2006 Chevrolet Cobalt Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/12/2026

1,237Steering complaints

53.1%Of all 2,330 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

STEERING1,237 · 53.1%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM365 · 15.7%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM255 · 10.9%

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE163 · 7%

AIR BAGS132 · 5.7%

Share of the 2,330 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt overview page.

What owners report

“FRIDAY NIGHT AT A GAS STATION. STARTED THE CAR. ENGINE SHUT OFF WHEN PLACED IN REVERSE. WOULD STAY RUNNING IN PARK, NEUTRAL, AND DRIVE. DROVE…”NHTSA complaint 10237669 — filed 08/11/2008

“2006 CHEVY COBALT - RANDOMLY LOSES POWER STEERING. HAS BEEN OCCURRING 3-4 TIMES PER WEEK. HAS BEEN TO CHEVY DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES (STILL UNDER WARRANTY)…”NHTSA complaint 10236872 — filed 08/04/2008

“CHEVROLET COBALT STEERING ISSUES AND ELECTRONIC CONTROLS. THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING FAILS WHEN DRIVING, THE DASH LIGHTS LIGHT UP AND THE CAR BUCKS AND IS…”NHTSA complaint 10235689 — filed 07/24/2008

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt have steering problems?

Steering is the most-reported problem area on the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt: 1,237 of 2,330 complaints on file (53.1%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt have in total?

2,330 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 164 involved a crash, 14 involved a fire, 196 reported injuries, and 8 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.