Is the Chevrolet Cobalt Reliable?

20052010 reliability analysis based on NHTSA safety recalls and owner complaints.

7/100
Poor

Reliability Score

27
Total Recalls
4886
Owner Complaints
544
Reported Injuries
41
Reported Deaths

Own a Chevrolet Cobalt? Check your specific VIN for a full history report.

Chevrolet Cobalt Reliability by Year

Model YearRecallsComplaintsInjuriesDeathsReliability ScoreRating
20103409374
13
Poor
20095458247
0
Poor
200845427511
0
Poor
20075949571
27
Poor
20065145829311
0
Poor
200551070587
0
Poor

Reliability scores are proprietary to VinCheckEngine and incorporate multiple weighted safety signals.

How the Cobalt Compares to Similar Vehicles

Chevrolet Cobalt7/100
Sedan Category Average72/100

The Cobalt scores 65 points below the average sedan. Consider checking years with lower complaint volumes.

Known Chevrolet Cobalt Reliability Issues

The following components appear most frequently in owner complaints filed with NHTSA:

STEERING
1741
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
648
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
543
AIR BAGS
301
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
170
ENGINE
160

Based on 4886 owner complaints across recent model years.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Chevrolet Cobalt reliable?+

The Chevrolet Cobalt scores 7/100 on our reliability index — rated "Poor." Across 6 recently analyzed model years, it accumulated 27 recall campaigns and 4886 owner complaints in the NHTSA database.

What year Cobalt is most reliable?+

Among the years analyzed, the 2007 Cobalt achieved the highest reliability score of 27/100 with 5 recalls and 949 complaints.

How many miles does a Cobalt last?+

With consistent maintenance, most Chevrolet Cobalt owners report 150,000 to 200,000+ miles of service life. Checking the VIN of any specific used Cobalt will reveal its actual mileage history and any title events.

More Chevrolet Cobalt Research

Check a Specific Chevrolet Cobalt VIN

Model-level reliability scores show general trends. A VIN-specific report reveals the exact history of any individual vehicle — accidents, odometer records, auction events, and open recalls.

Run a Free VIN Report →