Manual Transmission Problems, amoung other things.

[linux2]

Hi everyone,

I have a few questions/asking for advice.

I have a 2010 Chevy Cobalt I bought back in may this year. It's an LS with a 5 speed manual transmission and the regular 2.4L engine (I think that's it). Anyways it worked fine for about 7,000 miles. Then I couldn't shift into 5th gear. It would pop back out and grind the gears as soon as you let up the clutch. Then, the check engine light came on about 500 miles after the transmission broke. I took it in for service and they fixed the problem in 3 days. They replaced the whole shifter housing. Seemed to correct the problem. They also replaced an O2 sensor. That is why the engine light was one.

Another 7,000 miles went by, and the transmission broken again. Same problem. Couldn't use 5th gear and then the engine light came on about 500 miles after the transmission had problems. I brought it in for service 12 days ago. Also, the oil life sensor randomly reset itself. It was at 68% and then went back up to 100% for no reason. They aren't sure why that happened. Another O2 sensor failed, so they said they replaced that. The transmission is out and in pieces, or was last time I checked last week. A plastic piece in the transmission broke and got into everything. They said it would be done on Monday... Well it's thursday, and nothing. I called on Tuesday and they said they were waiting on a bearing to come in. I have no idea what bearing or why they need it. On top of that I have a feeling the same problem will come back in 7,000 miles.

Also, the airbag light comes on when it rains. Water gets into the curtain air bag to the left of the driver. The dealer hasn't been able to reproduce this and hasn't been able to fix it.

All this said, the car has been ok otherwise. Minus random computer glitches, like the gauges going all over the place and then going back to normal.

I'm in MA and it has a total of 12 days in service. 3 days short of the lemon law in this state. Does anyone else think I have a lemon or are these "common" problems? Any advice appreciated. I still don't have the car back. I think loosing 5th gear every 7,000 miles is a serious problem and they don't seem to know why this is happening, or any of the other problems for that matter.

Thanks for any advice in advance!

[Intmd83r]

sounds like a lemon to me . should loose the tranny like that all the time unless you drive like a masshole .. i know how they drive im from NH lol . you do use the clutch to shift right ?

[linux2]

Haha, I like to think I'm a pretty good driver. I'm very easy on my car, but I do a ton of city driving. I would say about 90% city 10% highway. And by city I mean suburb routes, not downtown boston. So I think that is a little bit harder on the car, but not by much. My manual school bus doesn't seem to mind :P

and yep, I do shift with the clutch. My cobalt has serious throttle lag. If you push the throttle it responds, but can take up to 10 seconds to return to idle. So I pretty much can't shift without the clutch. Is that lag normal btw? For example, I'll be driving and want to downshift. So I let off the gas, take it out of gear, and my throttle goes up from 1,500 to 2,500 and then slowly crawls back down to idle. Doesn't do it all the time, but damn is it annoying

[Intmd83r]

ya my shit does the same thing both my cobalt and my wifes cobalt . i think they made it hang in rpms like that . . its weird how you loose 5th gear . you hit 5th gear alot ? just wondering . i live in nashua what part of ma you from ?

[linux2]

Not sure what you mean by hit 5th gear a lot. I would say that when I'm driving I'm in 5th gear 95% of the time. I'm usually traveling fast enough to be in 5th.

I just got my cobalt back and it seems to be ok... I'm just worried that 5th will go again in another 7K. At that point I won't be covered by the lemon law anymore so hopefully it won't happen again.

I'm located in Medfield MA. Right near Foxboro, norwood, and walpole (if you know where any of those are). I've been to nashua a few times. Bought a suburban up there a few years back... You wouldn't happen to have seen any 80s diesel suburbans lying around up there, would you?

[RedDead]

def a lemon man that sux

[Intmd83r]

ya sounds like a lemon . i think its gonna rain sunday night or monday . if it rains sunday i would bring the car to the dealer when the light is on . and the tranny ......... your car has problems man . did you get it from a dealer dealer ??? or a mom and pops used renta car dealer ? but hey you fixed everything its gonna be a new new car . its a 2010 you shouldnt have that many problems with it

[linux2]

I haven't been on here in a while, but I just wanted to update that the local GM dealership fixed the vehicle under warranty.

They rebuilt the whole transmission from the ground up (which I find amusing) and they replaced yet another oxygen sensor. I have about 19K on the car now. Only 2 more K before the transmission dies again. We'll see what happens!

Oh and I did buy this from a real chevy dealer brand new.

Now I just have to figure out what happened to my MPG

[jmjk]

My wife had a 2009 Cobalt. We loved that car, and it had VERY low milage (im talking just over 29k). On our way back from seeing family, her car revved real high (6,500 RPM) and I lost the clutch and brakes. Had to stop using the E-Brake. Anyways, we got it towed to the Chevy dealer where we live. We found out that we dropped the clutch, which blew the starter and melted the flywheel. It was going to cost us well over $2,000 to get it all fixed because her 3 yr/36k warranty ran out 3 months ago and the extended warranty she bought didnt cover the clutch or the flywheel. We still have no idea why the car revved so high, but I heard from other Cobalt owners that transmissions have given them problems too and that Chevy knew about it and didnt recall the car. I'm just glad we are done with this car. We'll never buy another Chevrolet product again!!!!