New and confused

We just bought an 05 cobalt for my son to drive. Key fob has never worked so just had to lock/unlock doors with key. My wife used the car the other day and locked the car using the electronic switch on the door which set the alarm. Not knowing that the fob was dead or that she could just put the key in the ignition, she set the alarm off. They fiddled with the fob forever until the alarm finally just went off but now car will not start. We’ve done EVERY reset trick in the book and nothing. The security light is not on but if you lock the doors it blinks really fast but does not set the alarm off if you open the door. I’ve searched and searched for an answer and nothing. Thank you in advance for any suggestions before I set this thing on fire!

Try this, from another forum (from a supposed GM Tech).
I have not had this problem, knock on wood.


In order to relearn the system:

- Turn the key to start.
- Let the key spring back to the ON position.
- Leave it on for 12 minutes or until the Passlock light goes off.
- Turn the key off, and then wait 5 seconds.
- Repeat 3 - 5 times.

If it doesn’t work at first, try disconnecting the battery for 1/2 an hour to bleed any residual charge in any electronic components, then reconnect your battery again & try this procedure again.

Keep us posted as to your success and what if anything you had to do to get your Cobalt working again.

Done this multiple times. Nothing. Problem is, the pass lock light isn’t on

Hopefully you can find a solution. There has to be a work around that someone has knowledge of and will share it with you.
I bought my 2007 Cobalt LT used with a single key and no remote fobs. Lucky for me that I was careful to only lock the doors by the manual door locks after the first time I set off the alarm the first time I used the power door lock switch. I then went and purchased two keys & fobs from my local lock Smith & also had them do the programming. They charged less than half of what the Chevy dealers wanted.

According to what I can find on the internet your 2005 does not have the “chip key” but the 2006 and up have the chip key designated with a circle + symbol on the keys, so getting new keys & fobs should be cheaper for you if you can get the anti theft deactivated.

There are some other Cobalt forums that you could try to find a solution on too.


Wishing you good luck on this and a Merry Christmas.