(12/31/09) I HAVE NOT HAD POWERSTEERING SINCE APRIL ON MY 2005 CHEVY COBALT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE IS NOT A RECALL ON IT. WHEN IT FIRST STARTED IT WOULD HAPPEN EVERY COUPLE OF DAYS, WITHIN A MONTH THE POWERSTEERING WOULD ONLY LAST A FEW SECONDS SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET SERIOUSLY INJURED IF NOT KILLED IF THIS…
2005 chevrolet Cobalt steering problems
critical 1,137 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700
Complaints
1,137
Recalls
0
Crashes
52
Avg fix
$700
What owners are reporting 14 most recent
1. DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 45-55 MPH. 2. 2005 CHEVY COBALT ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING PROBLEM. MY CAR OUT OF NO WHERE WILL CONSTANTLY FEELS LIKE THE CAR IS GOING TO DIE, JERKS LIKE I WAS DRIVING OVER HUGE POTHOLES AND RUMBLES. SO FAR IT HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES BUT I HAVEN'T DRIVING THE CAR MUCH SINCE I JUST DELIVERED MY FIRST CHILD IN NOVEMBER. I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE MY NEWBORN IN MY CAR! 3. …
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL, AND THEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED. HE CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT AN EXPENSE OF $900. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 89,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 2/17/10 *CN …
FOR THE PAST 2-3 MONTHS MY 2005 CHEVY COBALT LOSES IT'S POWER STEERING GOING OVER A SMALL BUMP IN THE ROAD (AN UNEVEN SURFACE). IF THE CAR IS RESTARTED THE POWER STEERING COMES BACK UNTIL THE NEXT BUMP IN THE ROAD. I'VE TAKEN MY COMPLAINT TO CHEVROLET AND ALL THEY HAVE DONE IS TOLD ME TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THEIR MECHANIC. I'VE NOTICED THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL CHEVY COBALT OWNERS THAT ARE EX…
2005 CHEVY COBALT SUDDEN POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY IN DALLAS, TX. THERE WAS NO WARNING OR PROBLEMS PRIOR TO POWER STEERING GOING OUT, AND WE WERE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC IN AN AREA WITH SEVERAL CURVES IN THE ROAD. THIS WAS VERY FRIGHTENING AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. AFTER TURNING VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON, PS WORKED FOR A FEW MINUTES THEN WENT OUT AGAIN AND CONTINUED LIKE THIS FOR REMA…
#1 I BROUGHT IT BACK BECAUSE STEERING WHEEL ALWAYS WAS TO THE LEFT EVEN THOUGH I WAS GOING STRAIGHT. DEALER SAID IT WAS FINE, I COMPLAINED TO CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEN DEALER SAID THEY FIXED IT. WHEN GOING STRAIGHT THE STEERING STILL LOOKS LEFT. #2 AIR CONDITIONING NOT WORKING, #3 LIQUID COMING OUT OF VENTS #4 CRICKET NOISES OUT OF PASSENGER SIDE DASH AREA. I WAS TOLD AIR CONDITIONING WAS FINE…
*PLEASE NOTE...THE INCIDENT DATE IS APPROXIMATE. WE HAVE A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT SEDAN THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THE RECALL FOR THE POWER STEERING MOTOR INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE. WE HAD NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING PRIOR TO THE RECALL BEING PERFORMED. AFTER THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED, WE BEGAN HAVING TROUBLE WITH INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE - PLUS ADDITIONAL FAILURES. …
THE CAR ENGINE WOULD NOT SHUT OFF, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT LOCK, THE IGNITION KEY WAS STUCK AND WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE IGNITION KEY EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS IN "PARK." *TR
POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING,ALMOST RESULTING IN CRASH. THE VEHICLE BEEPS AND DISPLAYS "POWER STEERING" ON THE SCREEN IN THE DASH WHEN IT FAILS.TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF THEN ON RESTORES POWER STEERING,BUT AFTER APPROX. A QUARTER MILE OF DRIVING IT FAILS AGAIN. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS LISTED ONLINE FROM OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE. *TR
THE STEERING WHEEL IS AUTOMATICALLY TURNING ON IT'S OWN, AND IT IS VERY HARD TO MOVE. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF MY LIFE. WHAT IF ONE DAY I START DRIVING AND THE WHEEL STARTS TURNING AND I CRASH? I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE MY COBALT NOW, AND HOPING IT CAN BE FIXED SO I WON'T HAVE ANY CRASHES IN THE FUTURE. *TR
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2005 chevrolet Cobalt?
It's a serious issue. 1137 complaints have been filed, including 52 reports involving a crash and 6 fatality(ies). We've classified it as critical based on NHTSA's reported outcomes.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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