Chevrolet Cobalt Fuel System, Gasoline Problems
Owners have filed 478 complaints with NHTSA about fuel system, gasoline problems on the Chevrolet Cobalt across 6 model years. The 2006 model year has the most (215). The words owners use most often: “fuel pump” (50% of reports).
- 478fuel system, gasoline complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 6mention a crash
- 5mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $930typical repair cost reported by owners
- 30%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.
- Fuel pump: mentioned in 240 of 478 complaints (50%)
- Gasoline delivery: mentioned in 96 of 478 complaints (20%)
- Strong odor: mentioned in 41 of 478 complaints (9%)
- Gas tank: mentioned in 41 of 478 complaints (9%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical fuel system, gasoline repair on the Chevrolet Cobalt at $930, and half of them between $840 and $1,200.
Based on 27 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2009–2014), 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 fuel system, gasoline problems happen?
Based on 394 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 478 complaints, 6 mention a crash, 5 a fire, 5 an injury.
Chevrolet Cobalt fuel system, gasoline complaints by model year
| Model year | Fuel System, Gasoline complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Cobalt | 21 | 4% | 111,000 |
| 2009 Cobalt | 36 | 5% | 94,000 |
| 2008 Cobalt | 40 | 5% | 96,036 |
| 2007 Cobalt | 150 | 10% | 70,000 |
| 2006 Cobalt | 215 | 9% | 74,800 |
| 2005 Cobalt | 16 | 1% | 58,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Model years: 2007, 2008, 2009
Problem: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007 Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent vehicles originally sold or currently registered in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas; model year 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, Pontiac G5, and Saturn ION vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada, or Texas; model year 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arizona; and model year 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oklahoma, or Texas. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which the plastic supply or return port on the fuel pump module may crack, which could cause a fuel leak.
Risk: Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Notification to owners began on on November 21, 2012. Owners were instructed to not bring their vehicles in for repair until January 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Model years: 2006, 2007
Problem: General motors is recalling certain model year 2006 chevrolet cobalt and saturn ion vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of arizona and nevada; and model year 2007 chevrolet cobalt, pontiac g5 and saturn ion vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of arizona, california, florida, nevada and texas. The plastic supply or return port on the modular reservoir assembly may crack. If either of these ports develops a crack, fuel will leak from the area. If the crack becomes large enough, fuel may be observed dripping onto the ground and vehicle performance may be affected.
Risk: Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module free of charge. A special coverage will be implemented in the same time frame for model year 2006 vehicles registered in alabama, arkansas, california, florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, north carolina, new mexico, oklahoma, south carolina, tennessee and texas and model year 2007 vehicles registered in: alabama, arkansas, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, north carolina, new mexico, oklahoma, south carolina and tennessee. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before february 4, 2010. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, saturn at 1-800-972-8876 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 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for repair; however, the mechanic found a fuel leak and an abnormal gasoline odor. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate…
The contactâs wife owns a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated there was an abnormal fuel odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. While exiting the vehicle, the contact became aware that there was an oil leak underneath the rear end of the vehicle, and the fuel odor was more evident. There…
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start and was jumpstarted; however, the auto theft warning light illuminated, and the key could not be removed from the ignition. The contact was able to drive the vehicle…
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, there was an abnormal odor of fuel inside the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to an…
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that after driving to a local store and turning off the vehicle, the contact then returned to the vehicle however, the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Chevrolet Cobalts have fuel system, gasoline problems?
No. NHTSA has 478 owner complaints about fuel system, gasoline for the Chevrolet Cobalt. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Chevrolet Cobalt fuel system, gasoline?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list fuel system, gasoline. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix fuel system, gasoline problems on the Chevrolet Cobalt?
Owners report a typical cost of $930 (half paid between $840 and $1,200), from 27 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about fuel system, gasoline problems on the Chevrolet Cobalt?
The most frequent phrase is “fuel pump”, in 240 of 478 complaints, followed by “gasoline delivery” (96).
Other Chevrolet Cobalt problems
- Steering problems (3,890)
- Electrical System problems (1,458)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (1,107)
- Air Bags problems (609)
- Power Train problems (368)
- Engine problems (331)
- Suspension problems (218)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (157)
See all Chevrolet Cobalt problems.