I HAVE HAD ALOT OF PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR, 1ST MY RADIO WENT OUT, IT JUST WENT OUT AND IT WOULD ONLY WORK WHEN I HELD THE POWER BUTTON DOWN AND THERE WERE ALWAYS THINGS FLASHING ON THE SCREEN, SO AFTER A FEW WEEKS OF THIS HAPPENING MY CAR WOULDN'T START, I WOULD GET IT JUMPED AND THE OTHER PERSON WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE TO START THEIR CAR TO JUMP MINE IT ONLY TOOK A SECOND. AFTER HAVING TO REPLACE MY BA…
2006 Chevrolet Cobalt steering problems
critical 1,291 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700
Complaints
1,291
Recalls
0
Crashes
76
Avg fix
$700
What owners are reporting 11 most recent
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT NOTICED ISSUES WITH THE POWER STEERING IN HER VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE POWER STEERING WOULD FUNCTION FOR APPROXIMATELY .2 MILES AND THEN FAIL. SHE ATTEMPTED TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTART IT, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE FAILURE RECURRED FREQUENTLY. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECA…
2006 CHEVY COBALT LOSES POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING. I HAD JUST GOTTEN OFF THE HIGHWAY AND MY CAR LOST ALL POWER STEERING. TOOK IT TO A SHOP THE NEXT DAY AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A BULLETIN OUT THAT THESE ELECTRIC MOTORS CAN OVERHEAT IF YOU CAR SITS IDLE FOR TOO LONG OR YOU ARE STOPPED AND THE WHEEL IS TURNED A CERTAIN WAY. IT WAS A VERY SNOWY DAY AND THE ROADS WERE VERY ICY. THERE WOULD HAVE …
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL, AND THEN THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 85000.
THE POWER STEERING LIGHT IN MY 06 CHEVY COBALT COMES ON AND SHUTS OFF MY POWER STEERING. THIS LOCKS UP MY STEERING WHEEL AND MAKES IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE WITH. I HAVE BEEN ON SITES WITH MANY PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS ME AND THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS CAR. SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET IN A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT IN THE COBALTS. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THIS PROBLEM WHILE…
THE POWER STEERING UNIT LOCKS UP WHEN I AM DRIVING. I CAN ONLY SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN AND HOPE I DON'T HAVE TO TURN WHILE IT IS LOCKED. I HIT A CURB AND BUSTED MY RIM ON ONE OCCASION. IT DOES IT FREQUENTLY AND I CAN'T AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH THE "POWER STEERING" WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, AND THEN THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE DRIVER EXERTED GREATER EFFORT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND CONTINUED NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED AT THIS TIME. THE FA…
I HAVE A 06 CHEVY COBALT AND THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES OF DRIVING. SINCE THE CHEVY COBALT HAS AN ALL ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING SYSTEM IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THERE HAVE SEVERAL CASES WHERE THIS SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED IN THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL. I FEEL ITS A FACTORY DEFECT. IT IS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE WITH YOUR POWER STEERING OUT. I HAD A CLOSE IN COU…
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN TAMPA WHEN MY CAR STARTED TO MAKE A "DINGING" NOISE. I THEN REALIZED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO GET HARD TO TURN. I LOOKED AT THE INFORMATION SCREEN ON MY DASHBOARD AND IT SAID 'POWER STEERING'. I WASN'T SURE WHAT TO DO SO I RESTARTED MY CAR AND THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO GO AWAY. ABOUT AN HOUR LATER WHILE DRIVING IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I TOOK IT INTO THE NEAREST CHE…
I HAVE A 2006 CHEVY COBALT AND I AM RECENTLY HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING LIGHT COMING ON, MY RPMS GO UP AND DOWN BY THEMSELVES CAUSING THE CAR TO MOVE EVEN WHEN I LET OFF THE GAS AND THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT COMPLETELY. IT HAS ONLY HAPPENED A FEW TIMES SO FAR, BUT I ALMOST HIT SOMEONE WHEN THE CAR'S RPMS WHERE FLUTTERING. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE RECALLED TO ENSURE T…
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt?
It's a serious issue. 1291 complaints have been filed, including 76 reports involving a crash and 3 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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