What Chevrolet Cobalt owners have reported to NHTSA, the service bulletins the manufacturer sent dealers, and any federal defect investigations, by model year. See Chevrolet Cobalt safety recalls or check your VIN.
Complaints owners filed with NHTSA, by the model year of the vehicle. A high count can also mean a popular year, so compare it with how many were sold.
| Year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injured | Deaths | TSBs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 128 |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 130 |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 146 |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 157 |
| 2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 171 |
| 2012 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 158 |
| 2011 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 198 |
| 2010 | 583 | 46 | 8 | 45 | 4 | 1,139 |
The vehicle systems named most often in Chevrolet Cobalt complaints (one complaint can name several).
In the owners’ own words, as filed with NHTSA. Unverified reports; NHTSA removes personal details before publishing.
Walked out to the car and the side air bags deployed and now it won't start. No power No accident. Drove it to the driveway and parked it. Now it won't start.
Fuel lines leak around fuel tank, causing a fuel smell around the vehicle and a major fire hazard
The contact's daughter owns a 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the power steering assist failed to operate as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. Due to the failure, extra effort was needed to steer the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or inspected for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls related to the failure for the VIN. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V153000 (Steering). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.
Air bag says it needs serviced Gas gadge is all over the place hard to tell how much gas I actually have in my tank.
The contact owned a 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that, while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed during an ice and rainstorm with poor visibility, a vehicle parked sideways in the middle of the roadway suddenly appeared. Unable to stop in time, the vehicle collided with the driver's side rear of the other vehicle, causing it to spin and veer onto the shoulder of the roadway before coming to a complete stop. The air bags deployed but failed to properly inflate, greatly reducing their effectiveness, which the contact held responsible for the various injuries sustained by the three occupants. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a storage facili…
Our daughter observed a significant puddle forming under her vehicle and noticed a strong smell of gasoline. She sent us a video, which clearly showed gasoline leaking from the driver-side rear area of the car. Due to the proximity of the fuel leak to the exhaust pipe, we had the car towed to a mechanic, as it was too dangerous to drive. The mechanic diagnosed the issue as a severely rusted-out fuel line that required immediate repair. At no point did the vehicle display any warning lights or alerts related to this issue. Alarmingly, our daughter had unknowingly driven the car while the leak was occurring, unaware of the serious fire risk this posed. We believe this is a serious safety haz…
Internal mechanism of the driver-side door handle broke and the door would not open from the inside. Tne dealership confirmed that the inside door ah glue is broken. The cable retainer snapped apart and the cable cannot stay connected. This might be available for inspection. Driver must exit the vehicle by crawling over to the passenger side. The problem has been confirmed by a Chevrolet dealer. There were no warning lamps or messages. The manufacturer no longer makes this part and it could not be replaced. Service description says that the customer had an electrical concern and that the door would not unlock from the inside. This was inaccurate. It was mechanical. The door could unlock, it …
I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE RECALL ON THE 2007-2009 ON THE CORROSION OF THE GAS LINES ON DRIVERS SIDE REAR WHEEL WHEN I TOOK MY CAR TO A CHEVY DEALER AND THEY SAID ITS THE SAME THING THATS HAPPENING TO MY CAR.AND THAT THEY ONLY DID THE RECALL ON 2007-2009 COLBALT MODELS .THE LAST COLBALT'S MADE WAS THE 2010 MODELS.WHY DIDNT THEY RECALL THEM ALSO.I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER CHEVY DEALER IN AMELIA AND THEY SAID THE SAME THING.THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED ASAP.ITS A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT FROM GM AND THEY KNOW IT.IF I HAVE TO I WILL GET A LAWYER AND SUE G.M. PERIOD.I CANT AFFORD TO FIX GM'S MISTAKES.THEY NEED TO COME CLEAN AND FIX THEM.IT LEAKS OUT GAS AND COULD START A FIRE OR EXPLODE WHILE I AM IN THE CAR.I …
Repair instructions and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about known issues. A TSB is not a recall, and the repair is usually free only while the car is under warranty; ask your dealer for the bulletin number.
This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PI to help diagnose A/C concern
This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.
This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customerâs vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions without utilizing the support of General Motors Technical Assistance Center. If valid vibration frequency or Road Force Variation data has been collected and a repair attempt does not correct the customer complaint, contact General Motors Technical Assistance Center for further support. For any vehicles that remains unrepaired after being at the dealer for three days or more an
New Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an intermittent no crank, no start, or start stall concern with the security light coming on. Technician may find Diagnostic Trouble Codes B3055, B3060, B3935, C0750, C0755, C0760, C0765, and/or C0775.
This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opens these when complaints point to a possible safety defect. Many end in a recall.
On July 5, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE20-011 to investigate instances of metal fuel lines under the vehicle corroding and leaking fuel in model year (MY) 2008 through 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt and 2008 through 2009 Chevrolet HHR passenger cars manufactured by General Motors (GM). The metal fuel lines are corroding and leaking fuel in the area between the front and rear wheels on the driver's side of the vehicle before the muffler. Most consumers allege a fuel odor and/
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation public data (complaints, manufacturer communications, investigations), model years 2010 and later. Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA.
In complaints filed with NHTSA for model years 2010–2017, owners most often name: steering, electrical system, fuel/propulsion system. 588 complaints are on record.
No. A complaint is an unverified report from an owner. A technical service bulletin (TSB) is the manufacturer telling dealers how to fix a known issue; it is not a safety recall and is usually covered only under warranty. A recall is a formal safety action, and its repair is free.
File a vehicle safety complaint at NHTSA.gov. NHTSA reads every report, and patterns of complaints are what open defect investigations and, eventually, recalls.
