YearToAvoid

2006 Chevrolet Cobalt Airbags Problems

NHTSA has 146 owner complaints about airbag problems in the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt, 6% of all 2,330 complaints for this model year. That is the highest airbag complaint count among 10 Cobalt model years. These complaints report 59 crashes, 1 fire, and 47 injuries. Median mileage at failure: 79,500 miles.

Airbags complaints
146
6% of 2,330
Crashes reported
59
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
47
Median mileage
79,500 mi
Related recalls
1

When 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt airbag complaints were filed

First complaint Jan 27, 2006, latest Jan 28, 2021.

2006 Chevrolet Cobalt airbags complaints: complaints filed per quarter402006 Q12007 Q42010 Q22013 Q12014 Q42016 Q32019 Q12021 Q1
146 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2006 Q1 to 2021 Q1; peak 2014 Q2 (40).

Airbags recalls for the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt

  1. NHTSA 14V047000Feb 10, 2014Airbags2,190,934 vehicles

    Air bags

    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.

    Risk: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. An interim notification was issued to owners of 2007 and earlier models on March 10, 2014, informing them of the safety defect. Owners of 2008 and later vehicles will be mailed an interim letter on April 21, 2014. All affected owners will receive another letter once parts are available. The recall began on April 18, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737 or Saturn at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for the initial recall is 13454 and 14063 for the expansion. GM’s recall number for the vehicles that may have received the replacement parts is 14092. Note: Until the recall repairs have been performed, it is very important that customers remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the vehicle key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. Always wear your seatbelt.

Airbags complaints by Cobalt model year

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

  1. 200571 (4%)
  2. 2006146 (6%)
  3. 2007144 (9%)
  4. 200898 (12%)
  5. 200972 (10%)
  6. 201077 (13%)
  7. 20110 (0%)
  8. 20120 (0%)
  9. 20160 (0%)
  10. 20170 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt have airbag problems?
NHTSA has 146 owner complaints about the airbag in the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt, 6% of all complaints for this model year, including 59 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 79,500 miles.
Which Chevrolet Cobalt year has the most airbag complaints?
The 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt has the most airbag complaints (146), compared with 146 for the 2006.
Is there a airbag recall for the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt concerns the airbag: 14V047000.

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.