Free. Instant. No signup. Pulls recalls and complaints for your exact vehicle.
Couldn't find that VIN. Check the digits and try again.
ProblemsByVinFile / 2010-CHEVROLET-COBALTNHTSA data synced 7 hours ago
2010 · Chevrolet
Chevrolet Cobalt problems
582 owners have filed defect reports on this one. That's not a small number. 3 active recall campaigns on file.
Reliability score
6.4 / 10
Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.
0
Critical
3
Severe
0
Moderate
Should you avoid this 2010 Cobalt?
High-risk ownership
Repair exposure runs above average — only with money set aside and eyes open.
Steering: 241 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 40,000–74,000 mi
Electrical system: 82 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 30,493–83,000 mi
Reliability score 6.4/10 — around the segment average
3 recall campaigns on file
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model —
not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Embed this reliability snapshot
Free to use on your site, post, or video — keep the link back. Preview the widget →
What owners are saying
recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim
2010 Cobalt· steering
I purchased the vehicle in february 2010 and I didn't start noticing problems till around summer but they were not that bad till september were the car started showing strange electrical and steering issue. I received the recall letter in october and had the power steering issue…
Power steering failure. Car is out of warranty (20,000 miles) contacted Chevrolet who says part already replaced under recall (april 2010). This part has failed for a second time! Manufacturer of this exact part has had recalls with Toyota (2012) as well. Critical safety…
While I was driving the power steering thing comes on thinking it needed fluid I stopped to check there was none and it was hard to drive I made it back home checking the internet I found that there was a recall for the car I was driving so I found this site that's why am…
Had a problem with your 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free and official — owner filings are what build the federal safety record behind this page.
Estimate your repair exposure
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009 Pontiac G6
If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will perform one of four bulletins. Parts are not currently available. GM expects to send an interim notification around May 28, 2014. When parts are available, owners will be mailed a second letter to come in to have the applicable bulletin applied. Bulletin 14115 covers model year 2004-2007 Saturn Ion, 2009-2010 Chevrolet HHR and 2010 Chevrolet Cobalts. Dealers will replace the EPS motor. Bulletin 14116 covers model year 2004-2006 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx, 2005-2006 Pontiac G6 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from March 1, 2008, through June 27, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly. Bulletin 14117 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from February 1, 2008, through February 28, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly and EPS motor controller unit. Bulletin 14118 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from October 1, 2007, through January 31, 2008. Dealers will replace the EPS motor controller unit. The recall began on July 17, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, and Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668. GM's number for this recall is N140115. Note: GM bulletin number 14119 will be implemented for model year 2006-2008 and early production of 2009 Chevrolet HHR (non-turbo) and model year 2003 Saturn ION to provide EPS Motor replacement for the life of the vehicle.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt vehicles manufactured January 4, 2010, to June 23, 2010
A disabled driver side roof-rail air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of that air bag, increasing the risk of injury to the driver.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the sensor's wiring in the driver's door and make repairs as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on September 8, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 15075.
General motors is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Chevrolet cobalt and model year 2007-2010 Pontiac g5 vehicles equipped with electric power steering
If power steering assist is lost, it would require greater driver effort at low vehicle speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.
Common questions
Is the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt reliable?
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.4 out of 10 based on 582 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
Should you avoid the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt?
The 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt is a higher-risk ownership prospect. Repair exposure runs above average — only with money set aside and eyes open. The record behind that call: Steering: 241 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 40,000–74,000 mi; Electrical system: 82 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 30,493–83,000 mi; Reliability score 6.4/10 — around the segment average; 3 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
What's the most common problem on the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt?
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is steering, with 241 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 62,421 miles. Average repair cost runs about $700 at an independent shop.
What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?
The airbags is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 62,756 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
How do I check if my Chevrolet Cobalt has open recalls?
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt?
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 582 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.
Recall and complaint data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database, last synced 7 hours ago. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2010/Chevrolet/Cobalt.
Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics.
We are not affiliated with Chevrolet. Some links on this page are affiliate links and we
may earn a commission if you complete a quote or purchase.