RoadVitals

2010 Chevrolet Cobalt

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
573
Latest Oct 31, 2025
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
6
Latest Aug 10, 2015
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
53
45 injuries, 4 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 573 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, most frequently naming the steering, electrical and fuel system categories. 6 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 1,135 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

6 campaigns cover this model year

View all 6

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
15V500000

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

Aug 10, 2015
59,474 units potentially affected
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt vehicles manufactured January 4, 2010, to June 23, 2010. The affected vehicles may be equipped with an improperly routed Side-Impact Sensor (SIS) wiring harness in the driver side front door. The misrouted wiring harness could cause an electrical short that disables the driver side curtain air bag.
The risk: A disabled driver side roof-rail air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of that air bag, increasing the risk of injury to the driver.
The remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the sensor's wiring in the driver's door and make repairs as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on September 8, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 15075.
General Motors LLCManufacturer number 15075View on NHTSA.gov
14E021000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

Apr 30, 2014
14,529 units potentially affected
The defect: UCI-FRAM Group is recalling certain LS1328 ignition Switches sold as Wells LS1328, Duralast LS1328, Airtex 1S6097, and Carquest 53-27479, and LS1497 Ignition Switches sold as Wells LS1497, Duralast LS1497, Airtex 1S10961, and Carquest 53-27967, for use on various General Motors model and model year vehicles during repair and replacement of the original ignition switch. The weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the affected ignition switches to move out of the run position, turning off the engine and disabling the air bags.
The risk: If the ignition switch moves from the run position to accessory, the car would stall and the air bags will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of personal injury to the occupants.
The remedy: UCI-FRAM Group has notified its purchasers to quarantine and return all inventory. Any switches already installed in vehicles will be replaced by GM dealers as part of NHTSA recall 14V-047, free of charge. UCI-Fram's purchasers should contact UCI-FRAM Group at 1-800-890-2075. GM vehicle owners requiring additional information on that recall campaign should contact GM at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-762-2737 (Pontiac) or 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn).
UCI-FRAM GroupView on NHTSA.gov
14V171000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

Apr 10, 2014
2,191,014 units potentially affected
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR, 2007-2010 Pontiac G5, 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice, 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "Off" position.
The risk: If the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "off" position, the vehicle could roll away: (a) for an automatic transmission, if the transmission is not in the "Park" position; or (b) for a manual transmission, if the parking brake is not engaged and the transmission is not in the "Reverse" position. This potential for rollaway increases the risk for a crash and occupant or pedestrian injuries.
The remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and for vehicles that were built with the defective ignition cylinder and have not previously had the ignition cylinder replaced with the redesigned part, dealers will replace the ignition cylinder and cut and, if necessary, re-learn two ignition/door keys for each vehicle. For vehicles that were built with the redesigned ignition cylinder or had the ignition cylinder replaced with the redesigned part, dealers will cut and, if necessary, re-learn two ignition/door keys for each vehicle. The recall began on April 18, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac owners at 1-800-762-2737, and Saturn owners at 1-800-553-6000. General Motors' number for this recall is 14113 for the ignition lock cylinder and key replacement, and 14133 for only key replacements. Note: Until a vehicle has been remedied, owners and operators are advised that when exiting, to be sure that the vehicle is in "Park," or in the case of a manual transmission, that the vehicle is in the "Reverse" position and the parking brake is engaged.
General Motors LLCManufacturer number 14113,14133View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

PE20011ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

Fuel Line Leak

Opened Jul 5, 2020
Closed Aug 17, 2023

On July 5, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE20-011 to investigate instances of metal fuel lines under the vehicle corroding and leaking fuel in model year (MY) 2008 through 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt and 2008 through 2009 Chevrolet HHR passenger cars manufactured by General Motors (GM). The metal fuel lines are corroding and leaking fuel in the area between the front and rear wheels on the driver's side of the vehicle before the muffler. Most consumers allege a fuel odor and/or an observable fuel leak that alerts them to the condition.The subject metal fuel lines have a protective AGE coating and, in the vicinity of the left rear wheel, are further wrapped in a foil heat shield. The AGE coating consists of an annealed zinc aluminum alloy metal coating with extended corrosion protection paint. Under certain conditions, water and corrosive road deicing agents may enter a crevice between the heat shield and the AGE coating. With extended environmental exposure in high corrosive environments, the AGE coating can degrade. If it degrades enough, the base metal lines may begin to corrode beneath the heat shield.Corrosion to the fuel lines may eventually cause a perforation to develop in the line, allowing fuel vapors to escape from between the line and the heat shield, emitting a fuel odor that will be detectable to the vehicle operator. If the corrosion progresses, fuel may begin to weep from the line. Further metal degradation due to corrosion could create a drip or a mist of fuel. If this occurs, vehicle owners may see drips, spots, or puddles on the ground near the rear portion of the vehicle, primarily along the driver's side rear wheel.The majority of allegations (85%) were reported for vehicles that are operated in the salt belt region of the United States. This area includes states in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, and Midwest regions. Additionally, the average failure mileage in the subject vehicles is approximately 111,000 across all data sources.Considering the low manufacturer complaint/warranty rates of fuel line replacement, the fact that the majority of failures are concentrated in salt belt states, high failure mileages, as well as the field exposure time for the subject vehicles, and the highly detectable and progressive nature of this failure over time, the potential safety consequences of this issue are very low. To date, there have been no reported crashes, injuries, or fatalities related to this issue. There are two reported fires in ODI data and no reported fires in GM data. Both ODI reported fires were minor, occurred after the vehicle was parked, and were extinguished utilizing fire extinguishers.In view of the progressive failure occurring at high mileages, the age of the subject vehicles, the high detectability of the leak, and the majority of failures occurred in salt belt states, this Preliminary Evaluation is closed. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.Review the ODI reports cited above at nhtsa.gov under the attached identification numbers.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 573
Fuel system
Filed Oct 31, 2025

Fuel lines leak around fuel tank, causing a fuel smell around the vehicle and a major fire hazard

NHTSA ID
11696707
Incident
Sep 23, 2025
Steering
Filed Oct 30, 2025

Problem with Steering column rattle

NHTSA ID
11696686
Incident
Oct 30, 2025
Steering
Filed Sep 24, 2025

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 diagnosed or inspected for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls related to the failure for the VIN. Upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V153000 (Steering). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.

NHTSA ID
11689350
Incident
Sep 10, 2025
Mileage
54,000 mi
AirbagsFuel system
Filed Sep 13, 2025

Air bag says it needs serviced Gas gadge is all over the place hard to tell how much gas I actually have in my tank.

NHTSA ID
11687046
Incident
Sep 1, 2025
Airbags
Filed Sep 3, 2025
Crash reported3 injuries reported

The contact owned a 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that, while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed during an ice and rainstorm with poor visibility, a vehicle parked sideways in the middle of the roadway suddenly appeared. Unable to stop in time, the vehicle collided with the driver's side rear of the other vehicle, causing it to spin and veer onto the shoulder of the roadway before coming to a complete stop. The air bags deployed but failed to properly inflate, greatly reducing their effectiveness, which the contact held responsible for the various injuries sustained by the three occupants. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a storage facility and deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. All three occupants were transported to a local hospital by EMTs. The driver was treated for facial injuries sustained from striking the steering wheel. The minor occupant, who was seat-belted in the front passenger seat, was treated for injuries suffered to the right side of their forehead after hitting and breaking the front windshield, as well as a contusion across their chest caused by the seat belt. The contact was treated for a dislocated left shoulder and sustained multiple bruises. The manufacturer was notified of the incident, opened a case, and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for further assistance. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID
11684808
Incident
Jan 1, 2013
Filed Jul 15, 2025

Our daughter observed a significant puddle forming under her vehicle and noticed a strong smell of gasoline. She sent us a video, which clearly showed gasoline leaking from the driver-side rear area of the car. Due to the proximity of the fuel leak to the exhaust pipe, we had the car towed to a mechanic, as it was too dangerous to drive. The mechanic diagnosed the issue as a severely rusted-out fuel line that required immediate repair. At no point did the vehicle display any warning lights or alerts related to this issue. Alarmingly, our daughter had unknowingly driven the car while the leak was occurring, unaware of the serious fire risk this posed. We believe this is a serious safety hazard that could lead to a fire or explosion and strongly urge an investigation. This failure occurred without warning and could have resulted in a catastrophic outcome. We are fortunate this was caught in time, but others may not be as lucky.

NHTSA ID
11673793
Incident
Jul 15, 2025
Powertrain (other)
Filed May 21, 2025
Crash reportedFire reported6 injuries reported3 deaths reported

UNKNOWN

NHTSA ID
11662262
Incident
May 20, 2025
Body & structure
Filed Oct 25, 2024

Internal mechanism of the driver-side door handle broke and the door would not open from the inside. Tne dealership confirmed that the inside door ah glue is broken. The cable retainer snapped apart and the cable cannot stay connected. This might be available for inspection. Driver must exit the vehicle by crawling over to the passenger side. The problem has been confirmed by a Chevrolet dealer. There were no warning lamps or messages. The manufacturer no longer makes this part and it could not be replaced. Service description says that the customer had an electrical concern and that the door would not unlock from the inside. This was inaccurate. It was mechanical. The door could unlock, it could not open. The dealership would not let the diagnosis proceed until the customer agreed to that statement. The dealership inaccurately recorded the mileage.

NHTSA ID
11621929
Incident
Oct 24, 2024

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

PIT3271Q

This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.

PIP6104

This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.

PIP4902V

This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.

PIP4902U

This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.

PIT5214G

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer’s vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions without utilizing the support of General Motors Technical Assistance Center. If valid vibration frequency or Road Force Variation data has been collected and a repair attempt does not correct the customer complaint, contact General Motors Technical Assistance Center for further support. For any vehicles that remains unrepaired after being at the dealer for three days or more and a related bulletin or PI is not found, contact General Motors Technical Assistance Center for further support.

13598

New Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Chevrolet Cobalt by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2017100—
2016100—
2015000—
2014000—
2013000—
2012100—
2011200—
2010Viewing5736158.1
20097106361.4
20088455260.2
20071,5646157.9
20062,3306157.1
20051,6496156.8
2002200—
2000100—
1996100—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.