Chevrolet Cobalt Electrical Problems

Kirstie_H · August 2014

A reporter would like to speak to an owner of a GM car who has had a recent experience with a dealer service department during recalls. If you own a GM car, even one that was not included in the recent recalls, and you've been able to make a service appoint with no problem, or if the recalls have complicated your ability to make a service appointment, please send your daytime contact info to pr@edmunds.com no later than Wednesday, Aug 6, 2014 at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET.

iamnowfnd · August 2014

While I'm sorry that so many people have had problems with your Chevy Cobalt's, I am relieved to see that I'm not the only one that is having issues with this model. I drive a 2009 Cobalt with 96K on it and after reading all of the issues that people have had with this car over the years I feel lucky that I've gotten 96K out of this car without more problems.

The main issue that I have with this Cobalt is on occasion it stalls at stop lights and stop signs. It doesn't happen all of the time but it happens enough of time to make me think that maybe one time it will happen and I won't be able to re-start the car, or maybe the engine will stall while the car is moving and I won't have any power. Within the last 3K miles I changed the spark plugs myself and cleaned the air intake with aerosol cleaner and q-tips, being very careful that I didn't touch the metal flap that controls the air intake. I had my wife push down the gas pedal so the air intake flap would open up and I was able to clean it very good. That remedied the problem for the past couple of months.

The car is having the start and stop problem intermittently. There are no other problems associated with the car as other people describe, such as the radio, door locks or AC.

I read in another forum that an owner had the exact same problem that I'm describing and the dealer said that it was ECM, and that even though the car was out of warranty Chevy was required under federal law to replace the part at no charge to the owner. I'm wondering if anybody else has heard of this or had their Cobalt's ECM replaced under this program?

Kirstie_H · November 2014

A reporter is looking for owners of Cobalts, G5s and Ions who have not yet gotten their ignition-switches replaced. Please email PR@edmunds.com before 11/21/14 to share your story.

denisemsiva · March 2015

So my Chevy's engine decided to shut off while i was driving home today from the store with my 6 month old daughter. Never been so scared in my life.! Lost all traction while going down the hill near the bogs and swerved into the oncoming lane while there was a Ford truck headed right towards me. Thank goodness he had turned in time. Then i had to let all the cars behind me go around because my car was just sitting in the middle of Old Barnstable. When i finally got my car to turn back on the engine was super loud and was shaking the whole front end of my car. I turned it off and then restarted it. Blinkers wont ding when i turn them on but the arrows still flash, hazard lights wont stay on unless i literally hold the button down while driving, engine check light is on, and front dash says ENGINE POWER REDUCED. Does anybody on here know anything about cars? I went to Auto Zone and they told me that i need to replace my throttle position sensor. What does this mean? Troubleshooting P2135 Definition: Throttle position sensor (TPS) 1-2 correlation Explanation: The ECM has detected that TPS 1 and TPS 2 disagree more than 4.5 percent for less than 1 second Probable cause: Poor electrical connection or Failed TPS. My friends husband said it could also be the alternator though. Somebody please help me! I need to get the right thing fixed the fist time and done as soon as possible. I'm still currently on maternity leave and don't have much money to spend. And now I'm terrified to drive anywhere with my baby.

briannap · April 2015

I have a 2010 cobalt and I absolutely hate it! After all the recalls have been "fixed" I'm still having problems. About a week ago my car wouldn't start and we figured out that the transmission fuse had blown. Once we replaced it worked for a little bit until we had to replace it again. Until today we went to the grocery store came back out and it started fine. Stopped at the gas station and started fine. As we were leaving the gas station it died and we replaced the fuse but as soon as I turned the key the fuse blew. Now it won't start and keeps blowing every fuse we put in. This is our only vehicle and now it won't start. Someone please help!

olivebranchgal · May 2015

I am at my wits end. My 2008 Cobalt has become dangerous to drive. I will be driving down the road and all of a sudden my gauges start flicking, my display flashes "power steering" "low fuel" "traction" randomly. The steering wheel jerks. I can barely keep it on the road. I cant tell how fast Im going or how much fuel I have. I've read lots of reports online that people have similar problems, but no solutions. My car guy cant figure it out, and the Chevy place wants $500 to look at it. This is my first, and definately my last Chevy. Help!

cheyennebure · June 2015

I have had all these electrical problems for the past 3 years in my 2009 cobalt. I initially took it to the dealer while it was still under warranty but they couldn't find anything. My power steering goes out, the gauges start freaking out, the steep goes up and down, the ac goes out, the engine and my security light goes off (and I don't have a security system in my car)Now that it is no longer under warranty I have been paying out of pocket trying to figure out what is wrong. The dealerships have not been any help. I have gotten all of the recalls done (the ignition switch twice!) and have always gotten regular oil changes and maintenance. They just tell me that I have to pay for a diagnostic again which is $100 an hour! I wrecked my car 6 months ago very bad. The only reason is was not totaled out was because the airbags did not go off but once my mechanic (not a Chevy dealer mechanic) looked at it he showed me the airbag sensor and it was completely moved and demolished! I even took pictures of it and everyone I have talked to has said the airbags DONT EVEN WORK! I told this to the dealer and he said that my mechanic is lying but obviously he and all the others I have talked to are not lying. This cobalt is incredibly dangerous and I would not recommend anyone buy one! After all of the problems and rude and expensive dealers I've delt with I will never buy another Chevy again. I don't even want to trade it in because I would be afraid that someone else would get injured from this dangerous vehicle.

amberclare · November 2017

armywifey12 said:

Hi, I had purchased my 2005 cobalt used in November of 2007. Seven months later it began!!! Nothing that wasn't a big deal, at first. My air conditioner was leaking on the passenger side and soaked my carpet almost to the backseat and my power locks would go up and down, up and down. I took it to the Chevy dealer because it was still under warranty and they fixed those problems, temporarily. Last year, I had to replace my battery 3 times and every other month I have to change my driver side turn signal bulb.When I have my air on, its barely cold and my vents sweat and there is some dripping onto the passenger side every once in a while. Now, here I am in the middle of almost being done paying it off, and I am afraid I am going to be car-less. I hit a hole in the rode and my tire fell off, it freaking just fell off! Got it fixed and insurance covered the majority of it. Now, it shakes, my whole car just shakes. There is a lot of rattling and banging around. I can barely hold my steering while driving, it sounds like and feels like the tires are going to fall off. It also seems like it is having problems with RPMs and it not getting the "up and go" when I try to accelerate. My car now also almost stalls every time I stop or go to slow down and the headlights will dim like its just going to die. When I made a trip New Jersey to Georgia, I was in sit and go traffic for like 20 minutes and it was doing the whole going to stall thing and it started bouncing, like someone was jumping on the back end of it. Not to mention my locks having a mind of their own again and jumping up and down. I recently had to take the fuse out for my horn because every time I opened my door to get in it, my alarm would go off. So now when I open my door my lights just blink. I had two different remotes and they both stopped working. My power lock buttons also don't work, the ones on the inside, both sides . Lets see also recently I couldn't get my trunk to pop open and had to replace the fuse as well as my radio fuse because that went out also. My car warnings will randomly come on all the time saying stuff like "POWER STEERING" "ENGINE" and "BATTERY POWER (something)" . I have had my alternator checked, tires balanced, I change my oil on time, I have bought so many tires,I think 2 of my rims are messed up, random dinging noise( the sound it makes when you run low on gas)even when I had gas and no messages showed up on the dash. I also had condensation in my front drivers headlight but I was following my friend going 10 miles an hour approaching a stop sign and i bumped into her bumper and my headlight plastic cover busted. I was thinking maybe my car was in an accident or a flood before or I just have bad luck. I have a 2 year old and my husband is deployed and I now can't drive my car. I can't afford all these repairs all at once. I just don't know what is going on. I called Chevy in my town for the recall on the power steering, I have an appointment next week. They are going to look at it and tell me what is wrong. So, I guess I will owe them another arm and leg, since I am already paying $17,000 for it. I hope no one else is having all the same problems as me, with their cars. Sorry this was long, but this crazy! Elena

amberclare · November 2017

armywifey12 said:

Hi, I had purchased my 2005 cobalt used in November of 2007. Seven months later it began!!! Nothing that wasn't a big deal, at first. My air conditioner was leaking on the passenger side and soaked my carpet almost to the backseat and my power locks would go up and down, up and down. I took it to the Chevy dealer because it was still under warranty and they fixed those problems, temporarily. Last year, I had to replace my battery 3 times and every other month I have to change my driver side turn signal bulb.When I have my air on, its barely cold and my vents sweat and there is some dripping onto the passenger side every once in a while. Now, here I am in the middle of almost being done paying it off, and I am afraid I am going to be car-less. I hit a hole in the rode and my tire fell off, it freaking just fell off! Got it fixed and insurance covered the majority of it. Now, it shakes, my whole car just shakes. There is a lot of rattling and banging around. I can barely hold my steering while driving, it sounds like and feels like the tires are going to fall off. It also seems like it is having problems with RPMs and it not getting the "up and go" when I try to accelerate. My car now also almost stalls every time I stop or go to slow down and the headlights will dim like its just going to die. When I made a trip New Jersey to Georgia, I was in sit and go traffic for like 20 minutes and it was doing the whole going to stall thing and it started bouncing, like someone was jumping on the back end of it. Not to mention my locks having a mind of their own again and jumping up and down. I recently had to take the fuse out for my horn because every time I opened my door to get in it, my alarm would go off. So now when I open my door my lights just blink. I had two different remotes and they both stopped working. My power lock buttons also don't work, the ones on the inside, both sides . Lets see also recently I couldn't get my trunk to pop open and had to replace the fuse as well as my radio fuse because that went out also. My car warnings will randomly come on all the time saying stuff like "POWER STEERING" "ENGINE" and "BATTERY POWER (something)" . I have had my alternator checked, tires balanced, I change my oil on time, I have bought so many tires,I think 2 of my rims are messed up, random dinging noise( the sound it makes when you run low on gas)even when I had gas and no messages showed up on the dash. I also had condensation in my front drivers headlight but I was following my friend going 10 miles an hour approaching a stop sign and i bumped into her bumper and my headlight plastic cover busted. I was thinking maybe my car was in an accident or a flood before or I just have bad luck. I have a 2 year old and my husband is deployed and I now can't drive my car. I can't afford all these repairs all at once. I just don't know what is going on. I called Chevy in my town for the recall on the power steering, I have an appointment next week. They are going to look at it and tell me what is wrong. So, I guess I will owe them another arm and leg, since I am already paying $17,000 for it. I hope no one else is having all the same problems as me, with their cars. Sorry this was long, but this crazy! Elena

armywifey12 said:

Hi, I had purchased my 2005 cobalt used in November of 2007. Seven months later it began!!! Nothing that wasn't a big deal, at first. My air conditioner was leaking on the passenger side and soaked my carpet almost to the backseat and my power locks would go up and down, up and down. I took it to the Chevy dealer because it was still under warranty and they fixed those problems, temporarily. Last year, I had to replace my battery 3 times and every other month I have to change my driver side turn signal bulb.When I have my air on, its barely cold and my vents sweat and there is some dripping onto the passenger side every once in a while. Now, here I am in the middle of almost being done paying it off, and I am afraid I am going to be car-less. I hit a hole in the rode and my tire fell off, it freaking just fell off! Got it fixed and insurance covered the majority of it. Now, it shakes, my whole car just shakes. There is a lot of rattling and banging around. I can barely hold my steering while driving, it sounds like and feels like the tires are going to fall off. It also seems like it is having problems with RPMs and it not getting the "up and go" when I try to accelerate. My car now also almost stalls every time I stop or go to slow down and the headlights will dim like its just going to die. When I made a trip New Jersey to Georgia, I was in sit and go traffic for like 20 minutes and it was doing the whole going to stall thing and it started bouncing, like someone was jumping on the back end of it. Not to mention my locks having a mind of their own again and jumping up and down. I recently had to take the fuse out for my horn because every time I opened my door to get in it, my alarm would go off. So now when I open my door my lights just blink. I had two different remotes and they both stopped working. My power lock buttons also don't work, the ones on the inside, both sides . Lets see also recently I couldn't get my trunk to pop open and had to replace the fuse as well as my radio fuse because that went out also. My car warnings will randomly come on all the time saying stuff like "POWER STEERING" "ENGINE" and "BATTERY POWER (something)" . I have had my alternator checked, tires balanced, I change my oil on time, I have bought so many tires,I think 2 of my rims are messed up, random dinging noise( the sound it makes when you run low on gas)even when I had gas and no messages showed up on the dash. I also had condensation in my front drivers headlight but I was following my friend going 10 miles an hour approaching a stop sign and i bumped into her bumper and my headlight plastic cover busted. I was thinking maybe my car was in an accident or a flood before or I just have bad luck. I have a 2 year old and my husband is deployed and I now can't drive my car. I can't afford all these repairs all at once. I just don't know what is going on. I called Chevy in my town for the recall on the power steering, I have an appointment next week. They are going to look at it and tell me what is wrong. So, I guess I will owe them another arm and leg, since I am already paying $17,000 for it. I hope no one else is having all the same problems as me, with their cars. Sorry this was long, but this crazy! Elena

Hi I have had the same exact problems armywifey12!! My cobalt has been sitting in my grandmas driveway for months because im afraid for my life to drive it! Wondering if you ever figured it out or could point me in the right direction? Finally jyst paid it off and cannot afford to buy a new carThanks

melissalynn · December 2017

Hi have a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt and it still having fuel pump leak i took once before but it still having same problem and afraid to drive it mit chatch on fire please help me out i don't have money to get it fixs again and they won't fix they said fix once before please help me out thanks from Melissa

Chevrolet Cobalt Electrical Problems

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles