Cobalt problems (BCM?)

[alyssaceravolo]

Hey everyone, I'll make this as brief as possible, just hoping for a second opinion. My car doesn't start sometimes when it's very cold out and if I let it sit for a day, I've been bringing it into the dealership three times now and each time I take it there, they come up with a new diagnostic. The latest and most expensive is that it's the BCM, also known as Body Control Module. I have never heard of this before in my life up until now, and apparently it's a unique car problem. The cost to fix this would be over $700, and I honestly can't afford that and I am having a hard time buying this. Does anyone have an opinion on this, or another possibility of what could be making my cars battery to die? They ruled out the possibility of it being the alternator or the battery.

[rodeo02]

What year Cobalt? Are you still under warranty? So if the car sits, you loose charge on the battery? Regardless of what they say, I would NOT rule out a battery or charging system issue. If it's not that, I would pull one fuse at a time while the car sits overnight to see which fuse being removed prevents the draw on the battery (eliminate one circuit at a time). I'd also remove/unplug any aftermarket accessories you have to rule them out as well.

Joel

[alyssaceravolo]

Hey, the Cobalt is a 2005, warrenty is up because it's over 30k miles.

[rodeo02]

Originally Posted by alyssaceravolo

Hey, the Cobalt is a 2005, warrenty is up because it's over 30k miles.

Check the warranty info with your owner's manual packet. Quite often computer components are covered longer. Don't rely on a dealer service advisor to know this. Not all do. Thing is, if all your electricals work fine in your car, I can't see how the BCM would be the cause of your problem. Try one fuse at a time overnight to see which (if any) make the problem go away.

Joel

[mark44004]

I haven't had the problem you've had, but here is my problem. We put alot of miles on our 2006 LS. It had 8 miles on it may of 06 and now it has over 80,000. My wife drives a lot on her job. But one day a couple months back, we we're driving along about 45 mph and all of a sudden the car just dies. Everything just shut right down: no lights, no gauges, no engine, no sputter, no warning...it just shut right off. We pulled over and it we shut off the key and turning the ignition back on and it started right back up and had not a problem...until today. The same thing happen to my wife as she was driving down the freeway, a complete shut down. Again, no lights or anything. Again she pulled over and turning the key back on and it fired right back up. I hope it left a code as I'm taking it to the dealership saturday. Anyone else have this problem? [email protected]

[rodeo02]

Odd one indeed Mark. You're 100% sure there's no other symptoms going on? No warning messages flash on the DIC? It's not uncommon for 2005-06's to have wiring connection issues on the electric assist power steering that throws such a load on the system, strange things will happen. Other than that, I'd check for ~14VDC across the battery with the car idling. Less than 14 and the car will basically be INOP. I've seen batteries get tired in as little as 3yrs/80Kmi.

Joel

[Chelz]

My '06 Cobalt had that problem (BCM) the day I drove it off the lot at approximately 26,000 miles. Since then, it's been in the shop 7 times. Their newest idea on how to fix it (being that the BCM was replaced/reprogrammed (whatever) three times already (once before I even bought it!) is to rip apart the transmission.
I escalated the problem up through GM and all of it is warranty work now at 41,000 miles.
I hate this car.
If you've had any similar problems occurring before your warranty ran out, look into your state lemon law. I bought mine in Texas, which doesn't cover used vehicles, but perhaps for you it will be different. Good Luck.

[angel_iz378]

Originally Posted by mark44004

I haven't had the problem you've had, but here is my problem. We put alot of miles on our 2006 LS. It had 8 miles on it may of 06 and now it has over 80,000. My wife drives a lot on her job. But one day a couple months back, we we're driving along about 45 mph and all of a sudden the car just dies. Everything just shut right down: no lights, no gauges, no engine, no sputter, no warning...it just shut right off. We pulled over and it we shut off the key and turning the ignition back on and it started right back up and had not a problem...until today. The same thing happen to my wife as she was driving down the freeway, a complete shut down. Again, no lights or anything. Again she pulled over and turning the key back on and it fired right back up. I hope it left a code as I'm taking it to the dealership saturday. Anyone else have this problem? [email protected]

Mark, my 07 actually did almost the same thing one day on my way down to NC from GA. I was engaged in cruise control doing about 70 or 75, and all of a sudden the cruise control shut off, the gas pedal didn't work, but the car was still running. I pulled off (with my boyfriend in his car behind me) to the side of the highway, cut the car off, then it started right up when I tried to start it back up. Luckily, it was still under warranty, but the dealership said they couldn't make it do it again and judging by how much gas they used up (and didn't replace) they had to have run it for at least an hour. So far it hasn't done it again. I just wanted to let you know that yours isn't the only one.

[Chelz]

If you want something to be done about it, leave it running and take it to the dealership. DON'T turn it off.
I was having a similar problem and it couldn't be duplicated and no codes were found because I had turned it off. When it happened when it was being serviced, they hooked it up and there were the codes.