Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated while driving 25-35 MPH, the RPM's continuously fluctuated, and the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The ABS warning light was illuminated and the message "Power Steering Failure" was displayed. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road by using physical force to turn the steering wheel. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the residence. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 10V073000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 191,000.
The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated while driving approximately 55-60 MPH, the power steering warning light illuminated and the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road using extra effort to steer the vehicle. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle regained power steering functionality. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while driving. The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle in for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 10V073000 (Steering). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 143,000.
The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that the vehicle made an abnormal sound while reversing. Additionally, the contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the power steering warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that while attempting to drive the vehicle, the steering wheel was firm. The contact turned around and drove back to the residence. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 10V073000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 179,200.
The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware of a loud noise coming from the steering wheel. After the failure, while attempting to park the vehicle, the contact became aware of a crunchy sound coming from the steering wheel. The contact stated that due to the failure result, the steering wheel became abnormally stiff and difficult to maneuver. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000.
The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver and started to shake. The power steering assist warning light illuminated then turned off. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact scheduled and appointment. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that while his son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering warning light illuminated. Additionally, the pipes connected to the manifold were rusted and had detached. The contact called the local dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 58,000.
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 like it that I drive! I'd like them evaluated.
The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel suddenly became very difficult to turn in either direction. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and the manufacturer were not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,000.
The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 143,460.
The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the power steering warning light illuminated, and the contact had to manually steer the vehicle. The contact continued to drive the vehicle without power steering functionality. The contact stated that additional electrical failures had occurred. The contact also stated that the ABS activated and deactivated independently, and the traction control became inoperable. The instrument panel also became inoperable, and the contact was unable to see the speedometer and fuel gauge functions on the instrument panel. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.
Related recalls
Steering › Electric power assist system
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.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA investigations
Electric Power Steering Failure
In a March 1, 2010 letter, General Motors Corporation (GM) provided a defect information report to NHTSA regarding a problem that could result in sudden loss of power steering assist in certain model year (MY) 2005 through 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt and MY 2007 through 2010 Pontiac G5 vehicles equipped with electric power steering (EPS).The letter indicates that the loss of steering assist could occur at any time while…
Steering complaints in other Cobalt years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt?
NHTSA has 689 complaints about the steering of the 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, 44% of the model year's 1,564 complaints. The component named most often is electric power assist system (23 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt steering problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 10V-073 (electric power assist system, Mar 3, 2010). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 52,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 61 crashes, 4 fires and 55 injuries and 3 deaths to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.