2010 Chevrolet Cobalt Steering Problems
Owners have filed 239 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, 42% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 56,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “electric power” (10% of reports).
- 239steering complaints
- 56,000median miles at failure
- 17mention a crash
- 9mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 25%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.
- Electric power: mentioned in 24 of 239 complaints (10%)
- Included steering: mentioned in 22 of 239 complaints (9%)
- Wheel became: mentioned in 18 of 239 complaints (8%)
- Assist failed: mentioned in 16 of 239 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 210 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 239 complaints, 17 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 9 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 (2)
Steering:electric power assist system
Problem: 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.
Risk: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will perform one of four bulletins. Parts are not currently available. GM expects to send an interim notification around May 28, 2014. When parts are available, owners will be mailed a second letter to come in to have the applicable bulletin applied. Bulletin 14115 covers model year 2004-2007 Saturn Ion, 2009-2010 Chevrolet HHR and 2010 Chevrolet Cobalts. Dealers will replace the EPS motor. Bulletin 14116 covers model year 2004-2006 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx, 2005-2006 Pontiac G6 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from March 1, 2008, through June 27, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly. Bulletin 14117 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from February 1, 2008, through February 28, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly and EPS motor controller unit. Bulletin 14118 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from October 1, 2007, through January 31, 2008. Dealers will replace the EPS motor controller unit. The recall began on July 17, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, and Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668. GM's number for this recall is N140115. Note: GM bulletin number 14119 will be implemented for model year 2006-2008 and early production of 2009 Chevrolet HHR (non-turbo) and model year 2003 Saturn ION to provide EPS Motor replacement for the life of the vehicle.
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.
Problem with Steering column rattle
The contact's daughter owns a 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the power steering assist failed to operate as needed. There was no warning light illuminated. Due to the failure, extra effort was needed to steer the vehicle. The vehicle was not…
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the power steering and brakes became inoperable. The driver was able to coast to the side of the road. The check engine warning light was illuminated after the failure. The vehicle was towed to her parent's…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2010 Chevrolet Cobalts have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 239 owner complaints about steering for the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt (42% of the 574 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 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt steering?
Yes: 2 safety recalls 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 56,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt?
The most frequent phrase is “electric power”, in 24 of 239 complaints, followed by “included steering” (22).
Other 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt problems
See all 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt problems or steering problems across all Cobalt years.