YearToAvoid

2006 Chevrolet Cobalt Fuel System Problems

NHTSA has 466 owner complaints about fuel system problems in the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt, 20% of all 2,330 complaints for this model year. That is the highest fuel system complaint count among 10 Cobalt model years. These complaints report 5 crashes, 5 fires, and 3 injuries. Median mileage at failure: 85,500 miles.

Fuel System complaints
466
20% of 2,330
Crashes reported
5
Fires reported
5
Injuries reported
3
Median mileage
85,500 mi
Related recalls
1

When 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt fuel system complaints were filed

First complaint Mar 4, 2007, latest Jul 25, 2025.

2006 Chevrolet Cobalt fuel system complaints: complaints filed per quarter592007 Q12010 Q32012 Q32014 Q32016 Q32018 Q42020 Q42023 Q3
466 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2007 Q1 to 2025 Q3; peak 2012 Q3 (59).

Fuel System recalls for the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt

  1. NHTSA 09V419000Oct 29, 2009Fuel System69,139 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

    General motors is recalling certain model year 2006 chevrolet cobalt and saturn ion vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of arizona and nevada; and model year 2007 chevrolet cobalt, pontiac g5 and saturn ion vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of arizona, california, florida, nevada and texas. The plastic supply or return port on the modular reservoir assembly may crack. If either of these ports develops a crack, fuel will leak from the area. If the crack becomes large enough, fuel may be observed dripping onto the ground and vehicle performance may be affected.

    Risk: Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module free of charge. A special coverage will be implemented in the same time frame for model year 2006 vehicles registered in alabama, arkansas, california, florida, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, north carolina, new mexico, oklahoma, south carolina, tennessee and texas and model year 2007 vehicles registered in: alabama, arkansas, georgia, hawaii, louisiana, mississippi, north carolina, new mexico, oklahoma, south carolina and tennessee. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before february 4, 2010. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, saturn at 1-800-972-8876 and pontiac at 1-800-620-7668 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.

Fuel System complaints by Cobalt model year

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

  1. 200556 (3%)
  2. 2006466 (20%)
  3. 2007431 (28%)
  4. 2008243 (29%)
  5. 2009261 (37%)
  6. 2010122 (21%)
  7. 20110 (0%)
  8. 20120 (0%)
  9. 20161 (100%)
  10. 20170 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt have fuel system problems?
NHTSA has 466 owner complaints about the fuel system in the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt, 20% of all complaints for this model year, including 5 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 85,500 miles.
Which Chevrolet Cobalt year has the most fuel system complaints?
The 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt has the most fuel system complaints (466), compared with 466 for the 2006.
Is there a fuel system recall for the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt concerns the fuel system: 09V419000.

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.