YearToAvoid

2009 Chevrolet Cobalt Steering Problems

NHTSA has 206 owner complaints about steering problems in the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt, 29% of all 710 complaints for this model year. That is #6 highest steering complaint count among 10 Cobalt model years. These complaints report 28 crashes, 1 fire, and 21 injuries. Median mileage at failure: 60,000 miles.

Steering complaints
206
29% of 710
Crashes reported
28
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
21
Median mileage
60,000 mi
Related recalls
1

When 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt steering complaints were filed

First complaint Sep 15, 2009, latest Oct 21, 2025.

2009 Chevrolet Cobalt steering complaints: complaints filed per quarter172009 Q32011 Q22013 Q32015 Q22017 Q12018 Q42020 Q42023 Q2
206 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2009 Q3 to 2025 Q4; peak 2010 Q1 (17).

Steering recalls for the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt

  1. NHTSA 10V073000Mar 3, 2010Steering1,050,889 vehicles

    Steering:electric power assist system

    General motors is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 chevrolet cobalt and model year 2007-2010 pontiac g5 vehicles equipped with electric power steering. The driver may experience a sudden loss of power steering assist that could occur at any time while driving.

    Risk: If power steering assist is lost, it would require greater driver effort at low vehicle speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the electric power steering motor free of charge. Owners are being notified on a rolling basis between march 29 through november 2010. A copy of the mailing schedule is located in the recall file. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and pontiac at 1-800-620-7668 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.

Steering complaints by Cobalt model year

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

  1. 20051,143 (69%)
  2. 20061,299 (56%)
  3. 2007689 (44%)
  4. 2008309 (37%)
  5. 2009206 (29%)
  6. 2010239 (42%)
  7. 20112 (100%)
  8. 20120 (0%)
  9. 20160 (0%)
  10. 20171 (100%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt have steering problems?
NHTSA has 206 owner complaints about the steering in the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt, 29% of all complaints for this model year, including 28 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 60,000 miles.
Which Chevrolet Cobalt year has the most steering complaints?
The 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt has the most steering complaints (1,299), compared with 206 for the 2009.
Is there a steering recall for the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt concerns the steering: 10V073000.

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.