There are 28 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2005 Chevrolet Cobaltin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
IN NOV 2019. THE AIRBAG SYMBOL STARTED COMMING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ,IT IS ON WHILE STATIONARY,GOES OUT. THEN IT COMES ON WHEN IN MOTION ,ON CITY STREETS, HIGHWAYS,ETC.
TAKATA RECALL. I HIT A PATCH OF ICE GOING TO A FRIENDS HOUSE. I DID A THREE SIXTY HITTING A GUARDRAIL ALL THE WAY AROUND. MY AIR BAGS DIDN'T GO OFF. THEY SHOULD OF WITH HOW HARD I HIT. TOTALED OUT MY CAR. I WAS TRAVELING DOWN I-75 IN OHIO
I WAS DRIVING OUT OF MY PARKING SPOT AT A VERY LOW SPEED (LESS THAN 5MPH) AND THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, UNPROVOKED. JUST THE DRIVER'S SIDE DEPLOYED. I RECEIVED BURNS AND CUTS TO MY ARM AND HAVE HEARING LOSS IN MY ONE EAR.
DRIVERS AIR BAG DEPLOYED WHILE DRIVING ON GRAVEL ROAD CAUSING DRIVER TO HIT HILL AND TOTALING AND CAR SEVERELY INJURING DRIVER AND PASSENGERS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER AT 60 MPH, THE CONTACT STRUCK A DEER, DROVE INTO A DITCH, AND CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE BARRIER. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED FROM THE SCENE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THERE WAS ONE INJURY THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.
AFTER I HAD THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED THE SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK CAR BACK TO DEALER ABOUT THIS ISSUE THEY REPLACED A CLIP ON WIRING IN STEERING COLUMN. AFTER CLIP WAS REPLACED SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME BACK ON. I FEEL THAT THE DEALER DID SOMETHING WHEN IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED .
THE SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT STARTED TO COME ON AND OFF EVERY DAY AND THEN THE KEY STARTED GETTING STUCK IN THE IGNITION ABOUT A WEEK AGO BEFORE IT FINALLY WOULDN'T COME OUT ALL TOGETHER. *TR
MY DAUGHTER WAS ON HER WAY TO WORK AND WAS UNABLE TO STOP ANDHIT THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER. THE CAR SHUT OFF... SHE DID WHAT THE RECALL WAS TOLD TO DO AND HAD JUST THE KEY IN THE IGNITION... LUCKILY SHE WAS ABLE TO TURN ON THE CAR TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC AND SHE WAS NOT GOING TOO FAST THE SEATBELTS DID NOT WORK AND THE AIRBAG DID NOT WORK AS WELL.. ALSO BEFORE WE KNEW ABOUT THE RECALL HER IGNITION WAS MESSING UP BY NOT ABLE TO COMPLETELY TURN OFF WHILE IN PARK AND KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT... WE HAVE TO SHIFT GEARS AND TURN OFF AND ON THE CAR TO GET THE KEY LOOSE... SO NOW WE ARE DOWN A CAR, I PAID THE CAR IN FULL AND ITS NOW NOT DRIVABLE... ?? *TR
TL - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH TRYING TO AVOID A POTHOLE, THE DRIVER CRASH INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HIM AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HIS CHEST, BACK AND LACERATION TO THE FACE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DECIDED TO SEND AN ENGINEER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000. PM
MY COBALT, WHICH IS NOW TOTALED, WAS IN A HIGHWAY ACCIDENT AND THE CAR MALFUNCTIONED. THE FRONT END OF THE CAR COLLIDED INTO THE REAR END OF PICKUP TRUCK AND THEN WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR SMASHED INTO THE CONCRETE GUARDRAIL. AT SOME POINT DURING THE CRASH, THE CAR SHUT OFF AND THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. WHEN THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED, MY FIANC WAS UNABLE TO TURN IT BACK ON AND HAD TO PUSH IT OFF THE BUSY HIGHWAY BEFORE SOMEONE ELSE HIT THE CAR. *TR
MY SON WAS DRIVING BACK FROM WORK AT 11:30 P.M. ON A DARK DESERT ROAD WHEN HE CAME UPON A MAN FIXING A TIRE AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS GENTLEMAN'S CAR WAS OUT ONTO THE ROAD A BIT AND THE DPS OFFICERS WERE CALLED BY OTHER DRIVERS SINCE IT WAS A HAZARDOUS SITUATION. MY SON THEN CAME ALONG AND HIT THE CAR WITH THE RIGHT FRONT OF HIS CAR (NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS AT THIS POINT). THEN ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE SITUATION AND ROLLED HIS CAR ONTO THE DESERT FLOOR LANDING ON THE ROOF. STILL NO BAGS DEPLOYED AT THIS TIME. THERE WERE SPARKS COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AND HE CRAWLED OUT THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW. AT THAT TIME THE DPS OFFICER WAS AT THE SCENE. HE SUSTAINED SEATBELT BURN TO HIS NECK, ROAD BURN TO ARM, BACK AND CUT FINGER FROM BROKEN GLASS. *TR
WHILE DRIVING MY CAR, MY WIFE WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS ON THE OTHER VEHICLE DEPLOYED BUT THE AIR BAGS IN MY CAR DID NOT. *TR
MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HER 2005 CHEVY COBALT, WHEN A PERSON COMING FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDE FAILED TO YIELD RIGHT OF WAY AND OUR COBALT SIDE SWIPED THE FORD ESCORT. SHE HIT THE CAR DOING ABOUT 35 MILES PER HOUR AND HER AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY...I HAVE NO IDEA WHY NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE WHEN I SEE SOOOO MANY OTHER STORIES JUST LIKE THIS...THE FRONT END WAS PUSHED BACK ALL THE WAY TO THE ENGINE, THE CAR WOULD NOT EVEN START, HAD THAT ENGINE SHIFTED MY DAUGHTER COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. *TR
I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK WHEN A KID FAILED TO YIELD TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I HIT HIM ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WITH THE FRONT OF MY VEHICLE. I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. HIS AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, MY AIR BAGS DID NOT. I PROCEEDED TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH GM. AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH THE COMPLAINT PROCESS WITH GM: THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. THEY ALSO STATED THAT WITH THE TYPE OF FRONT END IMPACT, THEY WOULD NOT EXPECT THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. I ARGUED THAT THE OTHER CARS DID WITH A SIDE IMPACT, MINE SHOULD HAVE WITH A FRONTAL IMPACT. I DO HAVE PICTURES THAT TELL THE STORY VERY CLEARLY. I ALSO WENT THROUGH 6 - 8 WEEKS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY TO TRY AND COPE WITH THE PAIN. I STILL HAVE PAIN 3.5 YEARS AFTER THE CRASH. UPDATED 04/07/14 UPDATED 07/22/14
AIR BAG MALFUNCTION LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME. *TR
[XXX]. WAS FRONT PASSENGER IN A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT DRIVEN BY HIS COUSIN [XXX]. ON APRIL 19TH, 2009. [XXX] LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND SEVERELY WRECKED THE VEHICLE. [XXX] WAS STUCK UNDER THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 4 HOURS AND HAD TO BE AIR LIFTED TO RICHLAND MEMORIAL HOSPITAL WHEN EMERGENCY PERSONNEL ARRIVED. [XXX] WAS SEVERELY INJURED AND SUFFERED LIFE TIME INJURIES. [XXX] AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH CAUSED HIM TO SUFFER MORE EXTENSIVE INJURIES THAN HE WOULD HAVE IF THE AIRBAGS DID DEPLOY. [XXX]. LATER FOUND OUT THAT GM HAD KNOWN OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IN THE 2005-2006 CHEVROLET COBALT VEHICLES BUT NOT REPORT THIS UNTIL AFTER [XXX] WAS SEVERELY INJURED ON APRIL 19TH, 2009. [XXX] SUFFERED A BROKEN NECK, BROKEN BONE IN HIS RIGHT FOOT, HIS RIGHT HIP WAS KNOCKED OUT OF JOINT, ALSO SEVERE BACK AND SPINE PAIN. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE VEERED OFF THE ROAD AND FLIPPED OVER. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED UNKNOWN BODY INJURIES AND MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 7/9/15*CN
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELT RETRACTORS WERE LOCKED. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. HE REFUSED TO HAVE THE DEALER INSPECT THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO CHARGE HIM $100. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY REFERRED HIM BACK TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000. UPDATED 5/19/08 *CN UPDATED 05/19/08
ON THE DATE LISTED, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AT APP. 40MPH. AT WHICH POINT SHE RAN INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT WAS STOPPED. UPON IMPACT THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO KEEP HER IN THE DRIVER SEAT. THERE WAS ALSO NO AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. UPON IMPACT SHE FLEW UPWARDS AND FORWARD, HITTING HER FACE ON THE VISOR. SHE WENT TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE THEY DID SCANS AND FOUND NO BLEEDING ON THE BRAIN, HOWEVER SHE WAS INJURED IN THE FACE TO WHICH SHE STILL HAS A BUMP ON THE BRIDGE OF HER NOSE AND STILL GETS HEADACHES. ALSO, SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT SHE HAD TWO BLACK EYES AND A CONCUSSION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT ANYTHING WAS DONE WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM OR THE SEAT BELT, BY THE AUTO BODY SHOP. WE CONTACTED GM A DAY OR TWO AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THEY SENT AN ENGINEER OUT TO GATHER READINGS FROM THE CAR A FEW WEEKS LATER. IT WASN'T UNTIL THIS WEEK THAT WE HEARD SOMETHING BACK FROM GM. THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING FOR THEM TO DO AND THEY LEFT IT AT THAT. WE ARE STILL DRIVING THE SAME CAR AND ARE VERY WEARY OF WHAT COULD HAPPEN IF WE ARE INVOLVED IN ANOTHER ACCIDENT. I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL DONE AND THE MANUFACTURE HELD LIABLE FOR THE EQUIPMENT FAILURE. *TR
I AM NOT QUITE SURE OF THE DATE AS IT WAS A YEARS AGO. MY GRAND DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THIS CAR WHEN SOMEONE TURNED LEFT IN FRONT OF HER. IT WAS DEEMED THE OTHER PERSONS FAULT. SHE HIT THIS CAR GOING SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 25 TO 35 MPH. THE AIR BAG NEVER DEPLOYED. I AM NOW ONLY BRINGING THIS UP AS I AM READING ABOUT THE 2005 COBALT BEING RECALLED AND THAT IT SOME CASES THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I STILL OWN THIS CAR AND TODAY RECEIVED MY FIRST NOTICE FROM GM THAT THIS CAR IS BEING RECALLED FOR AN IGNITION PROBLEM. THE ENGINE NEVER STOPPED IN THIS ACCIDENT THAT I AM AWARE OF. I JUST WANTED TO PASS THIS INFORMATION ALONG TO YOU AGENCY. THANK YOU THIS MAY NOT BE THE DATE BUT I HAD TO PUT SOMETHING IN THE REQUIRED FIELD. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM PROGRESSIVE CHEVROLET. THAT IS ALSO WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED THEY MAY HAVE INFO. ON ACTUAL DATE. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 28 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026