Chevrolet Cobalt Steering Problems
Owners have filed 3,890 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the Chevrolet Cobalt across 9 model years. The 2006 model year has the most (1,299). The words owners use most often: “steering failed” (10% of reports).
- 3,890steering complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 274mention a crash
- 133mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $1,500typical repair cost reported by owners
- 31%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 387 of 3,890 complaints (10%)
- Became difficult: mentioned in 219 of 3,890 complaints (6%)
- Chevy power: mentioned in 214 of 3,890 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 Chevrolet Cobalt at $1,500, and half of them between $1,150 and $1,950.
Based on 315 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2007–2020), 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 3,401 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 3,890 complaints, 274 mention a crash, 21 a fire, 133 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
Model years: 2010
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
Model years: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
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
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…
Problem with Steering column rattle
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. In addition, the power steering failure warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was turned off. The contact stated that while…
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…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Chevrolet Cobalts have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 3,890 owner complaints about steering 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 steering?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the Chevrolet Cobalt?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,500 (half paid between $1,150 and $1,950), from 315 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the Chevrolet Cobalt?
The most frequent phrase is “steering failed”, in 387 of 3,890 complaints, followed by “became difficult” (219).
Other Chevrolet Cobalt problems
- Electrical System problems (1,458)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (1,107)
- Air Bags problems (609)
- Fuel System, Gasoline problems (478)
- Power Train problems (368)
- Engine problems (331)
- Suspension problems (218)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (157)
See all Chevrolet Cobalt problems.