NHTSA Complaint #10315564 — 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT

I AM A HIGH SCHOOL ALGEBRA TEACHER. I OWN A 2005 CHEVROLET COBALT IT HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING THESE POWER STEERING PROBLEMS THE ENTIRE TIME I HAVE HAD IT. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO NUMEROUS MECHANICS AND BACK TO THE DEALER WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. IT HAS A 175000 MILES ON IT NOW. THE FIRST TIME I DID TAKE IT BACK THEY REPLACED A WIRING HARNESS. AT APPROXIMATELY 3000 MILES (APPROX IN AUGUST 2005) I HAD MY FIRST OIL CHANGE AND THIS IS WHEN MY POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT HAS BEEN COMING ON EVERY SINCE. WHEN THE POWER STEERING LIGHT COMES ON: *THE CAR JERKS SLIGHTLY AT CRUISING HIGHWAY SPEED AND* WHEN I AM AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 20 MPH IT JERKS VIOLENTLY AND * IT GOES DEAD WHEN IT STOPS AND *THE GAUGES ON THE DASH (ODOMETER, SPEEDOMETER, AND GAS) FLUCTUATE WILDLY, AND VERY FREQUENTLY AND FOR SUSTAINED PERIODS OF TIME (DAYS) I HAVE NO POWER STEERING AND THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT ABRUPTLY, SEVERAL TIMES THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE I AM TURNING AT A BUSY INTERSECTION. SOMETIMES THE POWER STEERING WILL COME BACK AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF ABOUT (1 OUT OF 5 TIMES) THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNS ON AND OFF AND THE LIGHT WITH A LOCK ON IT TURNS ON AND OFF. IT HAS BEEN CHECKED AT SELLERS CHEVROLET IN PURVIS NUMEROUS TIMES FOR THIS. I HAVE HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE CHECKS. I HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGED TWICE. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT THE POWER STEERING PROBLEM. IT KEEPS RECURRING. I HAVE NOT BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL NEAR MISSES THOUGH. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EXPOSING THIS PROBLEM AND IF YOU WANT TO COME GET MY CAR AND TEST IT YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO HAVE IT AND MAKE IT YOUR POSTER BOY/CAR FOR LEMONS. I NEED A NEW VEHICLE SINCE I HAVE 4 FOSTER CHILDREN NOW. ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY HAVE URGED ME TO SELL THIS CAR FOR THE ENTIRE TIME I HAVE HAD IT BECAUSE OF ITS RECURRING PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN THREE DAYS AFTER THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED. UPDATED 04/21/10.*JB