Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
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).
Tl* the contact owned a 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt. While merging approximately 35 MPH, the front and rear exterior lights failed without warning. As a result, the contact crashed into a concrete wall. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained a concussion that required medical attention. A police report was not filed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 117,048. ...updated 01/20/16 the consumer stated the vehicle was repaired.
Tl* the contact owned a 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt. While driving approximately 10 MPH, there was a burning odor coming from the headlights. The contact discovered that the vehicle caught fire. A police report was filed. The fire department extinguished the fire. There were no injuries. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 158,783.
I first had noticed my front passenger speaker would cut in and out. It didn't matter if the car was stationary or if I was driving. The following week I was driving through the parking lot of my job and the doors locks started locking and unlocking rapidly by themselves. And now they rarely ever do either when I try and push the lock buttons. So they either have to stay locked or unlocked depending the mood of the car. The following week I had a gas leak and had to have it serviced because that is very dangerous. The mechanic told me that there was a recall on that plastic piece to fuel system but only in southern states and I live in the north. And not to long after that my turn signal switch wouldn't stay on or it wouldn't shut off by it's self. Also dangerous trying to hold switch on while making a turn.
Clear coat on the front bumper is coming off really bad. The paint seems to stay on the bumper but progressively flakes off more every day. It starts as a small spot then expands like a virus. The underside of the driver and passenger doors begin to rust and are spreading to the outer parts of the doors and body. The interior lighting for the center-console (climate control) burn out fast and fail to illuminate the rest of the buttons. Seat belts wear out excessively fast and the buttons that stop the belt buckle fall out prematurely. -------- *this problem is found on the Cobalt sport 2008 2.4l (manual)
Hazard light button isn't properly secured to the dashboard which May cause the button to push into the dash. If hazards need to be activated following an emergency or another appropriate situation to use your hazards, this could prevent them from being activated; warning other drivers of a stopped vehicle. Several trim pieces need to be removed to fish out the button from the inside of the dash, it takes 10-15 minutes to do so and could provoke a dangerous situation while attempting to deactivate your hazards (if they activated in the first place)
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH, the turn signal flasher and the front passenger door latches became inoperable intermittently. Also, the contact mentioned that the tire gauges were misreading the opposite tires and when attempting to turn the steering wheel a warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000. The VIN was not available.
Drivers side low beam randomly goes on and off. Drivers headlight replace 2 times and problem remains, high beams and all other outside lights work OK. Checked the internet and many others with Chevy cars have this problem. Happens randomly, when starting, stopping or driving fast or slow, turning right or left or going straight
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the headlights would suddenly shut off or sometimes would not operate at all. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000. Updated 03/16/17
On February 21th, 2011, I was driving on the I-95 expressway. Suddenly, I lost the control of my car which was hit by another car driven by [redacted] (case # [redacted]). On June seventh, 2010, my wife had similar accident with her 2006 Chevy Cobalt. The fact that both crashes were so similar made dubious about our responsibility on them. I asked to inspect my vehicle twice (3/25/11 and 4/9/11), but inspectors said that my car was OK. On December 12, 2011 I presented a complaint to f. H.s. M. V. D. M. S. (complaint #[redacted]), on December 16, 2011 its answer was; your complaints do not fall within its jurisdiction. Dejected, I did not forward any more action. …
I am the very unhappy driver of a 2008 Chevy Cobalt with 4 recall repairs to date. I reported noticing problems with the power steering, struts and interior dashboard lights as early as sept 2010, while having routine service done to my Cobalt. (the interior dash digital read out lights have always given misinformation and would dim on a regular basis.) I've recently been experiencing the power steering totally going out on my car (once on June 25, 2014 and again on sept 4, 2014) which makes it practically impossible to steer my car. I've been involved with these recall issues since 2010 and have followed GM's instructions to have the repairs done, only to have continuing problems with the cars performance. It's not only a inconvenience, but is stressful and dangerous to continue driving this vehicle. …
Headlight complaints in other Cobalt years
Frequently asked questions
How common are headlight problems on the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the lights of the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt, 2% of the model year's 940 complaints. The component named most often is turn signal (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt headlight problems?
No. NHTSA lists no lights 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 headlight problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 1 fire and 2 injuries to lights 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.