AI Damage2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SS: common problems
Owners of the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SS filed 95 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 95
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 76% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 6% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 6% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel/propulsion system 5% of all complaints
- 5 Parking brake 5% of all complaints
- 6 Air bags 4% of all complaints
- 7 Equipment 2% of all complaints
- 8 Exterior lighting 2% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 72 complaints (76% of all).
- Electrical system: 6 complaints (6% of all).
- Engine: 6 complaints (6% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 5 complaints (5% of all).
- Parking brake: 5 complaints (5% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 95 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 72 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Parking brake | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
I pulled over to check for the source of the odor and found fuel leaking from the bottom of the car and onto the road. This was an extremely dangerous condition, as I could not stop the fuel from continuing to leak.
The key is stuck in the ignition and the car will not start. In addition, I can't get the gear to shift to park to move to neutral, I've lost all power to the car from the lights to being unable to open the trunk.
Took my car in because it is experiencing a long period of time cranking before starting each time, and I find out that I have a fuel line leak. After doing some research to see if there is a recall, I find that my year and model are not included, although many other 08 chevy cobalts are.
While parked the parking brake lever release button jammed and I could not release the parking brakes. There is abnormal noise heard in the rear breaking system when reversing. Abnormal premature wear to inside rear brake pads and rotor discs
The underside of the driver and passenger doors begin to rust and are spreading to the outer parts of the doors and body. The interior lighting for the center-console (climate control) burn out fast and fail to illuminate the rest of the buttons.
Upon start of the vehicle the service airbag warning is illuminated. The airbag readiness light stays on. If I wiggle the wires underneath the warning goes away temporarily.
Engine light came on.... Had it checked by firestone... They told me the 2nd cylinder was misfiring per the diagnostic code.. Should be 130 psi and only registering 90 psi....then while stopped longer than 30 seconds "service traction" light comes on.....asking $2300 to repair....
Car began having a gasoline smell. As of today, the smell is much more extreme.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 3,695 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 10% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Cobalt SS has 98 complaints (3 years in the data). This year has 95, about average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SS?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, electrical system, engine. Total complaints: 95. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: knocking, grinding or other noise (17%), rollaway, parking brake (7%), fuel system, fuel smell (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SS?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt SS from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2008 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.