GM Recalls 1.3 Million Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac Vehicles

|
Staff Writers

Add Your Comments

General Motors has issued a recall for 1.3 million Chevrolet Cobalts and Pontiac vehicles sold in the U.S., Canada and Mexico after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into more than 1,000 consumer complaints of the power steering suddenly ceasing to work on some vehicles. Among the reports of steering problems linked to vehicles were at least 14 car crashes.

The GM recall, issued on March 2, includes the 2005-2010 model year Chevrolet Cobalt, the 2007-2010 Pontiac G5, the 2005-2006 Pontiac Pursuit, and the 2005-2006 G4. The Pursuit is sold in Canada and the G4 is sold in Mexico. GM said it has been investigating the problem since 2009, and determined that in rare cases, the power steering motor on the vehicles can die and cause difficulty steering at speeds under 15 m.p.h.

GM officials say once the motors fail, the car can still be driven to dealers to have the motor replaced. When the defective power steering motors fail, drivers will see a “Power Steering” warning indicator and hear a chime alarm. However, officials say that the power steering can sometimes come back temporarily after the car is shut off and restarted.

Do You Know about…

SPORTS BETTING ADDICTION LAWSUITS FOR YOUNG ADULTS

Gambling addiction and severe financial losses have been linked to popular sports betting platforms like DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesars. Lawsuits are being filed by young adults and students who were targeted by deceptive promotions, addictive app features, and aggressive marketing tactics. See if you qualify for a sports betting addiction lawsuit.

Learn More
SEE IF YOU QUALIFY FOR COMPENSATION
Sports-Betting-Addiction-Lawsuits
Sports-Betting-Addiction-Lawsuits

Do You Know About…

SPORTS BETTING ADDICTION LAWSUITS FOR YOUNG ADULTS

Gambling addiction and severe financial losses have been linked to popular sports betting platforms like DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesars. Lawsuits are being filed by young adults and students who were targeted by deceptive promotions, addictive app features, and aggressive marketing tactics. See if you qualify for a sports betting addiction lawsuit.

Learn More
SEE IF YOU QUALIFY FOR COMPENSATION

The company said it will take some time for parts suppliers to provide new power steering motors to replace those affected by the recall. However, the company said that the vehicles can still be safely controlled when the problem arises.

“After our in-depth investigation, we found that this is a condition that takes time to develop,” said GM’s vice president of quality, Jamie Hresko in a GM press release. “It tends to occur in older models out of warranty.”

GM officials say that as the replacement power steering motors come in, they will target older vehicles first, since the problem does not appear to occur until the vehicles have 20,000 to 30,000 miles on them. The company will also have to repair thousands of cars still in dealer inventories across North America.

The company says that customers will be notified when plans for replacing the motors are finalized.

Tags: Chevrolet, Chevrolet Cobalt, GM Recall, Pontiac Recall
Image Credit: |

More Lawsuit Stories

247 Comments

antoine
I have an 05 cobalt and I my power steering has been going out for two months now. I took it to the dealership to get checked out the day after they announced the recall. My steering going out is because of the motor as we all knew but I was charged outta pocket for the check up and I couldn’t afford to get it fixed. According to their systems they where not authorized to fix my problem. Oh did I mention I’m also employed by general motors. I just wanna know when I can get my car fixed and my money back.
rick
i called the gm dealer here and they said that the recall on my 2005 cobalt for steering problems was false that there was not a recall i told the service wrighter that it is all over the internet that 2005-2010 cobalts are being recalled he told me that i was wrong he also told me that they have gotten a lot of calls about this. this is my question is there a recall yes or no or is gm dragging there feet about letting the dealers know or do the dealers know about it and they are just playing dunb
LouAnn
Hello I bought a 2007 Chevy Cobolt for my son three months ago. Now, he is telling me that the steering wheel is funky. I called Chevy to ask about the recall for the power steering and they are ubable to help us unless I have a recall letter. Lets see whay type of delays this will cause or hopefullly no accidents.
Lavada
I had the power steering motor replaced at the end of December on my 2007. I have not had any problems since then. I am now trying to get money back for the out of pocket repair for the recalled part. So far I have not gotten any answers. I disagree with the company’s statement that it goes out at a lower speed, I had lost control on curves more than once. I had cancer surgery last fall and found the turning very difficult and used a family member’s car until I was able to get it repaired.
jimmy
2005 chevy cobalt power steering stalled now i’m out $980 and they said the recall is still not finalized??? how long does it take to finalize a problem that has been ongoing for years now…
jessica
My 07 cobalt .. There is always a problem with it not only do I have to work my muscles on my steering wheel.. My doors don’t open sometime I’ve had to climb out my window a few times to get out my locks bug out by themselve when my cars in park .. The shifter gets stuck into park my driver unlock n lock buttonb doesn’t work at all.. My heated seat button pops out of place ! I hate cobalts!!! There nothing but stressful
Chris
Ok, GM at it again. I had a Saturn where the trans went out right after the extended warranty ended….so, I bought a cheap cobalt. Then I found out about a lawsuit and GM was going to pay for the transmission repairs or for the loss on trade ins…how false, instead they got rid of Saturn and refuse to pay anything. I just left the dealership and they say there is no recall on the Cobalts…what the heck, can’t we get straight answers on things we pay for?? I have always been a Chevy person until now…guess Ford will begin to get my money!
Alyssa
I have a 2007 cobalt and about a year ago while I was driving it all the sudden my power steering failed and the car shut off. And I was not going the supposed “15 mph” that this occurs I was doing about 35/40. So I took it to the dealer and whataya know they tell me that there’s nothing wrong.
TIMOTHY
I bought 2 cobalts for our daughters we have had nothing but problems with the vehicles, since i’ve purchased these vehicle in brandon fl. I haved gm motors regarding the problems, fuel, power steering problems, modular problems. Gm said they see no problems wrong with these vehicles and they are not on recalls. The vehicles are lemons. These vehicles are cute but not worth my daughters lives.
Candi
I have a 2007 Chevy Cobalt SS coupe. Fortunately, I have NOT had any problems with my car. Learning about the power steering and other people’s problems with the car, I will definitely take my car to the dealer. I also don’t think it’s right for people to have to pay for something that has been a problem repeatedly in the years!
brandon
i wrecked my girlfriends car headed home from work. the driver front side wheel had a shaking problem and wierd noise coming from it. i lost control when i tried to brake it and the wheel broke off. i flipped 3- times im luckey to have survived. i want them to take responsebilty for there cars. if my child was in there i would not b able to live with myself. please if abyones has had the same problems email m thanks
greg b
My 05 cobalt loses power stearing about 5 -10 times aday. Not only that but now there is anvissue with my front shocks making a clunking sound.
Debbie
On October 16th 2009, I was driving down route 1 in NJ and lost control of the steering as I began to slow down for a red light. As a result of the power steering failure, there were 5 cars involved in the accident with 2 people being hurt and one of those people was me. At the time, I was unaware of the steering problem with the cobalt 2008. I was amazed to find out about the new report on March 1st 2010 report detailing the recalls. This was not the first time, I had lost power. On several occasions, especially if the weather was damp. my car would fail to start and the key would get stuck. After several minutes, I would hear a chime, and the electrical system seemed to correct itself. I can empathise with everyone who has been a victim of these defective cars. I now have difficulty moving my shoulder, due to the impact of the air bags, and have an unsightly burn on my leg. It could have been a lot worse, but the idea that it involved 5 cars and injuries,I would like this accident to be investigated.
brigette
yeah i have a 05 cobalt, i really like the car, my power steering has been out since august 09,with the acomany like it is, i cant afford to fix this right now, i called the dealership and the lady told me and i quote”yeah you heard it on the news but gm hasnt finalized it yet” i was like, ok. i hope nobody gets hurt or killed behind this. at least toyota is trying to correct thier problem, it seems like gm is just ignoring thiers.
boyfriend to a 05 cobalt owner
Welll earlier today my girlfriend was driving at about 15 to 20 mph and she said she went to swurve to avoid hitting an animal but the wheel wasnt turning so easily, then it just spun freely… she totalledher car because of this. only injury was a knocked out tooth thank god. but it sounds like power stearing going in and out could it be this defect??? wonder how gm will handle this.
Brandy
My power steering went out in 2008. I refused to pay the $970 the dealer quoted me and began writing letters and complaining to GM at that time due to it being a safety issue. This article says they’ve been investigating it since 2009, but in 2008 when I spoke to a friend who works for a GM dealership, he told me then that it’s a common problem in those cars. This is what caused me to begin my quest to have GM repair it. I have made hundreds of formal complaints and finally now that Toyota is going through what they are, GM decides to do something about this problem. Don’t believe everything you hear is right….don’t believe GM when they say they only began hearing about it in 2008. I guess I can thank them for one thing. I now have some serious upper arm strength after driving my car with no power steering for almost 2 years…lol. And for the guy with the 2000 Impala question. That car has a hydraulic system. Good ole Hydroaulic power steering. The good ole days when you could put some fluid in it or change a hose for next to nothing. I say if it’s not broke, don’t try to fix it. We were guinea pigs with this thing. I’ve had 20 year old cars with perfectly good original hydraulic power steering systems and I have a freaking cobalt for 2 years and whamo! Power steering goes out. I stop for some power steering fluid and couldn’t find where to put it…haha. Instead of a cheap repair, they’ve turned it into a repair costing thousands. I deserve this recall! I feel like I’ve finally won. Now off to call the dealership!
Lesli
Ya, BTW driving in a play ground zone (30 or less) on ice. Hit a tree totaled my front end and have had nothing but problems ever since
Lesli
I HATE the PONTIAC G5 the WORST vehicle ever made!!!!!!! I will never buy GM again!!! If I could give it back and get my money back,I would!! Its is the biggest POS out there. Very bad blind spots, NO traction!!!, poor steering. Random knocking in the trunk! Terrible shocks!! Cold weather = barely there tap and bumper shatters.
Douglas
Something definately needs to be done! I bought a 2006 Cobalt for my son, and he started having problems with his steering a few months ago. When I caught word of this recall, I took his car in to be looked at. I’m being told that I have to wait until I recieve a letter stating my car is being recalled.
Danielle
In September, I totaled my car. Twice I had trouble with turns in the steering. This particular time I ended up hitting a pole and rolling over my car. I had hit my head, but thankfully no problems occured as a result was only off of work for about a week.I had headaches for two months. But as a Full Time Grad Student and a Full Time Employee, that nearly ended up flunking me out of college. Thankfully I recovered when I did and managed to pull off C’s. My best friend, whom I had just dropped off at the last minute, had gone home instead of staying with me. She would have been crushed from impact because the passenger side had been smashed in when I roleld over. The pole that I struck was less that an inch from my window which would have caused serious harm to me. I know that with certainty the Lord is taking care of me.
Rose
I have a 2006 Chevy Cobalt LT 4 dr. I was driving on the turnpike and my steering froze up. The steering would not move at all. I pressed on the breaks and my car starting veering towards the right. Luckily there wasn’t alot of traffic at the time and as I was veering to the right luckily the guy sped up to avoid me hitting him and honked his horn at me. Just as quickly as the steering failed it came right back. I thought this must be a defected car and if it does it again I was going to take it into the shop. It hasn’t done it since. Just make sure when you turn your car on that if all the lights go on, turn it off, then turn it back on again. I also have problems with the Gas gauge. I fill it up and then it still reads empty. It must be a floating gauge. I drive a little then it starts to register. Not always sure if I have gas or not. The Sun Roof doesn’t work anymore. I have already replaced the bolts that hold the tires on. It has cost me about $3000.00 in repairs so far. I bought a 2nd 2006 Cobalt 2 dr LS for my daughter. She had an accident in it and her friend DIED in that car. These cars are not safe and salesmen should not recommend these vehicles for college bound kids. I have always loved chevy but I will never buy another chevy again.
Allison
Everything that has been described in this article happened to my ’06 cobalt last spring… but I noticed my car having steering problems about a week before I took it in…. I was still able to drive the car, and when I turned the car off then back on, I regained steering…… my car was about 60,000miles (over the warrenty) but my dealership didn’t charge me a dime for the repairs….. every car has issues… before you knock GM, take a look at Toyota.. they’ve got a computer malfunction that’s making certain models accelerate out of control
Jennifer
My power steering went out in my 2006 cobalt last June. I had it repaired and $700 bucks later it’s recalled. Thank goodness these cars are pricy and they should should not be breaking and need repair. I think the car in general should be recalled, it’s been a lemon for the 4 yrs I have owned it.
Lester
i have a 05 chevy cobalt with 126,000 miles on it, and i had it ever since 16,000 miles on it and i always had a problem when the car was cold, and i tryed to turn the wheel i took it to the place where i got it, and they said they had to order parts and i should come back when they call come to find out, THE DEALER CLOSED!!! i was then screwed and the sad part is i still owe a lot on this car. and every time i take it to another dealer the problem never happens again. only when i am going to work or driving home, its odd like it knows when i need the car the most, thats when the problems start now the car does it more often and it happens when i am on the highway going on the off ramp, and i feel a struggle, and if i dident know my car this could be a major problem, so i dont dare to let anyone drive my car because of this problem, if something was to ever happen i dont know what i would do with myself!!, So now i have no clue what to do with this car, i still drive it daily, waiting for it to go again, but its not what i expected when i went and got this car. i still like GM and chevy and i only ever owed chevy but i would need a really great car, and a wonderful deal to make me buy again, but these days with all these recalls im wondering in a huffy would be my best bet but not sure in the winder seasion tho
Luc
My daughter’s 2006 Cobalt has had steering problems off and on since she bought the car two years ago. It veers off to the left or right and she has had near-misses. It gets locked and she has to fight to bring it back in line. What do we do now? Do we call the place where we bought the car? Will they fix it for free? Maybe we should have told them from the beginning.
B Whitecotten
My 16 year old son was in a head on collision and totaled his 2007 cobalt in January. It pushed the motor and wheel into the firewall. He could not figure out what happened after hitting the other car so hard he lost his memory. I guess we know now. Thank God for being with him and the 52 year old guy he slammed into. I notified the NHTSA but did not receive a response. WHY does someone have to DIE to get anything done in this country!!
Stephanie
I wish they would post a site where we could get more detailed, unbiased information. My boyfriend bought a 09 chevy cobalt and in sept. we lost control of the car and were struck by another car. This just stinks and I don’t think they’re doing enough to correct the problems…
Daniel
I have Pontaic G6 and have had problems with the loss of power steering while driving. I have a 2yr old son that rides with me and this puts him in grave danger!!!
Janelle
I bought my Chevy Cobalt in October 2007. Not even a year later the power steering went out. It has been doing this ever since. I did not report it because I went on line and nothing was being done. This is an every day occurance and annoyance. It happens to me when I am going 25 and under. Its especially hard when I am in a small parking lot trying to park. This should not be something that we have to put up with or pay out of pocket.
Jim
What about customers that had the problem and paid at a GM dealer to repair the problem? Are we going to be reimbursed? We were lucky in that the problem occurred on start up and not while driving.
Sharol
I have experienced once since having my 2007 cobalt with the power steering going out on me while driving. It did resume to normal after stopping and turning the car off and have not experienced that situation since then. However, I do have great concerns about the safety of this vehicle. When will I receive more information as to what I do about the recall on this vehicle?
ellie
Although GM has issued a recall, they have not contacted dealerships with any information on it yet- even to tell them that the recall is offically in effect. They also have not issued a plan on how to fix the problem so there is nothing the dealerships can do at this moment. This happens to all makes and models of vehicles, not just GM- so don’t b*tch out the people at the dealerships for something they can’t do anything about.
Chris
In 2007 I purchased a 2005 Chevy Cobalt as well and after about a year and a half I started having the power steering problems. I’ve gotten use to driving without it because the dealership that I bought it from wanted to charge me $1,000 to get it fixed. When I bought the car they said it was still under warranty and then when the problem arose they retracted that statement and said the car had only been “inspected” by their mechanics and it passed their tests 2 years ago. Buying that cobalt is the biggest mistake I’ve made and if I could I would sell it but the re-sell value of this car sucks! I’m going today to the dealership about the recall and if they try that whole don’t believe everything you hear crap I’m calling the news stations!
Kelly
I have an ’07 Chevy Cobalt LS and have had my steering column replaced twice already. It started giving me steering issues about 6 months or so after I bought it. Steering aside, I do like the Ecotech engine. It’s quiet and runs great with regular maintenance. I drive 50+ miles a day – not to mention I’ve smashed it twice (not my fault!) and each time it has come back repaired good as new. Though, I’ve owned several Cavaliers in the past and the Cobalt doesn’t even come close to the Cavalier’s dependability. Why they replaced the Cavalier with the Cobalt, I’ll never know.
heather
I just called Sutliff Chevrolet to confirm about the recall, i have a 2005 Cobalt and its definitely true. They will start replacing the older cars first, letters will be sent out to peoples house about the recall. I just hope this recall doesnt cause anyone to have a bad accident!
Mildred
I will tell you that GM is not as concerned for there consumers as the claim to be in the media. I had my power steering unit go out on Feb 25, 2010. I had it replaced because I needed my car to get back and forth to work. After doing some research on the internet about my car, I found out that the power steering unit I had just paid $400 to have replace was under investigation for defect. I called the dealearship to inquire about the information I had read and was told that the information was false. Well 3 days later it was announced on the news that the part was in fact faulty and being recalled. I have been on the phone just about everyday with GM and all I get is the runaround regarding being reimbursed for my repair. Don’t believe the hype about their concerns for their consumers. They appear not to care about me at all. I would like to tell any one, if you can wait it out without causing yourself injury, don’t fix the car yourself. You will definitely get screwed!!!!!
greg
my 05 cobalt has been to the dealership at let 4 to 5 times a year fixing some stupid stearing problem. the front end just shakes soo bad. they keep telling me something different like need new tires need balancing need alignment and yeah i say go ahead and do it but when 3 months later its doing it again wtf. and if i need all that y do they still end up changing something in the controll arm or sway bar linkage. i cant wait to get rid of this stupid p.o.s.
Fran
Gee, I LOVE my 2007 Cobalt-Great mileage, great looking and has nearly 70,000 miles on it with no problems at all! Of course, I’ll take it to the dealership for the recall, but, to be fair, this is far less worrisome than the problems that the Japanese car-makers are having.
Dana
my steering was all messed up last night and I had no idea why until I read this. Thanks everyone for your input. I had no idea what was wrong. Now I guess I have to wait with everyone until they get the parts.
hector
when i first bought my cobalt i loved it to the maxx than it stared making a clicking noise so i took in to get check out and they said everything looked fine and normal. so it was watever to me till i started doing it even more and now when im on driving it, it pulls its self and i still cant find anyone that can tell me whats wrong with it all they say is EVERYTHINGS LOOKS FINE BUT YES WE CAN HEEAR WHAT UR TALKING ABOUT… HOW STUPID IS THAT!
michael
i lost my power steering about a month ago then it didn’t happen again,on my 2008 cobalt.
Larry
My mother has a 2008 Cobalt and when she called the Florence, SC dealership today (3/3/10), where she bought the care, she was told “dont believe everything you hear”. That’s a great attitude for a company that is struggling.
Eright
This is bogus. My daughter’s 2007 cobalt ram into a tree and turn upside down onto the last street two block from home. The car was totaled. We replaced it with a 2008 Chevy Cobalt- a drive cut in front of her slighty touch her bumper and the car would not steer back. another Cobalt totaled. She now is driving a 2009 Pontiac G5. I worte GM about the two cobalts after reading about the cobalts on the websites after the second cobalt disater and didn’t get one response. NOW THIS!. God has saved my daughter’s life twice. Something needs to be done
Jason
A problem i’ve been having for sometime now is my 2005 Chevy Cobalt shutting down after hitting a pot hole, has anyone else had this issue??
troy
Ihave a2000 chevy impala the power stereing is going out I think what should do
katie
I had problems out of my ’07 Chevy Cobalt last September. It went out on me 2 times and i had to pay out of pocket. With in that same day the Chevy dealership i went to had 6 other Cobalt’s in the shop being repaired for the exact same problem. Since then I’ve had a small problem with the steering wheel feeling likes it’s stuck. Now I believe that if you have one of these cars that are being recalled you need to be very cautious. It will go out without any warnings.
Jen
I HATE MY 2008 COBALT!!!!!!!!! This is another reason for me to get rid of it!! THANK YOU GM!
1 … 3 4 5

Share Your Comments

This field is hidden when viewing the form
I authorize the above comments be posted on this page
Post Comment
Weekly Digest Opt-In

Want your comments reviewed by a lawyer?

To have an attorney review your comments and contact you about a potential case, provide your contact information below. This will not be published.

NOTE: Providing information for review by an attorney does not form an attorney-client relationship.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

MORE TOP STORIES

Pfizer Requests Depo-Provera Lawsuit Coordination as Mass Tort in Pennsylvania State Court
The makers of the Depo-Provera birth control shot are asking the Pennsylvania court system to consolidate before one state judge all lawsuits over claims the injections caused brain tumors.
More Than 10,000 AFFF Exposure Lawsuits Now Pending in Federal MDL
Nearly 1,000 new AFFF firefighting foam lawsuits were filed over the past month, bringing the total number of injury claims against manufacturers to more than 10,300.
MORE ABOUT: AFFF LAWSUIT
Lawsuit Indicates Uncertainty Over Depo-Provera Meningioma Growth Poses Constant Distress
A Depo-Provera lawsuit claims that a Kentucky woman will have to undergo MRI scans for the rest of her life due to the development of an intracranial Meningioma following 40 injections of the birth control treatment.