There are 12 owner-reported lighting complaints for the 2006 Chevrolet Cobaltin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I ALREADY HAD A RECALL ON THE FUEL PUMP OR MODULAR AND THEN ON THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS ALWAYS BEEN ON. THEY COULDN'T GET IT TO GO OFF EVEN WHEN THEY DID THOSE REPAIRS, THEN ONE DAY THE TURN SIGNALS STOPPED TURNING OFF AFTER MAKING A TURN. THE NEWEST PROBLEM AND THE SCARIEST ONE TO ME IS NOW A GAS LEAK. I WENT OUT AND STARTED MY CAR, STARTED TO REVERSE AND THEN SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF GAS. I STOPPED AND NOTICED MY GAS GAUGE ACTUALLY GOING DOWN. SO I SHUT THE CAR OFF HURRIED UP AND GOT MY KIDS OUT AND THEN SAW THE GAS POURING ON THE ROAD FROM UNDER MY CAR. I CAN'T BELIEVE THE PROBLEMS THAT I'VE HAD WITH THIS CAR. CHEVY NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESE PROBLEMS. IT'S THEIR CHEAP MISTAKES. THE ONLY REASON I HAVE CONTINUED TO KEEP THE CAR IS BECAUSE IT BELONGED TO MY LITTLE BROTHER WHO DIED IN A TRAGIC CAR CASH WITH HIS PREGNANT FIANC AND MY FATHER. SO I HAVEN'T WANTED TO PART WITH IT. I HAVE SEEN THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS AND APPARENTLY THERE WAS RECALLS FOR SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS ON OTHERS BUT NOT FOR MY VIN. HOW IS THAT RIGHT? THEY NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING THIS AND THEY NEED TO FIX EVERYTHING CORRECTLY THIS TIME. I NEED HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM, I'M NOT SURE WHERE ELSE TO TURN AT THIS POINT.
ON SEPTEMBER 19TH, 2016 I BOUGHT A NEW TWO PACK OF SYLVANIA 3157 LL LONG LIFE LAMPS FROM WAL-MART AND USED ONE TO REPLACE MY OLD LEFT REAR BLINKER LIGHT WHICH HAD BURNED OUT. THE LIGHTS ARE SPECIFIED AS VALID REPLACEMENT LIGHTS FOR THE 2006 CHEVY COBALT. ON DECEMBER 26TH, 2016 I NOTICED THAT THE SAME LEFT REAR BLINKER LIGHT WAS NOT WORKING AGAIN. ON DECEMBER 27TH, 2016 I AGAIN ATTEMPTED TO REPLACE THE BLINKER LIGHT UNSUCCESSFULLY. ON THIS DAY I NOTICED THAT THE PLASTIC ON THE BULB HAD BURNT AND MELTED AT THE BULB'S CONNECTION POINT ONTO THE METAL CONTACTS OF THE BLINKER ASSEMBLY (SEE ATTACHED PHOTOS). THIS SEEMS TO BE A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD FOR THE VEHICLE. UPON RESEARCHING, I FOUND OTHER FOLKS COMPLAINING ABOUT SIMILAR ISSUES WITH THEIR RUNNING LIGHTS ON THE CHEVY COBALT AS EVIDENCED HERE: HTTP://WWW.YOURCOBALT.COM/FORUMS/PROBLEMS-SERVICE/18928-BURNING-OUT-TURN-SIGNAL-LIGHT-BULBS.HTML. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET WHEN THE BULB MELTED.
AT FIRST MY HEADLIGHT BULBS JUST KEPT BLOWING AND I HAD TO KEEP REPLACING THEM. EVENTUALLY, ONE SIDE WENT OUT AND WOULD ONLY COME BACK ON AFTER THE BULB SHIELD WAS ADJUSTED. THE BULB SHIELDS EVENTUALLY STOPPED HOLDING THE DEVICE TOGETHER AND MY HEADLIGHTS COMPLETELY QUIT WORKING ALL TOGETHER.I ALSO NOTICED A MELTED LIQUID RUNNING DOWN FROM THE BULBS THEMSELVES INSIDE THE SHIELDS. IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE WIRING HAD MELTED. I TOOK IT TO CHEVROLET DEALER IN MY CITY AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ENTIRE WIRING SYSTEM MELTED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED INCLUDING THE WIRE THAT HOOKS THE SYSTEM TO THE BATTERY INSIDE THE ENGINE. TURN SIGNALS ARE NOT EVEN WORKING AT THIS POINT. I WAS TOLD THAT I HAD TO REPLACE BOTH HEAD LAMPS INSTEAD OF JUST THE ONE AFFECTED ONE BECAUSE IF I DIDNT IT WOULD JUST BURN OUT AGAIN. I WAS ESTIMATED $700 FOR THE REPAIR WHICH WAS WAY TOO MUCH FOR MY POCKETS. I HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED THIS SAME VEHICLE FOR THE POWER STEERING ISSUES WHICH I PAID FOR AND THEN WAS REIMBURSED 9 MONTHS LATER AFTER THE RECALL FINALLY WENT THROUGH AND THE FUEL PUMP ISSUES THAT HAD A RECALL AS WELL. I RECENTLY HAD TO REPLACE A FUEL INJECTOR AS WELL. I KNOW THAT THE 2005 MODEL HAD A RECALL ON HEAD LIGHTS AND I AM SURE THAT MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY THE SAME DEFECTIVE PARTS. I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT HEADLIGHTS FOR 4 MONTHS NOW. *TR
ON JUNE SEVENTH, 2010, I WAS DRIVING ON THE I-95 EXPRESSWAY. SUDDENLY, I LOST THE CONTROL OF MY CAR WHICH WAS HIT BY ANOTHER CAR DRIVEN FOR REYMY W. PORTES (CRASH REPORT # [XXX]). ON FEBRUARY 21TH, 2011, MY HUSBAND, [XXX] HAD SIMILAR ACCIDENT WITH HIS 2008 CHEVY COBALT. THE FACT THAT BOTH CRASHES WERE SO SIMILAR MADE DUBIOUS ABOUT OUR RESPONSIBILITY ON THEM. ON DECEMBER 12, 2011 MY HUSBAND PRESENTED A COMPLAINT TO F. H.S. M. V. D. M. S. (COMPLAINT # [XXX]), ON DECEMBER 16, 2011 ITS ANSWER WAS: ?YOUR COMPLAINTS DO NOT FALL WITHIN ITS JURISDICTION. DEJECTED, HE DIDN?T ANY MORE ACTION. I HAVE JUST RECEIVED FROM GM A WARNING ABOUT A DEFECT WHICH RELATES TO MOTOR VEHICLES SAFETY EXISTS IN 2005-2007 MODEL YEAR (MY) CHEVROLET COBALT, THEN I READ ON TV NEWS, AND INTERNET, THAT GM ISSUED THAT IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THE AIR BAGS MIGHT NOT DEPLOY IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT?. IN THIS MOMENT WE REALIZED THAT BOTH THE 2006 AND 2008 CHEVY COBALT AIR BAGS? DID NOT DEPLOY, REGARDLESS BOTH VEHICLES CRASHES WERE ON FRONT BUMPER AND MAROONE COLLISION CENTER CHARGE TO ALLSTATE THE AMOUNT OF $4183.16 TO REPAIR MY CAR. WE HAVE RECEIVED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF LETTERS FROM LAWYERS, AS WELL AS ALLSTATE INSURANCE DEALING WITH INJURES DAMAGES AND MONETARY COMPENSATION. ALLSTATE PAID TO MR. PORTES THE SUM OF $3 000, CONSEQUENTLY OUR ALLSTATE INSURANCE PREMIUM WAS RAISED SUBSTANTIALLY. THIS ENTIRE SITUATION HAD CAUSED STRESS, ECONOMIC PROBLEMS AND LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN BOTH MY WIFE I. BECAUSE BOTH CRASHES HAPPENED IN THE AFTERNOON RUSH HOUR, I-95 TRAFFIC WAS CROWDED AND SLOW, BUT IN OTHER CONDITIONS AND AS CONSEQUENCE OF AIR BAG MALFUNCTION MY WIFE AND MIGHT HAVE DIED. FOR THE REASONS EXPLAINING ABOVE, I, THE WRITER, DEMAND FROM GM A MONETARY COMPENSATION FOR THE PSYCHOLOGICAL, LEGAL, AND MONETARY PROBLEMS CAUSED BY MY CAR MALFUNCTION. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
EXCESSIVE GLARE FROM POOR DESIGN OF HEADLIGHT CAUSING EXCESSIVE GLARE AND SAFETY RISK FOR OTHER VEHICLES AND OBSTRUCTION OF PEDESTRIAN AND ROAD HAZARDS. THIS APPLIES TO ALL CHEVY COBALT COUPE AND SEDAN MODEL LS LT SS SITED TO DATE. HEADLIGHTS ARE OVERLY BRIGHT AND MISADJUSTED ALSO CAUSING BLINDING OF OTHER VEHICLES AND PEDESTRIANS. SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE CONTRIBUTING TO DISTRACTION, GLARE BLINDING AND EYE STRAIN. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE TURN SIGNALS SWITCH DID NOT WORK. AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR 30 MINUTES, THE CLICK SOUND FOR THE TURN SIGNALS STOPPED WORKING. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNALS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP, WHO REPLACED THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS SWITCH ONCE, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. UPDATED 12/28/2006 - *NM
ON A REGULAR BASIS ( ABOUT ONCE A DAY ) THE BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. TO SHUT THEM OFF THE PEDAL MUST BE LIFTED SLIGHTLY. THERE IS NO FEEDBACK THAT THIS ACTION IS OCURRING OTHER THAN FROM OTHER DRIVERS FOLLOWING THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER CAN NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. *NM
WHEN MAKING RIGHT TURNS, THE TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR WILL CANCEL SOMETIMES AND NOT CANCEL SOMETIMES. IT DOES NOT SEEM TO MATTER HOW FAR THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED. IT HAS DONE THIS SINCE IT WAS NEW. THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL SEEMS TO BE FINE. AS THIS IS A "COMPANY CAR", I HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED NOT TO TAKE IT IN TO GET IT FIXED UNTIL THERE IS AN OFFICIAL RECALL. *TR
WHEN TURNING THE HEADLIGHTS FROM THE AUTOMATIC TO THE MANUAL POSITION THE DASHBOARD INSTRUMENTATION DOES NOT LIGHT UP. THIS POSES A SAFETY HAZARD ON CLOUDY / FOGGY DAYS WHEN THE AUTOMATIC SENSOR SENSITIVITY IS SET TO HIGH TO ALLOW FOR PROPER LIGHTING OF THE HEADLIGHTS AND DASH INSTRUMENTATION. WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE SWITCHED TO MANUAL THIS SHOULD BYPASS THE AUTOMATIC SENSOR AND ALLOW FOR DASHBOARD ILLUMINATION HOWEVER THIS IS NOT THE CASE. *NM
2006 COBALT DASH LIGHTS WILL NOT WORK WHEN LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON MANUALLY WHILE DRIVING WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON AND IT IS CLOUDY OR FOGGY IT IS NOT DARK ENOUGH FOR AUTO LIGHTS TO COME ON BUT IT IS DARK ENOUGH THAT WITHOUT DASH LIGHTS YOU CAN NOT SEE HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING. *JB
CONSUMER 2006 COBALT INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN SWITCHED ON. *TS WHEN THE HEAD LIGHTS WERE TURNED ON MANUALLY THAT IS WHEN THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM. THE ONLY TIME THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING ILLUMINATED WAS WHEN THE AUTOMATIC LIGHT SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATED AT NIGHT. *JB
PETITION FOR PROCEEDING TO REMEDY A SAFETY DEFECT AND HAZARD WHICH HAS RESULTED FROM THE FAILURE OF GM TO COMPLY W/FMVSS 101 ON THE 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT. *TS THE ONLY TIME THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS OPERATE IS WHEN THE VEHICLES AUTOMATIC LIGHTING SYSTEM IS ACTIVATED. THE CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO MANUALLY TURN ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS. ***TRANSFERRED TO OVSC***
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 May 4, 2026