2007 Chevrolet Cobalt Steering Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Jul 3, 2026 · 689 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 689 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, 44% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 52,111 miles. The words owners use most often: “steering failed” (9% of reports).

What owners describe

Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.

  • Steering failed: mentioned in 63 of 689 complaints (9%)
  • Electric power: mentioned in 40 of 689 complaints (6%)
  • Became difficult: mentioned in 40 of 689 complaints (6%)

How much does it cost to fix?

Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt at $1,500, and half of them between $1,150 and $2,200.

Based on 44 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2008–2019), 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 steering problems happen?

Based on 593 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles28 · 5%
10k–25k miles36 · 6%
25k–50k miles193 · 33%
50k–75k miles146 · 25%
75k–100k miles68 · 11%
100k–150k miles83 · 14%
150k+ miles39 · 7%

How serious are the reports?

Of 689 complaints, 61 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 37 an injury.

Chevrolet Cobalt steering complaints by model year

Peak: 2006, with 1,299 complaints
2002: 2200222005: 1,14320051,1432006: 1,29920061,2992007: 68920076892008: 30920083092009: 20620092062010: 23920102392011: 2201122017: 120171

n = 3,890 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model yearSteering complaintsShare of that yearMedian miles
2017 Cobalt1100%79,700
2011 Cobalt2100%61,250
2010 Cobalt23942%56,000
2009 Cobalt20629%60,000
2008 Cobalt30937%68,122
2007 Cobalt68944%52,111
2006 Cobalt1,29956%60,800
2005 Cobalt1,14369%61,000
2002 Cobalt2100%42,062

When owners reported it

Peak: 2010, with 253 complaints
2007: 4200742008: 11112009: 12920091292010: 2532532011: 232011232012: 19192013: 292013292014: 53532015: 342015342016: 33332017: 272017272018: 23232019: 112019112020: 14142021: 132021132022: 552023: 2202322024: 112025: 4202542026: 11

n = 689 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (1)

Steering:electric power assist systemMar 3, 2010 · NHTSA campaign 10V073000 · 1,050,889 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: If power steering assist is lost, it would require greater driver effort at low vehicle speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the electric power steering motor free of charge. Owners are being notified on a rolling basis between march 29 through november 2010. A copy of the mailing schedule is located in the recall file. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and pontiac at 1-800-620-7668 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.

What owners report

Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.

Fuel Leak it smells and leaks it seems to be coming from the gas tank and sometimes I get random electric failure when I'm driving I lose power steering and My brakes get stiff and hard to push down and my dash will go Off and then go crazy and show that i have no gas

Received Jul 3, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11748103

The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not…

Received Dec 4, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11702992

I was in a crash on 9/19/25 and at the incident none of my airbags deployed. My daily driver for my children and I. I was lucky I was the only passenger at the time. I never expected my airbags not to deploy in a head on crash. The car still sits in my driveway and I have and identical one just…

Received Sep 26, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11689938
Chevrolet Cobalt
2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt photographed in USA.. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently asked questions

Do all 2007 Chevrolet Cobalts have steering problems?

No. NHTSA has 689 owner complaints about steering for the 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt (44% of the 1,564 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 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt steering?

Yes: 1 safety recall list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.

At what mileage do steering problems start?

The median reported mileage is 52,111 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt?

Owners report a typical cost of $1,500 (half paid between $1,150 and $2,200), from 44 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.

What do owners say about steering problems on the 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt?

The most frequent phrase is “steering failed”, in 63 of 689 complaints, followed by “electric power” (40).

Other 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt problems

See all 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt problems or steering problems across all Cobalt years.