2009 Chevy Cobalt LS Coupe XFE

[lusth]

Based upon Freakazoid 's (I don't speak 1337 too well) post about EOC, I tried it again. This, time after turning the car off, I put the key back to ACC. The reason I didn't do it the first time was I never planned to bump start; the end of my trial coast was a stop sign. With the car off (key not in ACC), there is no power steering. With the car off (key in ACC), power steering is back. This makes sense since power steering in the G5/Cobalt is electronic, not hydraulic, at least for the 2009 model.

[MadisonMPG]

It's almost as if they wanted you to EOC...

[Fr3AkAzOiD]

That may be the difference between '08 and '09, I believe mine is hydraulic as I lose power steering in acc mode.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by lusth

Based upon Freakazoid 's (I don't speak 1337 too well) post about EOC, I tried it again. This, time after turning the car off, I put the key back to ACC. The reason I didn't do it the first time was I never planned to bump start; the end of my trial coast was a stop sign. With the car off (key not in ACC), there is no power steering. With the car off (key in ACC), power steering is back. This makes sense since power steering in the G5/Cobalt is electronic, not hydraulic, at least for the 2009 model.

Well, today I tested mine and got negative results. When I turn off my motor and then put the key back to ACC or RUN I had no power steering nor power brakes!! I kept trying variations with the key, and I went back and read stuff on this site and others on how to do it- But my car losses power steering AND power brakes. If people are not very careful somebody is going to run with this advise and coast right down a mountain and go straight over a cliff!! I feel it's just plain bad advise and should never be advise to tell others to do. It's too dangerous for many types of cars. I tried everything I read about my 2009 XFE there is no way of turning of the engine to cruise without jeopardizing lives. My Cobalt idles at about 900RPM- I still save a bundle coasting with the engine in idle. I'm not risking my neck for a gallon of gas, heck I'm lucky I survived my accident of last July, I sure do not wish to tempt fate.

[cfg83]

Jammer -

Originally Posted by Jammer

Well, today I tested mine and got negative results. When I turn off my motor and then put the key back to ACC or RUN I had no power steering nor power brakes!! I kept trying variations with the key, and I went back and read stuff on this site and others on how to do it- But my car losses power steering AND power brakes. If people are not very careful somebody is going to run with this advise and coast right down a mountain and go straight over a cliff!! I feel it's just plain bad advise and should never be advise to tell others to do. It's too dangerous for many types of cars. I tried everything I read about my 2009 XFE there is no way of turning of the engine to cruise without jeopardizing lives. My Cobalt idles at about 900RPM- I still save a bundle coasting with the engine in idle. I'm not risking my neck for a gallon of gas, heck I'm lucky I survived my accident of last July, I sure do not wish to tempt fate.

If I'm traveling down a mountain, I've recently learned that all I need to do is leave it in a gear that keeps me above 2500 RPM. Then DFCO (Deceleration Fuel Cut-Off) does the rest. I always qualify my statements to others and don't recommend EOC to anyone that is new to the ecomodder game.

CarloSW2

[lusth]

Then I must be mistaken about the power steering being on with the key in ACC. I doubt the G5 and Cobalt are different in this respect. Maybe, with my massive muscles, I just can't tell the difference between power steering on and power steering off! I'll try my test coast again...

I agree with Jammer; I won't use the EOC technique because I don't think I could ever get enough practice at it to be completely safe. For the right driver, I believe it can be safe, but I'm not that driver. I am curious about the technique in a technological sense, though.

[Fr3AkAzOiD]

I certainly would not advice EOC going down a mountain or on highly curvy roads or in high traffic areas. I probably should have said something about that when I first mentioned EOC.

I use it on small hills on strait secondary roads through farm country where there is little to no traffic and the down hills are only at enough of a grade to maintain my speed or only slightly increase my speed.

[MadisonMPG]

If you were moving, you probably didn't need power steering.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by Jammer

I had no power steering nor power brakes!!

I might suggest you have your car checked out - there may be something wrong.

The vacuum reserve that allows you to get at least one fully assisted brake application when the engine stops is a safety feature of every car I've ever driven. I'd be very surprised to learn GM has done something to remove that feature.

At least one full-assist brake pedal application should be available.

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

I might suggest you have your car checked out - there may be something wrong.

The vacuum reserve that allows you to get at least one fully assisted brake application when the engine stops is a safety feature of every car I've ever driven. I'd be very surprised to learn GM has done something to remove that feature.

At least one full-assist brake pedal application should be available.

Hey, my car is brand new and is giving me NO problems until I do something crazy that I read on the internet. Come to think of it, what exactly do I tell the mechanic is wrong? Can you imagine the looks I will get when I complain of things not working because I TURNED MY CAR OFF? As far as the power brakes go, it could be my mistake because of PANIC. The steering sure locks up fast, so even if I'm mistaken about the brakes I am 100% sure I could not steer my car after turning the engine off- no matter what setting I put the key position on. I had to re-start before the next curve to get the steering back, and my brakes did not want to stop as fast as I liked and the long braking distance of these Cobalts might explain the brake issue as well.

My car is fine. It did not seem as if the brakes were up to par with the engine turned off, but it's very possible my state of mind had a flash-back of a previous wreck last July in which I really did have my brakes go out- and thats one heck of a scary thing to go through, but I was unharmed thank God. My truck was "totaled" (haha) and the wreck resulted in an upside-down 2005 Chevy Colorado spinning like a top with my seat-belt holding me upside-down, but safe. (Only wreck I had in my entire life, and I am in my mid 40s) Turning the engine off while going down a mountain was a very stupid thing for me to ever consider and I hope nobody else ever does it if they value human life. Well, I guess if your young and want to be a stunt driver it might be cool.

In fact I am surprised there is no safety mechanism on these cars to prevent this stuff. Just like my car's lights, if I'm not careful I might toggle the wrong button resulting in my headlights turning off AS I AM DRIVING. My previous 2 Chevys could not do this unless modified or something was not working right. (I guess they designed the headlights now so one can shut them off during daytime driving- but I don't think it should allow one to turn the headlights off if the photo sensor knows it is night time and the engine is on).

So I have found a thing or two that I dislike about my Cobalt XFE, but I still love this car more than anything else I have drove. I never drove a car or truck yet that I did not find any fault in, American or imported.