Super scary incident with "reduced engine power/service traction" warnings
 

Hey everyone, I am new here & was hoping for some help with mine & my boyfriends 2010 Cobalt LT. Just over 35,000 miles. Purchased as a Certified Preowned vehicle from an Authorized Chevy Dealership.

This morning I left for an extremely important meeting & got in the car and turned it on. Was fiddling with my iPod for a few minutes and when I go to take off notice the check engine light is on. Think hmm, maybe I didn't turn the car on all the way. Remove key, start car again. This time "Engine Power Reduced" message and car makes a sound as though it's powering down, yet still running. Power steering is not working/very stiff. I turn the car off again & think GD these recalls! Just got another for the power steering and figure this was the problem. Start the car again and THIS time it seems like all the service lights are blinking (though everything happened so quickly could have just been them turning on and off like when you start the car) the needles on the gauges are flickering and the car starts shaking violently all while displaying the check engine light, the traction light, the info light, and the screen reading "engine power reduced". I turned the car off immediately as it was terrifying and I thought I was going to explode.

Freaked out in the car for 20 minutes as I was now going to miss my appointment/couldn't contact the people. Started the car again to take a video but this time check engine light is still on, no reduced power, and running smoothly. Oh good. Called to make an appointment with the dealer for an hour later thinking I should be safe to at least make it there- 4 miles. WRONG.

I get a few blocks away to a very major four lane road where people often go way above the speed limit. The car suddenly slows to about 5 mph while going 40, lunging forward, the traction lights are blinking, check engine light still on, and screen switching back & forth between "service traction" & "engine power reduced!" The car was LUNGING INTO TRAFFIC. Even with my foot slamming on the break. It was still lunging. Scariest moment of my life. The car was basically coasting at about 5 mph while cars are are beeping at me & I'm almost rear ending the car in front of me at the red light as it wouldn't stop lunging. Thank god I wasn't far from home. Immediately turned onto a side street, coasted home while lunging the whole way and the car started shaking violently again. I literally thought I was going to explode.


SO, now I have got to have it towed by my Geico Roadside Assistance, but problem is- once it gets wherever they tow it, if I don't choose to get it fixed there I'm screwed & have to pay to have it towed elsewhere. Dealership wants $140 just to look at it..... I've seen a few threads about this problem in Malibus. We are so frustrated and have had nothing but problems with this car that we bought to replace a 2009 Cobalt that got totaled. Can't afford to dump thousands into this thing for whatever mechanic of the day thinks may be the problem only for it to return later. The mechanics at my dealership are so freaking rude too!

Ok, rant over. Any insight from all the Chevy savy/car brainiacs out there?

What's the engine code being set?

me too
 

I've seen this is a regular problem with other Chevy vehicles, too. This has happened to our car several times in the last month or so. Do you have an update on your vehicle? I would like to know if you got it fixed and know what the problem was, so we can have a little insight on what we need done. Thanks!

I have the same problem with my 09 malibu bought it with only 36,000 miles on it and worked fine for a little bit then out of nowhere reduced engine power service traction service ESC I was driving in 890 just got on from the ramp car slowed down on the highway got side swiped. Now I'm dealing with this issue and wondering even while I'm driving an I going to die because of this issue. I've seen on plenty of post that this is happening a lot. Not understanding why they have not issued a recall. I'm just saying if something happens to me or my kids there will be hell to pay. I've had it looked at and a bunch of codes came up. I don't feel like I should have to pour a ton of money into this car seeing it is happening to a ton of people. This one lady had a ton of stuff replaced and it's still happening to her. I can't afford that. I've already put in enough money into this car. Only 6 years old shouldn't be any issues. I want to know what's going on and why isn't this issue being recalled? Maybe have to contact the vehicle safety commission.

Engine power is reduced
 

Hi, this is happening to me, the engine power reduce light came on and my car was shaking, is there any recall for this??? I have a 2006 Chevy cobalt, I have read so many complaints about this problem. It seems so expensive to fix this problem :-(
I won't buy any Chevy or GM cat again.

No - there is no recall for it. It's called your vehicle needs serviced and you need to find out what is wrong with it.

You can check for recall's at GM's site.

https://recalls.gm.com/#/

Reduced power, service ESC... This is the second time its happening to me
 

Like I said this is the second time it's happened to me now in 3 years... It's the throttle body sensor which means you have to get a whole new throttle body since General Motors decided to be Geniuses and make the sensor and the throttle body one piece... More like one piece of crap nice work geniuses... Anyway first time it happened scared me to death I thought I seriously messed up my car, but $140 later and problem solved ... Until today it's happened again ... I'm currently stuck at a gas station seriously contemplating on whether or not I'm going to own another GM vehicle... I saw a video on YouTube where a guy actually took his throttle body apart and took the sensor apart and with a very powerful microscope camera thing he broke it down piece by piece and found that it was one little hairline crack in the sensor on the sensor plate that apparently happens very easily... Another great idea from the geniuses at GM.. now I would also like to point out that I am not an anti-gm person this is my 5th GM vehicle and I love my Cobalt but unfortunately it might be time to part ways with GM

2005 Cobalt Engine Power Reduced
 

2005 Cobalt Engine Power Reduced started today. One code on scan tool (vacuum leak). "Maybe"
Or ground the PCM/and/or find loose connector/wire to throttle body sensor/crankshaft position sensor. .
Reason I suspect this is due to it seems to only happen when I hit a bump or hole significant enough to disrupt their resting positions.
(I did reset the throttle body position sensor)
Last option,replace sensors.

Engine Power Reduced-A thing of the past!
 

So I ran a ground wire to the PCM. Transmission now shifts smooth. (I have no idea why)
Engine Pwr Reduced message was still going haywire. But then I noticed something odd.
I watched the "coolant temperature" a couple of times as the car did it's little tantrum.
I saw a pattern. The car would start and run -no engine power reduced- message.
Until.......190*F
Then here we go again. It was happening within a minute or two of driving.
Took half an hour to drive 3 miles back to the house. [frustrated now].
I check everything to do with cooling. I unplugged the coolant temperature sending unit.
(rear of engine on drivers side) It started and..............idled higher than normal,but hey!!!
It has NOT misbehaved since. Yeah the idle is at 1000 rpm or so. But I can get where I need to go now.
I'm not sure why it chose 190*F but the coolant never reached over 210*F.
So no overheating "knock on wood". I will replace sending unit tomorrow.
I hope this helps other people who I'm sure are fed up with this B.S. behavior.
P.S. transmission is still shifting smooth.

Has anyone found the solution to this issue??
we have yet to find a solution to this and have sunk so much money in