YearToAvoid

2005 Chevrolet Cobalt Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA has 99 owner complaints about transmission problems in the 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt, 6% of all 1,649 complaints for this model year. That is #2 highest transmission complaint count among 10 Cobalt model years. These complaints report 1 crash. Median mileage at failure: 65,000 miles.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
99
6% of 1,649
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
65,000 mi
Related recalls
0

When 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Jan 26, 2005, latest Feb 19, 2021.

2005 Chevrolet Cobalt transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per quarter112005 Q12006 Q42009 Q32011 Q22013 Q12015 Q12017 Q42021 Q1
99 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2005 Q1 to 2021 Q1; peak 2010 Q1 (11).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Cobalt model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200599 (6%)
  2. 2006137 (6%)
  3. 200743 (3%)
  4. 200829 (3%)
  5. 200929 (4%)
  6. 201031 (5%)
  7. 20110 (0%)
  8. 20120 (0%)
  9. 20160 (0%)
  10. 20170 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt have transmission problems?
NHTSA has 99 owner complaints about the transmission in the 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt, 6% of all complaints for this model year, including 1 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 65,000 miles.
Which Chevrolet Cobalt year has the most transmission complaints?
The 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt has the most transmission complaints (137), compared with 99 for the 2005.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt?
No NHTSA recall campaign for the 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt is classified under transmission & powertrain. Complaints alone do not trigger a recall; check the full recall list and your VIN.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.