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Chevrolet CobaltModel year report

2010 Chevrolet Cobalt Problems

Compared with other Chevrolet Cobalt years

Typical for this model

48/100 1.0× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
574filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
64,000miles, 453 complaints with mileage
Recalls
5campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
29 mpgcombined, 2.2L 4-cyl FWD · 25 city / 35 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt most often describe a rusted fuel line that leaks near the driver-side rear wheel, noticed first as a gasoline smell and sometimes as a puddle under the car. Power steering assist that cuts out, either intermittently or for good, is the second recurring theme, and a smaller group of complaints covers ignition key and electrical problems. Mileage at which these appear varies widely, from under 40,000 to well past 150,000 miles.

  1. Fuel system

    Rusted fuel line leaking near driver-side rear wheel

    Mentioned in 38 of 60 sampled complaints

    Owners describe smelling gasoline, then finding a puddle or steady drip under the car in front of or just behind the driver-side rear tire. Several say a mechanic traced it to a corroded or rusted steel fuel line, often in a short section wrapped by insulation or a heat shield near the exhaust, and that the line had to be replaced. Some also mention hard starting afterward, which they attribute to the line draining and needing to refill. Complaints frequently note no warning light came on before the leak was found. Reported from roughly 30,000 to over 200,000 miles, with many examples between 60,000 and 140,000 miles; several owners describe it appearing after years of use rather than suddenly.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Inspect the fuel lines above and ahead of the driver-side rear wheel, especially where they pass under insulation or near the exhaust, and look for rust, damp spots, or a gasoline smell after the car sits. Ask whether the lines have been replaced and whether any leak was repaired.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Fuel starting leaking by the left rear wheel. The fuel is dripping from the fuel and vapor recovery lines around the area where there is a holding clip. Looks like it could be spraying out above that area possibly where the fuel pump is located. I noticed the smell of fuel first while driving. Once the vehicle stopped I found gas leaking as described above.”

    NHTSA complaint #11361197, filed 2020-09, 200,963 miles

    “In july / august of 2019 I was smelling gasoline while my vehicle was parked. I eventually noticed a large puddle of gasoline under the parked vehicle. After calling my stepfather who is a mechanic I took the car to a local shop who confirmed I had a corroded fuel feed line that needed to be replaced and completed the repair for me.”

    NHTSA complaint #11353985, filed 2020-09, 88,000 miles
  2. Steering

    Power steering assist cuts out

    • 226 complaints (39%)
    • median 56,000 mi at 4.0 yrs old (201 state mileage)
    • 15 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $700 (median of 9 quotes)
    • filed 2010–2025

    Complaints describe the power steering warning light coming on and the wheel becoming suddenly hard to turn, sometimes while turning at low speed and sometimes at higher speeds. Several owners say restarting the car restored assist, at least temporarily, while others report it stayed stiff. Some mention the dealer replaced a steering motor or an intermediate shaft; others say the dealer could not reproduce the problem or told them their vehicle identification number was not covered by a campaign. Reported across a broad range, from about 30,000 to 200,000 miles, and described as happening with little or no warning at various speeds.

    Recall 14V153000Recall 10V0730001 related service bulletin

    What to check: Ask whether the electric power steering recall work (campaign 14V153000 or 10V073000) applies to the specific vehicle and has been completed. During a test drive, note whether the steering assist warning light comes on and whether effort changes at low speed.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I was driving home this morning and a deer jumped out in front of me. I slammed on the brakes and the engine shutoff. Making the power brakes and steering shutoff. Extremely dangerous not to mention if there is no power most likely the airbags will not deploy. A serious issue for a car that is less than 6 years old with around 80,000 miles on it. Just a disclaimer it is an automatic so there is no clutch.”

    NHTSA complaint #10919062, filed 2016-10, 80,000 miles

    “Noticed that my steering was not stable sometimes, especially going around corners. Thought it was maybe tires or front end. It is in the steering. Whether I go slow around town or on the highway it tightens up sometimes or seems loose.”

    NHTSA complaint #10610728, filed 2014-07, 69,000 miles

Buying note. A pre-purchase inspection should focus on the fuel lines by the driver-side rear wheel and on whether the power steering and ignition campaigns have been completed for the specific vehicle. Ask for service records showing any fuel line replacement, and confirm campaign status by vehicle identification number rather than by model year alone.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 574 consumer complaints for the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt. 453 of the complaints include a mileage, and 32% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 64,000 miles. Of all complaints, 46 involved a crash, 7 a fire, 45 an injury, 4 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns and 1,137 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 2 Chevrolet Cobalt model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 48 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Electronic stability control (11), Seat belts (11), Exterior lighting (10), Wheels (10), Suspension (8), Tires (6), Engine cooling (4), Equipment (3), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (3), Latches, locks and linkages (2), Seats (2).

Example complaints

Steering: “I put my chevy Cobalt 2010 into reverse and then into drive. With doing so my power steering showed up in the display. I put my car into park then turn the vehicle off and then back on and was able to put into drive with no problems. This has happened a few times now and the steering is very hard every time it does this.”

NHTSA complaint #11174824, filed 2019-02, 148,594 miles

Electrical system: “The steering wheel locked as I was getting off the highway. So scary!!!! Went to local dealer for it to be fixed. This was before recall....have been waiting for at least a half year to get new ignition switch....was also told there will be a steering wheel recall.....have not been taken care of and feel that I'm driving in a death machine.”

NHTSA complaint #10618347, filed 2014-08, 25,000 miles

Fuel system: “I noticed a gas leak under my rear passenger seat and can smell gas outside of the car. Took it to a garage and they said the fuel lines are leaking where they connect to the fuel pump, but they have seen many cobalts come in with this issue and it's covered under recall. I checked with GM, my VIN has no recall for that issue. There is no rust under the car so this is definitely a manufacturing issue.”

NHTSA complaint #11149761, filed 2018-11, 130,000 miles

Air bags: “Air bag service light came on the fuel pump gasket leaks and the steering wheel plastic bearing is broken inside the steering wheel these are all recalls that these cars have but when I do a recall VIN check nothing comes up but I know the issues it has has to do with recalls”

NHTSA complaint #11060807, filed 2018-01, 97,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

32% of the 453 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 42,000 and 96,000 miles.

5%0–107%10–2519%25–5030%50–7517%75–10016%100–1505%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (453 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 64,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’11’14137’17’20’23’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Cobalt · sedan FWDnot rated4 / 5———
Cobalt · coupe FWDnot rated4 / 5———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Cobalt Coupe FWD2.2L 4-cyl5-speed manual253529$2,300
Cobalt Coupe FWD2.2L 4-cyl4-speed automatic243327$2,500
Cobalt Sedan FWD2.2L 4-cyl5-speed manual253529$2,300
Cobalt Sedan FWD2.2L 4-cyl4-speed automatic243327$2,500
Cobalt XFE Coupe FWD2.2L 4-cyl5-speed manual253730$2,250
Cobalt XFE Sedan FWD2.2L 4-cyl5-speed manual253730$2,250

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 1,137 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 1,137 bulletins →

Other model years of the Chevrolet Cobalt

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
201057464,0005—2948 · TypicalFalling
200971074,0005—2964 · TypicalFalling
200884575,1244—2650 · TypicalFalling
20071,56464,1175—24Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20062,33066,2365—24Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20051,64963,0005—24Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Chevrolet Cobalt model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt?

Owners of the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt most often describe a rusted fuel line that leaks near the driver-side rear wheel, noticed first as a gasoline smell and sometimes as a puddle under the car. The issues reported most often: Rusted fuel line leaking near driver-side rear wheel; Power steering assist cuts out.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt have?

NHTSA recorded 574 consumer complaints for the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt is reported most often?

Steering is named most often, in 239 complaints (42% of the total), followed by electrical system with 125.

Has the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt been recalled?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt get?

The EPA rates the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt (Cobalt Coupe, 2.2L 4-cyl) at 29 mpg combined, 25 city and 35 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,300 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt reported?

Among the 453 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 64,000 miles and the middle half falls between 42,000 and 96,000 miles; 32% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.