NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Service Brakes complaints
9 reportsClear category filter46,000 miles · Dec 20, 2018
Service BrakesCrashInjury
COMING OUT OF A ROUNDABOUT IN RUSH HOUR WHEN A CAR AHEAD OF HER SUDDENLY STOPPED. SHE HAD ABOUT ONE AND HALF TO TWO CAR LENGTHS AND HER SPEED WAS ABOUT 35 MPH. SHE APPLIED HER BRAKES AND THEY DID NOT RESPOND. HER CAR REAR ENDED ANOTHER CAR. THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. SHE HAS A SPRAINED NECK AND BACK. SHE HAS BEEN OFF FOR A COUPLE OF D…
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COMING OUT OF A ROUNDABOUT IN RUSH HOUR WHEN A CAR AHEAD OF HER SUDDENLY STOPPED. SHE HAD ABOUT ONE AND HALF TO TWO CAR LENGTHS AND HER SPEED WAS ABOUT 35 MPH. SHE APPLIED HER BRAKES AND THEY DID NOT RESPOND. HER CAR REAR ENDED ANOTHER CAR. THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. SHE HAS A SPRAINED NECK AND BACK. SHE HAS BEEN OFF FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS PER DOCTOR'S REQUEST. MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE CAR.
NHTSA ODI #11162623
48,000 miles · Oct 6, 2016
Air BagsService BrakesCrashInjury
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2009 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO COME TO A STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT FAILED TO RESPOND. THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOORBOARD INDEPENDENTLY. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DEPL…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2009 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO COME TO A STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT FAILED TO RESPOND. THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOORBOARD INDEPENDENTLY. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITH EXCESSIVE FORCE. THE CONTACT HAD TO PUNCTURE THE AIR BAG TO AVOID SUFFOCATION, WHICH CAUSED THE AIR BAG TO EXPLODE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BACK, NECK, AND EAR INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOWING YARD AND WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
NHTSA ODI #10914209
38,000 miles · Apr 28, 2015
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service BrakesSteeringCrash
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS ISSUE HAS HAPPENED. THE ISSUE IS WHEN TURNING ON AN ON-RAMP THAT HAS SHARP TURNING RADIUS THE CAR ABS SYSTEM TURNS ON AND YOU LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR. THIS ALSO HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE ALREADY ON A FREEWAY THAT HAS A SWEEPING ON RAMP TO ANOTHER FREEWAY THE ABS STARTS TO BRAKE IN THE TURN. I HAVE REPORT…
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THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS ISSUE HAS HAPPENED. THE ISSUE IS WHEN TURNING ON AN ON-RAMP THAT HAS SHARP TURNING RADIUS THE CAR ABS SYSTEM TURNS ON AND YOU LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR. THIS ALSO HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARE ALREADY ON A FREEWAY THAT HAS A SWEEPING ON RAMP TO ANOTHER FREEWAY THE ABS STARTS TO BRAKE IN THE TURN. I HAVE REPORTED THIS ISSUE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAVE NOT ADDRESSED IT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10713339
91,200 miles · Oct 14, 2014
Service BrakesSteeringVehicle Speed Control
ON THURSDAY OCTOBER 9TH, 2014 I WAS DRIVING EAST ON RT 70. IT BEGAN TO RAIN HEAVILY AT APPROXIMATELY 4:50PM AND I ATTEMPTED TO USE THE BRAKES ON MY VEHICLE. THE BRAKES WERE SUDDENLY VERY STIFF. I DIDN'T THINK THEY WERE WORKING. I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE WHEN THIS OCCURRED AND IMMEDIATELY PUT ON MY EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND TRIED TO MOVE…
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ON THURSDAY OCTOBER 9TH, 2014 I WAS DRIVING EAST ON RT 70. IT BEGAN TO RAIN HEAVILY AT APPROXIMATELY 4:50PM AND I ATTEMPTED TO USE THE BRAKES ON MY VEHICLE. THE BRAKES WERE SUDDENLY VERY STIFF. I DIDN'T THINK THEY WERE WORKING. I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE WHEN THIS OCCURRED AND IMMEDIATELY PUT ON MY EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND TRIED TO MOVE TO THE MIDDLE LANE, TO THE RIGHT LANE SO I COULD GO TO THE SHOULDER. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO SWITCH THE LANES, THE POWER STEERING WASN'T WORKING. I MANAGED TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL SLIGHTLY SO THAT I COULD SWITCH LANES. THERE WAS ONCOMING TRAFFIC BEFORE AN AVAILABLE SHOULDER SO I TRIED TO SPEED UP. I WAS UNABLE TO INCREASE MY SPEED. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN NATURALLY BUT I WASN'T ABLE TO COMPLETELY STOP UNTIL I GOT TO THE SHOULDER AND PUSHED EXTREMELY HARD ON THE BREAKS AND HELD DOWN ON THE BREAK FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. THE RADIO WAS STILL WORKING AND THE HEATER WAS BLOWING COLD AIR. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE WORKING AGAIN BY TURNING THE IGNITION TO THE OFF POSITION AND TURNING THE IGNITION BACK ON. I THINK MY VEHICLE'S ENGINE TURNED OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I HAVE ONSTAR ON THE VEHICLE AND IMMEDIATELY PUSHED THE BUTTON WHEN I WAS UNABLE TO BREAK PROPERLY WITH MY VEHICLE. THE LADY I SPOKE WITH SAID THAT SHE WAS SEEING SOME PROBLEM WITH MY BREAKS BUT I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP THE SAME DAY AND THEY FOUND NO CODES FOR MY VEHICLE. THE NEXT DAY THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THEY FIXED THE IGNITION RECALL ON MY VEHICLE AND THAT MIGHT HAVE FIXED THE ISSUE. ON TWO OTHER OCCASIONS BEFORE THE RECALL WAS ANNOUNCED, I HAD A SIMILAR ISSUE AND BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THIS EXPERIENCE WAS TERRIFYING AND I'M JUST GLAD THAT I WASN'T KILLED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10644667
4,000 miles · Apr 14, 2014
Service Brakes
WE WERE COMING BACK TO MARYLAND FROM A BIRTHDAY PARTY IN SPRINGFIELD, OHIO. WHILE COMING DOWN THE MOUNTAINIST AREA OF I-69, THE FRONT END STARTED TO WOBBLE WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. WE TOOK IT TO THE CHEVROLET DEALER IN LAUREL, MD WHEN WE GOT HOME. INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE PART. THEY TURN THE ROTOR. I HAD TO GO THE AND…
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WE WERE COMING BACK TO MARYLAND FROM A BIRTHDAY PARTY IN SPRINGFIELD, OHIO. WHILE COMING DOWN THE MOUNTAINIST AREA OF I-69, THE FRONT END STARTED TO WOBBLE WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. WE TOOK IT TO THE CHEVROLET DEALER IN LAUREL, MD WHEN WE GOT HOME. INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE PART. THEY TURN THE ROTOR. I HAD TO GO THE AND INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND HAVE THE FRONT BRAKES AND FRONT ROTORS REPLACED TO COMPLETELY CORRECT THE PROBLEM THAT THE CERTIFIED MECHANICS AT CHEVROLET COULD NOT CORRECT. *JS
NHTSA ODI #10579633
85,000 miles · Sep 26, 2013
Air BagsService BrakesCrashInjury
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUFFERED AN INJURY TO HIS NECK. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE SUST…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUFFERED AN INJURY TO HIS NECK. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE BUMPER AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000. UPDATED 12/23/13*LJ
NHTSA ODI #10545474
20,500 miles · Apr 15, 2013
Service Brakes
PREMATURE REAR BRAKE WEAR, NOISE STARTED AT 17500 MILES, COMPLETE FAILURE AT 23500 MILES, THIS CAR HAS BEEN PAMPERED AND NEVER DRIVEN IN SNOW AND ONLY DRIVEN BY ONE DRIVER. ROTORS ARE BADLY SCORED, PADS GONE, UNHEARD OF WEAR FOR THIS KIND OF MILEAGE! *TR
NHTSA ODI #10508244
33,000 miles · Feb 26, 2013
Service Brakes
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DECELERATE AND A LOUD SQUEAKY NOISE EMITTED OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER COMING TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WERE REPL…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DECELERATE AND A LOUD SQUEAKY NOISE EMITTED OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER COMING TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE CERAMIC BRAKES PERFORMED AS DESIGNED. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWO WEEKS AFTER THE REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE MOST RECENT DEFECT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000.
NHTSA ODI #10500090
42,500 miles · May 29, 2012
Service BrakesCrashInjury
MY SON WAS DRIVING TO WORK, HE WAS HEADING DOWN A LONG WINDING ROAD WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKES HAD SUDDENLY FAILED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD NOT GO TO THE FLOOR; IT WAS STUCK AND UNABLE TO MOVE. HE DESCRIBED THAT THE CAR SEEMED TO STALL AND CONTINUE TO DRIFT DOWN THE HILL WITH NO ABILITY TO STOP, GRA…
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MY SON WAS DRIVING TO WORK, HE WAS HEADING DOWN A LONG WINDING ROAD WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKES HAD SUDDENLY FAILED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD NOT GO TO THE FLOOR; IT WAS STUCK AND UNABLE TO MOVE. HE DESCRIBED THAT THE CAR SEEMED TO STALL AND CONTINUE TO DRIFT DOWN THE HILL WITH NO ABILITY TO STOP, GRADUALLY PICKING UP SPEED. HE GOT IN THE CURB LANE AND CONTINUED STEERING THE VEHICLE WHILE SEARCHING FOR THE SAFEST PLACE TO CRASH, AS THIS WAS HIS ONLY OPTION BECAUSE HE WAS UNABLE TO SLOW TO A STOP. IN THE MIDDLE OF MORNING RUSH HOUR, HE WAS ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY CROSS OPPOSING LANES OF TRAFFIC AND CRASH HEAD-ON INTO A HILLSIDE IN A PARKING LOT AT ABOUT 45 MPH. THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS SMASHED IN, DAMAGING THE FRAME BEYOND REPAIR. THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, WHICH RESULTED IN BRUISING OF THE CHEST. HE DID NOT LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS, AND DID NOT ACQUIRE ANY CUTS OR SCRATCHES. HE DID REQUIRE TRANSPORTATION TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE, AND WAS STRAPPED TO A BACKBOARD AND PUT IN A NECKBRACE. AT THE HOSPITAL, HE WAS GIVEN A CHEST X-RAY AND AN EXAMINATION, WHICH DETERMINED THAT NOTHING WAS BROKEN OR FRACTURED. HE DID SUFFER MICRO TEARS IN THE MUSCLES OF HIS BACK DUE TO THE IMPACT OF THE CRASH, AND A BRUISED CHEST AS A RESULT OF THE SEATBELT AND AIRBAG. NEEDLESS TO SAY, HE MISSED WORK THAT DAY AND THE NEXT THREE WEEKS OF WORK WHILE RECOVERING. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10459978
Official recalls
5Apr 10, 2014
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR, 2007-2010 Pontiac G5, 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice, 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "Off" position.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "off" position, the vehicle could roll away: (a) for an automatic transmission, if the transmission is not in the "Park" position; or (b) for a manual transmission, if the parking brake is not engaged and the transmission is not in the "Reverse" position. This potential for rollaway increases the risk for a crash and occupant or pedestrian injuries.
Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and for vehicles that were built with the defective ignition cylinder and have not previously had the ignition cylinder replaced with the redesigned part, dealers will replace the ignition cylinder and cut and, if necessary, re-learn two ignition/door keys for each vehicle. For vehicles that were built with the redesigned ignition cylinder or had the ignition cylinder replaced with the redesigned part, dealers will cut and, if necessary, re-learn two ignition/door keys for each vehicle. The recall began on April 18, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac owners at 1-800-762-2737, and Saturn owners at 1-800-553-6000. General Motors' number for this recall is 14113 for the ignition lock cylinder and key replacement, and 14133 for only key replacements. Note: Until a vehicle has been remedied, owners and operators are advised that when exiting, to be sure that the vehicle is in "Park," or in the case of a manual transmission, that the vehicle is in the "Reverse" position and the parking brake is engaged.
Feb 10, 2014
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on February 10, 2014 that they are recalling 619,122 model year 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, and 2007 Pontiac G5 vehicles. On February 25, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 748,024 model year 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR and Pontiac Solstice vehicles and 2003-2007 Saturn Ion vehicles and 2007 Saturn Sky vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine. On March 27, 2014, GM notified the agency that the defective ignition switches may have been used as service replacement parts on other vehicles, and as a result GM will be recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, Saturn Sky, and Pontiac G5 and Solstice, and 2008-2011 Chevrolet HHR vehicles. The part numbers for the service parts are 10392423 (a/k/a ACDelco D1461F), 10392737, 15857948, 15854953, 15896640, and 25846762. This expansion represents an additional 823,788 vehicles.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. An interim notification was issued to owners of 2007 and earlier models on March 10, 2014, informing them of the safety defect. Owners of 2008 and later vehicles will be mailed an interim letter on April 21, 2014. All affected owners will receive another letter once parts are available. The recall began on April 18, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737 or Saturn at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for the initial recall is 13454 and 14063 for the expansion. GMs recall number for the vehicles that may have received the replacement parts is 14092. Note: Until the recall repairs have been performed, it is very important that customers remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the vehicle key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. Always wear your seatbelt.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Air Bags
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on February 10, 2014 that they are recalling 619,122 model year 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, and 2007 Pontiac G5 vehicles. On February 25, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 748,024 model year 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR and Pontiac Solstice vehicles and 2003-2007 Saturn Ion vehicles and 2007 Saturn Sky vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine. On March 27, 2014, GM notified the agency that the defective ignition switches may have been used as service replacement parts on other vehicles, and as a result GM will be recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, Saturn Sky, and Pontiac G5 and Solstice, and 2008-2011 Chevrolet HHR vehicles. The part numbers for the service parts are 10392423 (a/k/a ACDelco D1461F), 10392737, 15857948, 15854953, 15896640, and 25846762. This expansion represents an additional 823,788 vehicles.
Consequence: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. An interim notification was issued to owners of 2007 and earlier models on March 10, 2014, informing them of the safety defect. Owners of 2008 and later vehicles will be mailed an interim letter on April 21, 2014. All affected owners will receive another letter once parts are available. The recall began on April 18, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737 or Saturn at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for the initial recall is 13454 and 14063 for the expansion. GMs recall number for the vehicles that may have received the replacement parts is 14092. Note: Until the recall repairs have been performed, it is very important that customers remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the vehicle key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. Always wear your seatbelt.
Electrical System:ignition:switch
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on February 10, 2014 that they are recalling 619,122 model year 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, and 2007 Pontiac G5 vehicles. On February 25, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 748,024 model year 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR and Pontiac Solstice vehicles and 2003-2007 Saturn Ion vehicles and 2007 Saturn Sky vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine. On March 27, 2014, GM notified the agency that the defective ignition switches may have been used as service replacement parts on other vehicles, and as a result GM will be recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, Saturn Sky, and Pontiac G5 and Solstice, and 2008-2011 Chevrolet HHR vehicles. The part numbers for the service parts are 10392423 (a/k/a ACDelco D1461F), 10392737, 15857948, 15854953, 15896640, and 25846762. This expansion represents an additional 823,788 vehicles.
Consequence: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. An interim notification was issued to owners of 2007 and earlier models on March 10, 2014, informing them of the safety defect. Owners of 2008 and later vehicles will be mailed an interim letter on April 21, 2014. All affected owners will receive another letter once parts are available. The recall began on April 18, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737 or Saturn at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for the initial recall is 13454 and 14063 for the expansion. GMs recall number for the vehicles that may have received the replacement parts is 14092. Note: Until the recall repairs have been performed, it is very important that customers remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the vehicle key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. Always wear your seatbelt.
Sep 19, 2012
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007 Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent vehicles originally sold or currently registered in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas; model year 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, Pontiac G5, and Saturn ION vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada, or Texas; model year 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arizona; and model year 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oklahoma, or Texas. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which the plastic supply or return port on the fuel pump module may crack, which could cause a fuel leak.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Notification to owners began on on November 21, 2012. Owners were instructed to not bring their vehicles in for repair until January 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.
Mar 3, 2010
GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 CHEVROLET COBALT AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 PONTIAC G5 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRIC POWER STEERING. THE DRIVER MAY EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST THAT COULD OCCUR AT ANY TIME WHILE DRIVING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF POWER STEERING ASSIST IS LOST, IT WOULD REQUIRE GREATER DRIVER EFFORT AT LOW VEHICLE SPEEDS, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING MOTOR FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS ARE BEING NOTIFIED ON A ROLLING BASIS BETWEEN MARCH 29 THROUGH NOVEMBER 2010. A COPY OF THE MAILING SCHEDULE IS LOCATED IN THE RECALL FILE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 AND PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668 OR AT THE OWNER CENTER AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.
Mar 6, 2009
GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING 276,729 MY 2009 BUICK ENCLAVE, CHEVROLET COBALT, HHR, MALIBU, TRAVERSE, GMC ACADIA, PONTIAC G5, G6 AND SATURN AURA AND OUTLOOK PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLES SAFETY STANDARD 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT POSITION SEQUENCE, STARTER INTERLOCK, AND TRANSMISSION BRAKING EFFECT", AND FMVSS 114, "THEFT PROTECTION AND ROLLAWAY PREVENTION". ON SOME OF THESE VEHICLES, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE ADJUSTMENT CLIP MAY NOT BE FULLY ENGAGED. IF THE CLIP IS NOT FULLY ENGAGED, THE SHIFT LEVER AND THE ACTUAL POSITION OF THE TRANSMISSION GEAR MAY NOT MATCH. WITH THIS CONDITION, THE DRIVE COULD MOVE THE SHIFTER TO "PARK" AND REMOVE THE IGNITION KEY, BUT THE TRANSMISSION GEAR MAY NOT BE IN "PARK".
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE COULD ROLL AWAY AFTER THE DRIVER HAS EXITED THE VEHICLE, RESULTING IN A POSSIBLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND ENSURE THAT THE SHIFT CABLE ADJUSTMENT CLIP IS FULLY ENGAGED. IN THE EVENT THAT THE CLIP DOES NOT ENGAGE, THE SHIFT CABLE WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE MARCH 24, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463, PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668 AND SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876 OR AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
3PE20011 · Fuel Line Leak
Opened Jul 5, 2020 · Closed Aug 17, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline; Fuel System, Other:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings; Fuel/propulsion System
On July 5, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE20-011 to investigate instances of metal fuel lines under the vehicle corroding and leaking fuel in model year (MY) 2008 through 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt and 2008 through 2009 Chevrolet HHR passenger cars manufactured by General Motors (GM). The metal fuel lines are corroding and leaking fuel in the area between the front and rear wheels on the driver's side of the vehicle before the muffler. Most consumers allege a fuel odor and/or an observable fuel leak that alerts them to the condition.The subject metal fuel lines have a protective AGE coating and, in the vicinity of the left rear wheel, are further wrapped in a foil heat shield. The AGE coating consists of an annealed zinc aluminum alloy metal coating with extended corrosion protection paint. Under certain conditions, water and corrosive road deicing agents may enter a crevice between the heat shield and the AGE coating. With extended environmental exposure in high corrosive environments, the AGE coating can degrade. If it degrades enough, the base metal lines may begin to corrode beneath the heat shield.Corrosion to the fuel lines may eventually cause a perforation to develop in the line, allowing fuel vapors to escape from between the line and the heat shield, emitting a fuel odor that will be detectable to the vehicle operator. If the corrosion progresses, fuel may begin to weep from the line. Further metal degradation due to corrosion could create a drip or a mist of fuel. If this occurs, vehicle owners may see drips, spots, or puddles on the ground near the rear portion of the vehicle, primarily along the driver's side rear wheel.The majority of allegations (85%) were reported for vehicles that are operated in the salt belt region of the United States. This area includes states in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and Midwest regions. Additionally, the average failure mileage in the subject vehicles is approximately 111,000 across all data sources.Considering the low manufacturer complaint/warranty rates of fuel line replacement, the fact that the majority of failures are concentrated in salt belt states, high failure mileages, as well as the field exposure time for the subject vehicles, and the highly detectable and progressive nature of this failure over time, the potential safety consequences of this issue are very low. To date, there have been no reported crashes, injuries, or fatalities related to this issue. There are two reported fires in ODI data and no reported fires in GM data. Both ODI reported fires were minor, occurred after the vehicle was parked, and were extinguished utilizing fire extinguishers.In view of the progressive failure occurring at high mileages, the age of the subject vehicles, the high detectability of the leak, and the majority of failures occurred in salt belt states, this Preliminary Evaluation is closed. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.Review the ODI reports cited above at nhtsa.gov under the attached identification numbers.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Fuel/propulsion System
On July 5, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE20-011 to investigate instances of metal fuel lines under the vehicle corroding and leaking fuel in model year (MY) 2008 through 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt and 2008 through 2009 Chevrolet HHR passenger cars manufactured by General Motors (GM). The metal fuel lines are corroding and leaking fuel in the area between the front and rear wheels on the driver's side of the vehicle before the muffler. Most consumers allege a fuel odor and/or an observable fuel leak that alerts them to the condition.The subject metal fuel lines have a protective AGE coating and, in the vicinity of the left rear wheel, are further wrapped in a foil heat shield. The AGE coating consists of an annealed zinc aluminum alloy metal coating with extended corrosion protection paint. Under certain conditions, water and corrosive road deicing agents may enter a crevice between the heat shield and the AGE coating. With extended environmental exposure in high corrosive environments, the AGE coating can degrade. If it degrades enough, the base metal lines may begin to corrode beneath the heat shield.Corrosion to the fuel lines may eventually cause a perforation to develop in the line, allowing fuel vapors to escape from between the line and the heat shield, emitting a fuel odor that will be detectable to the vehicle operator. If the corrosion progresses, fuel may begin to weep from the line. Further metal degradation due to corrosion could create a drip or a mist of fuel. If this occurs, vehicle owners may see drips, spots, or puddles on the ground near the rear portion of the vehicle, primarily along the driver's side rear wheel.The majority of allegations (85%) were reported for vehicles that are operated in the salt belt region of the United States. This area includes states in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and Midwest regions. Additionally, the average failure mileage in the subject vehicles is approximately 111,000 across all data sources.Considering the low manufacturer complaint/warranty rates of fuel line replacement, the fact that the majority of failures are concentrated in salt belt states, high failure mileages, as well as the field exposure time for the subject vehicles, and the highly detectable and progressive nature of this failure over time, the potential safety consequences of this issue are very low. To date, there have been no reported crashes, injuries, or fatalities related to this issue. There are two reported fires in ODI data and no reported fires in GM data. Both ODI reported fires were minor, occurred after the vehicle was parked, and were extinguished utilizing fire extinguishers.In view of the progressive failure occurring at high mileages, the age of the subject vehicles, the high detectability of the leak, and the majority of failures occurred in salt belt states, this Preliminary Evaluation is closed. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.Review the ODI reports cited above at nhtsa.gov under the attached identification numbers.
Fuel System, Gasoline
On July 5, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE20-011 to investigate instances of metal fuel lines under the vehicle corroding and leaking fuel in model year (MY) 2008 through 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt and 2008 through 2009 Chevrolet HHR passenger cars manufactured by General Motors (GM). The metal fuel lines are corroding and leaking fuel in the area between the front and rear wheels on the driver's side of the vehicle before the muffler. Most consumers allege a fuel odor and/or an observable fuel leak that alerts them to the condition.The subject metal fuel lines have a protective AGE coating and, in the vicinity of the left rear wheel, are further wrapped in a foil heat shield. The AGE coating consists of an annealed zinc aluminum alloy metal coating with extended corrosion protection paint. Under certain conditions, water and corrosive road deicing agents may enter a crevice between the heat shield and the AGE coating. With extended environmental exposure in high corrosive environments, the AGE coating can degrade. If it degrades enough, the base metal lines may begin to corrode beneath the heat shield.Corrosion to the fuel lines may eventually cause a perforation to develop in the line, allowing fuel vapors to escape from between the line and the heat shield, emitting a fuel odor that will be detectable to the vehicle operator. If the corrosion progresses, fuel may begin to weep from the line. Further metal degradation due to corrosion could create a drip or a mist of fuel. If this occurs, vehicle owners may see drips, spots, or puddles on the ground near the rear portion of the vehicle, primarily along the driver's side rear wheel.The majority of allegations (85%) were reported for vehicles that are operated in the salt belt region of the United States. This area includes states in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and Midwest regions. Additionally, the average failure mileage in the subject vehicles is approximately 111,000 across all data sources.Considering the low manufacturer complaint/warranty rates of fuel line replacement, the fact that the majority of failures are concentrated in salt belt states, high failure mileages, as well as the field exposure time for the subject vehicles, and the highly detectable and progressive nature of this failure over time, the potential safety consequences of this issue are very low. To date, there have been no reported crashes, injuries, or fatalities related to this issue. There are two reported fires in ODI data and no reported fires in GM data. Both ODI reported fires were minor, occurred after the vehicle was parked, and were extinguished utilizing fire extinguishers.In view of the progressive failure occurring at high mileages, the age of the subject vehicles, the high detectability of the leak, and the majority of failures occurred in salt belt states, this Preliminary Evaluation is closed. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.Review the ODI reports cited above at nhtsa.gov under the attached identification numbers.
Fuel System, Other:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
On July 5, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE20-011 to investigate instances of metal fuel lines under the vehicle corroding and leaking fuel in model year (MY) 2008 through 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt and 2008 through 2009 Chevrolet HHR passenger cars manufactured by General Motors (GM). The metal fuel lines are corroding and leaking fuel in the area between the front and rear wheels on the driver's side of the vehicle before the muffler. Most consumers allege a fuel odor and/or an observable fuel leak that alerts them to the condition.The subject metal fuel lines have a protective AGE coating and, in the vicinity of the left rear wheel, are further wrapped in a foil heat shield. The AGE coating consists of an annealed zinc aluminum alloy metal coating with extended corrosion protection paint. Under certain conditions, water and corrosive road deicing agents may enter a crevice between the heat shield and the AGE coating. With extended environmental exposure in high corrosive environments, the AGE coating can degrade. If it degrades enough, the base metal lines may begin to corrode beneath the heat shield.Corrosion to the fuel lines may eventually cause a perforation to develop in the line, allowing fuel vapors to escape from between the line and the heat shield, emitting a fuel odor that will be detectable to the vehicle operator. If the corrosion progresses, fuel may begin to weep from the line. Further metal degradation due to corrosion could create a drip or a mist of fuel. If this occurs, vehicle owners may see drips, spots, or puddles on the ground near the rear portion of the vehicle, primarily along the driver's side rear wheel.The majority of allegations (85%) were reported for vehicles that are operated in the salt belt region of the United States. This area includes states in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and Midwest regions. Additionally, the average failure mileage in the subject vehicles is approximately 111,000 across all data sources.Considering the low manufacturer complaint/warranty rates of fuel line replacement, the fact that the majority of failures are concentrated in salt belt states, high failure mileages, as well as the field exposure time for the subject vehicles, and the highly detectable and progressive nature of this failure over time, the potential safety consequences of this issue are very low. To date, there have been no reported crashes, injuries, or fatalities related to this issue. There are two reported fires in ODI data and no reported fires in GM data. Both ODI reported fires were minor, occurred after the vehicle was parked, and were extinguished utilizing fire extinguishers.In view of the progressive failure occurring at high mileages, the age of the subject vehicles, the high detectability of the leak, and the majority of failures occurred in salt belt states, this Preliminary Evaluation is closed. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.Review the ODI reports cited above at nhtsa.gov under the attached identification numbers.
AQ10001 · Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit
Opened Nov 18, 2010 · Closed Dec 28, 2015
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Unknown Or Other
On November 18, 2010, NHTSA's Recall Management Division (RMD) opened an audit query (AQ10-001) to investigate recall remedy completion by rental car companies on safety recall campaigns.It was expected to provide the agency an indication of how completely and how quickly rental car fleets perform necessary recall-related remedies on the vehicles owned and then rented/leased for use on the roadways.RMD queried three (3) major motor vehicle manufacturers (Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors) and requested data regarding completion figures for fifteen (15) discreet safety recalls.Analysis of this data demonstrated that rental car recalls completion was neither complete nor consistent.The rental car companies representing the largest market share in the industry were then queried as to their respective policies for the rental, lease, and sale of vehicles with open recalls.The data and responses from the manufacturers and the rental car companies can be found in the document repository by accessing the ?Associated Documents link above.In December 2015, Congress enacted the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act.One section of the Act prohibits rental car companies from renting, leasing, or selling motor vehicles subject to open safety recalls.With the passage of the FAST Act and its prohibition, there is no continuing need for the agency to investigate rental car recall completions.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The agency reserves the right to open any future investigations, including audits of individual recalls, or groups of recalls, or rental car companies, to examine more closely safety recalls performance and completion issues in this area.
PE10005 · Electric Power Steering Failure
Opened Jan 27, 2010 · Closed Jul 19, 2010
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering:electric Power Assist System
In a March 1, 2010 letter, General Motors Corporation (GM) provided a defect information report to NHTSA regarding a problem that could result in sudden loss of power steering assist in certain model year (MY) 2005 through 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt and MY 2007 through 2010 Pontiac G5 vehicles equipped with electric power steering (EPS).The letter indicates that the loss of steering assist could occur at any time while driving and that, once assist is lost, a message is displayed on the Driver Information Center (DIC) and a chime sounds to inform the driver.The letter further states that steering control is maintained in manual mode, but would require greater driver effort at low vehicle speeds.In the next ignition cycle, power assist is typically regained and the DIC message is no longer displayed.GM's letter identifies the root cause of the EPS failure as the EPS motor and indicates that production of a new motor started in December 2009.GM's recall repair procedure instructs dealers to replace the EPS motor in all recalled vehicles. ODI's analysis of all information available related to sudden loss of EPS assist while driving in the MY 2005 through 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt vehicles shows current complaint and warranty rates of 323/100,000 vehicles and 0.4% respectively.In response to ODI's request for information, GM identified 81 complaints where a crash was claimed that may be related to loss of EPS assist.ODI's analysis of all crash claims was based on verifiable factors such as; whether a loss of EPS was indicated at the time of the crash by a chime or malfunction indicator lamp or if a EPS related component malfunction was identified after the crash occurred.With this method ODI identified 36 possible crashes related to EPS failure.GM assessed crash claims based on the available facts and excluded crash claims that indicated that the vehicle was travelling at speeds in the range of 30 mph or greater.GM said that it believes if power assist is lost while a vehicle is moving at speeds in the range of 30 mph or greater there is a small difference in steering efforts perceived in subjective evaluations at those speeds and it is unlikely to lead to loss of vehicle control. Based on GM's safety recall, this investigation is closed.
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