The 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt's high safety profile includes 2 recall campaigns and 938 owner-reported complaints. Make recall verification part of your pre-purchase checklist.

Recalls

938

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Recall Findings

12V4590002012-19-09

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, Florida, Nevada, or Texas; model year 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arizona; and model year 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oklahoma, or Texas. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which the plastic supply or return port on the fuel pump module may crack, which could cause a fuel leak.

Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.

View at NHTSA

10V0730002010-03-03

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.

IF POWER STEERING ASSIST IS LOST, IT WOULD REQUIRE GREATER DRIVER EFFORT AT LOW VEHICLE SPEEDS, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

View at NHTSA

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

Top Complaint Areas

The 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt has accumulated 938 NHTSA complaints over 1 years, with steering leading the pack. Know what to look for before you buy.

01Steering223

02Fuel/propulsion System185

03Electrical System77

04Service Brakes, Hydraulic68

05Air Bags43

938 total across 1 model years (2008–2008)Full data at NHTSA.gov

Chevrolet Cobalt Fuel Economy

25–29mpg combined

22-25city

30-36hwy

$1,500-$2,300/yr

With 6 configurations tested, the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt ranges from 25 to 29 MPG combined. That's a 4 MPG gap that can add up to hundreds of dollars a year in fuel costs.

By Trim

Cobalt XFE - Manual 5-spd

29mpg

2.2L 4-cyl · Front-Wheel Drive

25 city36 hwy~$1,500/yr-1/10 Poor

Cobalt - Manual 5-spd

27mpg

2.2L 4-cyl · Front-Wheel Drive

24 city33 hwy~$1,600/yr-1/10 Poor

Cobalt - Automatic 4-spd

26mpg

2.2L 4-cyl · Front-Wheel Drive

22 city31 hwy~$1,700/yr-1/10 Poor

Cobalt - Manual 5-spd

26mpg

2.4L 4-cyl · Front-Wheel Drive

22 city32 hwy~$2,250/yr-1/10 Poor

Cobalt - Automatic 4-spd

25mpg

2.4L 4-cyl · Front-Wheel Drive

22 city31 hwy~$2,300/yr-1/10 Poor

Cobalt - Manual 5-spd

25mpg

2.0L 4-cyl Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive

22 city30 hwy~$2,300/yr-1/10 Poor

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Where to Find 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt

26States

29%in top 3

If you're near Illinois, you're in luck: 10% of listings are there. But with 26 states represented, there's likely one near you too.

ILIllinois

710%

MIMichigan

710%

OHOhio

69%

INIndiana

46%

PAPennsylvania

46%

TXTexas

46%

CACalifornia

46%

FLFlorida

34%

GAGeorgia

34%

DCWashington DC

34%

NCNorth Carolina

34%

DEDelaware

23%

MDMaryland

23%

MOMissouri

23%

AZArizona

23%

OROregon

23%

MA1

MN1

NE1

NJ1

VT1

NV1

WA1

NY1

OK1

CO1

Geographic distribution reflects all active listings for this model, not just 2008.

2008 Chevrolet Cobalt Buyer FAQ

What to know before you buy

Is the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt a good car to buy?

Here's the short version on the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt. There are 2 recalls to verify before purchase. Dig into the safety overview and pricing trends for recall-by-recall detail.

Are there recalls on the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt?

NHTSA shows 2 recall campaigns for the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt. Before buying, verify all recalls are complete. The dealer must fix them at no charge. See the safety section for the full list.

What's the gas mileage of the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt?

You'll get between 25 and 29 MPG combined from the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt, depending on engine and drivetrain. That's a meaningful difference over time. The fuel economy table shows exactly which configs get what.

What are common problems with the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt?

STEERING problems top the list with 938 total complaints filed. Not every car is affected, but it's worth asking about and inspecting. Full details in the known issues section.