Is the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt a bad year?
2,329 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Cobalt years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt are in line with other Cobalt years. Steering, electrical system and fuel system stand out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2006 Cobalt owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 61,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| SteeringSTANDS OUT | 1,298 (56%) | 45k–85k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Electrical systemSTANDS OUT | 411 (18%) | 50k–115k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Fuel systemSTANDS OUT | 466 (20%) | 63k–118k miles · ahead | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Air bags | 146 (6%) | 38k–103k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 137 (6%) | 42k–90k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Engine | 131 (6%) | 41k–126k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Body structure | 51 (2%) | 31k–106k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Brakes | 51 (2%) | 18k–80k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Suspension | 51 (2%) | 35k–90k miles · around this mileage | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Speed control | 48 (2%) | 30k–138k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Latches and locks | 38 (2%) | 49k–88k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Equipment | 24 (1%) | 31k–70k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Exterior lighting | 17 (1%) | 38k–96k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 16 (1%) | 7k–65k miles · around this mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 61,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 2,329 complaints: 164 mention a crash · 14 mention a fire · 81 report an injury · 15 say the car was towed.
No complaints in the last 12 months; the newest was filed in Sep 2025.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
I was driving on a highway at 65 MPH and the traction control light and check engine light on the dashboard came on and when I had to accelerate then the car started shifting really roughly.
Light goes on and power steering comes on the screen transmition does not shift right no power steering the car can't be driven safely 43000 miles and it was already fixed once.
2006 chevy cobalt-power steering stops working and at same time transmission shifts very hard. Left front turn signal intermittently works.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 61,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt: 6
The weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the affected ignition switches to move out of the run position, turning off the engine and disabling the air bags. If the ignition switch moves from the run position to accessory, the car would stall and the air bags will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of personal injury to the occupants.
In the affected vehicles, the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "Off" position. If the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "off" position, the vehicle could roll away: (a) for an automatic transmission, if the transmission is not in the "Park" position…
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. 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. 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.
The driver may experience a sudden loss of power steering assist that could occur at any time while driving. If power steering assist is lost, it would require greater driver effort at low vehicle speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
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. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
Certain passenger vehicles not equipped with optional roof-mounted side impact air bags fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 201, 'occupant protection in interior impact.' In a crash, head impact protection may be inadequate.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Chevrolet: 250
Repair instructions Chevrolet sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Rough idle, Crank no start, extended crank or misfire, MIL with DTCs, and explains how Top Tier fuels should be used to reduce carbon build-up
Guidelines to replace Oil Cooler, Oil Cooler Lines and Oil Tank if the engine was replaced where large amounts of debris has flowed throughout the oiling system
Proper way to install the pistons in an engine
Normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle response when the throttle plate is opened rapidly and advises the customer that it is normal…
NHTSA defect investigations: 1
Electric Power Steering Failure
Neighbouring years
2005 Cobalt: 1,648 complaints, keep it · 2007 Cobalt: 1,564 complaints, keep it.
Every Chevrolet Cobalt year
2000 · 2002 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2016 · 2017 · All Cobalt years side by side
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Questions
Is the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt a bad year?
2,329 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Cobalt years. At 61,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: steering (1,298), electrical system (411), fuel system (466), air bags (146), transmission and drivetrain (137).
How many recalls does the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt have?
6 recall campaigns list this model year: Electrical system (NHTSA 14E021000), Electrical system (NHTSA 14V-171), Electrical system (NHTSA 14V-047), Steering (NHTSA 10V-073) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.