My father-n-law bought me a used 2005 Chevy Cobalt in February. I had no problems what so ever with the car. It was practically brand new. It only had about 17,000 miles on it. Then about a month ago the "power steering" started to go out. It would go out about every 2-3 days, and when it did I would just pull over, turn it off, then restart. Then it started happening more and more. Now, I turn it on, pull out of the driveway and it goes out. I recently learned that the power steering is electric. What's with that. Well, I called the dealer where the car was originally from and they said that they have been receiving several calls about this problem. The guy said that it was probably the motorpack that's in the car where the brake/gas pedal is at. The guy himself said that there should be a RECALL for this particular reason. At first I loved this car. Now I can't stand it. I'm a single mother of four. I can't afford costs like these.

This 05 cobalt is a piece of crap the steering just went bad on it and the power locks have also gone bad and chevrolet wants a ton of money to fix this stuff and we have only had the car since last feb of 08 and problem after problem the steering is problem is annoying cause nothing should cost that much to fix especially when everyone else is having the same problem why isnt there a recall on this, I know why its a way fro GM to get more money so the assholes that run it can pay on there big house and expensive foreign made car that they drive and dont care about anyone but them and the money they make someting needs to be done I cant afford to fix this problem with the steering and locks next car i get will not be a chevy or gm made car and I prefer chevy and now I'm thinking of buying a Ford or Dodge

I tried sending this before, but it isn't showing. I've been having problems with my power steering going out for the past month. I'll be driving down the road, minding my own business, and suddenly, the power steering just quits. The bell rings, the light comes on and I have NO power steering. I turn the engine off, turn it back on, and it's okay until it decides to quit again. It has happened at least a dozen times. On Wednesday, it did it three times in one afternoon. It hasn't done it since. I have no warning, and there doesn't seem to be much rhyme nor reason, only it seems to happen in warmer weather, with or without the air conditioner running. It has never happened in the morning when it is cooler, no matter how far I drive. Wednesday morning, I drove 50 miles to a meeting and it didn't bother me, but it happened three times in the afternoon, so I have to blame the outside temperature, though I'm not sure why that would happen. I looked online and found hundreds of similar complaints. I took it back where I bought it and they charged me $81 to tell me there is nothing wrong with it. I am going to a Chevy dealer Tuesday to see if they will help me. I purchased an extended warranty from "Auto Select." I hope the Chevy dealer will take it. If not, I may have to go back where I purchased it again. This is a nightmare. I can't afford to pay $1000 to $2000 to fix it, so I NEED that extended warranty.

Update from Sep 22, 2009: I took my car to a Chevy dealer today and I have to have a new steering column. Thankfully, I purchased an extended warranty for the car, and they are willing to cover it. I just have to pay the $100 deductible. I emailed Chevrolet yesterday and said I thought they should have a recall. Of course the power steering wouldn't go out when I went to the garage, but tonight, it went out again when I was just coming home from my next-door neighbor's house, about a quarter mile away.

I bought this car so I could have a reliable car. I got it in Aug. 2005. Before I even signed the papers problems with the air conditioner. Should have known then it was a lemon. Since then in 2007 Traction Controll light comes, Power Steering goes out, Transmision shifts really hard, clicking in the gear shifter, gauges for speed and RPM's bounce all around, and check engine light comes on. There is a few other things but the list goes on and on. All these things happen together. I could be just starting the car or driving down the road. Can not predict when it will happen or how long it last. Sometimes it takes only one time turning car off and on sometimes a few times. It's CRAP!!! I have taken it in they can't figure it out. Nothing shows up on diagnostics. I want the problem fixed. Hopefully this helps.

Without warning, this past Saturday, the Power Steering Message came on in my 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt and the power steering failed. Fortunately, my husband and I were just coming to a stop at a stoplight. I managed to get to a station and off the highway. We were about four blocks from the house and got the car home...thank god for the weight training I've been doing!! I made an appointment at the car shop and was told that the diagnostic test showed C0475 as the error code. Also, that this code COULD mean the power steering motor was bad. What they couldn't tell me for sure is if the power steering column caused the motor to go bad???????????? GM, if you are going to code issues, why not code all the issues so customers don't have to guess at what problem they have? I was told it would cost me $480.00 (This is at KOONS in Manassas, VA) to have the motor replaced and $940.00 to have the steering column replaced. AHhh here's the rub, I could replace the motor and still have the problem and then they would have to replace the column...the column contains the motor...I asked if I went with the motor and then later have to do the column if they would reimburse me for monies put out for the motor and was told flatly, NO I can't do that... So, I went with the motor because I have to rent a car for the week since it's going to take 2 -3 days to get the part blah blah blah...I don't want this car...I will NEVER buy another Chevrolet car AGAIN - EVER!!!!!!! I have about 60,000 miles on the car - bought used in 2006..I have another 2 1/2 years of payments.....I am seriously thinking of trading the car in for another one and take the higher payments...reading all the complaints scares the crap out of me...I don't want to be driving 65 mph on Rt 66 and loose my power steering...

AUTOBEEF, are the complaints listed here being sent to the manufacturer? Sent to President OBAMA since he (gov't) owns part of this company?

My power steering went out in my car a couple of weeks ago, at first I could just turn it off then turn it back on and it would drive fine for awhile. Now its to the point of as soon as I turn on my car and pull out of my drive way it goes out and wont just fix if i restart it. Every time i have to drive it gets harder and harder to fix. I am a 20 yr old woman and take care of myself i can't afford for things like this to keep happening. Today i called GM and tried to complain but the guy i was on the phone with said if there is not a recall then there is nothing he can do, but i did inform him about this website and others and let him know that they are about to have hell with these cars. Everyone definitely needs to call and complain so that something can be done, this is ridiculous! Plus i didn't mention the other problems ive had with this car, its just completely outrageous i thought it was just me and bad luck... but obviously not.

Last August (2008) was when I bought my used 2005 Chevy cobalt LS. It was running perfectly fine until November. I was making a right turn into my work when the steering wheel went stiff-as if I couldn't steer correctly. After that the power steering went in and out constantly for a week. Then finally, it just quit working. When I went to get my oil change, I asked them to do a diagnostic on my car and unfortunately they said that I had electrical power steering which meant, I needed a whole new power steering unit! As I read and researched all the details online about power steering failure in this make and model, I came to realize that this is a common thing. Now please excuse my french, but WHAT THE FU#K?! There must be a recall on this because I'm definitely not the only one experiencing this issue..

Ok so basically what everyone is saying is totally true. When i first got my cobalt i was so happy with it and the first two years it was great. Then on my third year i had to replace a control arm which cost 800 dollars. Now my power-steering is acting up and to fix it will cost 1-2000 dollars from what i been pricing. It happened on I 95 going 65 mph and i almost crashed into some cars because my motor over revved and jolted my car. My locks randomly lock and unlock and my car over revvs all the time and im worried i will blow the motor. This car after its warranty is a piece of crap. I cant believe all the things that have went wrong with it. After 6 months paint was chipping off my hood, after a year the paint on half of the buttons on my radio were chipping and the shifter keeps coming loose. I am trading this car in and hope to get something for it. I still owe 5000 dollars on this car and now its not even worth that much and its not worth it to fix it. So now im going to be stuck with a higher car payment but it will be worth it because this car is a piece of crap. Im never buying a GM car again!

This has happened twice now -- I've been parallel parking and the power steering has cut out entirely. No, my tire did not hit and therefore get locked up on the curb. After seeing everyone else's complaints about this I decided to call the Chevy company. In order for us to actually do anything about this, this is what we have to:

1.) Go to an actual authorized Chevy dealership and have them find out what's wrong. Unfortunately, this will cost us and it cannot be reimbursed, although it may go towards fixing the problem. When you have your answer,

2.) Call up the Chevy Owner number and create a file about your complaint. I just called and the number as of Sat. Aug. 22, 2009 is: 1.800.222.1020 taken from the company website at: http://www.chevrolet.com/pages/mds/owners/landing.do

The thing is, we have to prove that it's a manufacturer's fault and it has to have documentation. Without this, none of our complaints will be taken seriously enough to validate a recall.

It's a bit stupid, but I can see their point from a business owner perspective -- why pay for something that you may not have had a hand in? They do have a right to ask for proof. Although I think enough people just complaining about a problem with cars of the same make and model must raise some flag.

(This is why I hate heartless companies who don't take onus for anything unless someone cries loudly enough to NOT be heard. It should never come to that and someone needs to get fired if it does).

In the meantime, simply tell everyone you know to not buy a Chevy Cobalt and call and complain as often as you like to that number. That'll send a message to Chevy to not ignore the safety of its customers :o)

My daughter was driving the car when the light came on and the dealer says we have to replace the steering column. After seeing all of the issues with this problem and all of the accidents and near accidents, I am pissed.

I am filing a formal complaint with GM, I am writing to the consumer hotline at Channel 3 in Philly, I am writing to 20-20 and 60 Minutes and my Congressman and Senator.

What is GM waiting for...enough people to be killed to make it worthwhile.

Everyone needs to push the issue...use the internet!

20-20 - 60 minutes are all available on line for you to send in your problem.

Last Friday my power steering indicator light came on in my 2005 Chevy Cobalt. I was told that the entire steering column will have to be replaced which will cost about $800 for the part. This is clearly a manufacturing problem and Chevrolet should do a recall to correct the matter. It is completely unfair that me as the consumer should have to pay to fix a problem that was clearly caused by GM. If GM refuses to take responsibility for this problem which could potentially cause accidents by not recalling the power steering problem in the Cobalt, then I think that GM Chevrolet no longer deserves my business and once I get rid of my Cobalt I will never buy another GM Chevrolet vehicle.

The power steering will intermittently and randomly go out and the message "POWER STEERING" will appear on the display near the tachometer. I bought the car new in 2005 with a 6 year Premium warranty through Premier Warranty (through the dealership). Premier refuses to cover this problem under their extended warranty. Although "power steering" is covered, the part that needs to be replaced to accommodate fixing the power steering, which is the steering column, is not covered.

According to the dealership that did troubleshooting, the "Torque Sensor Input" is defective.

Well, today I the Power Steering warning came on, with a "ding" letting me know somethin was awry. Sure enough, it had gone out, and though I'm a large person, it really takes me off the seat to turn it, when it is going slow especially.

Car has been pretty bad, though while it was under warranty, it was OK.

I really think this needs to be a recall, as I've read several forums now, and several have mentioned accidents, and near-accidents, when it goes out. The problem seems to be cured for an indeterminate amount of time, when you turn off the engine, and crank it.

I'm 19 years old and decided to go with the Cobalt for my first car. I got it back in January of this year (09) & there were already problems with the locks going haywire, the inoperable sunroof, the back, passenger window also not working, & just recently, the power steering. At first, I was able to cope with the problem after finding out that by cutting the car off and back on, it resets it and the problem disappears. Well I've taken it to the dealership 5 times now, and each time, they've given me yet another excuse as to why it does this. I have had my steering column replaced for a total of $938.00 and the problem still persists. I was just going to say forget it and drive under these conditions until 2 days ago (August 10, 2009) I was on my way to work and almost got in an accident that could have killed me on the count of me not being able to turn. I had to jump the curb in order to avoid getting hit by another car because mine wouldn't make a left turn out of the turning island. I was then scared half to death and suffered a severe anxiety attack, half of my family came to get me and they called the tow truck to take it straight to the dealership. (the towing service was the dealership's, not our insurance company's).

They told me some BS about my car only doing that when I have low fuel, which I personally knew was not true, but my mother believed & gave me much grief about how I need to keep the tank over 1/2 full. Then they charged us $138 for the towing expenses. So, i went and got the car back, and filled the tank all the way up so I could go about my day, even though I'm still nervous about driving the car, and as soon as I left the gas station, my power steering once again failed me, and I took a picture of the dash showing my gas meter and the message. I sent it to all of my email addresses and returned the car to the dealer.

They now have my car, and I have emailed the picture to the manager at the dealership. I have no rental or other source of transportation and I have 3 jobs that I need to attend to along with a ton of errands. I cannot afford to spend another dime on getting this car repaired and I have decided to contact GM about this matter, luckily GM's corporate office is nowhere from my house & I am starting a case study on the cobalt's steering problem. I am also looking to get a refund on what I have paid so far because of the Michigan Lemon law. I suggest that the people who have taken their cars to the shop 3+ times for the same problem to look it up because it is different in every state.

I have fallen in love with this car (as it is my first), but it is not worth my life. Next time, I'm either buying a Ford or going foreign. :-(