2006 Chevrolet Cobalt powertrain problems

Power steering quits without warning, causing loss of steering control. Owners report a 'Power Steering' warning message on the dashboard, followed by complete loss of assist. The condition is intermittent in some cases—turning the car off and back on temporarily restores steering for a few minutes before failing again. One owner reported the steering wheel locking up mid-turn on a freeway, nearly causing a crash into a center divider.

When: Between 36,000–97,000 miles; failures reported from 2010 onward

Symptoms owners cite: Loss of power steering assist; Dashboard warning: 'Power Steering'; Steering wheel becomes very hard to turn; Steering wheel locks up; Momentary loss of power steering at low speeds; Power steering sudden cutout while driving at highway speeds

Codes mentioned: Power steering warning light

Repairs/costs cited: Owners cite dealership replacements of power steering components; costs vary. Recalls issued for power steering; some dealerships initially asked for diagnostics fees. One owner reported dealership repair costs over $2,000 for related steering repairs.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Multiple power steering recalls issued (2010 onward). Some owners report being told by dealership technicians that the problem is common among Cobalts. General Motors initially told some owners no recall existed at the time of complaint, then a recall was announced shortly after.

The key gets stuck in the ignition switch, often in the ACC (accessory) position, and cannot be turned to OFF or removed. The shifter can move freely when the car is off, even from Park to Drive, because the ignition does not lock it down properly. This allows the vehicle to roll unexpectedly. Battery drains when the key is left in the ON/ACC position due to inability to remove it.

When: After 3 years of ownership; reported from 2010 onward; some failures at 54,000–69,800 miles

Symptoms owners cite: Key stuck in ignition, cannot be turned past ACC position; Key cannot be removed from ignition; Shifter moves freely without key in ON position; Vehicle can roll out of Park when parked; Battery drains when key stuck in ACC/ON; Doors won't lock when ignition in ON and key stuck; Difficult to remove key, requires jiggling steering wheel

Repairs/costs cited: Dealership replacement of ignition switch assembly (parts 15926820, 14V047, 14V171 mentioned). Owners cite repair costs around $208–$300; some repairs covered under warranty, others out-of-pocket. Emergency release button under steering column can temporarily unlock the key but doesn't fix the underlying problem.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall issued (NHTSA Campaign 14V047000, 14V171000). After recall repair, some owners report the same problem recurring or continuing. One owner had the recall completed and the next night experienced the same symptoms. Another owner reports dealership told them the key issue was actually a gear shifter problem, not the ignition.

Engine dies suddenly and unpredictably while driving, including in traffic, at intersections, mid-turn, and on highways. The car can restart after a few seconds to minutes. Often occurs in conjunction with the ignition switch issue. One owner reports the car turning off daily in rush-hour traffic. Related to ignition switch wear and also possibly throttle body buildup.

When: Occurs intermittently, some owners report daily or multiple times per week; started months before recall announcement

Symptoms owners cite: Engine shuts off while driving; Car stalls at traffic lights and intersections; Engine dies mid-turn on streets; Stalling in rush-hour traffic; Engine shuts off when shifting gears; Engine dies when RPMs drop too fast; Car restarts after few seconds to minutes

Repairs/costs cited: No specific repair cited by owners; related to ignition switch recall repairs. One owner replaced BCM at $300 after dealership recommendation, which did not resolve stalling.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Ignition switch recall issued; some owners report continuing stalls even after recall repair.

Transmission shifts roughly or harshly into gears, or shifts erratically and uncontrollably. Often accompanied by traction control light. In some cases, transmission enters 'safe mode' and limits power. Occurs during acceleration, normal driving, or when traction control light activates. Some owners report the transmission 'slips' when reversing then putting into drive.

When: Reported from low mileage (12,000 miles) to higher mileage (130,000+); intermittent or recurring

Symptoms owners cite: Hard, harsh shifting into gears; Transmission jerks or slams into gears; Jerky, erratic shifting; Transmission slips during acceleration; Transmission enters safe/limp mode; Transmission slips when reversing; Traction control light accompanies shifting problems; Check Engine light illuminates with shifting issues

Codes mentioned: Traction Control Light, Check Engine Light

Repairs/costs cited: Owners cite transmission rebuilds or replacements, some multiple times on the same vehicle. One owner had 5 transmission rebuilds/replacements on a single 2006 Cobalt. Costs mentioned around $2,000 or more for transmission work. Some replaced parts: ECM reprogramming noted in one case.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recalls specifically cited for transmission shifting. Dealerships have told owners they cannot find the problem. One owner noted hundreds of Cobalt owners on forums reporting similar transmission issues.

Traction control light illuminates and remains on (sometimes clears when car is turned off). When the light comes on, the engine becomes rough, the transmission shifts hard, power is lost, or the vehicle will not accelerate properly. Occurs repeatedly, sometimes 4+ times per week. Often accompanied by Service Engine Soon light.

When: Intermittent and recurring; some owners report onset shortly after purchase; incidents 4+ times per week in some cases

Symptoms owners cite: Traction control light comes on; Loss of engine power when TC light activates; Rough idle when TC light on; Hard transmission shifting when TC light on; Service Engine Soon light; Check Engine light; Vehicle will not accelerate or accelerates slowly; Grinding noise under hood when TC light on; TC light clears when car turned off but returns

Codes mentioned: Traction Control Light, Service Engine Soon Light, Check Engine Light

Repairs/costs cited: One owner was told it was a front right wheel bearing; after bearing replacement, problem persisted. Dealerships cannot find root cause in some cases and state no codes are stored.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall found by owners. Dealerships unable to diagnose or fix. One owner cited 1,800+ complaints online about this issue.

Clutch burns out or wears prematurely, even at very low mileage (464–30,275 miles). Owners who are experienced manual transmission drivers and do not ride the clutch report sudden clutch failure. The tachometer often fluctuates abnormally before failure. One owner on a one-year-old car with 12,000 miles reported the pressure plate was faulty from the factory.

When: Very early in vehicle life: 464 miles, 12,000 miles, 30,275 miles, 48,000 miles

Symptoms owners cite: Clutch burns out or fails; Burning smell from clutch assembly; Tachometer fluctuates abnormally before failure; Engine revs high but vehicle won't accelerate; Cannot shift into proper gear; RPM redline with no power; Grinding noise when shifting

Repairs/costs cited: Clutch replacement costs: $1,600–$2,000+. One owner replaced clutch at $1,600; failure continued. One dealer wanted $2,000+ to replace burnt clutch; GM offered only $400, blaming owner's driving habits. Owners argue that transmission specialists said it is impossible to burn out a clutch in 12,000 miles with normal driving, suggesting factory defect (pressure plate, flywheel).

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: General Motors denied warranty coverage, blaming owner driving habits. One owner filed a Better Business Bureau complaint; GM responded they do not sell defective equipment. Owners research shows the clutch and flywheel are extremely thin, burning out faster than normal.

The manual transmission pops out of gear, usually 5th gear, while driving at highway speeds (50–70 MPH). Occurs repeatedly on new vehicles with very low mileage. Dealerships cannot duplicate the problem in some cases and refuse to work on it.

When: Occurring on vehicles with only 9,000 miles; incidents at 50–70 MPH cruising speed (2,000–3,000 RPM)

Symptoms owners cite: Transmission slips out of 5th gear into Neutral; Happens repeatedly at highway cruising speeds; Shifter comes out of gear without driver input

Repairs/costs cited: No repair completed; dealerships could not duplicate the issue. Owner found hundreds of Cobalt owners on forums (CobaltSS.net) reporting transmission slipping problems ranging from popping out of gear to complete transmission failures and lockouts.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership and Chevrolet did not respond to owner's emails about the issue. No recall found.

The gear shift lever is loose, moves excessively, or shifts freely without proper mechanical resistance. The shifter does not lock properly into Park, allowing the vehicle to roll. The push-button latch on the shifter gets stuck or malfunctions. Metal post inside shifter breaks the cheap plastic casing, causing the shifter to fail.

When: Early in ownership (3 months to 1.5 years); mileage 30,000–69,800 miles

Symptoms owners cite: Gear shift lever is loose; Shifter moves freely without proper detents; Shifter can move from Park without button pressed; Shifter pops out of gear easily; Push-button on shifter stuck or non-functional; Key cannot be removed when shifter not in Park; Shifter acts unusual, requires more effort to exit Park

Repairs/costs cited: Shifter assembly replacement: $208 mentioned (out of warranty). One local repair shop told owner that Chevy keeps the shifter parts in stock because they break frequently due to metal post breaking plastic casing.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall found by owners. Dealership confirms to customers that the problem is common and parts break frequently.

Engine overheats to over 240 degrees. Initial misdiagnosis by dealership (plastic radiator overflow bottle) followed by discovery that the actual cause was a cracked intake manifold. Multiple dealership visits failed to identify the real problem.

When: Early ownership (within first year); owner had car at 36,000 miles at purchase and overheating began shortly after

Symptoms owners cite: Engine overheats to over 240 degrees; Engine constantly overheating

Repairs/costs cited: Dealership initially replaced plastic radiator overflow bottle, which did not fix the problem. Second repair shop discovered cracked intake manifold. Owner believes manifold crack may be a design defect given multiple dealership visits missed it.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Chevrolet dealership initially gave wrong diagnosis and replaced overflow bottle; dealership failed to identify cracked manifold after three separate visits.

BCM failure causes cascading electrical and powertrain problems: gauges go crazy, power steering warning light comes on, transmission goes into safe mode with hard shifting, engine chugs and stalls while driving. One owner was told by dealership this was a common problem. Occurs repeatedly over short time periods (5 times in 2 months cited).

When: Occurs repeatedly and unpredictably; one owner reported 5 incidents in 2 months

Symptoms owners cite: Instrument cluster gauges malfunction; Power Steering warning light illuminates; Engine light comes on; Transmission shifts very hard and enters safe mode; Engine chugs and stalls while driving; Car forced to pull over to avoid accident

Codes mentioned: Power Steering warning, Engine light

Repairs/costs cited: One owner replaced BCM at $300 after dealership recommendation; problem continued. BCM replacement cost approximately $300; one owner reports dealership described it as 'plug and play' with clips and bolts.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership told one owner that BCM problems are 'common' and recommended replacement. Owner found many online complaints and YouTube videos about 'Cobalt electrical problems' and 'Cobalt power steering warning.' Owner stated this is a separate, unaddressed safety issue from the ignition switch recall.

Air bags fail to deploy in multiple accident incidents. One owner had airbags fail to deploy in a 2014 accident and again in a 2018 accident. Contact with GM about airbag concerns was not addressed.

When: Failure noted in 2014 and 2018 accidents; owner concerned about continued risk

Symptoms owners cite: Air bags do not deploy on impact; Failed deployment in multiple accidents

Repairs/costs cited: No repair or checking of airbag system offered by GM despite owner's request.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner contacted GM about airbag concerns; nothing was done. Owner was able to have the ignition switch changed per recall but airbag system was not checked or serviced.

Throttle body becomes heavily gunked up, causing the engine to shut off when RPMs drop too fast. Most dangerous when the car loses power on the highway mid-lane-change. Owner was rear-ended because car stalled when accelerating after lane change.

When: Chronic issue; owner was rear-ended due to stall during lane change on highway

Symptoms owners cite: Engine shuts off when RPMs drop; Loss of power on acceleration after RPM drop; Engine shuts off at stop lights; Engine shuts off mid-lane-change on highway

Repairs/costs cited: No repair method cited; owner attributes to throttle body buildup.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall or service bulletin mentioned.

Ignition coil system fails prematurely at very low mileage (54,000 miles). Owner reports serious misfire in the engine.

When: At 54,000 miles

Symptoms owners cite: Ignition module and coil system failed; Serious misfire in engine; Car has difficulty moving

Repairs/costs cited: Dealer and Firestone were surprised by failure at 54,000 miles. Owner believes this should be recalled and parts replaced at no charge.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall issued for ignition coil failure.

Front end wheel bearings fail prematurely. Loud thumping or bumping noise from front axle area when hitting bumps or rough road. Noise occurs 9 out of 10 times over bumps. One dealership quoted $1,500 to fix but told owner many people complain but no recall has been issued.

When: Early in ownership (within first weeks to months of purchase)

Symptoms owners cite: Loud noise when hitting bumps; Thumping noise in front axle area; Front end bearings fail

Codes mentioned: Front right wheel bearing code (in one case)

Repairs/costs cited: One dealership quoted approximately $1,500 for repair. One owner had front right wheel bearing replaced per code, but problem persisted and may have been misdiagnosed.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership confirmed many complaints but stated no recall issued, so repair would be out-of-pocket.

Instrument panel fails or displays incorrectly. Check Engine, Power Steering Assist, Check Fuel Cap, and Service Engine Soon lights all illuminate. In some cases, the instrument cluster goes on and off intermittently.

When: At higher mileage (130,000 miles in one case)

Symptoms owners cite: Instrument panel failure; Instrument cluster on/off intermittently; Multiple warning lights illuminate simultaneously; Check Engine light; Power Steering Assist light; Check Fuel Cap light; Service Engine Soon light

Codes mentioned: Check Engine Light, Power Steering Assist Light, Service Engine Soon Light

Repairs/costs cited: No specific repair noted; dealership attempted repair but failure recurred.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was notified; vehicle was not repaired.

Radio fails intermittently or shorted out. Also, anti-theft system locked the radio after battery was disconnected for troubleshooting ignition issues.

When: Intermittent failures; anti-theft lock occurred after battery disconnect for BCM troubleshooting

Symptoms owners cite: Radio fails intermittently; Radio shorts out; Anti-theft system locks radio after battery disconnect

Repairs/costs cited: One dealership wanted $300 to reset anti-theft lock on radio after owner had disconnected battery on technician's advice to reset BCM.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership told owner they would need to pay $300 to reset radio anti-theft system.

Steering wheel control switch stops working, particularly the signal/turn control. Signals turn off when driver turns the steering wheel.

When: Within 3 years of ownership (approximately 2013 for one owner who purchased in 2011)

Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel control switches malfunction; Signal switches turn off when steering wheel is turned; Steering column controls stop working

Repairs/costs cited: No repair cost cited.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall or service bulletin mentioned.