VehicleVerdict

2008 Chevrolet Cobalt fuel system problems

The 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt has 247 fuel system complaints filed with NHTSA — 22% of the year's total, and down from the prior model year.

247

Fuel System complaints

22%

Share of year

1

Crash-involved

1

Related recalls

Fuel System complaints by year

Cobalt fuel system complaints by model year487 complaints2000: 1 complaints2005: 57 complaints2006: 487 complaints2007: 444 complaints2008: 247 complaints2009: 262 complaints2010: 123 complaints2016: 1 complaints
Cobalt fuel system complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

Related recalls

12V459000Fuel SystemSeptember 19, 2012 · 49,768 units

Defect

General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007 Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent vehicles originally sold or currently registered in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas; model year 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, Pontiac G5, and Saturn ION vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada, or Texas; model year 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arizona; and model year 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oklahoma, or Texas. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which the plastic supply or return port on the fuel pump module may crack, which could cause a fuel leak.

Consequence

Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.

Remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Notification to owners began on on November 21, 2012. Owners were instructed to not bring their vehicles in for repair until January 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-521-7300.

What owners report

I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE NEW. I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND IT CUT OFF. I HEARD A POP. VEHICLE WOULD NOT CRANK BACK UP. I PARKED, LOCKED VEHICLE AND HAD TO WALK TO GET HELP. BY THE TIME I RETURNED, THE VEHICLE WAS GONE. THE VEHICLE HAD CAUGHT FIRE AFTER I LEFT TO GET HELP AND THE POLICE CALLED THE FIRE…

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Fuel System · February 24, 2010 · fire

Common questions

How many fuel system complaints does the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt have?

NHTSA has 247 complaints about the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt fuel system — 22% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Are there recalls for the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt fuel system?

Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for this model year is tied to the fuel system: 12V459000.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.