Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (door latches, locks, hood and tailgate latches).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact's daughter owns a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the power steering failed, and the steering wheel was difficult to turn. Additionally, the door locks would lock and unlock independently, and the speedometer was not functioning properly. The electric power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 155,000.
1) when purchasing this used vehicle from the dealer, we were informed the previous owner had broken his key in the ignition switch, hence the broken ignition lock mechanism. Lie 2) car began making a front end noise or so I thought, the next day as my daughter in law and my grandkids were driving home the power steering indicator light turned on, she applied her brakes to slow down and all the lights on the panel turned on and her steering locked. The truck behind us was forced off the road to avoid slamming in to us. After getting online to see if there was going to be an easy and inexpensive way to repair this problem I was appalled to read all the complaint regarding these same issues. I lost my oldest child to faulty seat belts on the 01 Ford ranger edge. This is indeed a safety issued that needs to be resolved immediately before someone is seriously hurt or killed.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt. While driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was serviced under NHTSA campaign number: 14e021000 (electrical system); however, the failure recurred. In addition, the contact stated that all the doors failed to remain locked. When the locks sporadically continued to unlock, the battery became inoperable. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 90,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt. While driving approximately 55 MPH, the steering wheel seized without warning. The contact coasted to the side of the road and the engine failed. In addition, the doors unlocked without warning and the instrument panel lights failed. The rearview mirror dome light was the only light illuminated. The contact was able to resume driving. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 178,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that the driver side door latch would not work correctly. If the door was closed and latched, it would not unlatch. If the door was open, it would not latch closed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 68,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that the driver side door would not open when the doors were unlocked. The contact stated the latch was stuck in the locked position. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,000.
I have had constant issues with the lock mechanism on my door. A couple of times when opening my rear passenger door it does not close. I've been able to find a way to get the latch to go back to it's original position and then close and lock the door. On 04/02/11 however, while driving, the back door opened up on itself. Some things fell out of the car and were slightly damaged and my friend riding in the back injured themselves when the door opened on its own and slammed against them. We closed it again with success and then my friend moved to the front of the car and we took any items out of the back seat area. Again the car door opened on its own however, this time, the door will not close. I have never been in an accident, the mechanism that keeps the door closed and locked just seems to be faulty. I've looked online and it seems many people have had this issue. …
I noticed issues starting shortly after we bought the vehicle in 08 with the door locks erratically locking and unlocking themselves. My husband fixed the issue by disconnecting the electric locks. Then in January of 2011 the car completely stalled while turning. We started it up and got it home. We went through all kinds of things figuring out what was wrong. We changed the catalytic converter, spark plugs, and manifold gasket.it was running fine for a while but still at idle it felt like it was going to stall. Then one day it wouldn't start at all and the key got stuck in the ignition. We jumped the vehicle and the key came out. Then we got the codes read at auto zone and found we needed a ignition coil. So we replaced that. Ran good but the stalling feeling at idle was still present. …
I arrived at work yesterday only to find I couldn't exit my car through the driver's door. I manually tried unlocking it, but it still did not open. I proceeded to climb out of the passenger seat. That door would not close all the way. I thought the seat belt was stuck in the door. It turns out the latch didn't allow enough space to catch the door. After 5 minutes of pushing the latch and trying to get the door closed, it finally was able to close. I just purchased this car (used) 2 weeks ago. My first car!! I wish I had bought a Honda! Today I was going to run errands on my day off. This time the passenger door wouldn't latch. I have no way of securing the door closed since it is a 2 door vehicle. The car is sitting in my parking lot, unable to be driven due to the safety feature (or lack there of!) of the passenger door potentially flying open on me while I'm driving. …
I see there are issues on the fuel module on the 2006 Chevy cobalts, and I took it to get replaced however when I take my car to get diagnosed it continues to say there is something with a misfire, and my fuel evaporating. I am having multiple problems with my 06 cobalts and has I have done extenuous research and every problem I've found online over 1000 complaints and blogs, and sites where customers are all complaining about the same issue. I am a working college student and drive to work and school everyday. My car stopped on the freeway the other day, and almost caused an accident however the vehicle slammed on their brakes. Not only the fuel line but also my car key does not come out the ignition. All these issues are ongoing and I have found over 10,0000 unsatisfied consumers all with the same issues with the cobalts. …
Door Lock & Latch complaints in other Cobalt years
Frequently asked questions
How common are door lock & latch problems on the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt?
NHTSA has 38 complaints about the locks & latches of the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt, 2% of the model year's 2,330 complaints. The component named most often is doors › latch (7 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt door lock & latch problems?
No. NHTSA lists no locks & latches recall for the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt door lock & latch problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 2 injuries to locks & latches problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.