There are 30 owner-reported body & structure complaints for the 2006 Chevrolet Cobaltin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
CAN'T OPEN DRIVERS DOOR FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE HANDLES. NOT SAFE TO DRIVE, IF ACCIDENT OCCURS HOW DOES THE EMERGENCY PERSONAL GET YOU OUT?
DRIVER SIDE DOOR WONT OPEN, STUCK SHUT. HANDLE FEELS LIKE NOTHING IS THERE . CANT OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IF WAS IN A WRECK OR FIRE. VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AS THESE ARE POWER LOCKS AND YOU CAN HEAR THE UNLOCKING SOUND HOWEVER DOOR DOESNT OPEN.
REAR DOORS WON'T UNLOCK.
DRIVER DOOR WONT OPEN FORM IN OR OUTSIDE SOMETIMES AND IF IT DOES IT WILL NOT LATCH PROPERLY AND OPEN WHILE DRIVING. *TR
THIS IS ABOUT THE FOURTH TIME MY 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT DRIVER SIDE DOOR HAS BEEN STUCK SHUT. PREVIOUSLY, RESTARTING THE BATTERY FIXED THE PROBLEM BUT NOW THE ISSUE APPEARS TO BE MECHANICAL. IT'S ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS THAT I HAVE TO CLIMB OUT OF MY PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WITH A FRACTURED SPINE BECAUSE CHEVROLET AND GMC CANNOT ENGINEER A DOOR PROPERLY. *TR
OUR DRIVERS SIDE DOOR FREQUENTLY "STOPS" WORKING. YOU ARE UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR WITH THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK OR SHUT COMPLETELY OFF. THE OTHER 3 DOORS IN THE VEHICLE OPEN WITHOUT ISSUE, BUT THE DRIVERS DOOR REFUSES TO OPEN (AND I DO NOT CONSIDER HAVING TO CLIMB OUT THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR OR PLAY "DUKES OF HAZARD" A FEASIBLE ACTION). AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE COBALT AND G5. TO THIS EFFECT I AM NOT SURE HOW THIS HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED WITH A RECALL. IF I AM ABLE TO FIND THOUSANDS OF RESULTS ON THE ISSUE WITH A 30 SECOND INTERNET SEARCH IT HAS TO HAVE BEEN REPORTED. IT WOULD SEEM THAT THIS WOULD BE A FAIRLY HIGH PRIORITY FIX DUE TO THE RISK OF SOMEONE BEING TRAPPED INSIDE THE CAR IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE OR SOME OTHER CATASTROPHE. GRANTED I DO NOT EXPECT TO SEE A RECALL ON THIS AS IT IS NOT TECHNICALLY A LIFE OR DEATH DEFECT UNLESS YOU CONSIDER THE ABOVE SCENARIO. JUST THOUGH I WOULD TAKE THE TIME TO SUBMIT A COMPLAINT ABOUT A CAR THAT SEEMS TO HAVE WAY TOO MANY RECALLS IN ITS HISTORY ALREADY. *TR
A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF MY 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT QUICKLY APPLIED THEIR BRAKES WHICH CAUSED MY DAUGHTER TO QUICKLY APPLY HERS THUS CAUSING HER TO HIT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER. THE AIR BAGS IMMEDIATLY DEPLOYED. MY SON, WHO WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, NOTICED WITHIN SECONDS OF THE CRASH THAT THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. HE HAD TO QUICKLY UNHOOK BOTH HIS AND MY DAUGHTERS SEAT BELT SO THEY COULD EVACUATE THE VEHICLE BEFORE THE CABIN CAUGHT FIRE. ONCE MY DAUGHTER WAS ABLE TO RELAX AND GATHER HERSELF AND TELL ME WHAT SHE HAD REMEMBERED ABOUT THE ACCIDENT, SHE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE IT WAS STOPPING AS QUICKLY AS USUAL. I ASK HER IF SHE THOUGHT THAT THE CAR HAD STALLED PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND SHE STATED THAT SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WOULD FEEL LIKE TO HAVE A CAR STALL WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING. I AM UNSURE AS TO, NUMBER ONE, WHY THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE IMMEDIATLY AFTER A 35MPH IMPACT AND TWO, WHY WAS IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR MY DAUGHTER TO PUSH ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP AT A TIME WHEN YOU NEED TO TRUST YOUR VEHICLE THE MOST???? *JS
UPON ENTERING MY VEHICLE, THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR OPENED BUT WOULD NOT LATCH WHEN CLOSED. AFTER EXAMINING THE DOOR LOCKS, LOCK BUTTONS, HANDLES BOTH INSIDE AND OUT AS WELL AS THE STRICKER AND LATCH, I FOUND THAT THE DOOR LATCH MECHANISM WAS STUCK OPEN. I FUNCTIONED THE LOCKS AND HANDLES IN ORDER TO RELEASE THE LATCH. THEY WOULD RELEASE BUT ONCE PRESSED AGAINST THE STRICKER THEY WOULD AGAIN STICK. I APPLIED SOME LUB AND PENETRATING OIL AND THIS TEMPORARILY CORRECTED ISSUE. I HAD IDENTICAL ISSUE WITH PASSENGER DOOR AND ALSO ISSUES WHEN ATTEMPTING TO OPEN BOTH DOORS. ONE YEAR AFTER INITIAL ISSUE, THE PASSENGER DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. HAD TO REMOVE DOOR PANEL TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE LATCH FROM INSIDE THE DOOR. LATCH HAS BEEN REPLACED. *TR
I HAVE WRITTEN AT LEAST 1-2 LETTERS TO GMC, SPOKE W/REPS FOR HOURS FOR YEARS, REACHED OUT TO SM, & ATTEMPTED TO HANDLE THE ISSUE MYSELF, & I AM DISGUSTED & FURIOUS AT THE WAY GMC HAS BRUSHED OFF LOYAL, PAYING CONSUMERS W/NO REGARD. MY VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW OFF OF THE LOT & I LOVED IT. AFTER HAVING MANDATORY RECALL WORK DONE IN 2010, THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER THE SAME. MY PASSENGERS WERE OFTEN TIMES FRIGHTENED BY THE UNFAMILIAR HANDLING OF A 2006: IT JERKED, BUCKED, CUT OFF, & OFTEN TIMES WOULD NOT CUT BACK ON. ONCE, WHEN DRIVING A FRIEND THAT SERVES IN THE MILITARY, I WENT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN & THE CAR CUT OUT OF THE TURN & TURNED OFF. IF TRAFFIC WOULD HAVE BEEN COMING, WE BOTH WOULD HAVE DIED THAT DAY. I CRIED & BEGGED GMC FOR YEARS THAT I FEARED FOR MY LIFE & SOMETHING WAS VERY WRONG W/THE CAR. THEY DENIED ANY KNOWING OF MY ISSUE & MADE ME PAY HUNDREDS AFTER HUNDREDS IN DIAGNOSTIC FEES THAT WERE FRUITLESS LABOR. DEALERS & REPS MADE IT SEEM AS IF I WERE CRAZY & JUST TRYING TO BE PROBLEMATIC INSTEAD OF HONESTLY ADDRESSING MY ISSUE & TAKING ME SERIOUS. ONCE I FINALLY RECEIVED RECALL PAPERS, MY CAR CEASED TO TAKE ANY MORE ABUSE. THE ENGINE HAS BEEN YANKED & KNOCKED TO THE POINT OF EXHAUSTION & WHAT WAS ONCE MY MOST PRIZED POSSESSION IS NOW A NON-MOVING MASS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY. I HAVE ACCRUED A NUMBER OF SPEEDING TICKETS DUE TO THE SPASTIC SPEEDOMETER MOVING OUT OF CONTROL (WHICH I TOOK VIDEOS OF & SENT TO GMC), SCRUNCHED THE FRONT OF MY HOOD DUE TO THE CAR LOCKING UP, & OVERALL RUINED MY LIFE AS MY 1ST BIG INVESTMENT IN A GENUINE PRODUCT OF LIVING LEFT ME STRANDED, LITERALLY. I HAVE A COPY OF AT LEAST 1 OF THE LETTERS THAT I SENT IN, THE VIDEO FOOTAGES, THE LINKS TO THE SM I ADDRESSED CHEVY, PICTURES, WITNESSES, & DOCUMENTATION OF INVOICES ON FILE AT DEALERSHIPS. WHEN I ASKED BLACK CHEVY IN GREENSBORO FOR MY INFO, THEY SAID IT SHOULD BE LINKED TO VIN.PLEASE *TR
INCIDENT #1: WHILE DRIVING AT 55MPH ON A HIGHWAY, THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR OPENED WITHOUT WARNING. GENERALLY, WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, THE VEHICLE DOORS LOCK AUTOMATICALLY. DRIVER WAS WEARING SAFETY BELT. DRIVER PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO SHUT THE DOOR. ONCE PARKED, THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT LATCH SHUT. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS OF MESSING WITH THE LOCKS AND JIGGLING THE DOOR HANDLE, THE DOOR LATCHED SHUT. INCIDENT #2: FIVE DAYS AFTER INCIDENT ONE, ON APRIL 6, DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. OWNER HAD TO CLIMB THROUGH PASSENGER SIDE TO ACCESS INTERIOR DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE TO ATTEMPT TO OPEN THE DOOR. HOWEVER, FROM THE INTERIOR, THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. A FEW HOURS LATER, DRIVER SIDE DOOR OPENS AFTER ANOTHER ATTEMPT FROM OUTSIDE. ONCE INSIDE THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT LATCH SHUT. VEHICLE COULD NOT BE DRIVEN UNTIL DOOR LATCHED SHUT NEARLY 45 MINUTES LATER. INCIDENT #1 HAS HAPPENED ONLY ONCE. INCIDENT #2 HAS HAPPENED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. AS A 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT OWNER, I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD CAREFULLY BE LOOKED INTO. AFTER RESEARCHING QUICK FIXES FOR THIS ISSUE ONLINE, I'VE FOUND HUNDREDS OF VERY SIMILAR CASES IN WHICH ALL INVOLVE 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT DRIVER SIDE DOOR ISSUES WITH OPENING, NOT OPENING, AND LATCHES. IN SOME INSTANCES, THE WINDOW WOULD NOT ROLL DOWN WHEN UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER'S SIDE DOORS WOULD NOT OPEN WHEN THE DOORS WERE UNLOCKED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR DOOR LATCHES WOULD ACTIVE NORMALLY BUT THE LOCKING MECHANISM MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE DOOR NOT TO OPEN. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE ENTIRE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000.
THE POWER LOCKS SUDDENLY DO NOT WORK AS USUAL. USUALLY, ALL THE DOORS ARE LOCKED WHEN I DRIVE THE CAR WHILE THEY ARE UNLOCKED WHEN I PARK THE CAR. NOW, THERE IS NO RESPONSE OF EACH DOOR WHEN I SHIFT THE CAR TO PARK OR DRIVE. I HEAR SOME TICK SOUND WHEN I PUSH THE BRAKE, WHICH IS NOT THERE WHEN THE LOCKS WORK WELL. SOMETIMES IT IS VERY HARD TO MOVE THE POWER STEERING WHEN I PARK THE CAR. *TR
2006 CHEVROLET COBALT DOORS WON'T OPEN FROM EITHER THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE AFTER RAIN. THE HANDLE MOVES, BUT THE DOOR WON'T OPEN. THIS AFFECTS BOTH PASSENGER AND DRIVER DOORS, BUT FORTUNATELY HASN'T YET AFFECTED BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, WE CAN ONLY GET OUT OF THE CAR BY THE ONE WORKING DOOR. IT TAKES DAYS BEFORE THE DOOR WORKS AGAIN. WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT BEING TRAPPED IN THE CAR IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, FIRE, ETC. WE HAD THE DOOR LOCK/LATCH REPLACED, BUT THE SAME PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *TR
UNABLE TO OPEN DRIVER SIDE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE. I CAN UNLOCK THE DOOR WITH NO ISSUES, BUT THE DOOR ITSELF WILL NOT OPEN. HAVE TO CLIMB IN AND OUT THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. HAVE SEEN A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME ISSUE ON TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM. *TR
I ARRIVED AT WORK YESTERDAY ONLY TO FIND I COULDN'T EXIT MY CAR THROUGH THE DRIVER'S DOOR. I MANUALLY TRIED UNLOCKING IT, BUT IT STILL DID NOT OPEN. I PROCEEDED TO CLIMB OUT OF THE PASSENGER SEAT. THAT DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE ALL THE WAY. I THOUGHT THE SEAT BELT WAS STUCK IN THE DOOR. IT TURNS OUT THE LATCH DIDN'T ALLOW ENOUGH SPACE TO CATCH THE DOOR. AFTER 5 MINUTES OF PUSHING THE LATCH AND TRYING TO GET THE DOOR CLOSED, IT FINALLY WAS ABLE TO CLOSE. I JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR (USED) 2 WEEKS AGO. MY FIRST CAR!! I WISH I HAD BOUGHT A HONDA! TODAY I WAS GOING TO RUN ERRANDS ON MY DAY OFF. THIS TIME THE PASSENGER DOOR WOULDN'T LATCH. I HAVE NO WAY OF SECURING THE DOOR CLOSED SINCE IT IS A 2 DOOR VEHICLE. THE CAR IS SITTING IN MY PARKING LOT, UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN DUE TO THE SAFETY FEATURE (OR LACK THERE OF!) OF THE PASSENGER DOOR POTENTIALLY FLYING OPEN ON ME WHILE I'M DRIVING. HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS VEHICLE. LOOKS/RIDES NICE BUT NOT WORTH THE MONEY OR HEADACHE. STILL HAVEN'T DISCOVERED A RECALL REGARDING THIS ISSUE. MIGHT BE TRADING THIS IN ON A NEW CAR, DIFFERENT MODEL/MAKE! *TR
THE PLASTIC SUPPLY ON THE MODULAR RESERVOIR ASSEMBLY HAS CRACKED ON MY 2006 COBALT. FUEL IS LEAKING FROM THE AREA. THE CRACK IS CAUSING GAS TO LEAK TO THE GROUND. MY MECHANIC HAS SAID THIS COULD LEAD TO MY VEHICLE CATCHING ON FIRE. IT APPEARS THAT COBALTS IN OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTRY HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS SAME ISSUE. I'M WONDERING WHY ALL COBALTS HAVE NOT BEEN RECALLED AS I HAVE HEARD/SEEN MANY OTHER '06 COBALT OWNERS IN OTHERS STATES ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. *TR
PLEASE HAVE A SAFETY INVESTIGATION ON THIS. I JUST CAME HOME FROM WORK AND PARKED MY CAR ON THE DRIVEWAY. I NOTICED THAT WHEN I TRIED TO GET OUT OF THE CAR, THE DOOR WON'T OPEN.. I TRIED TO OPEN IT FROM THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE HANDLE BUT THE DOOR STILL WON'T OPEN...I WAS WONDERING HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPEN WHEN MY CAR HAS NEVER BEEN INTO AN ACCIDENT AND IT WAS ON THE LOW 32K MILES. I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCHING ONLINE AND FOUND THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR COBALT FROM MODEL 2005 AND UP. THIS SHOULD REALLY BE A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN! ANYONE COULD GET INTO AN ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING THIS DEFECTIVE CAR AND COULDN'T GET OUT BECAUSE AT ANY GIVEN TIME THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD FAIL.. PLEASE INVESTIGATE.... *TR
THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. BOTH THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE DO NOT WORK. FOR 2 DAYS, I HAD TO CLIMB OUT OF THE PASSENGER DOOR. AFTER 2 DAYS, I UNLOCKED MY DOOR AND HEARD A POPPING SOUND FROM THE DOOR. WHATEVER IS JAMMING UP FINALLY RELEASED. IT'S A SAFETY DANGER BECAUSE OF THE RISK FOR AN ACCIDENT. THE DRIVER/OCCUPANTS COULD BE TRAPPED IN THE CAR. THIS HAS OCCURRED 2 SEPARATE TIMES, BOTH LASTING FOR ABOUT 2 DAYS. *TR
TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE HAS COLLECTED WATER. MY SPARE TIRE WAS NOT AVAILABLE WHEN NEEDED DURING THE WINTER BECAUSE IT WAS FROZEN TO THE BOTTOM OF MY TRUNK. THE WATER COLLECTED IS SO EXCESSIVE THAT ENOUGH OF IT WAS ABLE TO COVER MY SPAR TIRE AND FREEZE IT. WATER COMES UP THROUGH BOTH WHEEL WELLS AND DOES NOT DRAIN OUT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR FRACTURED AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 26,297.
Showing 1–20 of 30 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 25, 2026