# Chevy Cobalt - a lemon



## NaeKid (Oct 17, 2008)

I was seriously planning on buying a Cobalt to replace my much-loved Cavalier - now I am glad that I did not after reading this report!

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/01/b...en-as-lemons-from-start-state-data-shows.html

*Cobalts Were Seen as Lemons From Start, State Data Shows*



> Long before the Chevrolet Cobalt became known for having a deadly ignition defect, it was already seen as a lemon. Owners complained about power steering failures, locks inexplicably opening and closing, doors jamming shut in the rain - even windows falling out.
> 
> In more than 120 instances, General Motors was forced under state lemon laws to buy back faulty Cobalts, pay settlements to owners or let them trade in the cars, an analysis by The New York Times of state databases and court records shows. The buybacks came as dozens of claims were filed separately at G.M. from 2005 to 2009 that fit a specific pattern - moving cars, sometimes traveling at high speeds, would suddenly stop working.
> 
> ...


Anyone here have a Cobalt for a gas-sipping car? Any problems like what is written here? Have the problems been resolved?


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Are these made in Korea at the old Daewoo factory?


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

If you take a look at these issues, they were never a problem until a U.S. company took control. I believe that was back in 2001. I currently own a 2008 Toyota Yaris that was manufactured in Japan, great little vehicle. I was known and the Vitz (or something similar) and was first introduced as the 'Echo' here in the U. S. You can do anything that needs to be done with a crescent wrench, a pair of vice grips, and some elbow grease. You may need some screw drivers to deal with things but the others will keep it running. It has been a reliable vehicle for well over 15 years now.

If you look back to the 70's, the Toyota's and Nissans were the running cars of choice then. Move to the 80's and Pontiac, GM, and the rest had the same vehicle, with cosmetic modifications, as their vehicles. And all were crap. Folks wonder why Government Motors is going to hell? Well, maybe they did it to themselves.


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## drgnhntr37 (Apr 13, 2012)

I don't know if anyone else remembers but GM ignition switches have always been crap. I've had several GMs over the years and after a while you didn't worry about the key you could crank them by just twisting the housing. 


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## ZangLussuria (May 25, 2012)

LincTex said:


> Are these made in Korea at the old Daewoo factory?


Could be this. The Chevy cars here in the PI still have some problems. They don't stand up to the Toyotas or Hondas. Not even to Hyundai or Kia.

When Top Gear UK reviewed a Daewoo, they had Daewoo themselves pick up the car because they were too scared to drive it back. This was coming from Jeremy Clarkson.

My brother has had his echo hatch for more than 10 years. still going strong. His wife has the next model Yaris and it's still good as well. I have a 2002 Honda and a 1977 Mercedes Benz. Both still doing well. Just have to do some restoration on the Benz.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

ZangLussuria said:


> When Top Gear UK reviewed a Daewoo, they had Daewoo themselves pick up the car because they were too scared to drive it back. This was coming from Jeremy Clarkson.


That is *HILARIOUSLY funny!!!!*


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## GaryS (Nov 15, 2011)

If you look at the reliability records of modern cars, the difference between the best and the worst is miniscule when compared to years past. You can go to Internet forums for every vehicle made, and you will find owners with no complaints for hundreds of thousands of miles, and owners who own lemons.

A major factor is perception. When Chevrolets and Toyotas were coming off the same assembly line in California, the only difference was trim and nameplates, yet the Toyotas were rated much higher by owners and reviewers. Go figure! The same was true for two "badge engineered" American cars. Consumers Reports rated one acceptable and blasted the other one.

I recall listening to Click and Clack one day and hearing a woman ask about her Honda. She said "It's a great car, but I just had to give it a second valve job in 30,000 miles." One of the brothers commented that it didn't sound like such a great car. Perception...she was told that Hondas were great and didn't want to disagree with her friends and the media.

What it boils down to is I ignore everything the media or owners forums say, and choose my cars based on my experience and MY perception. I've never owned a lemon, but have had great, good, and not so good cars in the cars I've driven since 1954.

Mechanical things break, and I can fix a lot of them, but my complaint is that complexity has taken the fix-ability out of modern vehicles. I have new vehicles...transportation specials...that I drive until they break and then trade them off, and I have simple old classics that I can fix, drive and enjoy.


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

Vehicles were lasting too long, somebody had to change that new junk is just that new junk. and what group of morons would approve a steering/ brake system that could result in a crash if key power was lost?????


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

I will put in a call to Barack. He is the CEO of General Motors right?


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## mojo4 (Feb 19, 2012)

The only engineers at GM who earn their keep must be assigned to the trucks. My family has never had good luck at all with ford GM or dodge cars. The trucks are a different story. I had a bad F 250 but my dodge and chevy trucks have been great. Of course trucks are far more profitable so they pay more attention to them I guess. I have decided to only buy Toyota cars and GM trucks. Lots of luck with that pairing so until I get a lemon they have my business.


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

I'd never buy a new car. It's the worst investment you can make. We just bought a 1994 Buick Regal with 61,000 miles on it for $1900. It's in excellent condition for its age and the air conditioning even works.


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## millertimedoneright (May 13, 2013)

I can definately agree with buying a new car being a bad investment but I still buy new on occasion. I find with me working off keeping the boss lady in a fairly new vehicle is the only way to go for me however. She needs a reliable vehicle and if it breaks down she can get it towed to the dealer and she gets a loaner vehicle til hers is repaired. With me on the other hand I prefer my 87 step side. Easy to work on and good on has. 


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## ZangLussuria (May 25, 2012)

LincTex said:


> That is *HILARIOUSLY funny!!!!*


There should be a clip about it on youtube. I just can't search well for it since I'm on mobile right now.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

millertimedoneright said:


> keeping the boss lady in a fairly new vehicle is the only way to go for me however. She needs a reliable vehicle


Still no "need" for new.

I bought my wife's Grand Caravan with only 58,000 one-owner miles. The original sticker was over $29K and we paid a little under $8K out the door!!! That is about 1/4 the cost of new, and it still smells new inside. At 58,000 miles it has a LOT of life left in it. Wife is super happy with it!


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## millertimedoneright (May 13, 2013)

I definitely agree with your logic for sure I just feel in my situation keeping her in a new vehicle not only helps my peace of mind since I work off but keeping her in a vehicle with a warranty makes our lives much easier. If her ride breaks down and needs to be worked on the dealer will give her a loaner vehicle to use until hers is fixed. I would have to rent a vehicle if I bought used. Not cheaper in the long run just much easier on me. 


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

I don't know if I'll ever buy a new truck again. I bought a new 2003 Dodge Dakota and ran it for over 10 years, beating the tar out of it. I live on a farm and it was a farm truck, hauling cord after cord of fire wood, making hay deliveries, etc. It has never been washed or garage kept. It needs inspected every March and it was just rusted out too badly to pass this year. We pulled it off the road and kept it for a farm beater.

The replacement is a "blue flame metallic" 2010 F-150 XLT with 19,000 miles, 5.4 V8, a regular cab and an 8' bed. It's very nice, better on gas than the V6 Dakota was, and smells new inside. The Carfax report we were presented at the dealership showed one owner, no wrecks, and that it had been traded in in June of 2013 so it really only has 3 years on it. We are happy with the truck on all accounts. With a nice down payment the monthly payments are more than manageable. For a farm truck, I just can't justify a new vehicle.

I turned 38 right before I bought the Ford and my goal is to get my next truck for my 50th birthday.


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

Here's both trucks:


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

Oh, and to return to the OP, my uncle has a Saturn that has the ignition problem. He's a maintenance guy at a local GM dealership (retired mill hunky) and his Saturn is being worked on right now. Not sure of the model. He also said GM is admitting to 13 deaths but kind of implied there may be more that just were not proven yet. He has a rental car while his is being fixed.


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