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2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SSProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 95 owner complaints about the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SS, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic. It has no vehicle safety recalls on record.

2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SS
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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls0None on recordOwner complaints951 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage14kService brakes, hydraulic, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 31, 2018. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Complaints by system

Where the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SS has problems

95 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Service brakes, hydraulic640
Service brakes70
Engine60
Electrical system61
Fuel/propulsion system51
Parking brake50
Air bags41
Fuel system, gasoline20
Exterior lighting20
9 other systems110

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

0 recalls

2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SS recalls and how many were fixed

No vehicle safety recalls are on record for this model year.

Mileage at failure

When do service brakes, hydraulic problems start?

14kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 58 service brakes, hydraulic complaints. 100% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
54under 30k miles58under 100k miles0100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2008 vs. every other Cobalt SS year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Cobalt SS median. How we score

'08'09'10
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SS, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Electric Power Steering FailurePE10005 · closed Jul 19, 2010
    Led to recall 10V-073
  2. Fuel Line LeakPE20011 · closed Aug 17, 2023
    No recall
In owners' words

What Cobalt SS owners report

Recent service brakes, hydraulic complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR BRAKES 4 TIMES AND STILL HAVEN'T REPLACED THE FRONT I GET STOCK PADS AND ROTORS FROM CHEVY DEALER! AND WITHIN 500 MILES THE ROTORS ARE ALL SCORED UP AND LOOK LIKE THEY HAVE 20K ON THEM. I SEE THIS BEING A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD FOR SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT REALIZE IT…
Complaint 10440300 · Dec 18, 2011 · 46,000 miles
REAR BRAKE ROTORS ARE IRREPARABLY SCORED AND WARPED AFTER 11,000 MILES, PREVENTING THE REAR BRAKES FROM WORKING CORRECTLY AND DECREASING BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS. THIS IS COMMON ON 2008 COBALT SSES. *TR
Complaint 10435143 · Nov 10, 2011 · 11,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET COBALT SS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 10 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE FAILED TO DECREASE IN SPEED AS THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE…
Complaint 10432787 · Oct 25, 2011 · 35,000 miles

Own a 2008 Cobalt SS?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.