2008 Chevrolet Cobalt Electrical System Problems
NHTSA component category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · data through 07/14/2026
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
How electrical system ranks on this vehicle
Share of the 843 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt overview page.
What owners report
“MILEAGE, ABOUT 21,000 MILES, OUT OF WARRANTY. IGNITION LOCK SEIZED WHILE DRIVING. COULD NOT TURN OFF. WENT TO DEALER, WHO PERFORMED A "COURTESY" REPAIR. IF…”NHTSA complaint 10419453 — filed 08/15/2011
“THIS IS A 3 YEAR OLD 2008 GM COBALT WITH LESS THAN 35,000 MILE. I WAS OUT RUNNING ERRANDS 7/18/11. I DROVE IN TO PARKING…”NHTSA complaint 10418441 — filed 08/10/2011
“IGNITION KEY WOULD NOT TURN OFF. HAD TO HAVE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED.”NHTSA complaint 10411592 — filed 07/09/2011
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Electrical System complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt have electrical system problems?
Electrical System is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt: 152 of 843 complaints on file (18%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.
How many complaints does the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt have in total?
843 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 74 involved a crash, 14 involved a fire, 79 reported injuries, and 13 reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's electrical system category include?
NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ELECTRICAL SYSTEM category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.
