Check a VIN

2008 Chevrolet Cobalt transmission problems

29 complaints (3% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 75,000. 2 crashes reported.

owner complaints
29
of this car's complaints
3%
typical mileage
75,000
crashes
2
recalls
0

Which part fails

  • Automatic transmission
    5
  • Manual transmission
    3
  • Axle assembly: axle shaft: seal
    1

At what mileage

Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.

0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+

Chevrolet Cobalt transmission problems in other years

200520062007200820092010

Specific symptoms reported on the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt transmission

Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.

Hesitation 10Jerking 10Harsh shifting 6

Related recalls

No recalls on record for this model year.

What 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Feb 10, 2021 · Steering, Transmission · 89,000 miles · NJ

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet cobalt. The contact stated that the steering wheel became hard to turn while parallel parking. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that first the transmission control module, the traction control, ignition and power steering warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the gear shifter was not shifting to first gear and that the speedometer was not functioning as designed. The contact stated that after the TCM was grounded to the chassis, the gear shifter shifted as designed. The contact also stated that shortly after the failure, the power steering became hard to turn. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The contact referenced the federal safety agency campaign number: 10v073000 (steering) and stated that the vehicle had experienced the same failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000.

Filed Sep 23, 2020 · Engine, Steering · 75,000 miles · CA

I had recalls fixed in 2015. And then suddenly power steering turns on and off. Never before they touched it was there an issue. It happens here and there and stops. This year is happening every day and won't go away. My power steering turns off in middle of driving. Dash board lights go off and car starts cranking. Goes super slow . I'm scared ita going to explode. I can't drive on freeway . And now besides the lock on screen coming on my engine light stays on now . Not sure what to do with it. Car shops can't help. When I 1st had the issue I called the dealer because they fixed the recall and they said nothing could be done because they had already fixed the recall

Filed Sep 10, 2020 · Driver assistance, Steering · 212,000 miles · LA

While driving all the light on instrument panel will all light up then the transmission will shift hard. The car will not crank at times and when this happens its a guarantee the transmission will shift hard. The evap sensor is faulting because when I put fuel in the vehicle seems like it does not want to crank. The evap problem does not seem to be related to a possible computer malfunction. We have had the fuel pump replaced by a local licensed mechanic.

Filed Mar 21, 2020 · Transmission · 260,000 miles · MO

I've given this car regularly by the book maintenance and now I'm being told the transmission is bad and needs replacing. There are no repair mechanics that want to replace it either. They all state it is too complicated to get too. They tell me its cheaper to buy a new car. With the amount of car I've given this car, there should be no reason the transmission should go bad. Anything small with it should be easy to repair. It is as if the engineers set the consumer up to fail. I have a great car that is only an 08 with a nice body, starts instantly, and no one will touch the transmission! When I start off with this vehicle and I slowly start to take off from 0-20 it takes it a strange amount of time to get to 20mph than its fine. It also happens at stop signs and some lights. Occasionally, if I turn off the car and restart it its fine. I was forced to purchase a second vehicle and dealers would not even accept it as a trade in when I tried to get a new car. Like I said, body wise she is in great condition. What is going on with this transmission is outrageous.

Filed Nov 29, 2018 · Steering, Transmission · LA · crash

My 18-year-old daughter had a defective ignition switch in her vehicle causing her to lose control of her vehicle and crash into a ditch on today 11/29/2018 we check the recall list before we purchased her vehicle and it was listed as safe.

Filed Nov 26, 2018 · Acceleration, Transmission · 35,000 miles · NE

When driving at a constant rate, with constant accelerator pressure, between approximately 25 to 50 MPH, the rpms jump/fluctuate causing the car to lurch and hesitate. This can be a safety hazard, particularly in icy conditions. The only way to avoid the hesitation is to actively accelerate or decelerate. There are numerous owners that have posted an identical issue on message boards and have stated that their vehicles had similar issues that were remedied by similar repair processes and that chevrolet has altered the process used to make replacement parts as the initial parts were defective. In addition to being a safety hazard, it is also an excessive and costly burden on vehicle owners. My vehicle has only 40,000 miles on it and has been doing this since under 35,000 miles. It cannot be documented without a video. The rpms jumping is a constant and unrelenting issue when driving at a constant rate of speed between approximately 25-50 MPH.

Filed Jun 27, 2018 · Electrical, Engine · 120,000 miles · KS

Instrument cluster malfunctioning, speedometer and warning indicators flashing, going out, resuming normal operation, then repeating the failure symptoms repeatedly. During failure symptoms the transmission and engine bog down, stall and the power steering assist fails (with engine still running) . Random electrical issues such as the check engine light, car alarm sensor, etc flash on and off then start working again totally normally. Can not get the failure to occur at the dealership or mechanics. Fails several times a week. Fails when driving on street, highway at low speeds, medium speeds or high speeds.

Filed Mar 15, 2018 · Transmission · 97,000 miles · KY

No forward drive,high or low gear,but reverse was working. Driving at 45 MPH forward gear just went out and I had to turn into a buisness. Would not move in forward, but would go in reverse. Had car towed to home.

Filed Oct 11, 2017 · Electrical, Engine · TX

My 2008 chevy cobalt began secreting a very strong fuel odor; it didn't matter if it was parked, or driving, the odor has been prominent 24/7. I checked for leaks and found nothing. I recently moved, so I have yet to find a new, trustworthy mechanic, so I've been driving my husbands car due to the fact that I do not feel safe driving the chevy at this point. I had however, been regularly starting the engine once a week, while trying to locate a mechanic, however now. My chevy is completely dead; it wont turn on, nor will the lock system even function VIN number: [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).'

Filed Oct 9, 2017 · Transmission · 500 miles · NC

The powerstearing message appeared on my dashboard last night while, thankfully I was parked and stationery before I turnedmy car on. I had no mobility with the steering wheel and appeared to be locked up. I turned off the engine and after starting the car a short bit later the car was operational. The car runs fine for now but I fear it will happen again. To add before this happened I just finished driving 500 miles when I parked the car.

Questions about the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt transmission

Does the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt have transmission problems?

Owners have filed 29 complaints about the transmission of the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt, 3% of all its complaints.

At what mileage do 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt transmission problems start?

The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 75,000 miles.

Was there a recall on the 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt transmission?

There is no recall for this problem on this model year.

What year does the Chevrolet Cobalt have bad transmission?

The Chevrolet Cobalt model years with the most transmission complaints are 2006 (137 complaints), 2005 (99 complaints) and 2007 (43 complaints).

Other 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt problems

Steering 309Fuel system 243Electrical 166Airbags 98Engine 45Brakes 31Suspension 27Acceleration 22Driver assistance 20Lights 18Seat belts 18Body 11Wheels 9Visibility 6Locks 5Tires 5Seats 1

VIN decoder

See the problems and recalls for an exact car

Buying a used 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt?

Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.

Check its history