7.6
pretty bad- Typical Repair Cost:
- $380
- Average Mileage:
- 45,550 miles
- Total Complaints:
- 44 complaints
Most common solutions:
- not sure (26 reports)
- replace shifter (10 reports)
- use key release (4 reports)
- popped access panel and hit button to remove key (2 reports)
- press reset under steering colom (1 reports)
- replace ignition (1 reports)
This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Chevrolet dealer.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
It was absolutely horrible!! I had to get my car towed. I had school today so I had to catch a ride from someone else and now tomorrow I won't even get it back till late afternoon. This is the 2nd time they've had something wrong like this. At first my car would just shut off now it won't even go in the ignition. Its nice to know though that I'm not alone on this one.
- princessglory16, Canton, OH, US
Annoying fit and finish issues GM needs to work on this big time. Overall I am happy with the Cobalt being a first year car I can expect issues or problems, but if Toyota and Honda fair better I might consider them in the future.
- jimmi, Canton, MI, US
I turned off the ignition with car in drive, while stopped on the shoulder, then put in park, and couldn't get the key out. Turned the wheel hard to left and right, then steering column locked. Got the key out, with difficulty, and then with difficulty put it back in, but couldn't turn key, column still locked, had to get towed.... parts on back-order...
I heard there was a problem with the neutral safety switch in this model, might be related. I'm glad I was parked when the column locked though.
- Robert B., Hartington, NE, US
The gearshift on my car had always been a pain, if it wasn't fully pushed into park, the key would not release, and I mean putting it into park and then giving it an extra gentle push to fully have it up all the way.
In August, the mechanism button that you push in to put it into reverse, neutral or dive got stuck in on the gearshift wand, and no amount of pushing forward into park would let it go or let the key out of the ignition. It wouldn't be that big of a deal, but without letting the key go, the accessories would remain on thus draining my battery and it would be easier to steal since the key was in the ignition. Since the battery is located in the trunk, it made it an even bigger hassle to cut off all power to the vehicle.
After tearing apart the console, we could not locate the problem and took it for repairs. Eventually the shifter knob was replaced, the car given back. No more than a mile down the road, I stopped at a restaurant and went to park--same problem.
Eventually, the whole component had to be replaced.
- Natasha S., Martinsburg, WV, US