Quote:
Originally Posted by lusth
I had a much different experience in my G5, which is mechanically identical to the Cobalt. I was able to steer around a 90 degree corner (rolling through a stop sign when nobody was around). After the turn is a steep hill ending with another stop sign. I had no problems stopping (did not notice any difference than with the car on). I did it twice, once with the key in position 1 (no dash info) and in position 2 (dash info on, bump start possible). The only time the steering will lock is if the key is in position 0 (completely off, key can be removed). I thought I had power steering with the key in position 2, but I may be wrong.
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I come from a GM family and I will admit that they still have many cars//trucks that sell under various names and are MOSTLY the same mechanical product with different names on them. However there are small differences or they really would have a hard time passing the cars off- and that is in my opinion, part of the reason GM has had such a tough time making a profit despite selling a ton of cars and trucks. And I know for a FACT that GM makes on the fly decisions that can impact their cars and pickups at any point during a year in a major way, or make changes on the next production year. For example, my car is a 2009. IF your car was a 2008 we could easily assume it COULD of been a change made by GM.
For example, I have owned two Pontiacs and they have the reputation of having a little more power than say the Chevy car. There really ARE differences, but I admit at least 90 to 95% of most of these types of cars are the same in every way because they are often built in the same plant. In the case of OUR cars, the Cobalt and the G5 they are built in LordsTown Ohio.
However I have no other evidence that the steering mechanism in our cars works the same way or not. But I will ask my father who worked for Chevy for 30 years and I will ask my uncle who also worked for GM for 30 years. They both still have friends that currently work for GM and know these cars inside and out. All I can tell you for now is that when I turn off my car while driving is that the steering becomes almost impossible to move. It does NOT technically "lock up" and I take blame for using that term. I got the steering to move about 1 inch in either direction, but that was all the strength I had in me and I live in the foothills of the big mountains of eastern Kentucky- The curves here are serious. It is important that I correct myself and make it clear the steering wheel did not lock up totally but with all of my strength the steering could of been moved about 1 inch at the most in either direction. I did not mean it locked up as in when you remove the key and park the car, I meant it was just waaaay too hard to steer to drive.
Maybe I'll try it again some day in a safe location. But it might be a little while.
Anti-Theft Deterrent:
It is VERY important for me to learn if others have the Anti-Theft Deterrent OPTION or not. It should of been clearly listed on the sticker when the car was NEW. (Also, what YEAR are the cars were speaking of here? Are they both 2009 like mine?) Anyway, the Anti-Theft Deterrent technology deals DIRECTLY with the ignition key to prevent car-jackers from using anything other than the correct key to turn the ignition switch. After a certain number of failed attempts using a key it is suppose to disable the car. It would seem logical to me this technology could be the reason why my car's steering wont work in the way it does others. I do not believe our cars are 100% "identical" for whatever reason we may learn latter.