Most common 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt problems
Share of the 900 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Cobalt complaints by model year
Best Cobalt years: 2010, 2009, 2008. Years to avoid: 2006, 2005, 2007. Compare all years →
2009 Chevrolet Cobalt recalls (5)
Electrical system › Ignition
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.
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…
Air bags
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. An interim notification was issued to owners of 2007 and earlier models on March 10, 2014, informing them of the safety defect.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007 Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent vehicles originally sold or currently registered in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas; model year 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, Pontiac G5, and Saturn ION vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arizona, California,…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Notification to owners began on on November 21, 2012.
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.
Power train › Automatic transmission › Lever and linkage › Column shift
General motors is recalling 276,729 my 2009 Buick enclave, Chevrolet cobalt, hhr, malibu, traverse, GMC acadia, Pontiac g5, g6 and Saturn aura and outlook passenger vehicles. These vehicles fail to comply with federal motor vehicles safety standard 102, "transmission shift position sequence, starter interlock, and transmission…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and ensure that the shift cable adjustment clip is fully engaged. In the event that the clip does not engage, the shift cable will be replaced free of charge.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt:
Fuel Line Leak
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).
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…
Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit
On November 18, 2010, NHTSA's Recall Management Division (RMD) opened an audit query (AQ10-001) to investigate recall remedy completion by rental car companies on safety recall campaigns.It was expected to provide the agency an indication of how completely and how quickly rental car fleets perform necessary recall-related remedies on the vehicles owned and then rented/leased for use on the roadways.RMD queried three…
What 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt owners say
Fuel & propulsion system all 268 →
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start and was jumpstarted; however, the auto theft warning light illuminated, and the key could not be removed from the ignition. The contact was able to drive the vehicle however, the locks failed to lock the doors, and there was a clicking sound when the windows failed to roll up or down. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of fuel. The contact stated that the tank was full however, the next day the fuel tank was empty. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 161,595.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that a fuel odor was detected while the vehicle was parked and while driving. The contact noticed there was fuel leaking on the ground where the vehicle was parked. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and while the vehicle was on the lift, the contact observed there was corrosion on the fuel tank and fuel lines and a fuel leak next to the driver's side exhaust pipe. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the mechanic. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Steering all 210 →
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 attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle was started, and the power steering failure warning light was off. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall with a similar failure description; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 154,824.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that while reversing at an undisclosed speed, the electric power steering assist failed, and the steering wheel was difficult to maneuver. The power steering warning message was displayed. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact of NHTSA Campaign Number: 10V073000 (Steering) that was associated with the VIN. The dealer also informed the contact to bring the vehicle in for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 113,000.
Brakes all 183 →
Tl* the contact owned a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt. While driving 40 MPH and attempting to come to a stop, the brake pedal was depressed, but failed to respond. The brake pedal depressed all the way to the floorboard independently. As a result, the vehicle failed to stop and crashed into the rear of another vehicle. The air bags deployed with excessive force. The contact had to puncture the air bag to avoid suffocation, which caused the air bag to explode. The contact sustained back, neck, and ear injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a towing yard and was deemed destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 48,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Coming out of a roundabout in rush hour when a car ahead of her suddenly stopped. She had about one and half to two car lengths and her speed was about 35 MPH. She applied her brakes and they did not respond. Her car rear ended another car. The airbag deployed. She has a sprained neck and back. She has been off for a couple of days per doctor's request. Major damage to the entire front end of the car.
2009 Chevrolet Cobalt engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 25 / 37 / 30 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 24 / 33 / 27 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 5-speed manual | FWD | 22 / 30 / 25 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt a good car?
Based on 900 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 Cobalt rates better than average: 47% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Cobalt at the same age. It is one of the best Cobalt years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt?
The fuel & propulsion system — 268 complaints, 30% of all complaints for this model year, most often about delivery › fuel pump. Next are the steering (210) and brakes (183).
How many recalls does the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt, the most recent from April 10, 2014 (ignition). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Cobalt?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2010, 2009 and 2008. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2006, 2005 and 2007. See the full Chevrolet Cobalt years comparison.
At what mileage do 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 58,000 miles; 45% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.