2005 Chevrolet Cobalt service brakes, hydraulic problems

“I EXPERIENCED "CATASTROPHIC" BRAKE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 CHEVY COBALT LT SEDAN W/AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS FORCED TO MAKE A SUDDEN EMERGENCY STOP FROM APPROX 45MPH TO 0. THE ABS SYSTEM WORKED PERFECTLY AS THE ROADS WERE WET AND I DID NOT LOSE CONTROL RESULTING FROM MY SUDDEN STOP, WITH THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL INSTRUMENT LITES ILLUMINATING. HOWEVER UPON QUICKLY TRYING TO RESUME TRAVEL (SINCE I WAS STRADDLING 2 LANES ON THE HIGHWAY) THE BRAKES WOULD NOT "RELEASE" AND FEARING A REAR END COLLISION FROM APPROACHING TRAFFIC, I SHIFTED INTO 1ST GEAR AND SIMPLY DROVE 15' TO THE SHOULDER, FIGHTING AGAINST THE "GRIP" OF THE BRAKES. ON THE SHOULDER, WITH THE ABS & TC LITES STILL ON, I WAS SAFELY ABLE TO REPEATEDLY SHIFT IN AND OUT OF PARK AND REPEATEDLY PUMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL UNTIL FINALLY AFTER APPROX 1MIN THEY RELEASED THEIR GRIP AND THE ABS & TC LITES TURNED OFF ALLOWING ME TO RESUME TRAVEL. I TRAVELED FOR APPROX 10 MIN AT 65MPH W/CRUISE CONTROL, WHEN SUDDENLY AN ALARM SOUNDED WITH THE ABS & TC LITES ILLUMINATING AGAIN. I TRAVELED APPROX 1MI BEFORE EXITING THE HIGHWAY TO INVESTIGATE THE ALARMS AND THEIR MEANING. I ENTERED THE OFF RAMP AT…”

“I OWN A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT, THE POWER STEERING AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE THEN BEGAN TO JERK AND BECOME DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V073000 (STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM); BUT THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THERE NO RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE, APPARENTLY THEY WAS BASE ON THE VEHICLE VIN # INSTEAD OF MODEL/MADE/YEAR OF THE CAR. THE DEALER TOLD ME I NEED TO REPLACE STEERING COLUMN WHICH WILL COST ME CLOSE TO $1000 W/PART, LABOR & TAXES. PICKUP MY CAR ON THE SAME DAY LATE AFTERNOON, WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME WITH NO INCIDENT. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED THE NEXT DAY, AGAIN TOWED THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS AWAITING FURTHER INSPECTION AT THE DEALERSHIP, IN THE MEANTIME I'M DRIVING THE RENTAL THAT WAS PROVIDED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THIS IS MFG DEFECTED PROBLEM, I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAID TO FIX THE STEERING COLUMN. *TR”

“THE POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD NO MILEAGE OR SPEEDOMETER READING. I TOOK IT TO MR. TIRE WHICH WAS ABOUT 3 MILES AWAY. THEY PUT THE CAR ON A MACHINE AND FOUND MIL CODE U0101. THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS. I CALLED THE DEALER THE NEXT MORNING AND TOOK IT RIGHT OVER TO THEM. THEY HAD THE CAR FOR TWO DAYS AND FINALLY CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE TCM AND REPROGRAM IT, CLEAR THE CODES AND RETEST. THIS WAS GOING TO COST $500. I HAD TAKEN THIS CAR TO BOB BELL LAST JUNE WHEN I RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE. IT WAS REPAIRED. AFTER A FEW MONTHS I NOTICED THAT THREE OR FOUR TIMES THE SIGNAL CAME ON ABOUT BRAKES BUT THEN DISAPPEARED AND EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE. THEN THIS MONDAY THIS HAPPENED.”

“I HAVE A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT 4 DR SEDAN. WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE SERVICE ROAD ON I-35 I STARTED TO COUGH, I BLACKED OUT FOR A SPLIT SECOND. AFTER COMING TO I REALIZED THERE WAS A SHARP TURN IN THE ROAD. I HIT THE BRAKES HARD, THE ABS DID NOT WORK. I WENT THROUGH A SIGN, IT TORE UP THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE OF THE CAR THEN HIT A CONCRETE BARRIER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FRONT END.I HIT MY HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY ON EITHER SIDE OF THE CAR. WITH THE ABS LOCKING UP IT CAUSED THE CAR TO SKID APPROX 300 FEET, WITHOUT SAFELY SLOWING DOWN. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *TR”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE EXITING A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY AT 1 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER STEERING CAPABILITIES. THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND UPON RESTART, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V073000 (STEERING: ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM) SEVEN MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS RELEASED TO THE CONTACT NOVEMBER 12, 2010. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING WARNING ALARM SOUNDED AND THE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 124,000. UPDATED 04/12/11*LJ THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE BRAKES LOCKED UP ON A CONSISTENT BASIS. ALSO, THE DEFROSTER WORKED INTERMITTENTLY.”

“TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT COMES ON THEN MY DAUGHTERS' CAR JERKS VIOLENTLY AT TIMES AND SHE HAS TROUBLE MAINTAINING CONTROL OF HER CAR , (2005 CHEVY COBALT). THIS PROBLEM ALMOST CAUSED HER TO LOOSE TOTAL CONTROL OF HER CAR THIS PAST SPRING , COMING TOO CLOSE TO CAUSING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THIS HAPPENS PERIODICALLY , NO SET TIME SPAN , IT HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 6 OR 8 TIMES SINCE LAST SPRING. OUR GM DEALER SAID SHE SHOULD BRING THE CAR IN WHILE THE WARNING LIGHT IS ON SO THEY CAN PULL THE CODE. UNFORTUNATELY , WHEN THE CAR IS STOPPED AND PUT INTO PARK , THE LIGHT GOES AWAY. AND ALL OF THESE TIMES EXCEPT ONE , THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AFTER THE DEALERSHIP IS CLOSED OR WELL BEFORE THEY OPEN , OR SHE IS NOWHERE NEAR ANY GM OR CHEVY DEALERSHIP. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT ISOLATED , I HAVE READ OF OTHER COBALT OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME TRACTION CONTROL PROBLEM WITH SOME OF THE SAME RESULTS OR RESULTS THAT ARE DIFFERENT FROM MY DAUGHTERS CAR. THE POINT BEING (AT LEAST IN THIS CASE) I BELIEVE THAT GM OR CHEVY SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING CARE OF THE PROBLEM , BEFORE THERE IS AN ACCIDENT THAT CAUSES SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH . I READ ABOUT ALL THE OTHERS WITH THIS…”