Problems · by component

2006 Chevrolet Cobalt power train problems

137 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt cite power train, 6% of all 2,330 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
137
6% of all complaints
Crashes
12
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“"TAKATA RECALL" ON 3/30/18 I WAS INVOLVED IN A WRECK. I WAS TRAVELING ON A BUSY CITY STREET WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED RED. I STOPPED AND THE PERSON IN FRONT OF ME WAS DRIVING A LARGE SUV. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND TRAFFIC BEGAN TO MOVE I STARTED DRIVING. OUT OF NOWHERE WITH NO WARNING, THE DRIVER JUST STOPPED AND MY CAR RAN INTO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. WE BOTH STAYED IN OUR VEHICLES I CALLED 911. OFFICERS ARRIVED AND EMERGENCY SERVICES. EVEN THOUGH HARDLY ANY DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE SUV, MY CAR SUSTAINED A LOT OF DAMAGE TO THE HOOD AND BUMPER OF MY CAR. THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. I THOUGHT MY CAR WAS TOTALED BY LOOKING AT IT. I WAS ABLE TO HAVE MOST OF MY CAR REPAIRED OUT OF POCKET BECAUSE I HAD LIABILITY ONLY AT THE TIME. THE PASSENGER IN FRONT OF ME AFTER GIVING INFORMATION TO THE RESPONDERS WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AWAY, I WAS NOT. I'VE ALSO HAD ANOTHER ACCIDENT WHERE THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY IN 2014. I AM CONCERNED THAT I MIGHT BE IN ANOTHER ACCIDENT THAT COULD BE LIFE-THREATENING AND THE AIRBAGS WON'T WORK. I CONTACTED GM ABOUT MY CONCERNS REGARDING THE AIRBAGS AND NOTHING WAS DONE TO HAVE MY AIRBAGS CHECKED. I WAS ABLE TO HAVE THE SWITCH CHANGED WHEN THERE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 13, 2019Power train, Electrical system, Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11243562
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE CONTACT FORGOT TO PLACE THE SHIFTER INTO PARK AND REMOVED THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE WHILE IN GEAR, BUT IT FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN GEAR AND PLACED THE GEAR SHIFTER INTO PARK. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, BUT IT FAILED TO START. ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO ESTLE CHEVROLET (LOCATED AT 1515 N CLINTON ST, DEFIANCE, OH 43512, (419) 785-8015), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 19, 2018Power train, Electrical system, EngineODI 11162483
“TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON . DIFFICULT TO CONTROL CAR DUE TO ROUGH YEAR SHIFTING, LOSE POWER STEERING . CAR EVENTUALLY LOSES POWER.DANGEROUS CANNOT GET OUT OF TRAFFIC WITHOUT CAUSING ACCIDENT. TURN OFF CAR AND RESTART ALL LIGHTS ARE OFF AND SEEMS OK BUT WILL RANDOMLY HAPPEN AGAIN-- TWO TIMES IN SAME WEEK!!!! THIS IS CRAZY, AFRAID TO DRIVE VEHICLE BUT HAVE NO CHOICE CANNOT LOSE MY JOB.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 15, 2018Steering, Power train, Unknown or otherODI 11101981
“SINCE THIS CAR HAS BEEN PURCHASED IT HAS HAD MANY PROBLES STERRING TIRES, SUSPENSIONS, AC .....SO COMPLICATED BUT LAST YEAR ONCE AN THIS YEAR AGAIN THE STEERING WHEEL HAS GOTTEN LOCKED COMPLETLY WHILE DRIVING ....IN MAY ANOTHER INCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING THE GAS/ACCELATERTOR STAY DOWN AND COULDNT STOPP CAR ....HAVE TAKEN IT TO GET FIXED MANY TIMES ALREADY”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 14, 2018Suspension, Power trainODI 11101922
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHETHER THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN OR IDLING, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. ALSO, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN AND SEIZED WHILE IN PARK. AN UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT AN ELECTRICAL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 187,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 5, 2017Steering, Power train, Electrical systemODI 10970726
“MY PROBLEMS ARE CAME ABOUT WITH THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING ON THIS VEHICLE AS I HAVE SEARCHED AND FOUND THE PROBLEM TOO BE VERY COMMON. FOUND THAT IT HAS BEEN WIDELY RECALLED INCLUDING MY MODEL YEAR WITH NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS TOO THE NHTSA. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED I WAS GETTING READY TOO GO TO A DOCTORS APPOINTMENT, THE POWER STEERING MESSAGE CAME ON THE DASHBOARD, EVERYTHING SEEMED TOO BE WORKING EXCEPT THE SPEEDOMETER AND IT DROVE FINE. ON THE WAY BACK HOME HOWEVER THE CAR WOULD NO SHIFT PAST FIRST GEAR. I TOOK IT TOO A MECHANIC THAT LIVES NEXT TOO ME. HE SAID THE WIRING HARNESS WAS BAD, REPLACED IT, GOT IT BACK. DROVE FINE WITH NO PROBLEMS FOR THREE WEEKS, EVEN THE DRIVER FRONT BLINKER WAS WORKING WHICH HAD NEVER WORKED SINCE I GOT THE CAR BACK IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR. THEN AFTER THE THREE WEEKS THE POWER STEERING MESSAGE CAME BACK ON AND ALL THE SAME SYMPTOMS ARE BACK, NO SPEEDOMETER, HARD SHIFTING IF ANY, IT EVEN CAUSED THE ENGINE LIGHT TOO COME ON THIS TIME WHICH AN AUTO PARTS STORE DETERMINED TOO BE A RANDOM MISFIRE. I CHANGED THE SPARK PLUGS AND IT WENT OFF. MY THEORY IS THAT THE TCM IS NOT GROUNDED CORRECTLY TOO HANDLE THIS AND SHORTS OUT AS I HAVE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 16, 2016Steering, Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 10926478

Showing 6 of 137 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.