2006 Chevrolet Cobalt Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 137 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt, 6% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 66,175 miles. The words owners use most often: “traction control” (7% of reports).
- 137power train complaints
- 66,175median miles at failure
- 12mention a crash
- 5mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $2,400typical repair cost reported by owners
- 37%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Traction control: mentioned in 10 of 137 complaints (7%)
- Gear shifter: mentioned in 9 of 137 complaints (7%)
- Stuck ignition: mentioned in 8 of 137 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt at $2,400, and half of them between $2,250 and $2,750.
Based on 8 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2006–2010), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 118 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 137 complaints, 12 mention a crash, 5 an injury.
Chevrolet Cobalt power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Cobalt | 31 | 5% | 94,000 |
| 2009 Cobalt | 29 | 4% | 64,000 |
| 2008 Cobalt | 29 | 3% | 75,000 |
| 2007 Cobalt | 43 | 3% | 51,581 |
| 2006 Cobalt | 137 | 6% | 66,175 |
| 2005 Cobalt | 99 | 6% | 65,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists power train for the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Power steering light came on now I have no speedometer and it will not shift right
"takata recall" on 3/30/18 i was involved in a wreck. I was traveling on a busy city street when the light turned red. I stopped and the person in front of me was driving a large suv. When the light turned green and traffic began to move i started driving. Out of nowhere with no warning, the driver…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE CONTACT FORGOT TO PLACE THE SHIFTER INTO PARK AND REMOVED THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE WHILE IN GEAR, BUT IT FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2006 Chevrolet Cobalts have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 137 owner complaints about power train for the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt (6% of the 2,330 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt power train?
No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 66,175 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt?
Owners report a typical cost of $2,400 (half paid between $2,250 and $2,750), from 8 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt?
The most frequent phrase is “traction control”, in 10 of 137 complaints, followed by “gear shifter” (9).
Other 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt problems
- Steering problems (1,299)
- Electrical System problems (412)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (255)
- Fuel System, Gasoline problems (215)
- Air Bags problems (146)
- Engine problems (93)
- Structure problems (51)
- Suspension problems (51)
See all 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt problems or power train problems across all Cobalt years.