Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
i own a 5-speed manual transmission which should roll freely while in neutral. after starting engine while on a slight incline in a parking lot, the vehicle would not roll in neutral, as if all brakes were being applied. i thought that by driving the vehicle on the road the brakes would free up, but they did not. i shut the engine off and on a few times but that did not make a difference. i could only move forward at 5-10 mph in first gear to get the vehicle home, which fortunately was just 5 blocks away. something smelled terrible like burning wires or brake pads. even after letting the vehicle sit in my driveway for a few hours it would not free up the brakes which were being applied. then i read a tip on an internet users forum: remove a fuse labeled "ABS2" and voila! it freed up the brakes! i can drive the vehicle normally but obviously without ABS capability. …
Tl* the contact owned a 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that while her son was driving and his cousin in the passenger side seat at 78 MPH, the brakes failed to respond when the brake pedal was depressed. The contact stated that while her son was driving the vehicle caught on fire, lost control of the vehicle, hit a fire hydrant and crashed into a tree. The air bags did not deploy. It was unknown the origin of the fire. The driver was injured which resulted with laceration on the anterior right side, there were bilateral wrist fracture, fracture to the right femur and left knee. There was an aortic laceration and multiple bilateral lung lacerations and cardiac contusions, autopsy also reveled first to forth degree firms burns with charring on approximately 70% of the body surface area, there were thermal fractures to the skull and both the hands. …
Engine light came on.... Had it checked by Firestone... They told me the 2nd cylinder was misfiring per the diagnostic code.. Should be 130 psi and only registering 90 psi....then while stopped longer than 30 seconds "service traction" light comes on.....asking $2300 to repair.... Why would one of the four cylinders go bad.....complained to GM and they told me I needed a certified GM dealer to look at it so I took it to GM also for diagnostic and they are saying misfire in 2nd cylinder which is what the diagnostic code says- per the paperwork given me they are not sure what the repair is going to entail or how to fix the problem..... Per internet complaints this s a problem that has occurred many times in cobalts.... Is it because no one got hurt or died that they don't want to consider this a recall? …
While driving in the left lane on a multiple lane interstate highway the driver on my right changed lanes into my lane. On my left was a concrete barrier without enough room for me to avoid the other driver. I aggressively applied the brakes to try and avoid the other vehicle. Even though my vehicle has ABS (anti-lock brakes), the left front brake locked up and pulled me into the concrete barrier. At no time in the life of my car have I gotten any indication that the ABS system wasn't working properly. In this situation I would have been much better off not having ABS than having the system only to have it malfunction on just one wheel.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt. While driving 55 MPH, all the warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the power steering failed and the speedometer, fuel gauge, and tachometer needles moved back and forth and displayed inaccurate readings. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the electronic brake control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the remedy did not resolve the issue. The contact stated that the failure continued to occur intermittently. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.
I was just going through a green light and just as I started to hit the brake's I n my car I did not stop at all ams I was in so much shock trying to brake that I could not swerve fast enough to miss the car in front of mr and rear ended her blue Kia at 30 MPH and now my cars front end is smashed I just replaces my brakes last month with my graduation money because ever since I bought the car my brakes howl all the time and I still didn't ix the problem now I have to come up with extra insurance money and fix my car even though it was a malfunction on my car..
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the vehicle decelerated violently. In addition, the contact had to apply force to the accelerator pedal in order to increase in speed. In addition, the low tire pressure warning light illuminated. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 96,000. Updated 1/12/16
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH and attempting o decelerate, the brake failed to engage and the contact proceeded to crash into a stop sign. The front driver side air bag failed to deploy. The contact was not injured. The vehicle was towed to a local body shop for further investigation of the failure. The VIN was not available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 39,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt. While driving approximately 25 MPH, the accelerator pedal became stuck when depressed. The contact depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to stop. In order to stop the vehicle, the brake pedal and the emergency brake needed to be engaged. The vehicle was towed to a local mechanic who did not diagnose the vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 96,025.
I was at work and parked my car like normal, someone came and asked me if that was my car that was parked crazy. I looked out and it was. My car rolled out of the parking spot with the e-brake on. Another time I started it to warm it up in the morning, I came back out, it rolled out of my spot and hit the curb. I looked to see if there was a recall, but there is not. I did find many other people with the same issues!!!
Brake complaints in other Cobalt years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt?
NHTSA has 104 complaints about the brakes of the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt, 11% of the model year's 940 complaints. The component named most often is foundation components › hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 18,000 miles, and 70% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 7 crashes, 1 fire and 1 injury and 1 death to brakes 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.