Steering Column problems of the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt - part 2

2006 chevy Cobalt LS power steering seizing, not working. Only 40k miles on car, brought to gm dealer & was told that there was no warranty on power steering, had to have replacement steering column & motor at a cost of over 1000 dollars.

I am the owner of a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt. It has 38,000 miles on it. I was driving and with no warning my dashboard flashed "power steering" and at the exact same time my power steering went out. Needless to say I was on a busy well traveled 4 lane road and almost didn't make the turn to get off. I couldn't even park the car. Not exactly a safe situation. Took the car to the dealership & I'm told it's not covered because I have 38,000 miles so I'm barely over my warranty period. They then tell you it is probably the power steering motor but you don't know until you replace that for $460 and if the message still comes on for power steering you will need a new steering column for an additional $700-$800. After doing some research and calling local chevy dealers and speaking to people who don't want to give their names for fear of losing their jobs it has been become clear that the steering in a Cobalt is a huge issue and is happening to a lot of people. My dealership has even admitted that my car is in great shape and not been driven badly or beat up on. Please do something to help the people that can't afford to replace something that is defective to begin with. Also, the part is on back order for obvious reasons with so many people having problems so I am without a car for a minimum of a week and there's not a guarantee it won't be longer.

2006 Chevrolet Cobalt loses variable assist power steering randomly. Requires great effort to turn when system fails. This problem was not a one-time event - it occurred several times before I could arrange repairs. The entire steering column and all power assist associated parts were replaced, as the dealer stated this would be the corrective action. Old parts were not retained, as I had the vehicle repaired by a reputable, ase certified shop. This car is used by my 17 year old daughter as a commuter car, school and such. This problem was repaired at my expense. Now, gm has issued a recall, but the very dealer that diagnosed the problem is telling me that this Cobalt is not in gm's recall database. Sure enough, I went online and checked and it isn't in there. This appears to be just one more attempt by gm to Dodge their ethical responsibility to correct serious defects in their vehicles or to reimburse owners that have repaired a defect that later becomes a recall issue. This is why americans don't buy american vehicles. They are poorly made and the manufacturer won't stand behind them when there is a serious problem.

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 battery it was discovered that my radio was drawing too much energy even when the car was turned off and it was causing my battery to die, so now I have no radio in my car I had to have it unhooked. Then while I was still dealing with the battery issue, my power steering started going out, I thought this was some how related to my battery so when I got that fixed I thought it would get better it didn't. I will be driving along and the chime will go off and it says power steering and it goes out. I wrote gm a letter with my concerns and complaints, and after having it looked at by the dealership and being told this is nothing I did to my car, gm refused to help me with my car they said parts wear out and I have to get it fixed myself, I have had estimated done it is going to cost about $750. 00 for a new steering column.

While driving the power steering would display on the control panel and I was unable to turn the wheel. This happened at various speeds. Once while attempting to drive six miles on a busy roadway my husband and I had to pull off the road over 20 times to turn the car off and give the time for the power steering to reset itself only to drive a piece further and the incident to occur again. Eventually, having to tow the vehicle home. We took the vehicle to the dealership in November and it was over 800 for repair. They replaced the steering column and we haven't had any other problems so far.

The chevy Cobalt has serious but intermittent issues with the power steering. The instrument panel will display a "power steering" warning. Sometimes this is the extent of the problem but often the steering wheel will lock up or become difficult to turn. This happens while driving and with no "trigger" that I can identify. The recommended remedy is to replace the column, but even the new columns have the same problem. We first had the issue at about 30,000 miles, the column was replaced and now, at about 75,000 miles, we are having the same issue. My research indicates the same problem across the country for most model years and beginning as early as 4000 miles. This issue is life threatening and must be remedied as soon as possible. When the steering locks up it is nearly impossible to turn the steering wheel. Sometimes the warning message is there and sometimes it does not. A rattling noise can be heard sometimes as well, along with the smell of something getting to hot. I believe a recall is in order due the extensiveness and severity of this defect. I sincerely hope no one is killed before a lasting resolution to this issue can be found.

Electronic power steering goes out, first happen in oct, had it checked and was told it is a motor circuit that is on the steering column and would cost $1000 to $1500 to fix because they have to take column out to get to it, it goes out driving down the road at anytime one or 2 time a day, so you have to stop and turn off motor and restart and it will work for a few more miles or not! it makes it very hard to steer and I cant keep driving it like this so am taking it in to repair, I don't really want to pay for something I think chevy should fix that a lot of cars are having but don't have a choice as I cant keep driving it this way.

I have a 06 Cobalt recalled for power steering . In October of 09 I started calling gm over my power steering going out . My car is under the powertrain warranty then and still is with just 50,000 miles. I called gm researched ,and signed the petition for the recall and got nowhere but lies from them. I thought that maybe they could fix it under the warranty before the recall that they said they knew nothing about went into affect. They told me to get a diagnostic test which cost 100 dollars out of my pocket which I did. Still no result, now we have a recall 2 months after they told me that they would not fix my car. The thing that troubles me now is that there is another lie being told because the diagnostic test says that there is 2 things that should be fixed not just one, the cheapest one, the recall is only going to fix the motor . The column is also suppose to be fixed because the motor will not solve the problem altogether it is just a bandaid sort of thing. This is what the dealer told me that gm required before the recall. This is about a $1500 problem . Why are they not going to fix all of it like they said it required before recall. It goes out when you get to 10 or 15 mph and stays out until car is shut off. They are lying about when it happens, it happens all the time who only drives 10mph impossible! I have been getting on the ramps on highways in a curve and it would go out ,very dangerous very unsafe because it is extremely hard to turn steering wheel, it is very hard to keep car steered straight, not to mention trying to park or back up it is almost impossible and dangerous on hitting other vehicles that are close to you. I drive in fear every day with a new car, I have got neck and back problems now from this. I have a list of front end wear & tear damage from this being out for 10 months now . I have a 87 yr father who was a gm worker ,who I take to appts in this car, which we both fear everytime we are in it. Gm needs to fix both problems.

The power steering for my 2006 Cobalt will stop working at random times. This has happened up to 5 times during a given day including in stopped traffic waiting at a red light and driving at 70 mph on the interstate. The solution is to turn the car off and turn the car on and it will reset the power steering. This has resulted in me driving at anywhere from 25 to 70 mph and then having the driving conditions of the car change instantly which is very dangerous. I have called a Chevrolet dealer about this issue. They are aware of it and their solution is for the customer to replace the entire steering column which will cost approximately $900. This is a widespread issue from what I have been reading on the internet and demands a recall.

The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt. He stated while traveling at speeds of 55 mph, the steering column locked without warning. The dealer replaced an unknown part at partial expense of general motors. The vehicle was not under warranty. On a separate occasion, while operating the vehicle at speeds of 65 mph in clear conditions and moderate traffic, the steering wheel would not respond to driver operation. The driver attempted to slow down and move the vehicle off the highway by braking lightly, however the wheels would not respond. The vehicle then spun in a complete 360 degree turn and side grazed the median strip before coming to a stop. The manufacturer was contacted but took no liability for the failure. Repairs were made to the vehicle at the owner's expense. The failure and current mileages were under 47,000. Updated 3/12/10 the consumers daughter hit a guardrail due to the steering malfunction. Updated 07/09/10.

For the past few months I have noticed my steering wheel of my 2006 chevy Cobalt shaking a lot when I drive down hills. This problem persists whether my foot is on or off the break. After the jolting got so bad, where I thought I was going to lose control of my vehicle, I took my car into my mechanic to be inspected. He informed me that my steering column was broken and my car was "a danger to drive. " my mechanic recommended I call chevy to see if they would replace the steering column for free because that is not something that typically fails in any age vehicle and especially in my car which only has 47,000 miles on it. I made phone calls to chevy and they said they would not fix my vehicle for free because it was still in "working condition. " my mechanic then replaced the steering column in my car ($600 later).

Within 1 month of purchase,the car rattles and sounds like something is going to fall out when you put on brakes,starting to do it when I make turns,getting worse. Took it back to dick shirley Chevrolet,they said it was in the steering column and it would cost $700. 00!! of course that isn't under warranty. They said it was safe to drive. Nothing they could do about it. After looking at web site of all the problems people are having with steering issues with this model of car I know I was sold a lemon and they know it,too!.

While my son was driving on a limited access highway at approximately 70 mph, the power steering suddenly gave out. He slowed down and was able to safely pull the car over to the side of the highway. He later drove the car carefully about 5 miles to the automobile dealership where the steering column assembly was replaced.

The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt ss. The contact stated when driving, he intermittently loses power steering. As consequence his risk of vehicle crash is increased. The steering column was replaced twice. However, after the second repair a technician advised him that the component would not be replaced under warranty coverage. As of current date the failure has not been remedied. The failure mileage was 45,000. The current mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt. She states when driving the vehicle the steering locks up and then the light illuminates on the instrumental panel. And then she would have to shut the vehicle off and then restart it. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and they replaced three fuses. After the repair was performed there was an electrical smell and the power steering got worse. The vehicle has not been taken back to have it diagnosed again for the power steering but she is planning to take it back . The lock up on the steering happens about six to ten times daily . The failure mileage was 65000 and current mileage was 75000. Bl updated 10/5/09 the dealer found the steering motor and column bad. Updated 10/07/09.

In June 2006 I bought a 2006 chevy Cobalt sd. On June 2008 I was left stranded. The car would not start. The car was towed to a nearby chevy dealer. They checked the car and found the following: battery failed midtronics (battery one replaced), checked engine light on (injector fuel cleaned), induction system dirty (they flushed it) and air filter full of dirt (raf replaced air filter). This problem cost me $208. 82. On Jan 2009 the horn was replaced (it had stopped working 2 months prior). This cost me $58. 85. The major problem is the power steering. The light came on around Aug or sept of 2009. The steering wheel gets hard and it's very hard to maneuver, specially when you're going to turn into a parking space. I had the car checked by two different mechanic shops and they both said it needs the power steering module replaced. This piece cost around $470. Plus labor. The first mechanic checked it on Jan 23, 2010 and bought the power steering motor ($175. 00)from the chevy dealer and replaced it. The problem still existed and he kept the car for two days to check if maybe it was something else. He concluded it was the steering column that needed to be replaced. He returned the motor and now was told that they (chevy) did not sell the motor by itself, that he needed to buy the whole module, which is $470. 00. The first 2 months I would turn off the car and it would not happen again, but since the beginning of Dec 2009, even when I turn off the car and then turn it on again, the steering wheel locks up and it stays that way the whole time you are driving. It happens every day, everytime I turn on the car. This is a pain because it's hard to maneuver the car, but it is also very dangerous, because if I had to make a quick turn, I couldn't do so, and that would probably end up in an accident.

The events leading up to this failure were none. I have a 2006 chevy Cobalt and my electrical powering steering went out on a trip with my two children. I am so upset about this. The "power steering" light came on exactly one minute before this happened on the highway. I had no notice and had to pull hard off the highway and restart the car. I took it to the chevy dealership (without a warranty) and it is going to cost $2000. I do not have this kind of money and also still owe $10,500 on a car that is dangerous to drive my children in. The entire steering column will have to be replaced is what the chevy dealership said.

I was driving my 2006 Cobalt on 95 south and I experienced loss of power steering which made the steering wheel locked up and become extremely difficult to do anything with. Within a week of the first incident this started to happen every couple of miles and the only way to regain the power steering is to pull off to the side of the road and restart the car. It got so bad within a week it was very dangerous to drive and I could not even pull out of my apartment complex without loosing the power steering and started to occur every couple of miles I drove the car. From the first time I experienced power steering loss until a got it fixed was about one week long and this happened at least 20 or more times. I took it to the chevy dealership and they said I needed to replace the steering column because there was a internal short in column motor module and have a four wheel alignment which cost me 966. 95 to fix and I had to pay the money to fix the problem because the car was way to dangerous to drive with out fixing this problem. I travel on major highways with my job and this dangerous safety defect left me in almost serious accidents and I was pulled over on the interstate 95 , PA turnpike, 76, and 495 in delaware state dealing with this hazard. This problem is a serious safety danger not only to me but every other person on the highway which is not fair to them.

Driving down the highway and my power steering went out going 70 mph in a 2006 chevy Cobalt, pulled off onto ramp turned car off worked fine for 1/2 mile and went out again. Made it to a shop and had the steering column replaced and I still have the old part.

I was driving 2006 chevy Cobalt down the highway at 70 mpg and the message displayed power steering and I had no power steering so I pulled off onto a ramp and turned off the car and restarted the car and everything was fine and down the road about 3 miles it happened again. This can not be safe at all and can't believe that there is not a recall on the steering column. I got the car in the shop today (June 30th) and the quote I got was $750. 00 to fix. And I would be able to have the old part.

I was driving down the road and all of sudden my wheel locked on me. I try to get out of the way of a oncoming car and I was very frighten. This could have been a serious accident if I was not thinking on my feet. Chevrolet should have a recall on the steering wheel column. I only got 45,000 miles on the car and only own it for about 3 yrs.

I was driving down the road in may and the power steering cut out while in motion. I immediately pulled over, turned engine off and then restarted the vehicle. The power steering began working again, but then cut out again after a few miles while still driving. This occurs every time I drive the car; works, cuts out, I restart the vehicle, power steering begins working, then cuts out again. . . . Everytime I drive!! my mechanic has tried replacing the computer chip and everything short of dismantling the vehicle. He informed me that he discovered that thousands of Cobalt owners have had the same problem. Unfortunately, gm refuses to do a recall despite the danger of the failure. The power steering column needs to be replaced. I am hoping gm will step up to assist their customers that cannot afford this repair.

The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that the power steering failed while driving approximately 35 mph and it became difficult to control the steering wheel. She turned the vehicle off, restarted it and the power steering corrected itself; however, when she began driving, the power steering failed again. The dealer informed her that the entire steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired to-date. She has not spoken with the manufacturer. The current mileage was approximately 50,000. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt. While driving various speeds, the power steering fails. As a result, the steering becomes difficult to turn and the vehicle becomes difficult to drive. Whenever the power steering fails, the contact restarts the vehicle and it resets itself back to normal. The dealer could not determine the cause of the failure. The failure mileage was 41,100. Updated 06/09/09. The steering was replaced at no cost. Updated 06/09/09.

The power steering lock up every time I drive the car. The key will not come out of the steering column. Cant drive the car.

I purchased a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt in February of 2009. Around 65,000 miles, the power steering began going out. At first, it would only go out if it was hot outside, and if you turned the car off and then back on it would go away. It became more and more frequent to where it is out nearly all the time now. I have been told my only option is to have the steering column replaced at a cost of approx. $700. 00.

I have a 2006 chevy Cobalt, I have had this occur 2 times. While driving the electronic steering that is used in this car malfunctioned and the whole steering wheel locked up and the engine started shutting down. This is a dangerous situation because this has happened twice to me while driving, the first time I took it to the dealer they failed to properly fix the vehicle and stated the replaced a computer chip. Four months later this happened again. This final time they had to replace the whole steering column. If this were to happen while driving on the expressway going over 55mph this would have been a life threatening situation. This defect could kill innocent people along with the driver and any passengers as kids in the car. I have had the steering column replaced, however I am doubtful that this issue won't happen again due to the fact the electronic system in the car may be defected.

I purchased a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt on 10/06/2007 the car was a prior corporate lease vehicle, with an impeccable car fax history detailing its service records. I did not start having any problems with the steering until approximately 1 month ago and it was intermittent power steering loss. It has now progressed to the point where there is only power steering for the first minute the car is running. I did a little research and contacted a service writer that I know and trust at a large Chevrolet dealership here in kansas city and he mentioned that he wrote replacement orders for 20 of the steering columns himself within the last year. I took the car in and they did a diagnostic check and sure enough the column needs to be replaced. I feel that a car with under 75000 miles should not have this type of a failure, so I contacted gm and was told the best they would do is 15% discount on the total repair which is $760. 00 plus tax, I feel this is a major slap in the face for a 30 year + Chevrolet customer, not to mention the fact that my daughter is driving this car with my grandkids and it is not safe. I do not have the means at this time to afford this repair. This should have been a recall on gm's part a year ago, the person I spoke to at gm denied that this was a wide spread problem, but obviously after what I've found on this site as well as numerous others, I beg to differ. Please help!!! thank you.

The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated while driving at 25mph she would hear a click from the vehicle and the power steering would shut off making the vehicle difficult to steer. The contact has taken the vehicle to a dealer and the dealer informed the contact that there is a tear in the steering column and it needs to be repaired. The contact feels a recall should be issued due to the amount of complaints that are filed regarding the power steering. The failure mileage was 50,000.

I have a 2006 chevy Cobalt 2dr coupe. First, about a year ago my power locks stopped working and they would randomly go up and down while I was driving. I got that fixed and then on 12/28/2008 I was driving from shreveport, la to chattanooga, TN. It was fine for most of the trip but as I was getting off the exit in chattanooga, my power steering went out. At first it would do it randomly but after about a month of it happening now it happens every time I drive the car. It works when I crank the car up but after about 1-2 miles, the power steering goes out. I took it to the dealership and was told that it needed a steering column and it would cost $1200. 00 which I could not afford. Then last week on 08/02/2009, a lot of things stopped working. The odometer, cruise control, temp. Gauge, and speedometer. And the car would not change gears. Since it stayed in a low gear I could only drive about 30 mph to take it to the shop. It turned out that it needed a transmission control module and it cost $362. After that everything started working again except the power steering. . Read more...

The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt. While driving less than 65 mph, the power steering warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel. Within seconds, the steering wheel locked and could not be turned in any direction. The dealer performed a diagnostic and discovered that the power steering column needed to be replaced at an estimated cost of $547. The VIN that was provided was not accepted by the system. The failure and current mileages were less than 73,000. Updated 03-06-09 updated 03/09/09.

Key sticks in switch and you cant get it out. Steering column locks wile driving. Steering happened twice. Key sticking happens all the time. Had switch replaced but still dose it. This is a 2006 chevy Cobalt.

My power steering has been going on and off since 2008. I took it to the dealership and they said I have to replace the entire column. The power steering goes out every day. As soon I turn on the car and go a few yards it goes out. The problem has gotten worse. It's a lot harder to turn and a lot more frequent than it was in November.

The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt. The traction control and the check engine warning lights intermittently illuminated on the instrument control panel and the vehicle stalled. The dealer replaced the shift column for $260. 00 at the owners expense; however, the repair did not remedy the failure. He was in the process of notifying the manufacturer. The failure mileage was 50,000 and the current mileage was 56,000.

I was driving the car and everything was fine. Out of no where the power steering stopped working. It was very had to steer and get control of to car. I was able to get the car to a parking lot and call the dealership I purchased it at. I brought it to them and they repaired the car 4 days later. The following is what I got charge for. Tech replaced steering column and cleared all codes. 55cpcr3 $171. 70 19200751 steering column kit $559. 98 fedx ovn, chrg $43. 08 shop supplies for repair $10. 30 total with taxes 840. 01.