Model year guide

2009 Chevrolet Cobalt

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 259 on record.

2009 Chevrolet Cobalt — representative photo
Representative photo · via Wikimedia Commons

2009 Chevrolet Cobalt at a glance

Safety recalls6
Owner complaints900
Combined27 mpg
Typical price$4,194

Free: specs, open recalls for that exact car, build sheet and fair price.

2009 Chevrolet Cobalt recalls 6

Electrical System:ignition NHTSA Campaign #14V171000 · 10/04/2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR, 2007-2010 Pontiac G5, 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice, 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "Off" position.

Fix: General Motors will notify owners, and for vehicles that were built with the defective ignition cylinder and have not previously had the ignition cylinder replaced with the redesigned part, dealers will replace the ignition cylinder and cut and, if necessary, re-learn two ignition/door keys for ea…

Air Bags NHTSA Campaign #14V047000 · 10/02/2014

This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on February 10, 2014 that they are recalling 619,122 model year 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, and 2007 Pontiac G5 vehicl…

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. An interim notification was issued to owners of 2007 and earlier models on March 10, 2014, informing them of the safety defect. Owners of 2008 and later vehicles will be mailed an interim letter on April 21, 2014…

Electrical System:ignition:switch NHTSA Campaign #14E021000 · 30/04/2014

UCI-FRAM Group is recalling certain LS1328 ignition Switches sold as Wells LS1328, Duralast LS1328, Airtex 1S6097, and Carquest 53-27479, and LS1497 Ignition Switches sold as Wells LS1497, Duralast LS1497, Airtex 1S10961, and Carquest 53-27967, for use on various General Motors model and model year vehicles during repair and replacement of the original ignition switch. The weight on the key ring and/or road conditi…

Fix: UCI-FRAM Group has notified its purchasers to quarantine and return all inventory. Any switches already installed in vehicles will be replaced by GM dealers as part of NHTSA recall 14V-047, free of charge. UCI-Fram's purchasers should contact UCI-FRAM Group at 1-800-890-2075. GM vehicle owners r…

Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump NHTSA Campaign #12V459000 · 19/09/2012

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 s…

Fix: 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.

Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:column Shift NHTSA Campaign #09V073000 · 06/03/2009

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING 276,729 MY 2009 BUICK ENCLAVE, CHEVROLET COBALT, HHR, MALIBU, TRAVERSE, GMC ACADIA, PONTIAC G5, G6 AND SATURN AURA AND OUTLOOK PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLES SAFETY STANDARD 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT POSITION SEQUENCE, STARTER INTERLOCK, AND TRANSMISSION BRAKING EFFECT", AND FMVSS 114, "THEFT PROTECTION AND ROLLAWAY PREVENTION". ON SOME OF T…

Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND ENSURE THAT THE SHIFT CABLE ADJUSTMENT CLIP IS FULLY ENGAGED. IN THE EVENT THAT THE CLIP DOES NOT ENGAGE, THE SHIFT CABLE WILL BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE MARCH 24, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, CHEVROLET A…

Steering:electric Power Assist System NHTSA Campaign #10V073000 · 03/03/2010

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 CHEVROLET COBALT AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 PONTIAC G5 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRIC POWER STEERING. THE DRIVER MAY EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST THAT COULD OCCUR AT ANY TIME WHILE DRIVING.

Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING MOTOR FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS ARE BEING NOTIFIED ON A ROLLING BASIS BETWEEN MARCH 29 THROUGH NOVEMBER 2010. A COPY OF THE MAILING SCHEDULE IS LOCATED IN THE RECALL FILE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 AND PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668 O…

Source: U.S. NHTSA. A recall applies to a model year, but only a VIN check shows whether a specific car has had the repair done.

2009 Chevrolet Cobalt common problems

The most-reported problem areas from 900 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Fuel System
Sniff for fuel odor, check for leaks, hard starts or stalling, and confirm the fuel gauge reads correctly.
Gasoline
Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.
Steering
Steering should be tight and centered — no play, clunks or wandering. Test at low and highway speed; listen for power-steering whine.
Fuel/propulsion System
Check for fuel or battery warnings, hard starts and stalling. On a hybrid/EV, confirm charging and range behave normally.
Electrical System
Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.
Air Bags
Confirm the airbag light turns on then off at startup — if it stays lit there's a fault (costly, and a safety risk). Check for signs of prior deployment.

2009 Chevrolet Cobalt safety ratings

Frontal crash★★★★★

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt 2-DR. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.

2009 Chevrolet Cobalt MPG & running costs

Combined27 mpg
City24 mpg
Highway33 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$2,283

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov, averaged across trims.

What's a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt worth?

Low
$2,500
Typical price
$4,194
High
$6,200

From 257 comparable 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt listings.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$11,415
Depreciation (5 yrs)$2,600
Total$14,015
Per mile$0.19

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. Depreciation compares today's typical asking price for this model year ($4,194) with the same model 4 model-years older ($2,126), from CarLogs listing data. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

2009 Chevrolet Cobalt trims & engines on record

Trims
LT · LS · SS
Engines
2.2L 4-cyl 155 hp · 2.0L 4-cyl 260 hp

2009 Chevrolet Cobalt vehicles on record

2009 Chevrolet Cobalt SS1G1AP18X597285394 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LS1G1AS58H797121790 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LS1G1AK18HX97288248 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LT1G1AT58H797118515 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LT1G1AT18H997266674 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LT1G1AT58H897144315 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LS1G1AS58H197256411 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LT1G1AT58H097262150 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LS1G1AS58H697191491 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LT1G1AT58H197246779 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LT1G1AT58H597118125 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LT1G1AT18H497275136 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LS1G1AS18H797204872 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LT1G1AT58HX97163464 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LT1G1AT58HX97181219 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LT1G1AT18H797165360 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LS1G1AS18H397134108 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LS1G1AS58H697134241 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LT1G1AT58H397270033 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LS1G1AK18HX97129584 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LS1G1AS58H097135921 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LT1G1AT58H597156096 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LT1G1AT58H797149196 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt LS1G1AS18H297195126

Other Chevrolet Cobalt model years

2010 2008 2007 2006 2005 2003

2009 Chevrolet Cobalt — frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt have any safety recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls for the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt?

Based on 900 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are fuel system, gasoline, steering.

What is the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt safety rating?

NHTSA gives the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt crash-test ratings of frontal 4★ (out of 5; this model year pre-dates NHTSA's overall score).

What gas mileage does the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt get?

The U.S. EPA rates the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt at about 27 mpg combined (24 city / 33 highway).

How much is a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt worth?

Comparable 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt listings run roughly $2,500–$6,200, typically around $4,194 (from 257 vehicles).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.