2010 Chevrolet COBALT - Ratings, Complaints and Recalls

The 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt has not been rated for overall safety by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In terms of specific crash ratings, the Cobalt received a 4-star rating for the driver side front crash and a 5-star rating for the passenger side front crash. However, the driver side side crash rating was 3 stars while the passenger side received 5 stars.

Additionally, this vehicle comes with optional electronic stability control but does not have forward collision warning or lane departure warning systems. In terms of complaints and recalls, there have been 572 complaints and 6 recalls reported for this model. It is important for drivers to be aware of these reported issues and stay informed about any potential safety concerns that may arise.

Top stats at a glance

Complaint Count

572

Recall Count

6

Investigation Count

1

Safety Rating

Not Rated

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Safety Features

2010 Chevrolet Cobalt 4-DR w/SAB Safety Features

Here are the safety features that come as standard on the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt 4-DR w/SAB

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

ESC is an advanced safety feature in vehicles designed to help drivers maintain control during challenging driving conditions. By continuously monitoring various factors such as steering angle, vehicle speed, and individual wheel speeds, ESC can detect and reduce the risk of skidding or loss of control. It achieves this by automatically applying brakes to specific wheels to stabilize the vehicle.

Optional
Forward Collision Warning (FCW)

Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is a safety feature in vehicles that helps prevent frontal collisions by alerting the driver of an imminent collision with a vehicle or obstacle ahead. Using sensors such as radar or cameras, FCW monitors the distance and speed of vehicles in front, and if it detects a potential collision, it provides visual and/or auditory warnings to prompt the driver to take evasive action.

No
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is a safety feature in vehicles that alerts drivers when their vehicle unintentionally drifts out of its lane without signaling. Utilizing cameras or sensors to monitor lane markings on the road, LDW detects when the vehicle crosses these lines and triggers visual, auditory, or haptic alerts to notify the driver of potential lane departure.

No

2010 Chevrolet Cobalt 4-DR w/SAB Safety Ratings

Here we have the crash and rollover ratings for the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt 4-DR w/SAB Where possible we've included the ratings for the oldest and latest models of this car so you can compare how the safety ratings have changed over time.

Frontal Crash Ratings

Combines Driver and Passenger star ratings into a single frontal rating. The frontal barrier test simulates a head-on collision between two similar vehicles, each moving at 35 mph.

Test 2005 Score 2010 Score
Overall Front Crash Rating Not Rated Not Rated
Front Crash Driver Side Rating 4 4
Front Crash Passenger Side Rating 5 5

Side Crash Ratings

Combines Side Barrier and Side Pole Star Ratings into a single side rating.

Test 2005 Score 2010 Score
Overall Side Crash Rating Not Rated Not Rated
Side Crash Drivers Side Rating Not Rated 3
Side Crash Passenger Side Rating Not Rated 5
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Front Not Rated Not Rated
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Rear Not Rated Not Rated
Overall Side Barrier Rating Not Rated Not Rated

Rollover Ratings

The Rollover Resistance test measures the risk of rollover in a single-vehicle, loss-of-control scenario.

Test 2005 Score 2010 Score
Rollover Rating Not Rated Not Rated
Rollover Possibility % 0% 0%
Dynamic Tip Result
Side Pole Crash Rating Not Rated Not Rated

Complaints for the 2010 Chevrolet COBALT

This chart show the number of complaints for each car component. A Higher number of complaints could indicate that this car might have a common fault. Something to look out for when purchasing one.

Component Complaints

Choose a component to see what complaints people have made about them.

Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2010 chevrolet cobalt. the contact stated while driving 20 mph, she attempted to make a right turn and the steering wheel seized. the contact was able to stop the vehicle, turn off the vehicle, and after restarting the vehicle, the power steering was functioning as needed. the contact stated that no warning light was illuminated. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 71,000."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2023-12-01

Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2010 chevrolet cobalt. the contact stated that while driving at 35 mph, the power steering assist failed to operate without warning. due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to his home. the dealer nor the manufacturer had been notified of the failure. upon investigation, the contact linked the failure to nhtsa campaign number: 14v153000 (steering). the vehicle had yet to be repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 131,000."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2022-04-11

Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2010 chevrolet cobalt. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle loss power steering functionality without warning. the local dealer was not contacted. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified but, no further assistance was provided. the failure mileage was unknown."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2022-05-09

Complaint:
"the electrical assisted power steering failed. this causes the vehicle's steering to become very difficult and dangerous not only to the driver but also other vehicles. this problem has been noted as a recall issue for this model/year vehicle but this vin number shows no recall issues. this vehicle was bought new by me and was given to our son about 3 years ago. he has taken very good care of it since he uses it to travel to work. vehicle currently had 128,842 miles and has had no issues other than the above issue. vehicle is available for inspection."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2022-03-04

Complaint:
"tl* the contact owns a 2010 chevrolet cobalt. the contact stated that there were unknown recalls on the vehicle regarding the ignition switch and steering which were previously repaired however, after starting the vehicle, a message appeared on the instrument panel which stated that the power steering feature was unavailable. the vehicle was taken to bayway chevrolet (5719 broadway st, pearland, tx 77581) who diagnosed the vehicle and stated that the body control module needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2021-02-03

Complaint:
"tl* the contact owns a 2010 chevrolet cobalt. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle loss power steering assist. the check engine and power steering assist warning lights were illuminated. the contact stated that extra effort was needed to steer the vehicle. the vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed nor repaired. neither a dealer nor the manufacturer were notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 30,532"
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2022-07-01

Complaint:
"my power steering just went out. hated to turn etc. the car was gone then just went bad."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2022-04-12

Complaint:
"when my son was backing out of a parking spot, the steering all of a sudden became very stiff and hard to turn and stayed this way while driving. now it is hard to steer and dangerous to drive to a shop to be looked at."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2022-02-09

Complaint:
"tl* the contact owns a 2010 chevrolet cobalt. the contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering fault message displayed on the instrument panel. the vehicle became difficult to steer in either direction. the cause of the failure was not determined. the local dealer team chevrolet buick gmc cadillac located at 404 jake alexander blvd, salisbury nc 28147 and the manufacturer were notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 150,000. invalid vin provided."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2021-03-09

Complaint:
"when driving the steering start to get stiff. when you stop the steering wheel does not want to turn. once you get moving it losssens up a little."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2020-06-07

Recalls for the 2010 Chevrolet COBALT

Component Recalls

Choose a component to see what recalls people have made about them.

Recall:
"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. in the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power steering (eps) assist that could occur at any time while driving."
Consequence:
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.
Remedy:

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.

Component(s) Involved: STEERING > ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
Date of incident: 2014-03-31

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

Component(s) Involved: STEERING > ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
Date of incident: 2010-03-03

CHEVROLET Overall Complaint Ranking

This table shows the ranking of car manufacturers when it comes to most complaints and recalls. The manufacturer with the most complaints is at the top. However this doesn't necassarily mean they should be avoided. Some manufacturers might just have more popular or affordable cars which a lot of people have bought. Which means there's more scope for a complaint to be made. Use the ranking table below as a part your wider research into buying a car.

CHEVROLET ranks 2 out of 44 in the complaints ranking table.

Manufacturer Complaint Count Recall Count Ranking
FORD 208,358 3,259 1
CHEVROLET 111,306 2,082 2
TOYOTA 81,019 1,852 3
HONDA 61,937 1,268 4
NISSAN 56,226 930 5
DODGE 45,756 827 6
HYUNDAI 44,150 649 7
GMC 34,441 1,410 8
KIA 29,832 501 9
CHRYSLER 27,698 254 10
TESLA 26,230 730 11
BMW 24,890 1,877 12
VOLKSWAGEN 23,125 829 13
MERCEDES-BENZ 19,066 2,925 14
SUBARU 18,513 703 15
MAZDA 10,599 364 16
PONTIAC 10,430 138 17
CADILLAC 9,434 444 18
AUDI 7,865 1,093 19
BUICK 7,851 279 20
SATURN 7,672 84 21
MERCURY 7,374 135 22
LEXUS 6,373 408 23
LINCOLN 5,897 423 24
ACURA 5,722 382 25
MINI 5,585 366 26
INFINITI 4,000 187 27
MITSUBISHI 3,912 397 28
VOLVO 3,875 727 29
PORSCHE 2,646 1,231 30
SUZUKI 2,272 123 31
FIAT 2,205 80 32
SAAB 1,536 76 33
JAGUAR 1,195 198 34
SMART 528 17 35
GENESIS 436 42 36
ISUZU 249 37 37
ALFA ROMEO 161 37 38
MASERATI 76 46 39
BENTLEY 46 159 40
POLESTAR 42 2 41
LUCID 14 6 42
CODA 4 2 43
MAYBACH 0 0 44

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