Two problems related to engine shut off without warning have been reported for the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt based on all problems reported for the 2009 Cobalt.
December 29, 2011, I was driving home one evening in the Cobalt when my car's engine shut off and I lost control on a semi-residential a few blocks from home. Driving at about 35-45 mp, downhill, I hit a parked car on the left side of the road (narrow road, cars parked on both sides, 2-way street). I thought, "I'm going to die". This impact made the car continue on, faster and more out of control, hitting another parked vehicle on the opposite side of the street and I finally was able to stop the car by hitting the passenger side front wheel/bumper of the Cobalt against the a parked truck to avoid driving into an intersection or any oncoming traffic. No airbags ever deployed. The car then flipped over, and that's how they found and recovered me. I awoke hours later in shock trauma at washington hospital center in DC (where I worked at the time), with the car totaled and just a scratch on my hand. I just had aches/pains, no broken bones, but had to take some time off work. I had no health insurance as I was a contracted employee. Car insurance paid off the expense of vehicle. Thank god nobody was killed nor seriously injured. I have all paperwork, photos but I still don't drive, maybe just once a week. The year of the Cobalt is from 2009, but I believe this vehicle should be included in the class action suit, as it was completely unsafe to drive.
When traveling over 30-35 mph, and braking hard (locking up the tires), the engine shuts off. Which results in a loss of power steering, power brakes, etc. I was traveling on a snow covered road and wanted to know how the car handled. While going straight at about 35 mph on icy road, I applied the brakes to lock up the tires. The car continued straight ahead (good). I let off the breaks, at which point I noticed the car was not running. I notified the dealer- could not recreate, the second time I demonstrated it for them. They were able to recreate it on another car. This happened during the winter of 2009-2010.