2007 Chevrolet Cobalt: headlights failing or too dim

Filed Nov 15, 2019 · Electrical, Lights · 50,000 miles · MD

The automatic headlights on the car do shut off intermittently. They also turn on by themselves sometimes when the car is parked and off. We have been stranded with a dead battery when this happens. This seems to be a common problem with the 2007 and newer cobalts. Typically cars had a physical relay to control the headlights. In these cars the relay circuit is built in the underside of the engine compartment fuse box. The box is not seal properly and moisture gets into the box, causing a failure on the circuit board. This car first started doing this back in 2009 when my daughter had it. I recently took the car back and it was still behaving in this manner. The work around that seemed to work for a long time was to manually turn the auto lights off using the multifunction lever on the steering wheel. Today, the lights started coming on by themselves when the car was parked. Also, turning the auto lights off manually has stopped being effective. We are now fearful, will the lights shut off while we are driving, and off course will we be stranded with a dead battery when parking the car. The solution seems to be to replace the fuse box in the engine compartment a $200 part plus a few labor hours. Then you have to rig up a solution to make the defective box seal, such as adding weatherstripping. I feel this should be a safety recall for gm to fix at no cost to customer. [xxx] *pm information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Filed Jan 17, 2018 · Electrical · 109,000 miles · MI

Headlight issue headlights randomly stop working, issue effects high and low beam, left and right intermittent failures. Doesn't seem to be any relationship to movement or bumps in roadway. Pigtail appears to have been hot and shows signs of being overheated.

Filed Apr 28, 2016 · Fuel system, Lights · 135,000 miles · TX

First I experienced fule excel ration. Called manufacture told me I was experiencing a known problem but my VIN was not on the recall list. Took it in for ignition recall shortly after my head lights dim or one goes out then it comes back on then the other one will go out or dim took it to machanic they fixed it but it is now doing the same thing then the power steering sundenly went out almost had a collison light never came on. Restarted the car everything worked then power steering light came on took it to machcanic turned the car off to have him check it he pulled it in to the shop and light was not on. So he told me I had to bring it back when light came on in order to run a test. Light never came back on then 5 days ago lost power steering again almost had an accident. If I am at a complete stop in traffic or at a red light the car will excilerate with out me touching the gas when I break to keep from hitting the vehicle in front of me the rear end will fish tail. I am 60 years old this car has almost caused me to have several accidents. It is unsafe the manufacturer admitted when I took it in for the ignition switch that there were issues with the promlems I have been experiencing but my VIN was only on the ignition recall. They told me the dealer would fix them at my expence. I get 950. Dollars a. Month and have cancer. I have no means to pay for the defects in 2012 my daughter bought me the car and paid 10,000.00 for it. I have no other means of transportation to my doctors ect. Please help me. While driving at night my head light will dim or one will completely go out. Causing me to almost miss the exit and run off an embankment.

Filed Dec 20, 2015 · Electrical, Steering · 89,000 miles · KY

The driver side headlight stays dim. Check engine light keeps coming on with something different. Had two fuel pumps installed. The car last night had power but would not turn over or attempt to start. When driving at highway speeds the steering is loose, at low speeds power steering sometimes works. Loud popping in slow sharp turns. Just had it checked and new tires said suspension was great.

Filed Mar 13, 2015 · Driver assistance, Lights · GA

I few years back, my car headlights started to stay on even after cutting the car off. I started taking the fuses out in order for my lights to cut off. This problem still exists, the lights may work correctly and cut off automatically for about 3 months, but in still have to resort to taking my fuses in and out for my lights to work. I had problems with the ignition about 3 years ago, but they had a recall for that. After they fixed my ignition, about a couple months later I started having problems with my car starting to hesitate and cut off. Check engine light has been coming on, now there are problems with the transmission.

Filed Mar 11, 2015 · Brakes, Electrical · NC

My head lights will not go off unless I unplug my battery, and my signal light won't go off the chavy dealer claims not to know what's going on with it unless I pay them $200 ,first. Its been about 30 days now that this has been going on.

Filed Nov 26, 2014 · Electrical · TX

Gauges going haywire message flash of low fuel and power steering clicking in the gear shift head light flashing snatching while shifting gears up or down with accelerated or decreased speed. At a turn to pull off the road power steering is lost and hard to turn. When I shut the car off and started it again every thing cleared until I reached 5 miles from start over point. Every time I start the car everything is fine until I drive it a little. I had this same problem 2 year ago and had it repaired @ jupiter chevrolet. They said it was TCM, ECM module. I have it now @ reliable chevrolet waiting for diagnostics.

Filed Oct 24, 2014 · Electrical, Engine · 80,000 miles · VA

First the battery died in the car. After that the car fell apart. The keys became lodged in the ignition and would not come out. The stereo lost all and complete power. Fuses were checked for the radio none were blown. As a result of the keys being stuck in the ignition, it drained power from the battery and I had to turn the interior overhead light to on and the car would then regain power and start. All except the radio. The recall for the ignition cylinder was announced and I had the car serviced at a gm dealer. After the repair of the ignition cylinder the keys still were lodged in the ignition switch. I was told the switch lever needed to be replaced. How could a dead battery cause all of this at once. The radio and electrical issues happened directly after the battery died and never returned back to normal even after purchasing a brand new battery.

Filed May 5, 2014 · Lights · 77,000 miles · OK

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 chevrolet cobalt. The contact stated that after deactivating the high beams, the headlights failed. The contact mentioned that the high beams still functioned. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the body computer needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 77,000 and the current mileage was 78,530. Updated 06/27/14

Filed Feb 13, 2014 · Lights · WI

Headlights periodically remain on, regardless of whether I try to manually turn them on or off. In addition, sometimes when I use the high beams and try to turn them off, the low beams will not come back on. After turning the car on and off, tapping on the fuse box, switching in and out of gears and turning the lights on and off repetitively, everything generally will start working properly again after 15 or 20 minutes. This has caused my battery to die several times and I can no longer walk away from my car without confirming the lights have turned off. Mechanics thought the problem was in the ignition switch, but replacement did not fix the problem. Several weeks ago I noted that the same make and model car had the same issue outside of my workplace.

Filed Mar 9, 2013 · Electrical · 60,000 miles · OH

The warning chimes for seatbelt ,low fuel, headlights, key in ignition,turn signals,ect.. Do not work.

Filed Jan 16, 2013 · Electrical, Lights · TX

Headlights will not turn off. I have to unplug fuses to prevent battery from draining. I was told by dealer that this was a failure of the body control modular. Upon further research, there are many other people with this issue and it is apparently a design flaw. Water is able to get under the cover and flood the bcm, causing it to fail. Will cost over $500 to repair. I am a broke college student.