YearToAvoid

2006 Chevrolet Cobalt Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA has 137 owner complaints about transmission problems in the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt, 6% of all 2,330 complaints for this model year. That is the highest transmission complaint count among 10 Cobalt model years. These complaints report 12 crashes and 5 injuries. Median mileage at failure: 67,350 miles.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
137
6% of 2,330
Crashes reported
12
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
5
Median mileage
67,350 mi
Related recalls
0

When 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Oct 28, 2005, latest Jul 18, 2022.

2006 Chevrolet Cobalt transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per quarter122005 Q42007 Q42009 Q42011 Q22013 Q12014 Q32016 Q12018 Q4
137 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2005 Q4 to 2022 Q3; peak 2010 Q1 (12).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2006 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 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt have transmission problems?
NHTSA has 137 owner complaints about the transmission in the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt, 6% of all complaints for this model year, including 12 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 67,350 miles.
Which Chevrolet Cobalt year has the most transmission complaints?
The 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt has the most transmission complaints (137), compared with 137 for the 2006.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt?
No NHTSA recall campaign for the 2006 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.