which happened at night during a rain shower. Their were no witnesses, but the car crossed the opposite lane of traffic and ran into the back end of a lowboy trailer ( a trailer used to transport heavy equipment ) the two 19 year old girls in the car were killed. Nothing about this accident made sense until I heard about the ignition issue with the cobalt. Their are many reasons that the ignition could be the root of this accident, and if it can be determined that this is in fact true I would like to be part of the process that sees that those responsible for the decision to put profit over safety are punished.
On 9/13/2012 my niece was driving her 2006 chevy cobalt. It was a clear night with light traffic. All of a sudden her car veered to the right and crashed into a tree. She died of blunt force trauma to the head. There were no brake marks and the air bags did not deploy which you would have expected with such a violent collision.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevy cobalt. The contact became involved in a crash in which the air bags did not deploy. The details of the crash were limited however, the contact was traveling 20 MPH when the crash occurred. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed of the incident. The contact also stated that the brakes malfunctioned. Additionally, the ignition switch failed. The failure mileage was 110,000.
I purchased my 2006 cobalt in february of 2007 with mileage of +/- 30000, within the first 2 weeks I had to have the steering column and power steering assist replaced and had to pay for front end alignment caused by the steering a) steering wheel shaking when driving at highway speeds and very violently when breaking and b) the power steering going out. The car now has 107000 miles on it and have had trouble with this same shaking when driving and it being violent when breaking. The dealership states gm is aware but I still have had to redo my front brakes twice (which helps temporarily)..the last time being in june or august of 2013. The shop tells me the problem the first time was the front rotors were sticking and the ground them down smooth. Then the shaking started again. I had to take my car in to have the rotors ground down again and have a serpentine belt replaced. So here I am again 7 months later and will have to do this again because the shaking has started again and is becoming so bad it will have to go to the shop again at my cost for something they know about but will not fix. I have already received a recall letter regarding the ignition problem but am told that the parts are not available and will be informed when they are. This steering/braking problem is serious and I some times fear that either something will break inside the car or I will not be able to hold on to the steering wheel and will wreak. I am afraid to drive my car any distance or speed because I fear it will fail and I see that this has been an ongoing problem since 2007 and people have complained but have received no satisfaction.
Driving down the road and all items on gauge cluster die and come back on over and over again. Security light pops on ABS light comes on air bag light comes on. I lose power steering when this happens and sometime vehicle wont start and my security light pops on. Sometimes nothing in my gauge cluster wont work and all warning lights will appear when driving down the road or as soon as I start my vehicle.
1. Brakes wear uneven in the front. Rotors,pads,and calipers were replaced.difficulty with bleeding brakes.1 year later with 11,000 more miles on car the pad was worn and grinding rotor.replaced both front rotors,caliper again. 2 techs had an extremely hard time bleeding the brakes for the peddle to rise. Car stopped but peddle went to floor.they worked on bleeding the brakes for 2 hours.they repeated the procedure 6 times. Bleed every wheel and pumped brakes over and over again.could not get peddle up. This happened with the other brake job as well. Could not let my daughter drive the car. Took car home and the next day was on the way to another dealer when the brake peddle came up. 2. Daughter was in an accident before second brake job and hit a pick up truck in rear as stopping no one was injured and air bag did not deploy. 3. Have friend with 2005 cobalt where her brakes completely locked up. Had to get vehicle towed and brakes replaced.
On december 31, 2009, my 25 year old daughter was driving along an interstate in her chevy cobalt. She crashed into a tree along the side of the interstate. Her airbags did not deploy, and her seatbelt did not lock. She died on impact, according to the police on reviewing the scene of the accident, my son observed that the tracks left by the car before it crashed were in a straight line, suggesting that the brakes either had not been applied or had not worked. On doing research, he found information online suggesting that there had been other, similar crashes in cobalts and that the ignition switch was thought to be defective. We have already addressed this with gm and completed our action, and, at the time, I filed a consumer complaint to document the issue. I just read that this agency will be investigating the issue, and I wanted to make sure you were aware of my daughter's death in a cobalt in which the air bags did not deploy, the seatbelt did not lock, and that we strongly suspect, though gm never confirmed this, had a defective ignition switch.
Vehicle was exiting interstate 81, traveling approximately 55 MPH. Though braking, the car was not slowing properly and the steering was very hard, power seemingly lost. The car could not be steered around the left hand curve and hit a bridge abutment and spun around before coming to rest with the motor not running. This apparent mechanical failure was noted in the police report of the accident.
First got a very small crack in windshield and next day splintered all way across, still have not replaced first chevy I've owned that windows are crap. Speakers have not worked in front ever and only come on and work randomly now and than. Now brake fluid light constantly coming on even after a day I put fluid in. This is officially worst car I've owned out of all chevrolets had!!!! Basically all service to it costs as much as car!
The vehicle has a recurring problem with the parking brake. The rear brake calipers lock up causing the parking brake to malfunction. The vehicle rolls away if not left in gear. The vehicle has experienced this problem three times over the past 15,000 miles.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet cobalt. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, with the cruise control activated, the brakes seized when depressed and did not deactivate the cruise control function. The contact crashed into a median strip and upon impact, the air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained bruising, whiplash, and shoulder and neck injuries. The vehicle was neither repaired nor diagnosed. A police report was not filed. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure was approximately 29,000..
While driving to work, steering wheel had been shaking (55mph). Getting off the belt line, traffic came to a sudden stop. I brake, but the car continued to shake and didn't brake. Had to pull to the side to avoid hitting the car in front of me. Car would not accelerate when traffic started up, and I had to turn the ignition off and restart. Car shook badly for a few seconds, then seemed fine. A few days later, driving into my parking lot (10mph) the car's brakes locked up for no reason and I barely got it into a parking space. Took it in to the dealership the car was purchased at and was told the rotors, brakes, and calipers would need to be replaced. Had another mechanic look at it and had the brakes and rotors replaced. Car drove fine. Six weeks later, driving on the highway (60 MPH), slowed down to turn onto another road, and brakes were out. Had another mechanic look at the car, brakes and rotors are worn down again, as well as calipers and brake line. Road conditions were clear at the time of each incident.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet cobalt. The contact stated that when applying the brakes during rainy weather, the vehicle would be slow to respond. The dealer was contacted but denied any assistance with repairs to the failure. The manufacturer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and the current mileage was 52,000. ....updated 12/03/12 *bf the consumer stated the vehicle was designed without a dipstick for the automatic transmission, so there was no way for him to check the fluid. The consumer stated the transmission pan was flimsy and he was having problems with the transmission. Updated evoq 12/13/12
2006 cobalt ls. Brakes sometimes stick. Like driving with the brakes slightly applied.
Front end ball joints are faulty and cause the car to sound like the front end is going to fall off! I had to have them replaced. The rotors have been nothing but trouble as well...third set!! The mechanic said the ball joint would break and you could wreck as your driving! Have had this trouble since the day I bought the car..even had it at the dealership for front end problems the first three months that I had the car! The front end is not good on this car and can be very dangerous!
Brakes locking up on 2006 chevy cobalt. Vehicle is not equipped with anti lock brakes. Also a friend with 2005 cobalt brakes completely locked seized. Brakes burned up. Car towed, and had to replace brakes.
Experienced issues with stopping distance and steering in 2006 chevrolet cobalt lt. Had brakes, shocks, and struts replaced...continued to experience issue with stopping distance and steering...took in to dealer and was advised the control arms were "dry rotted'...it seems to me that this was the most likely contributing issue to the problem with brakes shocks and struts. In addition due to issue with the control rods the u-joint in the steering column has been bent causing problems with steering.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet cobalt. The contact stated that while traveling at 10 MPH, the rear spring on the driver side wheel that held the brake pads fractured and caused the wheel to lock. The vehicle was taken to a local repair facility where the mechanic advised that the manufacturer had changed the design of the part from a stem to a spring. The failure mileage was 25,600 and the current mileage was 26,000. Updated 10/13/10. *lj updated 10/19/10
I have a 2006 chevy cobalt ls. It has been giving me several problems. I have been fixing one thing after another on my car. My car only have 46,000 miles. That is good for it being a 2006. I have problems with my brakes. I have replaced the master cylinder and now I have to replace the brake booster. But the worst problem that I am having now is the power steering. When im driving out of nowhere the dash light up saying power steering. When this happens it is extremely hard to turn. Especially if you are going at a slow speed. I have even been in an accident because of this. The only way to get my power steering to work normally is to turn the car off and turn it back on. At first it would work fine for awhile. But now it happens right when I start to drive. The dealership said it could cost over $1500 to fix the problem. I can barely afford to fix these other problems that I am having. I cant afford to pay $1500 to fix this problem. I was online looking to see if I can find a cheaper price. This is when I saw that there are hundreds of other people that have and still have the same problem that I am having. This is how I know that it is not something that I have done. With so many people having this problem, they need to fix it.
Front brake rotors warped twice had to get brakes and steering wheel has a shimmy in the front due to warped rotors and rear are noisy and wear down same as front had to get brakes done again and rotors will need to be replaced next brake job or when rotors warp again notice able and I don't want to put new struts because of front end constantly shaking when rotors warp.
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet cobalt. The contact stated that the vehicle had issues with the engine surging. She took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that there was a dirty injector, in which they replaced. In january of 2007, the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they reprogrammed the computer for the surging issue. In march of 2008, the vehicle was returned to the dealer for a recall on the injectors. In addition to the surging, the vehicle would also shake violently when coming to a stop. The brakes and steering would not function correctly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer in october of 2008 and the powertrain control module was replaced. In november of 2008, the contact took the vehicle to the dealer again in regards to the violent shaking. The dealer could not duplicate the failure and advised the contact to call a tow truck in the event of a crash because they could not assist. In november of 2008, the vehicle began shaking violently and crashed into the preceding vehicle. There were no injuries. The vehicle was taken to another dealer, but they could not duplicate the failure as well. A complaint was filed with the manufacturer and the contact is awaiting their response. She was advised to not operate the vehicle. The speed was unknown. The current mileage was approximately 17,250 and failure mileage was approximately 3,040.
Tl*the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet cobalt. While driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle began sliding when the brake pedal was depressed. The vehicle landed in a ditch. The contact placed the vehicle in reverse and was able to drive out of the ditch. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for leaking fluids. The vehicle has gone off the road on three occasions while depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to the dealer three times for the brakes and they found no failures. The powertrain and failure mileage were unknown. The current mileage was 34,120.
Driving south on the right lane of I-270, about 3/4 mile south of intersection with md 85 with speed of 6-65mph. Pavement was wet. When noticed that cars ahead oh me in the distance of 100 yards were slowing down, I stepped moderately on the brakes. The brakes and steering instantly locked up and car was violently pooling to the left and hit the concrete guardrail in the median, after passing through the left lane. With a heavy morning traffic I was lucky not to colide with any other vehicle and to come out of this accident with the few minor muscle aches.
2006 cobalt had vibrations at highway speeds. Customer states if they stop and turn the vehicle off and on it will temporarily correct the vibration problem. *kb the consumer stated since purchasing the vehicle, the vehicle has had an extreme vibration at high speed. The consumer stated the vehicle has become so dangerous and hard to drive that at times he would have to pull over to the shoulder. The consumer stated after several attempts to assess the problem balancing the tires and replacing 2 of the 4 tires, he was informed by dealer the rotors were out of round and left tire was worn. The consumer stated due to the fact the 2 chevrolet dealers were given ample time to assess the problem, he feels this should fall under the lemon law of a refund or a replacement car. New tires were placed on the vehicle and balanced.
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