YearToAvoid

2012 Chevrolet Cobalt Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

No verdict The 2012 Chevrolet Cobalt has 1 owner complaints and 0 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 0 out of 100 — #10 highest of 10 Cobalt model years.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
0/100
#10 of 10 Cobalt years
Verdict
No verdict
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
1
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
0
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
0
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Top issue
—
Best nearby year
2010
rated Good

Top 2012 Chevy Cobalt problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Other1 (100%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

2012 Chevrolet Cobalt recalls

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

2012 compared with other Cobalt years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002005200620072008200920102011201220162017
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Good44574529
2011No verdict3320—
2012No verdict010—
2016No verdict1110—
2017No verdict2210—

All Chevrolet Cobalt years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Chevrolet Cobalt a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2012 Chevrolet Cobalt ranks #10 of 10 among Cobalt model years (Complaint Index 0/100). It has 1 complaints and 0 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
Does the 2012 Chevrolet Cobalt have any recalls?
No safety recall campaigns list the 2012 Chevrolet Cobalt in NHTSA’s recall database at the time of the last data update.

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.