There are 21 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2007 Chevrolet Cobaltin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE BRAKES ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE BRAKES HAD TO BE RECALIBRATED. THE BRAKES WERE REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 206,686.
I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN MY BRAKES SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING AND THE CAR ACCELERATED AND I HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. *TR
WHEN IM DRIVING IT FEELS LIKE MY REAR BRAKES WANT TO LOCKUP. I SMELLED ABAD ODOR COME FROM MY BRAKES. MY CAR SOMETIMES MOVES REALLY SLOW WHEN MY CAR HAS THAT FEEL WITH THE BRAKES, MY BRAKE PEDAL IS LOOSE SOMETIMES AND SOMETIME IT IS TIGHT IM SCARED TO DRIVE MY CAR BUT I HAVE TO BECAUSE I WORK DON'T HAVE NO OTHER TRANSPORTATION, IM SCARED IM GOING TO HAVE ACCIDENT PLEASE HELP. *TR
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY SON AND MY CAR DIED DUE TO THE IGNITION SWITCH, LUCKILY IT WAS IN THE EARLY MORNING AND THERE WAS NOBODY AROUND. I HAVE A STANDARD VEHICLE SO I JUST SHIFTED DOWN AND COASTED. I PULLED OFF TO THE SHOULDER AND PUT MY EMERGENCY BRAKES. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A GM DEALERSHIP AND GOT THE PROBLEM TAKEN CARE OF. WITHIN A MONTH OF GETTING MY VEHICLE BACK, I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY SON AND THE BRAKES DISINTEGRATED AND TOTALLY FAILED ON ME. I FORTUNATELY KNEW HOW TO HANDLE MY CAR IN A SITUATION SUCH AS THIS BUT I HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT FROM. I EXPRESSED MY EXTREME CONCERNS FOR SAFETY AND HOW I NEEDED TO GET INTO A SAFER VEHICLE. I HAVE NOT BEEN HELPED AND I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR A MONTH. I NEED HELP TO GET INTO A SAFER VEHICLE FOR MYSELF AND MY SON. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED TO ENGAGE AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE BRAKES ENGAGED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE PROBLEM RECURRED EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT ALSO RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 14V047000 (AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE TO DO THE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
CALIPER LEAKING. *TR
I HAVE AN EXTREME VIBRATION AND SOME CLANKING NOISE IN THE FRONT END OF MY 2007 CHEVY COBALT WHENEVER APPLYING MY BRAKES ON A DOWNHILL SLOPE. I DO MOSTLY FREEWAY DRIVING AND FORTUNATELY THERE AREN'T A LOT OF HILLS , SO MY BRAKES ARE NOT UNDER MUCH STOP AND GO STRAIN. I WAS TOLD THE MY CONTROL ARMS AND BUSHINGS WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND THAT IT MAY COST $900 OR MORE AFTER LABOR. DUE TO THE COST, I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO THE REPAIRS AND AFTER LOOKING ONLINE, I SEE THAT SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE AND REPLACED THESE PARTS ONLY TO FIND THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN IN AS LITTLE AS A YEAR. MY LAST CHEVY HAD NEARLY 300,000 MILES ON IT AND THERE WAS NEVER AN ISSUE WITH THE CONTROL ARMS, SO THIS DEFINITELY SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. *TR
THE TRACTION AND ABS LIGHT FREQUENTLY COMES ON. I'M NOT SURE IF IT SOMETHING THAT I SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT, OR IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT JUST HAPPENS. *TR
I HAD TO GET MY REAR BRAKES COMPLETELY CHANGED OUT AT AROUND 45000 MILES AS WELL AS MY E-BRAKE ASSEMBLY. APPARENTLY COBALT REAR BRAKES ARE KNOWN TO WEAR EXTREMELY QUICKLY, PLEASE RECALL EVERYTHING THAT WAS REPLACED: ROTORS CALIPERS PADS E-BRAKE ASSEMBLY BRAKE LINES. *TR
I DROVE MY CAR ABOUT 1/2 MILE TO THE LOCAL CVS. WHEN I LEFT I STARTED THE CAR AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I HAD LOST PRESSURE AND DID NOT HAVE BRAKES. I HAVE A MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS. I PULLED OVER IN ANOTHER PARKING LOT AND PUMPED THE BRAKES TO GET PRESSURE BACK. CAR RAN FINE FOR A 15 MILES. THE SAME NIGHT I DROVE TO ANOTHER LOCATION AND LOST PRESSURE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT. I PULLED OVER AND PUMPED THE BRAKES AGAIN. I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR SINCE TO THE DEALER AND THEY CANNOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM, NOR DIAGNOSE IT. THEY SAID IT WAS INTERMITTENT AND MOST LIKELY THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF BRAKE FLUID LEAKING FROM ANY OF THE BRAKE LINES OR AROUND THE TIRES. THE PROBLEM IS THEY CANNOT SAY FOR SURE IF THE MASTER CYLINDER IS LEAKING INTERNALLY OR IF A GASKET OR SEAL IS FAILING. I AM GOING TO HAVE THE MASTER CYLINDER REPLACED AND HOPE THAT IS THE PROBLEM, BUT I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE ON THE FREEWAY OR AT FAST SPEEDS BECAUSE I HAVE NO CAUSE FOR THE BRAKE FAILURE. I AM THANKFUL I WAS NOT GOING FAST, OTHERWISE THE ONLY WAY TO SLOW THE CAR WOULD BE TO DOWN SHIFT AND USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THIS PART IS ALSO NOT WARRANTIED, BUT I AM SURPRISED IT IS ALREADY FAILING BEFORE I HAVE CHANGED THE BRAKE PADS, ROTORS, OR DRUMS. IT IS WEIRD. NOW I HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE PART TO COME FROM THE PLANT? THEY DO NOT EVEN HAVE IT IN STOCK. IS THIS A COMMON PROBLEM? I WILL BE ASKING FOR THE OLD PART, BUT AM UNSURE IF I WILL BE ABLE TO SEE IF THE MASTER CYLINDER IS BAD. *TR
THE CAR SHAKES AND MAKES A SCREECHING SOUND WHEN THE BRAKE IA APPLIED. I HAVE CHANGED THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM TO MY COBALT 2007 AND MY CAR STILL SEEMS TO SHAKE AND SHRIEK WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKE AT A FAST SPEED. *TR
DRIVING TO WORK, WE HAD SOME LIGHT SNOW AND THE WIND WAS RATHER STRONG. I DRIVE A 2007 CHEVY COBALT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON MENTIONING REDUCED POWER. SECONDS LATER TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON. AT THAT POINT IN TIME I CAN NOT ACCELERATE OR BRAKE AT ALL. I TIRED TO PUSH THE BRAKE AS HARD AS I COULD WITH NO EFFECT. GAVE UP ON THAT AND USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN AND HAVE IT TOWED. LUCKILY I WAS GOING RATHER SLOWLY DUE TO THE INCLEMENT WEATHER, AND THERE WERE NO CARS AHEAD OF ME. THE CHEVY DEALER BLAMED IT ON A FUEL TANK PRESSURE SENSOR. *TR
REAR BRAKES MAKE A LOUD EERIE SOUND WHEN IN REVERSE, NOT ALWAYS BUT USUALLY ON A COLD START, COLD MORNING, AFTER A CAR WASH, AFTER RAIN, OR PARKED FOR A COUPLE DAYS. *TR
MY 2007 COBALT HAS LESS THEN 24,000 MILES. I WAS LEAVING THE HAIRDRESSER AND I WENT TO PRESS ON THE BREAK TO PUT THE CAR IN GEAR. MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT DOWN. THIS CONTINUED ON THE WAY HOME. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BREAKS. BUT DID FIND THAT THE BUSHINGS ON BOTH SIDE WERE GONE. DEALER REPLACED THE BUSHINGS. THE NEXT DAY I WAS DRIVING HOME DOWN A HILL AND THE WHEELS WERE NOT TURNING. IT SEEMED LIKE I WAS LOSING POWER. I WENT TO GO UP AND HILL AND I HAD NO POWER. TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER. THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. AS I WAS LEAVING THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AGAIN, BACK TO THE DEALER. STILL NOTHING. ONLY A WEEK WENT BY. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR SEVERAL TIMES. I FEAR THAT I'M GOING TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR AND HIT SOMEONE. BACK TO THE DEALER YET AGAIN. STILL THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED TO THEM. THEY KEEP TELLING ME MY BRAKES ARE FINE!!!!! *TR
THIS REGARDS A CHEVY COBALT SS. THIS VEHICLE IS MOSTLY DRIVEN ON CITY STREETS AND OCCASIONAL LONG FREEWAY TRIPS, NO TOWING OR OVERLOADING. NOTICED AT SOMEWHERE AROUND 10,000-15,000 MILES (MAYBE SOONER.) THAT REAR BRAKES WERE VERY NOISY WHEN BACKING. LOUD ENOUGH THAT THE NEIGHBORS COULD HEAR THEM IN THE MORNING WHEN I BACKED OUT OF THE GARAGE. EASILY BE HEARD DOWN THE STREET. THE BRAKES HAD ALWAYS BEEN NOISIER THAN I WOULD EXPECT FOR A NEW VEHICLE. FINALLY GOT TIRED OF NOISE AT 17,000 MILES AND TOOK CAR TO DEALER. (03/03/08.) THEY ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH BRAKES, INSPECTION REPORT FROM JACK MAXTON CHEVY STATES THAT FRONT AND REAR LININGS HAVE THE APPROPRIATE THICKNESS IN MM. THEY APPLIED "ANTI-SQUEAK" TO THE BRAKES. AS TIME PASSED THE BRAKES RETURNED TO THEIR NOISY STATE. TIME FOR A 30,000 MILE CHECKUP SO WE TOOK THE CAR IN AND ASKED THEM TO CHECK THE BRAKES AGAIN. THEY ADVISED US THAT WE NEEDED NEW ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS. THEY SAID IT WOULD COST OVER $400, WE DIDN'T WANT TO PAY THAT MUCH AT THE TIME SO THEY TURNED THE ROTORS, INSTALLED NEW BRAKE PADS, COSTING OVER $200. THE NEW BRAKE PADS SQUEAK AND SQUEAL, TOOK THE CAR BACK IN, THEY LOOKED AT IT AGAIN, SERVICE REP ADVISED THAT THE NEW PADS WOULD SOUND THAT WAY WHILE THEY BROKE IN. I NEVER HAD NEW BRAKE PADS MAKE NOISES AFTER HAVING THEM INSTALLED ON OTHER VEHICLES IN THE PAST. THEY SENT US A SURVEY TO COMPLETE. (THEY'RE ALWAYS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THESE.) WE REPORTED ALL OF THIS ON THE SURVEY AND ALL WE EVER RECEIVED IN RESPONSE WAS A PHONE CALL ADVISING US THAT WE WERE GOING TO RECEIVE A SURVEY. (WE RECEIVED A CALL WITH THE SAME ADVICE PRIOR TO THE SURVEY TOO.) TO ADD INJURY TO INSULT, WE PURCHASED AN EXTENDED, 7-YEAR BUMPER-TO-BUMPER WARRANTY WHEN WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE. AT THE TIME WE WERE TOLD IT WOULD COVER EVERYTHING ON THE CAR, NO MATTER WHAT WENT WRONG WITH IT. WE HAD BEEN CHEVY FANS FOR YEARS AND A FEW VEHICLES. WE'LL LOOK AT FOREIGN CARS NEXT TIME. *TR
I HAVE A 2007 CHEVROLET COBALT AND AT APPROXIMATELY 15,000 MILES BEGAN HAVING SOME SLIGHT VIBRATIONS WHEN BRAKING. I WENT TO HAVE THE BRAKES CHECKED TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS OKAY AND WAS TOLD THAT MY BRAKE PADS WERE GOOD. I DROVE MORE UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 20,000 MILES AND THE VIBRATIONS INCREASED. I FINALLY ENDED UP GETTING IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP AT 26000 AND THEY TOLD ME MY ROTORS WERE WARPED AND THEY RESURFACED THEM AND THEY WERE FIXED. NOW ONLY AN ADDITIONAL 15000 MILES AND THE VIBRATION IS BACK BUT EVEN WORSE. I BELIEVE THEY JUST RESURFACED THEM KNOWING THAT THEY ARE MALFUNCTIONING SO THAT WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN THEY WERE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP BACK TO INFORM THEM THAT THEY ARE NOT FIXED THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS MY OWN MAINTENANCE PROBLEM EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE. I AM AT A LOSS AS NEW ROTORS WILL SURELY FIND THE SAME FATE AND IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE ROTORS EVERY 15,000 - 20,000 MILES. I HAVE NEVER OWNED A VEHICLE THAT I EVEN HAD TO HAVE ROTORS RESURFACED OR REPLACED WITH REGULAR MAINTENANCE. VERY DISAPPOINTED AND UPSET THAT THIS IS NOT BEING RESEARCHED AND RECALLED BY CHEVROLET AS A DEFECT AND SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE BRAKES PULSATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ROTORS WERE FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE TURNED. THE ROTORS HAD BEEN TURNED TWICE WITHIN 32,000 MILES. THE DEALER STATED THAT IT WAS THEIR POLICY TO ONLY TURN THE ROTORS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 63,000.
2007 CHEVY COBALT SS, FRONT BRAKE ROTORS OBTAIN DANGEROUS RUNOUT CONDITIONS. IN MY CASE THE ORIGINAL SET LASTED 8000 MILES, AND THE REPLACEMENT OBTAINED FROM DEALER IN JULY 2007 LASTED 20000 MILES. SYMPTOMS OF THIS RUNOUT INCLUDE HEAVY SHUTTER OF BRAKE PEDAL AND STEERING WHEEL AT FREEWAY SPEEDS DOWN TO ABOUT 30MPH AND NOTICEABLE THUMPING IN STEERING WHEEL AT FREEWAY SPEEDS WHEN NOT APPLYING BRAKES. RUNOUT ON ROTORS IS SO SEVERE THAT IT ACTUALLY CAUSES A RIDE DISTURBANCE WITHOUT APPLYING BRAKES. HAVE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE WITH SIERRA CHEVROLET IN MONROVIA TO NO AVAIL. WAS SIMPLY TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PURCHASE NEW ROTORS. NO REMEDY APPEARS TO BE AVAILABLE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. APPARENTLY, THERE IS A POOR DESIGN OF ROTORS OR SOME TYPE OF ISSUE WITH THE BRAKE PADS BEING TOO AGGRESSIVE. SUSPECT ROTORS OBTAIN HEAVY GROOVING WITHIN A FEW THOUSAND MILES. AFTER GROOVING IS NOTICED, THE VIBRATIONS BEGIN VERY SUBTLE SOON AFTER AND PROGRESS TO THE POINT TO WHERE THE VIBRATIONS ARE NOTICEABLE EVEN WHEN NOT APPLYING BRAKES. I AM ON MY THIRD SET OF ROTORS, AND AM FEARFUL THAT GENERAL MOTORS WILL NEVER PAY ANY ATTENTION TO THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ISSUE. I BELIEVE THAT PERHAPS A LESS AGGRESSIVE BRAKE PAD NEEDS TO BE USED OR SOME KIND OF PROBLEM EXISTS WITH HOW THE ROTORS SEATS TO THE HUB. I AM ONLY FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROBLEM ON THE SS MODELS, I ALSO HAVE A 2005 COBALT BASE MODEL THAT HAS NO ISSUES WITH THE BRAKES WHAT SO EVER. MANY COMPLAINTS NOTICED ON THE WEB FORUMS FOR SS COBALTS. THESE PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED TO THEIR LOCAL DEALERS TO NO AVAIL ALSO. I HAVE RUN OUT OF OPTIONS, OTHER THAN TO KEEP AN EXTRA SET OF PADS AND ROTORS AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES AT THE COST OF 450 DOLLARS PER SET. DEALER REFUSES TO CONSIDER PREMATURE ROTOR WEAR AS A WARRANTY ISSUE OR ANY ISSUE FOR THAT MATTER, FORCING ME TO BUY THE PARTS AND PAY THE LABOR FOR A PROBLEM THAT I HAVE NO CONTROL OF. *TR
TL-CONTACT STATED SHE WAS DRIVING AT 45MPH AND HER BRAKES LOCKED ON HER. THIS HAS HAPPEN OVER EIGHT TIMES. CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER THEY STATED SHE HAD LOW TIRES AND MAKING HER ABS BRAKES GO CRAZY AND LOCKING UP THE TIRES. THEY WENT AHEAD AND PLUGGED A HOLE IN HER TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS FINE ONCE SHE LEFT THE DEALER. THE NEXT DAY IT STARTED AGAIN. THERE IS NO INDICATION OF ANYTHING WARNING BEFORE IT HAPPENS. CONTACT HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE ANGAIN TO THE DEALER.
Showing 1–20 of 21 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026