2008 Chevrolet Cobalt: fire, smoke or burning smell

Filed Sep 9, 2024 · Fuel system · IN

The gas lines rusted out and the fuel pump is pooring gas out of it. I just bought the car 2 weeks ago smelled gas hit u set the car it was pouring out. I was going to fix it my self then while looking up the parts I ran across the fact they recalled both parts but not for my vin . What can I do. I'm gonna catch on fire

Filed Nov 4, 2021 · Fuel system · IL

The fuel line rusted through and were leaking gas right next to the exhaust pipe! This should not happen!!! I’ve never had to replace fuel lines due to rust on any vehicle I’ve ever owned!!! Inferior metal and or poor design had to contribute to this! Thank God the car didn’t start on fire or blow up. My friend has a 2009 Cobalt and had the same problem!!! It cost me $1478.79 to repair this defect!! No warning other than the terrible gasoline odor!!! Please do something about this before someone is killed!!!

Filed Feb 10, 2019 · Fuel system · 84,000 miles · WV

I have a 2008 chevrolet cobalt I purchased from a dealership 11 months ago. 3 days ago I get in my car, start it up and all of a sudden I got a strong smell of gasoline. I got out, looked under my car and gas is pouring out from underneath my car. I've read very many complaints just like mine on 2005-2009 chevrolet cobalt's. If all these cobalt's have the same safety issues there needs to be a recall before someone's car goes up in flames and kills one or more people. My car was parked in my driveway, as soon as I turned the key I could smell gas.

Filed Mar 21, 2017 · Airbags, Brakes · MI · crash · fire · 1 injury

Tl* the contact owned a 2008 chevrolet cobalt. The contact stated that while her son was driving and his cousin in the passenger side seat at 78 MPH, the brakes failed to respond when the brake pedal was depressed. The contact stated that while her son was driving the vehicle caught on fire, lost control of the vehicle, hit a fire hydrant and crashed into a tree. The air bags did not deploy. It was unknown the origin of the fire. The driver was injured which resulted with laceration on the anterior right side, there were bilateral wrist fracture, fracture to the right femur and left knee. There was an aortic laceration and multiple bilateral lung lacerations and cardiac contusions, autopsy also reveled first to forth degree firms burns with charring on approximately 70% of the body surface area, there were thermal fractures to the skull and both the hands. The driver was reported dead at the scene and the front passenger sustained a head injury that required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. A police report was filed. The fire department extinguished the fire. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Sep 7, 2016 · Engine, Fuel system · 119,000 miles · IN · fire

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet cobalt. While driving 30 MPH, the contact was informed that the vehicle was on fire. The contact stated that the fire was confined to the engine compartment. The contact noticed an abnormal fuel odor in the vehicle. The fire department extinguished the fire. A fire report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and then to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 12v459000 (fuel system, gasoline). The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 119,000.

Filed Sep 10, 2015 · Lights · 158,783 miles · LA · fire

Tl* the contact owned a 2008 chevrolet cobalt. While driving approximately 10 MPH, there was a burning odor coming from the headlights. The contact discovered that the vehicle caught fire. A police report was filed. The fire department extinguished the fire. There were no injuries. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 158,783.

Filed Sep 7, 2015 · Electrical · 116,500 miles · GA

Multiple times (not only today) my vehicle did not let me open the doors, the passenger door handle had too much give and did not allow my passenger to open their (passenger) door. I had to walk around the car and try to open it from the outside, which did not work, either. After a few minutes of trying I banged my fist next to the lock, which allowed the car to open. This has also happened to me on the driver's side door. Luckily, there was not an emergency, but if there were, if we were in an accident or the car was on fire, we might have been trapped in the vehicle. Another issue the car is having is stereo problems and speaker malfunction. My front speakers do not work at all and the front left (driver speaker) is the one warning chimes come out of, including the blinker. I have researched this problem and it is a very common malfunction. It is not dangerous per se, but a blinker left on unknowingly could easily result in an accident. I have researched both of the issues online, especially the latter is very common for cobalt owners. I have contacted gm, and was told I need to get the vehicle diagnosed for my own money, even though it clearly is a malfunction by the parts/flaw in design to get gm customers to pay premiums for fixing parts that should not go wrong.

Filed Sep 2, 2014 · Fuel system · AL · fire

I bought the vehicle new. I was driving the vehicle and it cut off. I heard a pop. Vehicle would not crank back up. I parked, locked vehicle and had to walk to get help. By the time I returned, the vehicle was gone. The vehicle had caught fire after I left to get help and the police called the fire departement and had fire put out and vehicle towed.

Filed Apr 4, 2014 · Electrical, Lights · 95,487 miles · MA

Was driving over to a friends house got pulled over for a front headlight being out. Found out its the same headlight I replaced 3 months ago and this is the same issue that I have with this cars lights every 3 to 4 months. Its either the front headlight bulbs need to be replace or rear light bulbs need to be replace and I can not plug in a car charge for my phone cause of a burning smell that comes from somewhere within the car. I had this investigated by three people who service cars and they can not find the problem they tell me to bring it to the dealer.

Filed Mar 31, 2014 · Electrical, Steering · AL · fire · 1 injury

I previously contacted gm befcause of a power steering issue weeks before my accident.I was crossing the railroad track when I lost all power to my car and it caught on fire.

Filed Apr 14, 2011 · Engine · 28,000 miles · NJ

Since beginning of 2011 the steering wheel starts shaking and vibrating when I start the car. In march 2011 I went to pepboys and they said it might be a problem with the motor. Beginning of april I started the car and a lot of white thick smoke came out of the exhaust emission so I drove back to pepboys. They figured it might be a problem with the gasket or even gasket head which was the following week confirmed by the gm dealer. The is only 3 years old and has only 28000 miles!

Filed Feb 19, 2010 · Engine · 6,000 miles · MS · fire

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet cobalt. While the contact was driving 30 MPH she heard a popping sound followed by white smoke coming from the engine. The vehicle was taken to the dealership where the contact was informed that the engine exploded and needed to be replaced. There were no prior warnings. The current and failure mileages were 6000.