NHTSA Complaint #10478539 — 2008 CHEVROLET COBALT

I NOTICED A SLIGHT TAPPING/RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. THE NOISE ONLY OCCURS BETWEEN THE SPEEDS OF 50-60 MPH AND ONLY WHEN LETTING OFF THE GAS COMPLETELY. THEN I RECEIVED IN THE MAIL AN IGNITION CYLINDER RECALL. MY CAR HAD PROBLEMS WITH LOCKING UP AND DIFFICULTIES TURNING THE KEY. SO I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TOLD THEM ABOUT THE NOISE I WAS HEARING THEN WAITED A WEEK WITH NO CALL FROM THE DEALERSHIP SO I CALLED THEM. THEY TOLD ME MY CAR WOULD BE FINISHED BY NOON, I ARRIVED AT 4 PM. THEY THEN TOLD ME MY CAR WAS NOT YET FINISHED. THE DEALERSHIP HAD NOT EVEN PUT IN THE NEW IGNITION CYLINDER EVEN AFTER A WEEK. I WAS TOLD THE NOISE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. I WAITED FOR THE IGNITION TO BE PUT IN (ABOUT 30 MINS) THEN TOOK ONE OF THE DEALERSHIP MECHANICS ON A TEST DRIVE TO HEAR THE NOISE. NOISE WAS HEARD AND TOOK IT BACK TO THE SHOP. CHECKED UNDER THE CAR AND NOTHING WRONG COULD BE FOUND. THE LEAD MECHANIC TOOK IT FOR A TEST DRIVE BUT DUE TO THE HEAVY DOWNPOUR OF RAIN NOTHING WAS HEARD. I WAS ASKED TO BRING THE CAR BACK ON MONDAY DUE TO POSSIBLE SEVERITY OF THE SITUATION. DROPPED THE CAR BACK OFF AT THE DEALERSHIP MONDAY. A TEST DRIVE AND A LOOK UNDER THE CAR AND THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM, NOISE COMING FROM RACK AND PINION WHILE HITTING BUMPS RACK WORN AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT STEERING COLUMN MAKING NOISE AS WELL RECOMMEND REPLACEMENT WITH OUT REPLACEMENT THE CAR WOULD EVENTUALLY HAVE NO STEERING ABILITY AT ALL: COST $1524 NO WARRANTY. THIS CAR HAS HAD THE POWER STEERING RECALL REPLACEMENT (THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING WHILE IN A PARKING LOT DUE TO BROKEN PINION) IN 2010 AND A TRANSMISSION ISSUE (RPM REV WHEN THE CAR HIT 40 WHEN THE GAS WAS NOT BEING APPLIED) THAT WAS A WORN SEAL IT WAS FIXED AND COVERED BY WARRANTY IN 2011. THIS WOULD BE THE TWICE NOW WITH NO STEERING ABILITY ONLY ITS A DIFFERENT CAUSE? I FEEL LIKE I'M BEING CHEATED. *TR