2008 Chevrolet Cobalt Steering Problems
Owners have filed 309 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt, 37% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 68,122 miles. The words owners use most often: “steering failed” (12% of reports).
- 309steering complaints
- 68,122median miles at failure
- 37mention a crash
- 18mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,350typical repair cost reported by owners
- 24%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.
- Steering failed: mentioned in 38 of 309 complaints (12%)
- Wheel became: mentioned in 31 of 309 complaints (10%)
- Difficult turn: mentioned in 20 of 309 complaints (6%)
- Electric power: mentioned in 18 of 309 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 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt at $1,350, and half of them between $990 and $2,150.
Based on 10 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2008–2018), 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 263 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 309 complaints, 37 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 18 an injury.
Chevrolet Cobalt steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Cobalt | 1 | 100% | 79,700 |
| 2011 Cobalt | 2 | 100% | 61,250 |
| 2010 Cobalt | 239 | 42% | 56,000 |
| 2009 Cobalt | 206 | 29% | 60,000 |
| 2008 Cobalt | 309 | 37% | 68,122 |
| 2007 Cobalt | 689 | 44% | 52,111 |
| 2006 Cobalt | 1,299 | 56% | 60,800 |
| 2005 Cobalt | 1,143 | 69% | 61,000 |
| 2002 Cobalt | 2 | 100% | 42,062 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Steering:electric power assist system
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.
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that the power steering suddenly failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was turned off for a while and restarted for the power steering functionality to return. The failure was persistent. The contact stated that the power steering…
The ignition doest work right n want release the key the car dies n stalls while driving we was almost hit by a trooper n he called we spoke to 2 people n they had a gm call us n they said that this has been a big concern of these cars n we tried n tried to get it fixed n they say sorry can't can…
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the message "Steering Locked" was displayed. The contact stated that the steering wheel was significantly difficult to turn; however, he drove the vehicle to the residence. The contact stated that upon starting…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2008 Chevrolet Cobalts have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 309 owner complaints about steering for the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt (37% of the 845 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 2008 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 68,122 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,350 (half paid between $990 and $2,150), from 10 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt?
The most frequent phrase is “steering failed”, in 38 of 309 complaints, followed by “wheel became” (31).
Other 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt problems
See all 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt problems or steering problems across all Cobalt years.