2009 CHEVROLET COBALT SS Parking Brake Problems

NOTICED PARKING BRAKE NOT HOLDING ANYMORE. THEN CHECKED REAR BRAKES AND FOUND REAR PASSENGER SIDE INNER BRAKE PAD (NOT THE OUTER PAD) COMPLETELY WORN OUT....ALL OTHER PADS ON CAR HAVE ATLEAST 70% PAD LEFT. NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE WITH THIS LOW OF MILEAGE WITH NOT BEING DRIVEN IN ANY WINTERS. HOPE THERE IS A FIX FOR THIS! MAY BE PROPORTION VALVE DESIGN PROBLEM? *JS

Mileage: 25,372

I BROUGHT MY 2009 COBALT SS INTO THE DEALER FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, 20K MILEAGE CHECK. IT HAS A 5-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THEY INFORMED ME THAT MY REAR ROTORS WERE SCORED BADLY POSSIBLY FROM THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BEING ON WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THE SURFACE WAS TOO FAR GONE TO TURN THEM. I'M THE ONLY PERSON THAT DRIVES THE CAR AND I KNOW I DON'T DRIVE WITH THE E-BRAKE ON, NOT EVEN ONCE. HOWEVER, I DO PULL THE E-BRAKE WHEN I PARK MY CAR WITH THE TRANS IN GEAR. LET ME SAY ALSO I DO NOT DRIVE THE CAR HARD LIKE RACING OR DRIFTING. I DID PULL THE TIRE AND ROTOR FROM THE LEFT REAR TO FIND THAT THE INNER ROTOR SURFACE WAS INDEED SCORED BADLY WITHIN 3/4-INCH OF THE OUTER ROTOR DIAMETER. THE OUTER ROTOR SURFACE WAS CLEAN AND SMOOTH. THE OUTER BRAKE PAD LOOKED LIKE IT HAD 2X THE MATERIAL LEFT VERSUS THE INNER PAD. I DID NOT PULL THE RIGHT SIDE ROTOR YET. (MY NEW BRAKE ROTOR ORDER GOT FOULED UP. STILL WAITING.) LIKE MANY OF THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE COMPLAINED, MY CAR HAS SLIGHTLY OVER 21K MILES ON IT SO WHY SHOULD IT NEED REAR BRAKES SO QUICKLY? MOST OF THE WEAR SHOULD BE ON THE FRONT BRAKES DUE TO WEIGHT AND MOMENTUM DURING BRAKING. SOMETHING DOESN'T ADD UP. WILL IT HAPPEN AGAIN WITH THE NEW ROTORS? *TR

Mileage: 21,000

REAR BRAKES WEAR DOWN TO QUICKLY.. I HAVE HAD ONLY 20,000 KM ON IT AND ONE DAY I WAS GOING TO BRING MY KID INTO DAY CARE WITH IT.. PUT ON THE ON HAND BRAKE.. AND THEN MY CAR STARTED TO ROLL BACK WITH MY KID IN IT... ALMOST BRAND NEW CAR.. WHO WOULD OF THOUGHT MY BRAKES WOULD HAVE BEEN ALREADY WORN OUT.. MY KID ALMOST GOTTEN TO AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS... NOW AN OTHER THING.. WE HAVE TO PAY NEW PADS EVERY 20,000 KM? THAT IS JUST INSANE.. AGAIN.. I SEE REPETITIVE POST ON HERE WITH COMMENTS THEY HAVE THE INSIDE PAD WORN OUT TO THE METAL AND THE OUTSIDE ONE TO 70%.. I HAVE NEVER CHANGED THE FRONT ONES ONCE YET.. AND THEY ARE STILL AT 65%.. NOW WHERE IS THE LOGIC IN ALL THIS??? FRONT ONES SHOULD BE MORE BADLY HURT THEN THAT.. ALSO THE BACK BRAKES EATS MY ROTORS LIKE CRAZY TOO.. GUESS WHAT MORE MONEY... ARRRGGG.. THIS IS REALLY A SAFETY ISSUE AND I THINK A RECALL SHOULD BE MADE ON THIS.. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. *TR

Mileage: 23,254

PURCHASED THE CAR NEW. AT ABOUT 3,000 MILES I NOTICED SCORING ON THE REAR BRAKE ROTORS. AFTER ABOUT 12,000 MILES MY EMERGENCY BRAKE STARTED FAILING TO HOLD THE CAR ON EVEN THE SLIGHTEST HILL. AT ABOUT 14,000 MILES THE REAR BRAKES STARTED TO GRIND. AT THIS POINT THE BRAKE PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND THE ROTORS TURNED. ONLY THE INSIDE PADS WERE WORN COMPLETELY DOWN, THE OUTSIDE PADS LOOKED RELATIVELY GOOD. *TR

Mileage: 14,000

I LAST CHECKED MY BRAKES WHEN I TOOK OFF MY SNOW TIRES IN MARCH WITH 18,000 MILES ON MY CAR. EVERYTHING LOOKED FINE, FRONT AND REAR PADS LOOKED ALMOST NEW WITH PLENTY OF MEAT ON THEM. IN JULY, I NOTICED THAT THE REAR BRAKES WERE STARTING TO GROOVE, SO I MENTIONED THIS TO THE DEALER WHEN I WENT IN FOR A RECALL AND THEY RESURFACED THEM FOR ME (22,885 MILES). I ASKED ABOUT THE PADS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD LOOKED AT THEM AND THEY WERE FINE AND EVERYTHING LOOKED NORMAL. IN OCTOBER, I NOTICED THE GROOVING COMING BACK. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER, AND THEY CHARGED ME TO REPLACE THE REAR DISKS AND PADS AT 29,170 MILES (THEY DID THROW IN THE ROTORS FOR FREE DUE TO THE ABNORMAL WEAR). AFTER THE SERVICE, THEY GAVE ME THE OLD REAR PADS AS PER MY REQUEST. UPON RECEIVING THEM, I COULDN'T HELP BUT NOTICE THAT THE INNER REAR PAD, WHICH HAD BEEN WEARING IDENTICALLY TO THE OUTER REAR PADS WHEN I CHECKED AT 18,000 MILES, WERE WORN ALMOST TO THE BACKING PLATE! THE OUTER PADS STILL HAD 1/4" MATERIAL LEFT, SO IT SEEMED CLEAR THAT SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT. THE DEALER COULD FIND NO REASON FOR THIS WEAR AND STATED THAT EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL BESIDES THE BRAKE WEAR. IT SEEMS INCREDIBLE THAT A FRONT-HEAVY, FRONT-DRIVE CAR WOULD WEAR THROUGH ITS INNER REAR BRAKE PADS WHILE ITS FRONT PADS (WHICH DO MOST OF THE BRAKING) AND OUTER REAR PADS STILL HAVE PLENTY OF LIFE LEFT WITHOUT THERE BEING SOME KIND OF PROBLEM. I STILL HAVE THE PADS AND ALSO HAVE PICTURES. I AM CONCERNED THAT IF THESE PADS WEAR DOWN SO QUICKLY, I COULD BE PUT IN A SITUATION WHERE I UNEXPECTEDLY HAVE NO E-BRAKE AND COMPROMISED BRAKING ABILITY DESPITE FREQUENT INSPECTIONS. I AM ALSO CONCERNED THAT GM IS MORE INTERESTED IN SELLING ME PARTS THAN IN DIAGNOSING AND CORRECTING THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM. I HAVE HEARD FROM THE BOTH CHEVY DEALERS AND OTHER OWNERS THAT THIS IS A SOMEWHAT COMMON PROBLEM WITH MY CAR, AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT RESOLVED. THANK YOU. *TR

Mileage: 29,170

MY CAR HAS ONLY 11,000 MILES ON IT AND THE REAR ARE BRAKES ARE WARPED, WHICH IN TURN CAUSES MY CAR TO NOT STOP AS FAST IT SHOULD. THE ROTORS ARE ALL WARPED AND THE PADS ARE VERY CHEAP. I CALLED GM AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE BRAKES ARE COVERED TO 12,000 MILES, BUT ONLY 12 MONTHS. IT'S BEEN 14 MONTHS AND THEY WON'T EVEN HELP ME OUT. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS VERY OFTEN AND I AM AFRAID I AM GOING TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. *TR

Mileage: 11,122

HAD TIRES ROTATED AT DEALER, THEY FOUND REAR BRAKE PADS WORN OUT COMPLETELY AND ROTOR SCORED AFTER ONLY 6000 MILES. HAVE FOUND MANY OTHER OWNERS WITH SAME PROBLEM. DEALER CLAIMS IT WAS CAUSED BY DRIVING WITH THE E BRAKE ON. THEY REFUSED TO REPAIR UNLESS PAID, CLAIMS WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER PADS WEARING OUT UNUSUALLY TOO SOON. *TR

Mileage: 11,000

REAR BRAKES WEARING OUT AFTER 4000-5000 MILES. NEW AT 0, CHANGED AT 5044, NOW BAD AGAIN AT 10,600 MILES. MANY MANY MORE PEOPLE REPORTING SAME THING AT WWW.COBALTSS.NET. *TR

Mileage: 5,044

2009 COBALT SS WITH DISC REAR BRAKES. MILEAGE 16588. THE REAR BRAKES ARE GETTING EXTREMELY SCORED (LOOK LIKE A RECORD WITH GROVES) AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THE PARKING BRAKE IS DRAGGING. I NOTICED THIS STARTED 2 DAYS AGO WHEN IT FELT LIKE THE PARKING BRAKE WAS STILL ENGAGED WHEN I WENT TO PULL OUT OF A PARKING SPOT. THE REAR OF THE CAR SQUATTED DOWN, TO ME INDICATE THE BRAKE WAS HUNG UP. THEN I HEARD A "TWANG" SOUND FOLLOWED BY A POP. IT SOUND LIKE A BRING THAT WAS HUNG UP FINALLY LET LOOSE. AFTER THAT INCIDENT I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT AT SPEED LESS THAN 10 MPH YOU GET A NOTICEABLE SCRAPING SOUND FROM THE REAR BRAKES. IT SOUND SIMILAR TO WHEN YOU TURN ROTORS ON A BRAKE LATHE. *TR

Mileage: 16,588

REAR BRAKES WEARING. *TR

Mileage: 9,000

REAR BRAKE PADS ARE NO GOOD AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE 15XXX MILES AND I AM A VERY GOOD DRIVER AND NEVER HAVE ABUSE THE CAR. IT IS BEING REPLACED UNDER GM WARRANTY GM STATED THAT ALL COBALTS SS FROM 08-09 HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 15,000

NOTICED MULTIPLE TIMES THAT MY PARKING BRAKE SEEMED TO "HANG UP" WHEN RELEASED. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG . I AM AT APPROX 10,500 MILES NOW AND HAVE NO PARKING BRAKE TO HOLD MY CAR. I WAS TOLD BOTH THE INNER PADS ON BOTH SIDES FOR MY REAR BRAKES WERE GONE AND WILL NEED THE ROTORS REPLACED ALSO. HAVE YET TO HAVE BRAKES DUE TO LACK OF AVAILABLE PARTS TO REPLACED THEM. *TR

Mileage: 10,500

VEHICLE ROLLS FOR/AFT WHEN "PARKED"... *TR

Mileage: 14,755

REAR BRAKES ARE WEARING TOO FAST. *TR

Mileage: 5,000

PREMATURE BRAKE WEAR ON REAR BRAKES. THEY SQUEAL LOUD AT ONLY 5000 MILES AND THE REAR ROTORS SCARRED. THE ROTOR IS NOT SMOOTH BUT HAS RIDGES FROM THE DAMAGE. *TR

Mileage: 5,600

MY COBALT WAS PURCHASED 3/5/2009, AND HAS ONLY 5400 MILES ON IT AS OF 9/8/2009. I DO NOT DRIVE AGGRESSIVELY AND THE CAR IS PRETTY MUCH JUST DAILY DRIVEN TO WORK/HOME. THE REAR BRAKES ARE ALREADY EXHIBITING WHAT I'D CONSIDER TO BE ABNORMAL WEAR, ESPECIALLY WHEN COMPARED TO MY OTHER VEHICLES. THE ROTORS ARE BECOMING DEEPLY SCORED AND THE INSIDE BRAKE PADS ARE WORN MUCH MORE THAN THE OUTSIDE. HAVE BEEN TOLD ME THIS IS "NORMAL" (ALONG WITH A HOST OF OTHER ISSUES, INCLUDING OIL LEAKS FROM THE ENGINE). THERE ARE SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE ON A NATIONAL COBALT FORUM ALSO EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE. THE ROOT CAUSE APPEARS TO BE THE PARKING BRAKE NOT FULLY ALLOWING THE CALIPER TO RETRACT, BUT I'M NOT AN ENGINEER. *TR

Mileage: 5,400

REAR BRAKES HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING GROOVES BEING CUT INTO THE ROTORS. MAKES METAL SCRAPING/RUBBING/SCREECHING NOISE DURING BRAKING. *TR

Mileage: 15,000

REASON FOR INSPECTION WAS DUE TO REAR BRAKE GRINDING SOUNDS. AFTER 12,000 MILES THE REAR BRAKE PADS WERE COMPLETELY GONE, AND THE REAR ROTORS SEVERELY GROOVED AND WARPED. GM AGREED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM AND REPLACED THE PADS AND ROTORS UNDER WARRANTY STATING THAT THEY'VE SEEN IT ON 3 OTHERS AND WERE TAKING THE SAME ACTION. *TR

Mileage: 12,000