NHTSA Complaint #10149805 — 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT

THE 2005 CHEVY COBALT WE PURCHASED FOR MY DAUGHTER HAS A VIOLENT VIBRATION THAT IS INTERMITTENT. THE VIBRATION USUALLY HAPPENS ON LONG TRIPS, WHEN THE CAR IS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF OVER 65 MPH FOR 45 MINUTES OR LONGER WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON. THEN WHEN COMING UP ON SLOWER TRAFFIC, YOU TOUCH THE BRAKES TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL, A VIOLENT VIBRATION PROCEEDS. IF YOU APPLY MORE BRAKES THE VIBRATION GETS WORSE. THIS VIBRATION REQUIRES THE DRIVER TO MAINTAIN BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL TO CONTROL THE CAR. THIS VIBRATION WILL LAST FROM A FEW MINUTES TO 15 MILES. USUALLY WHEN THE VIBRATION STOPS THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT WORK FOR A MINUTE OF 30 MINUTES AND UP TO 3 DAYS. WE HAVE TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIPS 5 TIMES. 2 DEALERSHIPS IN OR AROUND TAMPA FLORIDA AND THE DEALER WE PURCHASED IT FROM IN JONESBORO GEORGIA. EACH TIME THEY DIRVE THE CAR A FEW MILES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OVER 60 MPH AND DECLARE NOTHING IS WRONG. AS WE STATED ABOVE AND TO THE DEALERSHIPS, IT TAKES A MINIMUM OF 45 MINUTES OR LONGER AT SPEEDS OVER 65 MPH FOR THIS VIBRATION TO HAPPEN, AND SOMETIMES IT WILL NOT HAPPEN. WE HAVE STARTED THE LEMON LAW PROCESS IN GEORGIA AND HAVE ASKED FOR A REPLACEMENT CAR OR PURCHASE BACK BY GM. WE ARE AWAITING THERE ACTIONS. SINCE THE MANUFACTURER'S LAST ATTEMPT TO FIX THE CAR, IN WHICH MY DAUGHTER DROVE 2 HOURS AND THE VIBRATION STARTED AS THEY WERE EXISTING THE EXPRESS WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP, SHE OVER HEARD THE SERVICE MANAGER ACKNOWLEGED "THE PROBLEM IS IN THE BRAKES' THEY CONTACTED THE GM REP IN ATALANTA AREA, AND DECIDED TO DO NOTHING TO FIXE THE CAR. NOW YESTERDAY, WHEN MY DAUGHTER WAS ABOUT TO SLOW DOWN ON THE CONNECTOR IN ATLANTA, DUE TO SLOWER TRAFFIC, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT SOFT AND THEN "HARD AS A BRICK" CAUSING THE CAR NOT TO STOP AND HITTING THE PICKUP TRUCK IN FRONT OF HER. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND SHE NOW HAS A "MILD CONCUSION". SHE HAD TO MISS WORK YESTERDAY AND TODAY. WHAT CAN BE DONE TO FORCE GM TO FIX THIS BRAKE PROBLEM OR REPLACE THE CAR?*JB