I've had my Cobalt not even 5 days, just a hair over 100 miles and this happened to me...

I drove about about 30 miles my girlfriends house this morning, then we left for Long Beach today, another 30 miles. As I pull up to our destination I'm stopped in a left hand turn lane, the light turns green so I apply the normal pressure to the gas petal, and I get almost nothing, no power. I look down at my DIC and it says, "ENG PWR REDUCED". I had the petal to the floor and I was doing maybe 30 MPH. The only way I can explain this is like if you were to put a car in say 5th gear and then try to accelerate, it goes extremely slow, but still works. I have an automatic for reference.

I parked the car, turned it off and then started it up a few minutes later, same thing. I figured I'd let it cool off for a few hours while we did our thing. I come back a few hours at like lunch time and drive the car around the parking lot, runs fine, but with a Check Engine Light on the whole time. I park it again and walk away for a few hours.

I returned in the evening after dinner to drive home and the whole way from Long Beach to my girlfriends house, the light was on. Stayed at my girlfriends for about an hour, then drove home, this time, no light came on.

I'm going to have to take the car into the dealer tomorrow.

If anyone has any imput that would be great, I'm mostly just telling this while it's fresh in my mind so I remember and to inform anyone that's interested.

 

Did you get the cars Computer Updated or the software on it Updated..... I have said it so many times.. and other people have... here is a Ref # that chevy dealers should have to do this.. It's posted on there bulletens.... And by the way.. I found the number from this forum........

Reprogrammed PCM per bulletin #05-08-49-002A.

 

I'll second that one. It just needs to be reprogrammed.

Villain

 

Car is at the dealership right this moment, hopefully it just needs to be reprogrammed or something. I told them about the bulletin and they didn't seem too interested, said he would just have the tech look at it and plug it into his computer, etc.

Hopefully it's nothing big.

P.S. - What does PCM actually stand for?

 

Program Control Module? Dunno

Villain

 

PCM = Powertrain Control Module

 

Thanks, I can sound more intelligent now when I speak to them later.

 

Let us know what happend!

 

Good news guys, just got back from picking up my car, just like everyone said it was the PCM, it needed to be flashed (reprogrammed), they replaced some electronic switch or something else too, probably just because they could since it was under warranty, whatever.

Looks like I'm good to go now.


For all potential buyers out there, make sure they flash your PCM with the newest updates before you drive it off the lot.

 

Glad to hear you got everything back under control!

 

If their building mine next week...should it already have then latest PCM?

 

Yeah, someone here posted at what date they realized the problem and fixed the PCM programming from the factory.....Can't remember the exact date though.

 

I wonder if you had unplugged the negative on the battery if it would have worked

 

LOL!!! AHAHAHAAHAH


No offense, but are you even in highschool yet?

 

this sounded funny

"I apply the normal pressure to the gas petal, and I get almost nothing, no power. I look down at my DIC"

 

I am surprised I didn't catch that the first time.

 

uh... Everything is done by voltage difference. The positive side of the battery is at, say +12 volts, and the negative is at 0 volts. This provides the power. Any two combinations that have a difference of 12 would work. +6 and -6, +24 and +12, or even 2,500,012 and 2,500,000. So unplugging one will cut all power coming from the other, because there is no longer any "drive". The reason they say to disconnect the negative side, is because our vehicles use a negative ground, so if you toutch any metal with the socket while you are removing the battery, it won't spark and short out the battery.

 

How have I missed all these problems My LS has 2000 miles on it now and works fine.


Yes 2000 miles in a month and a half.. I Live in the Poconos *(You gotta drive EVERYWHERE Here)*

 

Wow cobalts are needing reflashes nowadays too? Damn GM has to make sure they produce cars with better ECU setups before they sell them..although im sure its not that bad. The Redlines are having a good amount of ECU problems.

 

i had the same problem, was reoccuring. they had to do that and i think replaced a ground.

I still get my parking brake "warning light" coming on at odd times, but other than that i am back to good.

 

Ehh, my 86 Blazer does the same thing. It's either a computer thing or a faulty ground. Have them double check it (again).

Villain

 

So I drove to Orange County again last night and my Check Engine Light stayed on the whole way there and the whole way back.

This is getting old.

 

That's what happens the first year a car is released... Hope there weren't anymore items that were overlooked.

 

Sorry to hear that.


The main problem I've had so far is the erroneous fuel gauge issue, and I'm still waiting for a part to come in.

 

The good news is it's just some crazy sensor test thing because the gas cap was loose or something. Maybe that's a BS excuse, but either way they reset the light and we'll see how it goes from there.

Satisfied... for now.