![]() Ratings are based on their reviews of five different safety features, such as roof strength and restraint systems. The IIHS offers its own database of ratings for almost every make and model they sell in the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.You can find recalls, regulations and laws, and statistics on the site to better inform you. ![]() The CPSC is another government-run site, dedicated to safety issues affecting all manner of products. The site allows you to search by your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), and connects directly to the NHTSA’s databases. There are sources you can use to help you choose a safer car for yourself and your family: The NHTSA has recently come under fire for failing to implement recommendations to improve its own recording keeping system, which implies that dangerous defects could be slipping through the cracks. As a consumer, it can be difficult to know which safety information to trust when it comes to purchasing a new or used car. We have spent a lot of time on auto recalls over the last couple of years, including coverage of the Takata airbag recall and GM’s criminal charges. The program is sponsored by Ken and Beth Melton, “in memory of Brooke Melton, who died in a 2010 crash caused by the sudden failure of the ignition in her 2005 Chevy Cobalt.” Choosing the safest car you can The Safety Institute’s Vehicle Safety Watch List Analytics come from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The trial is just the latest step in the downfall of GM, which paid out more than half a billion dollars to a settlement fund in September of 2015. The most recent trial started on March 14, 2016: “The flood of litigation commenced when GM revealed that it had continued to sell flawed cars after discovering an ignition switch defect in Chevy Cobalts and other small cars,” according to the Detroit Free Press. The final Chevy named, the 2006 Malibu, made the list because of a steering problem.Ĭhevrolet is owned by General Motors, whose faulty ignition switches have been in the news for the last two years. The 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 and the 2010 Chevy Cobalt all had issues with their electrical system, as did the 20 HHR. The automaker took eight of the 15 spots, and its Cobalt led the pack. The most recent Top 15 list came out in the middle of March, and it looks like Chevrolet is in trouble. Base models of the Cobalt SS have a 2.2-liter engine, but the 2.0 Ecotec engine you can find in the supercharged Cobalt SS models is where the fun really begins.Every year, the Safety Institute releases quarterly lists of vehicles with known safety issues. The Chevrolet Cobalt SS is a sports coupe, which is a far cry from any classification we would give the original Cobalt. The DF Kit Car company walks you through stripping your Cobalt step by step to elevate it from a boring, uninspired drive to a unique car with a riveting driving experience.Ī more exciting Cobalt makes its appearance as the SS version. To get your Goblin from the garage floor out onto the asphalt, you'll need a Chevrolet Cobalt as a donor car. One of the most exhilarating kit cars comes in the form of DF Kit Car's Goblin. If you have ever had your sights set on constructing a kit car, you may be happy to know that this is an example of where the Chevy Cobalt can come in handy. Okay, we feel a little bad for lambasting the Chevrolet Cobalt, and there are some reasons to keep this little car in your back pocket. This unfortunate safety issue resulted in GM receiving $35 million in fines. The faulty ignition switches in Chevrolet Cobalts were responsible for 13 deaths. Even more terrifying is when this happens, the airbags can fail to deploy, and the anti-lock brakes can also fail. In cars with the troublesome ignition switch, the vehicle would shut off while in motion. Faulty ignition switches are to blame in what we consider to be the most tragic of the Cobalt's recalls. If the weather was warm, it could cause a crack in the plastic connected to the fuel pump. Over 40,000 cars were recalled over fuel leak concerns. The bad luck doesn't stop there for the Cobalt. They cited power steering problems, and this issue resulted in 14 crashes. In 2010, Chevrolet put forth a bigger recall of the Cobalt – 1.3 million cars, to be exact. Other than the kind of driving experience that makes you want to fall asleep (please don't do that), there are worse things when it comes to the Cobalt.Ĭhevy recalled almost 99,000 Cobalts in 2007 because of a lack of adequate head impact protection. The Chevrolet Cobalt has a 2.2-liter engine and still manages to give us a weak driving affair.
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