Research · Subcompact Cars

2009 Chevrolet CobaltRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls and 900 owner complaints for the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt. Most complaints involve fuel/propulsion system (232) and steering (210). The EPA rates it 25–30 mpg combined.

Combined MPG
25–30mpg
EPA · 4 versions
NHTSA overall
—
Not rated by NCAP
Safety recalls
6campaigns
Latest Apr 2014
Owner complaints
900
Top: fuel/propulsion system
Fuel cost / yr
$2,100est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

6 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Electrical system: switch

Free remedy

UCI-FRAM Group is recalling certain LS1328 ignition Switches sold as Wells LS1328, Duralast LS1328, Airtex 1S6097, and Carquest 53-27479, and LS1497 Ignition Switches sold as Wells LS1497, Duralast LS1497, Airtex 1S10961, and Carquest 53-27967, for use on various General Motors model and model year vehicles during repair and replacement of the original ignition switch. The weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the affected ignition switches to move out of the run position, turning off the engine and disabling the air bags.

Electrical systemReported Apr 30, 2014NHTSA 14E021000

Electrical system: ignition

Free remedy

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR, 2007-2010 Pontiac G5, 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice, 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "Off" position.

Electrical systemReported Apr 10, 2014NHTSA 14V171000

Air bags

Remedy pending

This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on February 10, 2014 that they are recalling 619,122 model year 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, and 2007 Pontiac G5 vehicles. On February 25, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 748,024 model year 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR and Pontiac Solstice vehicles and 2003-2007 Saturn Ion vehicles and 2007 Saturn Sky vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine. On March 27, 2014, GM notified the agency that the defective ignition switches may have been used as service replacement parts on other vehicles, and as a result GM will be recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, Saturn Sky, and Pontiac G5 and Solstice, and 2008-2011 Chevrolet HHR vehicles. The part numbers for the service parts are 10392423 (a/k/a ACDelco D1461F), 10392737, 15857948, 15854953, 15896640, and 25846762. This expansion represents an additional 823,788 vehicles.

Air bagsReported Feb 10, 2014NHTSA 14V047000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

900 complaints filed with NHTSA · Sep 2008 – Mar 2026
  1. Fuel/propulsion system232
  2. Steering210
  3. Electrical system158
  4. Service brakes, hydraulic143
  5. Air bags80
  6. Engine42
  7. Fuel system, gasoline37
  8. Power train32
  9. Service brakes22

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each Cobalt model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
20051,649
20062,330
20071,564
2008940
2009900
2010583
Crashes reported
67
Fires reported
9
Injuries reported
44
Deaths reported
5
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Fuel/propulsion system

232 reports2 crashes4 fires
“The air bag never deployed I bought car in 2018 from original owner with car only having 33,000 miles on it and still under warranty til car had 100,000 miles and I hit a deer head on 2 months after getting car which bought in may of 2018 hit the deer in July 2018 . The deer was hit with the front passenger side it broke my headlight n messed my hood up and smashed in the grill little and my air bags never deployed I hit deer at 50 mph , after that had happened I took it in to Chevy dealership and had them look at car cause I told them I hit that deer and air bag never deployed and that my air bag light came on once in awhile and said service air bag . The dealership said they do that sometimes and did something to make light go off that was it my air vag light still comes on and says service air bag . Also ignition switch and fuel smell foul coming from car a lot and is as I speak . My reduce engine power light comes on a lot and have no power to gas pedal n car won’t stay running . I have try to get two recalls fixed back in 2-21 I was having problems with my car back then too special reach called me in Jan of 2021 and told me that there were two recalls on…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 21, 2024Electrical system, Air bags, Fuel/propulsion systemCrash reportedODI 11631947

Steering

210 reports30 crashes1 fire
“The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. In addition, the power steering failure warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was turned off. The contact stated that while attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle was started, and the power steering failure warning light was off. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall with a similar failure description; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 154,824.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 21, 2025SteeringODI 11694845

Electrical system

158 reports9 crashes
“The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start and was jumpstarted; however, the auto theft warning light illuminated, and the key could not be removed from the ignition. The contact was able to drive the vehicle however, the locks failed to lock the doors, and there was a clicking sound when the windows failed to roll up or down. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of fuel. The contact stated that the tank was full however, the next day the fuel tank was empty. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 161,595.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 25, 2024Fuel system, gasoline, Electrical systemODI 11585314
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

4 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Subcompact Cars
Engines
2.2L 4-cyl · 2.0L 4-cyl turbo
Transmissions
Manual 5-spd · Automatic 4-spd
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 10, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Cobalt XFE
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L · Front-Wheel Drive
253730$2,100296
Cobalt
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L · Front-Wheel Drive
253529$2,150306
Cobalt
Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L · Front-Wheel Drive
243327$2,300329
Cobalt
Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive
223025$2,500355
  • Cobalt XFE
    Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L
    25 city · 37 hwy · $2,100/yr
    30
    mpg comb.
  • Cobalt
    Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L
    25 city · 35 hwy · $2,150/yr
    29
    mpg comb.
  • Cobalt
    Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L
    24 city · 33 hwy · $2,300/yr
    27
    mpg comb.
  • Cobalt
    Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo
    22 city · 30 hwy · $2,500/yr
    25
    mpg comb.
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 10, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

4 tested variants
NHTSA has not published 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt as of Nov 10, 2026.
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 10, 2026Vehicle 5866Vehicle 5865Vehicle 5084
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2009 Cobalt questions

How many recalls does the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt have?

6 safety recalls as of Nov 10, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt problems?

Owners filed 900 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are fuel/propulsion system (232), steering (210), electrical system (158). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt get?

The EPA rates the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt at 25–30 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (4 versions rated).

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 10, 2026