Problems with 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Ignition switch jams; air bag light stays on; cruise control stopped working; airconditioner stopped working; tire light stays on; engine light stays on; and now heater is barely working. *tr

Well i got my car back in 2009 and now i own it, well i have had power steering which i had fixed,but now i've been really having a bad gas smell and one of my friends dad is a mechanic and he looked at it and he's thinking something wrong with either the line or the filter or tank, i cant stand driving my own car cause how bad the smell is i've started having nose bleeds,and that's not my only problem all my lights are going off(tire,airbag,)etc. yes my car is not in the best shape right now but i just started working again and my car is falling apart and idk how to get it fixed as of now. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet cobalt. the contact stated that the instrument panel display would illuminate extremely dimly causing the instrument gauges to become difficult to read. the contact discovered that the headlight wiring harness burned and melted. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the harness needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 25,000.

Car had starting issues, once took to the mechanic, they found out that the fuel pump connectors were burned and had possibility of igniting during driving. chevy recalled many cars(cobalts) with the same issues from 2007 to 2009, when we called chevy about our vehicle, they said our car wasn't included in the recall even though we had that problem.

The wiring harness failed and caused wires to fray, corrode, break, and become exposed. this led to failure of daytime running lights. wiring harness replaced. dealer had never seen or heard of this problem. the safety risk associated with failing electronics is severe and costs associated with wiring failure should be covered by gm. *tr

I noticed a slight tapping/rattling noise coming from the front driver side. the noise only occurs between the speeds of 50-60 mph and only when letting off the gas completely. then i received in the mail an ignition cylinder recall. my car had problems with locking up and difficulties turning the key. so i took the car to the dealership told them about the noise i was hearing then waited a week with no call from the dealership so i called them. they told me my car would be finished by noon, i arrived at 4 pm. they then told me my car was not yet finished. the dealership had not even put in the new ignition cylinder even after a week. i was told the noise could not be replicated. i waited for the ignition to be put in (about 30 mins) then took one of the dealership mechanics on a test drive to hear the noise. noise was heard and took it back to the shop. checked under the car and nothing wrong could be found. the lead mechanic took it for a test drive but due to the heavy downpour of rain nothing was heard. i was asked to bring the car back on monday due to possible severity of the situation. dropped the car back off at the dealership monday. a test drive and a look under the car and they found the problem, noise coming from rack and pinion while hitting bumps rack worn and needs replacement steering column making noise as well recommend replacement with out replacement the car would eventually have no steering ability at all: cost $1524 no warranty. this car has had the power steering recall replacement (the steering wheel suddenly stopped working while in a parking lot due to broken pinion) in 2010 and a transmission issue (rpm rev when the car hit 40 when the gas was not being applied) that was a worn seal it was fixed and covered by warranty in 2011. this would be the twice now with no steering ability only its a different cause? i feel like i'm being cheated. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet cobalt. the contact stated that the key became lodged in the ignition and he was unable to remove it. also, the contact stated that on a separate occasion while driving 45 mph the steering wheel seized and the air bag warning lights illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer six times who diagnose that the ignition module, steering wheel column and driver side air bag module needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 82,600.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet cobalt. the contact stated that the key would not remove from the ignition. the contact had to disconnect the battery in order to remove the key. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure and current mileages were 60,000.

The vehicle began having electrical problem a few years after purchase in 2008. the power windows became non operable, radio speakers stopped working, door locks don't unlock via power switch, ac/ heat issues (doesn't function properly), and wire harnesses near seat belt column (where belt meets floor) became severed from seat belt column movement.... this caused air bags to stop functioning.

on several occasions the battery in the vehicle died for no reason. when trying to start the car when unaware that the battery was dead the key gets stuck in the ignition and are unable to get the key out unless the battery is recharged. however, since there is no power to the vehicle you cannot open the trunk to get to the battery? before recall in 2010 my key would get stuck in the ignition several times when the battery was fine and i would have to forcefully try to get the key into the start position or off position and pull the key out. problems still remain with this ignition problem? dealership states this is how gm designed the car? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet cobalt. the contact stated the key was stuck in the ignition of the vehicle and the vehicle could not be turned off. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told the tumbler and the ignition lock cylinder needed to replaced. the failure and current mileage was 42,000.

I have a 2009 chevy cobalt and upon parking my car i cannot turn off the car and remove the keys from the car. i was able to do a quick search on my phone on what to do and found hundreds of responses on online forums of people having the exact same problem. the key will not turn backwards (towards off). it will budge forward slightly but will not turn the car off and allow the key to be removed. upon calling a dealership and gm directly i have found out that this an incredibly common instance. i was able to pop the trunk and pull the fuse and power from the battery to kill the engine but no matter what i do i cannot remove the key. i have even tried suggestions from gm which involve a manual key release under the steering column but nothing happened (mechanic told me this actually doesn't work the way gm explains). my car is getting fixed for a nominal fee that i cannot afford because i have recently lost my job. my complaint however resides on how common this issue is and how quick gm and dealerships are able to diagnose it because of how often this comes up. *js

Was traveling 55-65mph when the gauges on the car started to bounce around erratically, not reading true speed,rpm, fuel level, and flashing power steering and numerous other warnings on info display. after stopping and restarting situation went away. a few days later problem reoccurred at lower speed this time all problems reoccurred and car didn't' want to shift gears, or when did was extremely violent. gm acknowledges this problem on multiple vehicles (there tsb # is pic4677f) has been updated numerous times with various makes and models. along with some other symptoms i have yet to have such as engine surging or stalling while driving. (this is a huge danger!, toyota had to recall how many because of this same issue?) it is my opinion as a certified,active, and sworn police officer that this a dangerous issue. i believe should be a mandatory recall. as the gauges being effected could easily cause a wreck,blown engine, etc.. also the shifting at low speeds is enough to cause damage to child.(and as i have 2 one of which is 2 i could only imagine what this would due to a new born..) there are just to many vehicles effected and to much to risk to let this go-on un-treated.. #pic4677f: no start no crank intermittently / no communication over high speed lan - comm nocrank nostart - (sep 23, 2010) subject:no start no crank intermittently/no communication over high speed lan models:2005-2010 chevrolet cobalt 2006-2011 chevrolet hhr 2004-2011 chevrolet malibu 2008 chevrolet malibu classic 2008-2010 pontiac g5 2005-2010 pontiac g6 2006-2007 pontiac pursuit (canada) 2007-2009 saturn aura 2007-2009 saturn sky 2006-2009 saturn solstice with onstar (ue1) *js

Came out of the store with my three kids in 25 degree weather, when i got into my 2008 cobalt and i couldn't get the key to turn!! there are so many complaints about this and chevy is doing nothing to fix it!! my car is at the shop and it is going to cost me $408.00 to get fixed, right before christmas! *tr

At random the vehicle will suddenly exhibit esc failure, traction control failure, and several other trouble codes while simultaneously losing all gauge function and power steering. the error will continue to escalate causing a malfunction in the electronic stability control mechanism causing grinding while turning. the error often subsides after shutting the ignition off for several minutes. *tr

The contact owns a 2008 chevrolet cobalt. the contact was unable to turn the key to start ignition without pressure holding the steering wheel . the second occasion, the steering wheel could not be turned without calling a mechanic in. parents bought car for commuting college student . mileage is approximately 80,000. *tr

This is a 3 year old 2008 gm cobalt with less than 35,000 mile. i was out running errands 7/18/11. i drove in to parking spot and attempted to turn my car off. the key did not turn to turn the car off nor could i remove the key from the ignition. i drove my car to gm dealer and was told the ignition cylinder needed replacement. i was surprised because the car is only 3 years old and i had no other problem. i have owned two other cars, one for 10 yrs and one for 11 yrs never at any time did i have any problem with getting the key from the ignition or problems turning my car off. i believe that the ignition cylinder was defective and so i should not be responsible for paying for a defective part to be replaced. thank you for the opportunity to enter my complaint. *tr

My aircondition quits blowing cool air off and on the buttons are wrong. engine light comes on and off. the airbag light comes on and off. *tr

Ignition key would not turn off. had to have ignition switch replaced. *tr

Mileage, about 21,000 miles, out of warranty. ignition lock seized while driving. could not turn off. went to dealer, who performed a "courtesy" repair. if this had happened at night or over the weekend, would have had a major problem. *tr

my 2008 chevy cobalt lt won't turn off the key is in the ignition and won't come out or turn off. i went to the dealer ship and they said that this is a common problem with cobalts prior to this and it's the cylinder ignition. they said that it is not covered by warranty and it hasn't been recalled, but if it happens so much why haven't they done anything about it yet. if people are having problems then why isn't this taking care of? i do not have 300 plus dollars to put into my car. to fix it. they told me i could drive it like that til i could fix it all i had to do was disconnect the battery terminal until i was ready to use the car. when i did that and went to turn the car back on by battery it said energy power reduced and my car won't even start now. when i called to them this they said oh your throttle body went bad. but they were the ones who told me i could do this. now i have no car to drive and they said it would be 300 plus to fix this problem as well. so now im looking at over 600 dollars to fix my car which i do not have. *tr

After parking my vehicle in the parking lot, i attempted to turn off the engine. the key was stuck in the ignition and would not move. thus, the car could not turn off. i tried shifting the car from park to drive to park again but this would not work. i finally had to remove the fuel pump relay so i could turn off the fuel and lock my car. the key was still in the ignition so the battery drained. i had to jump start the car the next working day to drive it to the dealership. *tr

2008 chevy cobalt keys stuck in ignition and vehicle will not turn off. chevy offered no assistance with the issue when i contacted their corporate office. there is also an issue with the 2009 chevy cobalt having exactly the same issues and gm has sent a memo to services centers to correct this issue. the 2009 issue involves exactly the same part number and the same make and model car as well as a few other vehicles with the same problem. *tr

Ignition key stuck will not turn off car and cant remove key have to pop clutch and disconnect battery told by dealer that there have been a lot of these ignitions just falling apart why is there no recall. *tr

I have a 2008 chevy cobalt. the ignition is stuck and the key will not turn the ignition to start the car. this has happened on several occasions with the vehicle. using force the mechanic was able to eventually get the car started, but this happened again in another incident several months later. it is not included in the recall since the recall for the ignition only covers the 2009 chevy cobalt. this was also not covered in the extended warranty. *tr

We first had electronics issues the with our cobalt when parking.was told wife over drove steering mech. later they called a recall & replaced the steering motor.constantly we have had it that he turn signals would not turn of after a turn. again they tell me they can not reproduce the issue .then the passenger door not unlock for the key. several times this occurred & one time the issue lasted for about 2 weeks. another issues was that the inside light would not come on this lasted about 2-3 days sometimes we smelt rubberish smoke fumes then the issue occurred & then went away.we called chevy & emma set up a file & we turned the vehicle in several time to jba chevy in glen burnie ,md 21062 and each time they say the issues could not be reproduced. this last time i took it in telling them of the issues and again they could not reproduce them . this last issue has occured about 500+ miles later. i just had the brakes checked and tires rotated . i asked for a complete check but the attendant only set it up for oilchange ,brakes and tire rotation. they said all was okay. on friday the 8th of april on the way to work i stopped at a red light. as i took off thecar acted funny and the speedometer reached 80 & te rev was high yet i was only doing about 20mph the trans downshifted real hard. i noticed it was not responding properly but seemed better. so i tried to proceed to work. as i was coming down the hill past the next light the car froze up and i went into a skid. i tried to steer it out of it but the car would not respond & the antilocking brakes seemed not to be working, i rammed into the curb & the car would not respond properly to my trying to move it forward. at that time a jeepsuv slammed on his brakes and hit me in the rear..i think it totaled the car. on that tuesday noticed the brakes not responding well (shimmied for a time. on wed & thurs, they worked normal. i think the vehicle has an electronics issue. was told a body control module might be bad. *tr

Had no problem leading up to this problem and worked fine and came out of no where. my 2008 chevy cobalt ls won't turn off the key is in the ignition and won't come out or turn off. i called my dealer ship and they said they have had several problems with cobalts prior to this and it's the cylinder ignition. it's in the shop now and won't know anything till tomorrow. if people are having problems then why isn't this taking car of? i do not have 300 plus dollars to put into my car. *tr

My 2008 chevy cobalt just started giving me problems april 2, 2011. i purchased it on march 15, 2011. i went to leave work and my car wouldn't start. all my electrical components shut down on me and my key wouldn't come out the ignition. when i turned the switch it just made a clicking noise. so i just sat there trying to figure out what was wrong. so i walked away trying to get help. when i returned the radio was on and the car just started right up. also it doesn't pick up speed on the highway. at 65mph it seems as if i'm just barely moving. i feel as though this is an inconvenience to me because i have to sit and wonder if my car is gonna start everytime i turn the switch. it has occurred several times in one day and i haven't even had my car for a month. i am highly upset. *tr

2008 chevrolet cobalt. consumer writes in regards to vehicle accident and air bags did not deploy. *smd the consumer stated her daughter was involved in an accident on march 19, 2011. her daughter claimed, she had no idea what happened, when she lost control of the vehicle and it flew across the road, into the other lane, and lodged itself between two trees. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet cobalt. the contact stated that the key would not remove from the ignition. as a result, it was difficult to start the vehicle. the contact also stated that on the last attempt to start the vehicle, the key fractured. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and was repaired. the failure mileage was 31,695 and the current mileage was 43,396. updated 05/10/12*lj

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet cobalt. the contact was driving 35 mph when the vehicle stalled without warning. the contact was unable to remove the key from the ignition while the steering column froze. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed the failure as the ignition lock cylinder needing to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted but offered no assistance. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was 45,000 and the current mileage was 52,948.

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet cobalt. the contact received recall notice 10v073000 steering electric power assists system in august of 2010. the dealership advised him that they could not schedule an appointment, because the part wasn't available. on november 1, 2010 while the contact attempted to start the vehicle the steering wheel locked. she was unable to unlock the steering and was not able to turn the key in the ignition. the vehicle was towed to the dealership for diagnostic testing which determined that the power steering column caused the failure to occur. the manufacturer will be contacted. the vehicle wasn't repaired. the failure and the current mileages were 54,000. updated 01/31/11 *bf the ignition lock cylinder was replaced. updated 04/18/11

I bought my 2008 cobalt as a program car in november 2008. i received a recall for the power steering motor in september 2010. the motor was replaced. i thought that maybe that was the problem of the intermittent ease of turning the key. when i picked up the car for that repair i was told that the ignition cylinder had to be replaced because it was intermittently locking up. i picked up the car and then the emergency switch broke, that was replaced and during this time i was told that the front speakers blew out. those were replaced, and now the radio/clock has to be replaced which is not under warranty. i do not believe that my two-year car is reliable. i told the service manager that i believe the car is faulty because it is "too young" to have this much repair work in a very short time.

2008 chevy cobalt. won't turn off and key won't turn or come out. *tr

When i started my car and at the same time i wanted to pull down the window it didn't work. i think it was already too much for the car. it happened already 3 times in 2.5 years and the car was new. every time i have to go to the dealer to change the regulator in the window. *tr

I do not remember the exact dates and mileage, but i have seen recently the recalls on cobalt. i purchased a 2008 cobalt in 2008. had 5 miles on it when i bought it. by, 2010 the ignition switch had been replaced 3 times, due to failure. 2 times the ignition would not start. once, the car would not turn off. i had to drive immediately to the dealership that time. i contacted the dealership, gm, and interstate commerce dept. no one would help me. the only thing gm said they would do is give me $2500 towards the purchase of a brand new vehicle. i had just had my daughter and stuck on the side of the road with her the last time. after no help, i just had let them repo the vehicle. i know the recall only goes to 2007 models, but you may want to investigate the 2008 models as well. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet cobalt. the contact stated that the vehicle would hesitate to start intermittently. the contact would have to attempt to start the vehicle several times, toying with the key until the vehicle would start. the failure progressed to the point where the vehicle would not start at all. the contact stated that the failure did not appear until after the vehicle was repaired under nhtsa campaign id number: 10v073000 (steering:electric power assist system). the vehicle was not inspected for the failure. the failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 44,113.

Fear this issue could have lead to electrical fire if this was some kind of short in the under hood fuse center. car purchased new in june 2008. mileage: 56,09423 months old. car would crank, but would not start. would continue to crank for short time after key turned off. tried for 15 minutes, finally started. drove to dealer and left for service. dealer diagnosis, intermittent no fuel pressure to fuel pump. fuel pump checked, ok at this time. gm advised dealer to inspect and clean body ground. repair cost labor, supplies, tax: $101 4 days later car would again (crank but not start - at all), had to be towed to dealer. again, would continue to crank for short time after key turned off. dealer diagnosis: under hood fuse center bad. tow $75, parts $283, labor $ 110, supplies + tax $26. total: $494 total cost to fix vehicle: $595. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet cobalt. while driving at 35 mph, the engine stalled, the steering wheel seized, and all the warning lights illuminated. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where the failure could not be determined. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was previously repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 14v171000 (electrical system). the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

I am the very unhappy driver of a 2008 chevy cobalt with 4 recall repairs to date. i reported noticing problems with the power steering, struts and interior dashboard lights as early as sept 2010, while having routine service done to my cobalt. (the interior dash digital read out lights have always given misinformation and would dim on a regular basis.) i've recently been experiencing the power steering totally going out on my car (once on june 25, 2014 and again on sept 4, 2014) which makes it practically impossible to steer my car. i've been involved with these recall issues since 2010 and have followed gm's instructions to have the repairs done, only to have continuing problems with the cars performance. it's not only a inconvenience, but is stressful and dangerous to continue driving this vehicle. i've requested to have gm help me get into another car more than once over the past few years, but have been denied. now i've been told that gm has implemented a new "buy back program" for drivers such as myself and have requested they get me out of this vehicle and into another car, but again, have not been contacted concerning my request.. i can not and do not want to be without a car to drive and feel that i deserve to have my car replaced by general motors at no cost to myself. *tr

After parking my vehicle on my way to work on a friday afternoon, i could not get my key out of the cylinder and i couldn't turn my car off ! i was instructed to take my car to the nearest dealership ( santa fe chevrolet and cadillac, 4450 cerrillos rd , santa fe, n.m. ) which i did. i wasnt offered a replacement vehicle by the dealership, but they told me they had reserved a rental from hertz for the week-end, which i had to pay for. the repair was done the next day so i only needed the rental for that night but had paid for the whole week-end (re: sf chevrolet and cadillac) it took quite some time for me to be reimbursed by hertz for the time i had paid to have the rental, but did not need. no help with that problem from the dealership. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet cobalt. while the contact was attempting to exit the vehicle with the key in the ignition she was unable turn the vehicle off. the dealer replaced the ignition switch; however, the failure continued to occur. there were no prior warnings. the current and failure mileages were 25724.

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet cobalt. the contact made several attempts to start the vehicle and was unsuccessful. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer for inspection. the failure was contributed to the ignition cylinder. the vehicle was repaired per the service warranty. on three separate occasions the dealer replaced the ignition cylinder. the contact had concerns of the safety risk involved. the failure mileage was 20,000 and the current mileage was 28,000.

Car alarm went off while parked and locked. no apparent reason why it was going off. it did this several times that day. at times, i will lock the vehicle only to come out and see that it is unlocked. i have been having problems with the remote key fob. i replaced the battery and not much changed. also, on this vehicle, i noticed that when i put the car into park,the headlights went off. when the engine was shut off the lights went out immediately instead of staying on for a couple of minutes like they are supposed too. *tr

Car alarm goes off when parked and locked for no reason. also car has started twice, engine misses with check engine light on, shut car off and restart and it then is fine until next time. *tr

To whom it may concern; my problem happens to be a serious one involving the head lamps of our 2008 chevrolet cobalt. the incidents have occurred without warning and on multiple occasions. what i speak of is the lights, upon engaging only the right turn signal shut off,flicker....with no control for a period of only a few seconds. now, the concern i have is with the potential for myself or other motorists to have serious complications. during that small period of time in which the headlamps failed, my family's life was jeopardized,which is something i should not have to,and will not tolerate. i have made attempts to correct malfunction by using chevy dealer technicians. problem was allegedly fixed,then occurred again. please help me with any information you might be able to provide to further aid my progress in correcting this problem before someone gets hurt. *tr

I am concerned that chevy might have fixed my 2008 ignition switch with parts that might have been in stock for years, perhaps with switches that were found to be defective in prior years. i worry about this because, per media reports, gm did not change part numbers when it hid the fix on prior year cobalts. i no longer own the cobalt, but my daughter has it now. i think we would have noticed by now if it was defective, but what about other people. the cobalt's ignition would not release the key. i brought it to gm who fixed it. the dates above are guesses. your investigator might have to worry about other years if it can't track part numbers used to fix ignition switches replaced for another reason. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet cobalt. when the contact parked the vehicle, the engine would not turn off. the keys would not remove from the ignition. the contact had to remove the fuse from the fuel pump in order to shut off the engine. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and they repaired the failure. the failure mileage was 25,000.

Ignition 2008 chevrolet cobalt. december 21,2008 changed my life forever. driver was killed in a one car crash, where her and her car were thru to the street below on 6-35 and high dr. the car went airborne she was thrown out the car but was saved enough to be transported to the hospital where she later died. the car was not so lucky it landed and rolled to a stop at the bottom of the bridge, in which the car was scatter in many pieces. there was physical not much left of the car. the car would have been going the speed limit it would have by passed the opening and landed on the other side but because it was slow going it resulted in her death. there was a reenactment done but the finding were in conclusive on how she died. she lost control after getting on the highway. i checked for recall on her 2008 cobalt and there were none at the time of her death. her older sister want to know if this could have been a result of the power steering problem. i started looking for recall right after her death and did not find any and did not know what to do but now this national recalls for the toyota then the voluntary recall done with gm recently opened our eyes that this young woman death could be the result of faulty car. please let me know what is need to be done to file this complaint. we have suffered a great loss. she was a good drive and the conclusion that has been made has been none. we just don't know what happened. this was report several time back in 3/ 2010 and 6/10 as complaint with the steering .... i have contact gm as of recently because recalls and her call was one of the parts that was in that recent ignition issues. there were not skid mark with the reenactment done there was no reason why her call did not show brake or skids. i believe this to be part of the recall cover up my gm!!!!! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet cobalt. the contact stated that the instrument panel gauges fluctuated and the vehicle stalled without warning occasionally. while driving various speeds, the steering failed. the failures were intermittent. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing, but the details could not be provided. the vehicle was serviced per nhtsa campaign numbers: 10v073000 (steering) and 14e021000 (electrical system), but the remedies failed to repair the vehicle. the contact mentioned that the vehicle stalled and the power steering seized after the repairs. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 200.