There are 10 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2005 Chevrolet Cobaltin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
My husband was driving and the car suddenly stopped taking gas and said reduced engine power. He got it back home as it was only a few miles but top speed was less than 10 mph. It never did run right anymore and then completely stopped a few days later. Also the key gets stuck in the car if the battery goes dead. I had to leave the key in with the window down because I was scared of getting locked out. When my husband was able to come and charge the battery some it released the key. It never had any issues like these until they suddenly started. These issues showed up in summer 2021. Codes mentioned general electrical failure, throttle control issues with pedal and tac module. High and low voltage to tac module.
MY DAUGHTER WAS ACCELERATING TO ENTER THE ON-RAMP ON THE INTERSTATE. THE GAS PEDAL STUCK WHEN SHE ACCELERATED AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO SLOW HER CAR DOWN. SHE WAS FORCED TO MANEUVER THROUGH TRAFFIC AND HAD TO EXIT AT THE NEXT RAMP BECAUSE SHE COULD NOT GET AROUND VEHICLES ON THE INTERSTATE. SHE STEPPED ON THE BRAKES AND TRIED TO TAP THE GAS PEDAL LIGHTLY TO SEE IF IT WOULD COME UNSTUCK. AT SOME POINT WHILE EXITING THE HIGHWAY THE GAS PEDAL CAME UNSTUCK, AND THANKFULLY SHE MANAGED TO STOP HER VEHICLE SAFELY WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT. SHE IS CONCERNED THAT THIS PROBLEM MAY OCCUR AGAIN AND SHE MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY THE NEXT TIME.
SITTING AT A TURN LIGHT, CARS STARTED TO MOVE AND I STARTED TO ACCELERATE WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP NOISE (WAS NOT GOING OVER MORE THAN 10MPH). SO I PULLED OVER AND LOOKED OPENED THE HOOD TO FIND MY OIL CAP, FILTER, A BLACK PIECE, AND SPRING HAD POPPED OUT OF THE OIL FILTER LOCATION WHICH WAS IN THE BLOCK. OIL HAD BEEN SPEWED ALL OVER. I TOOK THE OIL CAP TO A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE GUY SAID HE HAD NEVER SEEN THE OIL CAP AND FILTER POP OUT OF THE BLOCK, HE EXAMINED THE CAP AND ONLY NOTICED ONE MINOR BREAK IN THE THREADS OF THE CAP. HE SAID THAT THE BLACK PIECE AND THE SPRING THAT GO IN THE CAP MUST HAVE FAILED WHICH IN TURN CAUSE THE CAP TO POP OUT OF THE BLOCK, HE ALSO TOLD ME TO LOOK AT THE BLOCK TO MAKE SURE IT WAS NOT CRACKED. I THEN INSPECTED BLOCK TO MAKE SURE IT WAS NOT CRACKED, WHICH IT WAS NOT, AND HAD A NEW CAP, FILTER AND OIL INSTALLED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING FROM A DRIVEWAY AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT HAD TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. *TR
2005 CHEVY COBALT SUDDEN ACCELERATION. MY DAUGHTER'S 2005 COBALT HAS HAD TWO EPISODES IN 30-DAYS OF HER ACCELERATOR PEDAL DROPPING TO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR RACING OUT OF CONTROL UNTIL SHE BRAKES HARD, PULLS OVER AND SHUTS OFF THE CAR. TODAY IT ACCELERATED TO 96 MPH AND SHE WAS TICKETED FOR SPEEDING. THE GM DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO RECALL. TOYOTA SAID THE SAME THING UNTIL PEOPLE STARTED DIEING... *TR
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
DT: 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND STOPPED WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH. THEN, SHE HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF, PUT IT IN PARK, AND TURNED IT BACK ON. THE DEALERSHIP STATED IT WOULD HAVE TO HAPPEN AGAIN BEFORE THEY WOULD KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. GENERAL MOTORS TOLD HER SHE COULD TAKE THE VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND THIS IS THE ONLY TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED. *AK
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE DRIVER WAS FATALLY INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED AN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION FAILURE WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO INDICATED THAT THE AIRBAGS DID DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,800. UPDATED 04/14/14 MA UPDATED 04/18/14 *JS
I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40MPH WITH MY TWO KIDS IN THE CAR AND THEN THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN AND WOULDN'T ACELARATE I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THEN THE CAR JUST STALLED. I THEN PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES. I THEN TRIED STARTING THE CAR AGAIN AND IT DID START. MY VEHICLE HAS 600 MILES.TODAY I RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM CHEVROLET MOTOR DIVISION CENTRAL OFFICE STATING THAT THEY ARE CONDUCTING A VOLUNTARY CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM THAT AFFECTS CERTAIN 2005 MODEL YEAR CHEVROLET COBALT VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.2L ENGINE AND AIR CONDITIONING. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND ALSO THE 800 NUMBER ON MY LETTER AND TOLD THEM ABOUT MY VEHICLE STALLING AND TO LET THEM NOW I RECEIVED THE LETTER. I'M SCHEDULED FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND TO LOOK INTO WHY MY VEHICLE STALLED. ALTHOUGH THEY STATE THIS IS "VOLUNTARY CUSTOMER STATISFACTION PROGRAM" I THINK THEY SHOULD JUST CALL IT A RECALL AND HAVE ALL CUSTOMERS WHO PURCHASED THIS MODEL BRING THEIR VEHICLE IN NOW RATHER THAN WHEN THEY EXPERIENCE A PROBLEM.
I PURCHASED THE CAR LITERALLY OFF THE SHOWROOM FLOOR. ONE DAY AND 38 MILES LATER IT STALLED OUT ON MY WIFE ON THE WAY TO CHURCH. TWO WEEKS LATER I GOT IT BACK. IT TURNED OUT TO BE A PROBLEM IN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE DEALER HAD TO FINALLY TAKE ONE FROM ANOTHER CAR TO HELP SOLVE MY PROBLEM. TWO DAYS LATER I NOW HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR "THIRD EYE" BRAKE LIGHT. IT WILL NOT GO OFF. I AM RETURNING THE VEHICLE ON MONDAY AND WILL WAIT TO SEE WHAT THIS PROBLEM IS. I KNOW THE COBLAT IS NEW BUT I SHOULDN'T BE HAVING THESE KIND OF PROBLEMS. *AK
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