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Chevrolet CobaltYears to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 7,677 NHTSA owner complaints across 10 model years, no Chevrolet Cobalt year stands out as one to avoid, and the strongest years are 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. The Cobalt has 10 safety recalls on record.

Chevrolet Cobalt
Years to avoidNoneUse caution: 2006Best years'07 '08 '09 '10Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints7,677Top: SteeringSafety recalls102005–2017 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Best & worst years

Chevrolet Cobalt years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Cobalt median. Tap a year for its full report.

'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'16'17
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2017Not rated–/1001 complaint · 0 recalls2016Not rated–/1001 complaint · 0 recalls2012Not rated–/1001 complaint · 0 recalls2011Not rated–/1002 complaints · 0 recalls2010Best68/100574 complaints · 5 recalls2009Solid63/100710 complaints · 5 recalls2008Solid58/100845 complaints · 4 recalls2007Solid44/1001,564 complaints · 5 recalls2006Caution35/1002,330 complaints · 5 recalls2005Solid44/1001,649 complaints · 5 recalls
Complaints by system

Most common Chevrolet Cobalt problems

All model years combined: 7,677 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
Steering3890287
Electrical system1458110
Fuel/propulsion system110724
Air bags609238
Fuel system, gasoline47812
Power train36822
Engine33138
Suspension21813
Vehicle speed control15721
26 other systems1207191
10 recalls

Chevrolet Cobalt recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

51%Air bags: side/window15V-500 · 2010 · Aug 10, 2015 · 59,474 vehicles72%Electrical system: ignition14V-171 · 2005–2010 · Apr 10, 2014 · 2,191,014 vehicles60%Steering: electric power assist system14V-153 · 2010 · Mar 31, 2014 · 1,373,177 vehicles72%Air bags14V-047 · 2005–2010 · Feb 10, 2014 · 2,190,934 vehicles–Delivery: fuel pump12V-459 · 2007–2009 · Sep 19, 2012 · 49,768 vehicles–Steering: electric power assist system10V-073 · 2005–2010 · Mar 3, 2010 · 1,050,889 vehicles–Delivery: fuel pump09V-419 · 2006–2007 · Oct 29, 2009 · 69,139 vehicles–Lever and linkage: column shift09V-073 · 2009 · Mar 6, 2009 · 276,729 vehicles–Structure07V-014 · 2005–2006 · Jan 18, 2007 · 98,707 vehicles–Exterior lighting: headlights04V-560 · 2005 · Nov 22, 2004 · 1,378 vehicles
3 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the Cobalt

  1. Fuel Line LeakPE20011 · 2008–2010 · closed Aug 17, 2023
    No recall
  2. Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion AuditAQ10001 · 2009 · closed Dec 28, 2015
    No recall
  3. Electric Power Steering FailurePE10005 · 2005–2009 · closed Jul 19, 2010
    Led to recall 10V-073