2006 Chevrolet Cobalt: won't start

Filed Mar 5, 2022 · Electrical, Engine · NC

The problem that sent it to a different mechanic than the chevy dealer where it came from after a month and 900.00 bill for 550.00 ecm and diagnostic test they did without my permission, there labor for the test and ecm was a total of 900.00. Plus claimed it was throwing a code for a peddle that it needed. We just put a brand new peddle and brand new throttle body on it, it was idled to high, so reason for them getting it was to get the old ecm and new throttle sinked up to reduce the idle , at the time of it leaving me it started and ran just idle to high. Throwing no codes. They got it, claim it wouldn't start so did a diagnostic claimed it needed a new peddle. I said I'm coming to get it, they didn't tell me at any time I couldn't drive it home. I left there lot and pulled about 150 feet off the side of road because it wouldn't shift. Called them , botched did no good. Called same tow truck to tow it home. Got here it was idled normal but was throwing a different codes, I turned the car off it wouldn't stop running for about 3 to 4 minutes, then it died. I had it towed to different mechanic for the ignition to be replaced. He said it was throwing a couple codes still ignition not fixed yet, and it ran for about 15 minutes after shutting off the key. At no time here or at the new place did it throw a code for a defective peddle. So now it's be gone for 2 months , new ecm , new throttle body ,new peddle, idle is fixed and car runs but won't shift. Codes its throwing is now are just needing coil on #4 checked and throttle position sensor adjusted. So far that's it. 2 months later. Still not ready for pick up.

Filed Dec 18, 2020 · Electrical, Engine · CO

Power steering warning came on while driving on the highway an the speedometer stop working now the car won't start I have checked fuses an relays unhooked battery to reset computer nothing works

Filed Jul 12, 2020 · Driver assistance, Electrical · 200,000 miles · OH

Yesterday was on way home from work and car just died on city street with no warning. I somehow managed to get the car to a parking lot and out of traffic. I tried to start the car and no the car wont start back up so I had to have the car towed home. Last week I lost power steering while driving on a rural road and then car started acting like it was going to die. I stopped and when I stopped the car jerked into a forward position. I shut the car off and restarted the car and the transmission was shifting really hard going from 1st to 2nd gear when getting ready to slow down it seemed like the car was a manual and I had it in 5th gear because it was seeming like it was going to stall out because the transmission was idling in the wrong gear as I was slowing down. Sometime the key will get stuck in the ignition and I have the steering column cover off so I can push the white button to release the key. When the keys are not in the ignition the speedometer and the RPM and everything electrical in the car jumps back and forth like the car was on.

Filed Jun 29, 2020 · Airbags, Electrical · 202,385 miles · FL

The car isn't drivable. Electric power steering out, electric plugs and wires, won't start at all. No clicks, nothing. If you turn the key nothing happens, but a light that is a car with a lock through it. This is my daughter's only transportation. I saw there was a recall on the power steering and electrical. Thank you kathy key

Filed Aug 16, 2019 · Brakes, Electrical · NM

"takata recall" the car cuts off as I'm driving, or slowing down, the ignition switch doesn't work too well, it also stalls, goes long periods of time where it won't start or even turn over. My power steering warning light comes nearly everytime I drive but all my fluids in the car are full, so it makes driving kinda scary. It just feels unsafe and I wasn't aware of these problems and situations when I had gotten the 2006 cobalt. Please help.

Filed Aug 14, 2018 · Fuel system · 270,000 miles · MO

Bought car in 2016 from silver eagle auto mall in missouri. Call randomly cuts out while driving on city streets in on highway and have to pull over. Have there very close to accidents on multiple occasions. Battery an alternator have been replaced it does not just dial industrial back up it starts right back up. Now as of august 1st 2018 I am currently smelling strong gas once I get out of car with children... Can smell a lot from driver side it may seem also this car has started smelling like gas outside of car car won't start sometimes I'm playing multiple turns with keys and is now cutting out even more while driving... Been having problems with car since I bought it far as random cutting out I don't know where the smell is coming from it is not from under hood....

Filed Mar 16, 2018 · Airbags, Electrical · MS

I had the ignition switch changed 3 years ago and it is now messed up. My car won't start and I need a new ignition switch

Filed Sep 18, 2016 · Driver assistance, Electrical · 119,870 miles · KY

Had ignition switch replaced for recall about a yr ago. While driving on interstate car showed power steering in info line. Then odometer , speed, info numbers all stopped working. Pulled in gas station, car won't start, key won't come out of ignition. After a few mins, car started back up and now anti-theft light is on. Managed to drive tha car 100 mi. Back home but noise like lawnmower coming from front and felt like transmission stuck or slipping. Was terrified that car was gonna blow up or just stop and get hit by semi. The car has also just stopped a couple of times after having the ignition switch replaced. I had no problems with this until it was replaced. I did have the fuel leak happen and the electrical lights stop working and dim or get brighter with braking. This car is so dangerous to the drivers as well as public, it should not be in the road and consumers should not have to spend money they can't afford to fix a manufacturers screw-up.

Filed Feb 7, 2016 · Electrical, Engine · 131,982 miles · KS

I had ignition switch recall work performed on my car. Following that, or perhaps due to increased mileage, I began having power problems with my cobalt. On 10/19/15 my car was parked, wouldn't start and check engine light was on. Then it started but didn't have enough power to move/run. I had to have it towed - mileage was 131,982 at the time. Battery was good. The shop said it had po300 codes - random misfires. They found cylinders 2 and 3 were not contributing power due to a bad ignition module. So the ignition module was replaced. I also had worn spark plugs replaced, as the shop recommended I do so. The car still had misfire codes and would hesitate when re-accelerating after stops, so I paid for a new fuel filter at the repair shop's recommendation. The hesitation continued but I couldn't afford further diagnostics/repairs. Within a couple of weeks of repair my car lost complete power while I was driving in traffic. Luckily, other drivers had time/space to react, but it could have caused a deadly accident. Due to finances, my brother checked the car for me and cleaned the throttle body - the only issue he could detect. It has run a bit better since then, but still exhibits hesitation after stops. I worry it may lose complete power again but I cant afford incurring further expense with trial and error repairs. Especially after reading online other cobalt owners are having the same experience, and have been unable to get resolution despite multiple expensive trips to mechanics. I feel chevrolet needs to investigate the electrical/power loss issues with cobalts and cover needed repairs under a recall so cobalt owners can drive with peace of mind. I'm submitting this complaint now because of a recent nbc news program where a young woman died when her cobalt lost power in traffic, and this also occurred following the ignition switch recall work being done.

Filed Aug 27, 2015 · 134,000 miles · NJ

While driving all of a sudden speedometer stopped working t/c light came on powersteering light came on. Car wouldn't go pass 35 and door locks kept on locking and unlocking while driving. Gm is saying there's no recalls for this problem. When parked car came out later car wouldn't start but then next day it started but same lights went on but then car never started again,even though we replaced battery.

Filed Dec 13, 2014 · Electrical · GA

Was out shopping came back to my car and it wouldn't crank and the anti-theft lock light was on. Had it towed to the dealership and I was told it was the ECM. Went to get an second opinion and I was told it was the fuse box, then days later I was told it was the bcm. Then hours later I was told it was the bcm and ECM. These cars are very faulty cars and have way too many issues. It jerks and crank when it want to. Then it started stalling a lot and then take off at a high speed out of nowhere. Im so tired of this vehicle and the chevrolet dealership and gm giving me the run around.

Filed Nov 6, 2014 · Airbags, Engine · 101,000 miles · MI · crash · 1 injury

I was driving the car at about 32 MPH when the engine shut down. I traveled across four lanes hitting the curb head on then hitting a concrete flower bed( approximate hit 12-14 inches), traveling over this again hitting a curb in a parking lot and then the car came to a rest. The airbags did not deploy and the car was not running. This is not the first time the car has stopped running like this. When I first purchased it in february 0f 2006 within the first week the ignition would not turn over requiring a trip to the dealership. The ignition has been replaced at least 5 times. About three months into owing it I was driving down the road and the engine was trying to restart it self. It then stopped and I ended up in a ditch. Again the airbags did not deploy. Finally, in 2012 a school bus backed into the front of the car with it running and the airbags did not deploy. The igniton was replaced on 6/04/2014 under the mandatory recall. Within 3 days the ignition once again would not turn on and then when it did the engine dragged as if the battery was bad. The battery is one year old. I have had this problem non-stop since the replacement part. I called graff chevrolet in mt. Pleasant and I got the standard response, "we can"t duplicate it". When I insisted the car needed to be looked at I was told, we have the right to refuse service and we can no longer service your car". I've called other dealerships only to be told the car needs to go back to where the recall part was replaced.