My sister has a bone stock '05 base model Cobal 2.2L car that she bought brand new. At first it was a great little car for her but at around 5k miles its sorta all went to hell. I will list the issues below and if anyone has encountered these please let me know what was done to fix. the car has been to the dealer multiple times and is scheduled to go back next week. so on with the list:

- radio has been replaced 2 times (being replaced again) screen displays error, doesnt eject CD, radio will pop on after you are out of the car ignition off for 3 sec then go off. if car is shaken it will pop on ignition off again.

- shifter being replaced for second time, does not release key and binds being pulled into gear

- wipers fail to work sometimes

- head lights will go off when high beams are turned on, lights will go out when right turn signal turned on (tech tried to tell her it was a safety feature, i wish i was there to tell him he was a moron for even thinking that)

now i know it doesnt take a genius to notice there is an electrical problem here. it just seems like the garages keep wanting to push this off since it is electrical. not bashing techs (i know many of them) but anymore it just doesnt seem like most are qualified to work electrical in these new vehicles. being a new vehicle still under warrenty this is not our problem and should be fixed before it runs out, personally thats what i think they are hoping is for it to run out so they can say tough luck. well enough ranting, thanks in advance for any help

JR

 

That is the only thing I have sometimes, but never mentioned it to the dealer. The problem is way too intermittent for a dealer to catch and fix. If it starts acting up often, then I will tell them about it.

 

I have never had the wiper issue. Good luck with it though.

 

damn ive never had to use my wipers i hope i dont have this problem

 

Screw chevy dealership you need an electrician.

 

I mean ****. Was the car struck by lightning?

 

You have a body control module failure. All three of the items you described are controlled by the BCM. Have them replace that. There was nothing wrong with the first two radios.

Then, once you get a new BCM, make sure it is flashed with the current program version.

 

I love it when people know there ****!

 

my 05 cobalts radio screwed up like that too, but only when listening to burned cds. my 06 though hasnt had any problems.

 

my gf has a 2006 LT with the 2LT pkg that's fully loaded except for onstar and had the radio replaced because it would shut off or put asterics across the screen and had shift assembly replaced because the key would get stuck.. the dealer said that the heated leather seats were making the radio act up.. who knows

 

so a factory part is messing up a factory part....ooo kay, they can just put a new raido AND new seats in the car then

 

yea.. they got her a new radio.. something about the old one the said it was shorting out.. which doesn't make sense.. what would heated leather seats have anything to do with the radio

 

They're nicer—duh.

 

thanks for the insite on a place to start

JR

 

My 05 Base Cobalt had the radio issue, but it was replaced with a newer model and it never bothered me again. As for the headlight/turn signal switch, the tech is a ******* idiot. Mine started doing that around 25,000 or so miles and i had the whole switch replaced. Safety feature my muscular buttocks!

I do know that with the radios, if it continues to fail, that the body control module has **** the bed. Also, the wiper switch/control is in the BCM too... should be no problem under warranty. If I were you, though, judging by what you've told us here, I'd find another dealer or request that a more knowledgeable technician work on your sisters' car. Also, the key sticking in the ignition could be the steering column itself... i had the manual transmission version of this car, so i never had an issue, but talking with my brother (who is a master tech at a dealership in Elizabethtown), there has been issues with the ignition switch itself.


Scott