Chevrolet

Cobalt (1st)

2005-2010 · Compact Sedan · 5 engines
Best Engine ⚠️ Caution (2.3)
7,943 NHTSA Complaints
11 Recalls
74 Fire Reports
564 Crash Reports
📋 Inspection checklist

Engine Reliability Ratings

LNF

2.0L 4-cyl Turbo / 260 hp
⚠️ Caution (2.3)
236 complaints 78.7 per year Gasoline
1 fire report
View details

Complaint Breakdown

brakes
182
fuel system
26
safety systems
9
electrical
8
interior
6

Known Issues

Brakes Issues (182 complaints)
Fuel System Issues (26 complaints)
Safety Systems Issues (9 complaints)

LE5

2.4L 4-cyl
Avoid (1.3)
210 complaints 41.4 per year Gasoline
3 fire reports 2 fatalities
View details

Complaint Breakdown

steering
88
fuel system
62
electrical
44
safety systems
15
engine
13

Known Issues

Steering Issues (88 complaints)
Fuel System Issues (62 complaints)
Electrical System Issues (44 complaints)

LSJ

2.0L 4-cyl / 205 hp
Avoid (1.3)
129 complaints 43.0 per year Gasoline
2 fire reports 3 fatalities
View details

Complaint Breakdown

steering
66
fuel system
35
electrical
15
transmission
10
engine
9

Known Issues

Steering Issues (66 complaints)
Fuel System Issues (35 complaints)
Electrical System Issues (15 complaints)

L61

2.2L 4-cyl / 170 hp
Avoid (1.0)
5,978 complaints 974.2 per year Gasoline
53 fire reports 29 fatalities
View details

Complaint Breakdown

steering
3004
fuel system
1312
electrical
1179
safety systems
500
engine
382

Known Issues

Steering Issues (3,004 complaints)
Fuel System Issues (1,312 complaints)
Electrical System Issues (1,179 complaints)

Chevrolet Cobalt Unidentified Engine

Avoid (1.0)
1,368 complaints 228.0 per year
15 fire reports 15 fatalities
View details

Complaint Breakdown

steering
714
electrical
287
fuel system
148
brakes
123
safety systems
95

Known Issues

Steering Issues (714 complaints)
Electrical System Issues (287 complaints)
Fuel System Issues (148 complaints)
Show 11 additional engine variants with limited data
These engines appear in fewer than 10 owner complaints and aren't included in the main ratings above. Low counts can mean a genuinely clean record, but they can also reflect VIN-decode anomalies in NHTSA data. Treat as informational, not as a confident rating.

L91

1.6L 4-cyl
Recommended (4.5)
5 complaints 1.7 per year Gasoline
View details

Complaint Breakdown

fuel system
3
steering
1
transmission
1

Known Issues

Fuel System Issues (3 complaints)
Steering Issues (1 complaints)
Transmission Issues (1 complaints)

LAY

1.8L 4-cyl
Recommended (4.5)
3 complaints 1.5 per year Gasoline
View details

Complaint Breakdown

safety systems
2
fuel system
1
electrical
1

Known Issues

Safety Systems Issues (2 complaints)
Fuel System Issues (1 complaints)
Electrical System Issues (1 complaints)

Same engine used in

L32

3.8L 6-cyl
Recommended (4.4)
3 complaints 2.0 per year Gasoline
View details

Complaint Breakdown

steering
2
fuel system
1
transmission
1
electrical
1
brakes
1

Known Issues

Steering Issues (2 complaints)
Fuel System Issues (1 complaints)
Transmission Issues (1 complaints)

L55

1.6L 4-cyl
Recommended (4.8)
3 complaints 1.0 per year
View details

Complaint Breakdown

electrical
1
steering
1
wheels tires
1

Known Issues

Electrical System Issues (1 complaints)
Steering Issues (1 complaints)
Wheels & Tires Issues (1 complaints)

LV6

1.8L 4-cyl
Recommended (4.8)
2 complaints 1.0 per year
View details

Complaint Breakdown

electrical
1
body
1

Known Issues

Electrical System Issues (1 complaints)
Body/Trim Issues (1 complaints)

LS6

5.7L 8-cyl
Recommended (4.8)
1 complaint 1.0 per year
View details

Complaint Breakdown

steering
1

Known Issues

Steering Issues (1 complaints)

L82

3.1L 6-cyl
Recommended (4.8)
1 complaint 1.0 per year
View details

Complaint Breakdown

electrical
1

Known Issues

Electrical System Issues (1 complaints)

LL0

1.9L 4-cyl
Recommended (4.8)
1 complaint 1.0 per year
View details

Complaint Breakdown

steering
1

Known Issues

Steering Issues (1 complaints)

LF3 - Twin turbo, Aluminum, VVT., Twin Turbo

3.6L 6-cyl Turbo
Recommended (4.8)
1 complaint 1.0 per year Gasoline
View details

Complaint Breakdown

other
1

Same engine used in

Vehicle-Level Issues

These issues affect the Chevrolet Cobalt regardless of engine variant.

Steering Issues (3,879 complaints)
steering critical
Fuel System Issues (1,588 complaints)
fuel_system critical
Electrical System Issues (1,529 complaints)
electrical critical
Safety Systems Issues (621 complaints)
safety_systems critical
Engine Issues (395 complaints)
engine critical

Recalls (11)

15V500000Oct 7, 2015serious
Air Bags

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt vehicles manufactured January 4, 2010, to June 23, 2010. The affected vehicles may be equipped with an improperly routed Side-Impact Sensor (SIS) wiring harness in the driver side front door. The misrouted wiring harness could cause an electrical short that disables the driver side curtain air bag.

14V153000Mar 30, 2014serious
Steering

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009 Pontiac G6. In the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist that could occur at any time while driving.

14E021000Apr 29, 2014serious
Electrical System

UCI-FRAM Group is recalling certain LS1328 ignition Switches sold as Wells LS1328, Duralast LS1328, Airtex 1S6097, and Carquest 53-27479, and LS1497 Ignition Switches sold as Wells LS1497, Duralast LS1497, Airtex 1S10961, and Carquest 53-27967, for use on various General Motors model and model year vehicles during repair and replacement of the original ignition switch. The weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the affected ignition switches to move out of the run position, turning off the engine and disabling the air bags.

14V171000Oct 3, 2014serious
Electrical System

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR, 2007-2010 Pontiac G5, 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice, 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "Off" position.

14V047000Oct 1, 2014serious
Air Bags

This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on February 10, 2014 that they are recalling 619,122 model year 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, and 2007 Pontiac G5 vehicles. On February 25, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 748,024 model year 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR and Pontiac Solstice vehicles and 2003-2007 Saturn Ion vehicles and 2007 Saturn Sky vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine. On March 27, 2014, GM notified the agency that the defective ignition switches may have been used as service replacement parts on other vehicles, and as a result GM will be recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, Saturn Sky, and Pontiac G5 and Solstice, and 2008-2011 Chevrolet HHR vehicles. The part numbers for the service parts are 10392423 (a/k/a ACDelco D1461F), 10392737, 15857948, 15854953, 15896640, and 25846762. This expansion represents an additional 823,788 vehicles.

12V459000Sep 18, 2012serious
Fuel System

General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007 Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent vehicles originally sold or currently registered in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas; model year 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, Pontiac G5, and Saturn ION vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada, or Texas; model year 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arizona; and model year 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oklahoma, or Texas. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which the plastic supply or return port on the fuel pump module may crack, which could cause a fuel leak.

10V073000Mar 2, 2010serious
Steering

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 CHEVROLET COBALT AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 PONTIAC G5 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRIC POWER STEERING. THE DRIVER MAY EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST THAT COULD OCCUR AT ANY TIME WHILE DRIVING.

09V419000Oct 28, 2009serious
Fuel System

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT AND SATURN ION VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ARIZONA AND NEVADA; AND MODEL YEAR 2007 CHEVROLET COBALT, PONTIAC G5 AND SATURN ION VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, NEVADA AND TEXAS. THE PLASTIC SUPPLY OR RETURN PORT ON THE MODULAR RESERVOIR ASSEMBLY MAY CRACK. IF EITHER OF THESE PORTS DEVELOPS A CRACK, FUEL WILL LEAK FROM THE AREA. IF THE CRACK BECOMES LARGE ENOUGH, FUEL MAY BE OBSERVED DRIPPING ONTO THE GROUND AND VEHICLE PERFORMANCE MAY BE AFFECTED.

09V073000Jun 2, 2009serious
Powertrain

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING 276,729 MY 2009 BUICK ENCLAVE, CHEVROLET COBALT, HHR, MALIBU, TRAVERSE, GMC ACADIA, PONTIAC G5, G6 AND SATURN AURA AND OUTLOOK PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLES SAFETY STANDARD 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT POSITION SEQUENCE, STARTER INTERLOCK, AND TRANSMISSION BRAKING EFFECT", AND FMVSS 114, "THEFT PROTECTION AND ROLLAWAY PREVENTION". ON SOME OF THESE VEHICLES, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE ADJUSTMENT CLIP MAY NOT BE FULLY ENGAGED. IF THE CLIP IS NOT FULLY ENGAGED, THE SHIFT LEVER AND THE ACTUAL POSITION OF THE TRANSMISSION GEAR MAY NOT MATCH. WITH THIS CONDITION, THE DRIVE COULD MOVE THE SHIFTER TO "PARK" AND REMOVE THE IGNITION KEY, BUT THE TRANSMISSION GEAR MAY NOT BE IN "PARK".

07V014000Jan 17, 2007serious
Structure

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES NOT EQUIPPED WITH OPTIONAL ROOF-MOUNTED SIDE IMPACT AIR BAGS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 201, 'OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN INTERIOR IMPACT.'

04V560000Nov 21, 2004serious
Exterior Lighting

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THE BULB SHIELDS INSIDE OF THE HEADLAMPS CAN LOOSEN DUE TO VIBRATION.

Alternatives in Compact Sedan

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt problems?

The 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt has accumulated 7,943 NHTSA complaints. The most frequently reported problem areas are Steering, Fuel System, Electrical System. As with any used vehicle, an inspection before buying and a vehicle history report are recommended.

Which Chevrolet Cobalt engine is most reliable?

The 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt was offered with 16 engine options. Based on NHTSA complaint data, the 2.0L Turbo 4-cyl has the lowest complaint density and is considered the most reliable choice for buyers.

Is the 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt a good used car?

The 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt can be a sound used car depending on trim, mileage, and maintenance history. With 7,943 total NHTSA complaints on record, prospective buyers should review the known problem areas and check for open recalls before buying.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt have?

The 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt has 7,943 complaints filed with NHTSA as of our latest data pull. Complaint counts reflect owner-reported issues and do not necessarily indicate defects or safety risks on their own.

What recalls affect the 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt?

There are 11 NHTSA recalls affecting some 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt vehicles. Recall status varies by VIN — check the NHTSA recall database at recalls.nhtsa.dot.gov with your specific VIN to confirm which campaigns apply.

What should I check before buying a used Chevrolet Cobalt?

Before buying a used Chevrolet Cobalt, verify all open recalls are completed via the NHTSA VIN lookup tool. Pay particular attention to Steering, Fuel System, Electrical System, which are the most commonly reported problem areas. Request maintenance records, have an independent mechanic inspect the vehicle, and run a vehicle history report to check for prior accidents or title issues.

Does the Cobalt have NHTSA crash test ratings?

NHTSA has not published crash test ratings for the 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt. Not all vehicles are tested each year. For the latest NHTSA safety information, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Data from NHTSA federal complaints database. 7,943 complaints analyzed. Data confidence: high. Last updated: 2026-05-23.

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