There are 29 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2008 Chevrolet Cobaltin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Heavy fuel leak
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, FOR TWENTY MINUTES GAS WAS LEAKING OUT OF THE TANK AND THE FUEL METER DECREASED TO EMPTY. HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO VISUAL SIGN OF FUEL ON THE GROUND. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL ODOR OF GAS EMERGING IN AND OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE TO CONTACT THE LOCAL DEALER AS WELL AS THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,875.
COOLANT IS NOT READING, AIR CONDITIONER DON'T WORK AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. IT WILL STAY LIKE THIS FOR A DAY OR SO THEN BY THE TIME I GET IT INTO THE SHOP IT STARTS TO READ AGAIN AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES OUT AIR CONDITIONER WILL WORK AGAIN AND THERE ARE NO CODES TO READ. REPAIR SHOP CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THEY SAID POSSIBLE THERMOSTAT ISSUE OR SENSOR ISSUE BUT WITHOUT CODES OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON THEY HAVE NO IDEA. IT KEEPS DOING IT BUT IT SEEMS TO CORRECT IT SELF BEFORE I CAN GET IT BACK TO THE GARAGE USUALLY OVER A WEEKEND WHEN THEY ARE CLOSED OR VERY BUSY. I HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE FOR A COUPLE MONTHS NOW, IT HAS NOT APPEARED TO CAUSE ANY OVER HEATING OR MADE ANY OTHER SOUNDS THAT I AM AWARE OF.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHETHER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OR WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ABNORMAL FUEL ODOR. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS FUEL LEAKING UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS CONFINED TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ABNORMAL FUEL ODOR IN THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V459000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE OXYGEN SENSOR MAY HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
I STARTED MY CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY, IT STARTED AND THEN STALLED IMMEDIATELY AND WOULD NOT START AT ALL. I DIAGNOSED IT ALONG WITH MY FRIEND WHO IS A CERTIFIED MECHANIC. THE CAM CHAIN GUIDES BROKE AT LESS THAN 79000 MILES, CAUSING SLACK IN THE CAM CHAIN WHICH CAUSED IT TO JUMP TEETH ON THE INTAKE CAM, THROWING IT OUT OF SYNCHRONIZATION. THIS CAUSED THE INTAKE VALVES TO BE OPEN WHEN THE PISTON REACHED THE TOP OF ITS TRAVEL, WHICH BENT THE VALVES. THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE ON THE 2.2 ENGINES, BUT VERY UNUSUAL FOR SUCH A LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE HAS A 100,000 MILE WARRANTY BUT ONLY FOR 5 YEARS. I ONLY DRIVE ON AVERAGE 10,000 MILES A YEAR. THE ENGINE IS WELL BELOW 100,000 MILES AND GM WILL NOT ADMIT THAT THEY HAVE A DESIGN FLAW ON THESE ENGINES AND WILL NOT MAKE THIS REPAIR FOR ME UNDER WARRANTY.
WAS DRIVING TO SAN DIEGO, FIRST STOP OF SEVERAL ON A VACATION. STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT. WENT TO PROCEED AS LIGHT TURNED GREEN, HEARD A SCRAPING AND GRINDING SOUND; THERE WAS LITTLE TO NO POWER FOR THE CAR. IT COULDN'T GO ABOVE 30 MPH, AND MADE A "LOUD NOISE" (AS STATED ON PAPERWORK FROM DEALERSHIP). GOT TO CITY (BY THE BAY) CHEVROLET. I ENDED UP SPENDING $1334.21 FOR A NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND TWO GASKETS. I WAS ALSO OUT $111.26 FOR A RENTAL AS I WAS GOING TO DISNEYLAND AND KNOTT'S BERRY FARM AFTER A STOP TO SAN DIEGO. I HAD TO HAVE THE RENTAL FROM THURSDAY TO SATURDAY OR I WOULD HAVE MISSED TIME AT DISNEYLAND. I PICKED THE DAY FOR KNOTT'S BERRY FARM. ACCORDING TO CHEVROLET, THE 2005-2007 COBALTS IN NEVADA (WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND LIVE) ARE AFFECTED BY A CATALYTIC CONVERTER ISSUE; HOWEVER AFTER CONTACTING CHEVROLET AND ADVISING THEM OF MY ISSUE -- THEY TELL ME (DESPITE THE IDENTICAL ISSUE) -- MY MODEL IS NOT AFFECTED. I AM LOOKING FOR $1445.47 IN COMPENSATION FOR ACTUAL LOSSES. I WOULD LIKE COMPENSATORY DAMAGES SINCE CHEVROLET IS REFUSING TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND INVESTIGATE OR REIMBURSE ME AND IT AFFECTED MY VACATION. ALSO, I WANT THE RECALL EXTENDED TO THE 2008 MODELS. UPDATED 09/15/15*LJ UPDATED 11/03/2017*CN
AS I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND I NOTICED THE ODOR OF GASOLINE. I PULLED OVER TO CHECK FOR THE SOURCE OF THE ODOR AND FOUND FUEL LEAKING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR AND ONTO THE ROAD. THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CONDITION, AS I COULD NOT STOP THE FUEL FROM CONTINUING TO LEAK. I FOUND THAT THE FUEL SUPPLY LINE BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND ENGINE RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH NEAR THE DRIVER SIDE REAR FENDER WELL, CAUSING THE LEAK. THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION VAPOR LINE WAS RUSTED AND LEAKING AS WELL, RESULTING IN FLAMMABLE FUEL VAPORS ESCAPING.
THE SERVICE TRACTION LIGHT COMES ON AND THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT..... SHIFTS REALLY HARD AND RUNS VERY ROUGH AND FEELS LIKE IT WILL STALL. VERY AFRAID.... BEING TOLD IT IS A CYLINDER MISFIRE... I HAVE READ A LOT ABOUT THIS ON LINE AND FIND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS RELATED TO THIS SAME ISSUE IN THIS SAME MODEL.... PLEASE HELP... I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY MATTER.... COULD STOP IN TRAFFIC OR ON EXPRESSWAY WHICH I TRAVEL EACH DAY. MANY THANKS!
WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROUTE 20 AT ABOUT 50MPH IT STARTED TO RAIN AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" LIGHT WENT ON. MY CAR STARTED SLOWING DOWN AND I HAD TO TURN TO THE CLOSEST STREET SO THAT I WASN'T HIT BY THE CAR BEHIND ME. THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE, LAST YEAR WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY DRIVING TO CLEVELAND, MY CAR BEGAN RAPIDLY SLOWING DOWN AND I COULDN'T PICK UP SPEED WHILE PRESSING THE GAS. I TOOK THE NEAREST EXIT AND HAD TO WAIT TWO HOURS BEFORE THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD TURN OFF. ALSO, WHILE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, IT ALSO SAYS "TRACTION OFF" AND MY CAR SHAKES. BOTH TIMES IT WAS RAINING, AND I WAS DRIVING AT 50MPR SPEEDS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STARTED EXHIBITING THIS PROBLEM AFTER BEING REPAIRED UNDER RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V047000 (AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 209,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE COOLANT LEVELS MALFUNCTIONED FOR OVER A WEEK. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE COOLANT FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO A DITCH. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED, BUT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,812. UPDATED 09/30/14*LJ THE RECALL REPAIR WAS WAS COMPLETED BY 7/20/14. THE VEHICLE HAD EXPERIENCED ANY FURTHER FAILURES. UPDATED 2/24/2015 *JS
I WAS DRIVING MY CHEVY COBALT WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE GAS STATION I COULD NOT TURN OFF THE CAR. THE KEY WAS STUCK IN THE DRIVING POSITION AND WOULD NOT RELEASE. I THEN PROCEEDED TO GO TO MY FATHER'S HOUSE TO TRY AND HAVE HIM HELP ME REMOVE THE KEY AND SHUT OFF THE CAR. HE WAS NOT ABLE TO AS WELL. I THEN CALLED A CHEVROLET DEALER LOCATED ON SW 152 ST IN MIAMI, FL WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A RECALL PROBLEM AND THAT I SHOULD;D BRING IN THE VEHICLE BUT THAT IT WOULD TAKE ABOUT A WEEK TO FIX. ON THE WAY THERE, MY CAR BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. I THEN PULLED OVER AND TRIED AGAIN TO ATTEMPT TO SHUT OFF THE CAR AND REMOVE THE KEY. THE CAR REACHED 300 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND SOON AFTER SHUT OFF, LEAVING ME STRANDED WITH MY TWO SMALL CHILDREN. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A MECHANIC IN HIALEAH, FL WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE WAS BLOWN DUE TO THE CAR OVERHEATING. I THEN CALLED GM AND EXPLAINED THIS TO THEM, I THEN WAS ADVISED TO CALL THE SERVICE MANAGER AT MIAMI LAKES CHEVROLET. THE CAR HAS SINCE BEEN TOWED THERE AS I WAS TOLD THE CAR WOULD NEED TO BE DIAGNOSED. HOWEVER, MIAMI LAKES CHEVROLET IS NOW HASSLING ME THAT THEY CAN NOT TOUCH MY VEHICLE BECAUSE IT IS A REBUILT TITLE VEHICLE, ALTHOUGH I HAVE REPEATEDLY EXPLAINED THAT HAD MY CAR BEEN ABLE TO BE CUT OFF THEN IT WOULD NOT HAVE OVERHEATED TO IT'S MAXIMUM AND I WOULD STILL HAVE A VEHICLE. I AM VERY UPSET AS I WAS UNAWARE OF THE KEY IGNITION RECALL AND I AM NOW LEFT CARLESS WHICH IS MY LIVIHOOD FOR MY KIDS AND FAMILY AS WELL AS I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON A VEHICLE WHICH IS NOT FUNCTIONING DUE TO A RECALL I HAD NOT CLUE ABOUT! *TR
MY KEYS CAN BE TAKEN OUT WHILE CAR IS STILL RUNNING. ALSO THE SWITCH STICKS AND YOU HAVE TO PLAY WITH IT TO GET IT TO TURN . I CALL GM AND WAS TOLD THAT 2008 COBALTS ARE NOT ON RECALL.THE KEY HAS CAME OUT WHILE DRIVING. GM CALL CENTER TOLD ME TO TAKE TO DEALER HAVE IT CHECKED I AM AFRAID THAT THEY WILL CHARGE ME TO REPLACE IT AND JUST IGNORE THE PROBLEM ON THE 2008 COBALT. *TR
2008 CHEVY COBALT DIED ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 70 MPH. NO WARNING JUST STOPPED DEAD. NO POWER STEERING. CAR WAS ABLE TO GET TO SIDE OF ROAD. A FEW MINUTES LATER CAR STARTED UP NORMALLY. IF THERE HAD BEEN ANYONE BEHIND THE CAR THE INDIVIDUAL WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR WORSE. I KNOW THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM BUT IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE 2008 COBALT. WE HAVE HAD THE CAR FIXED TWICE WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT IT IS CORRECT. HAVE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE AND ADVISE. MY DAUGHTER DRIVES THIS CAR AND IS TERRIFIED TO GO ON THE HIGHWAY WITH IT. *TR
2008 COBALT, GAVE US NO INDICATION OF PROBLEMS. NOW DEALER IS SAYING THIS 5 YEAR OLD CAR MAY HAVE SLIPPED IT'S TIMING BELT AND DESTROYED IT'S HEAD AND VALVES REQUIRING A NEW MOTOR. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED BECAUSE CHEVY DOES NOT RECOMMEND TIMING CHAIN MAINTENANCE AT A SET MILEAGE. IT'S SUPPOSED TO LAST. THE FACT THAT SUCH A BIG ENGINE FAILURE CAN HAPPEN TO SO MANY OF THESE CARS JUST 5 MONTH AFTER WARRANTY END AT 90 THOUSAND MILES MAKES THIS A DESIGN FLAW IN MY OPINION. *TR
THE ENGINE LOST POWER MOMENTARILY GOING UP HILL ON A COUNTY HIGHWAY. THEN THE ENGINE STARTED IT'S SELF AND KEPT MOVING. ON A HUMID 80 DEGREE DAY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND ONCE RESTARTED, THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMALLY. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER BUT THE DEFECT COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED AND NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 29 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 25, 2026