The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for repair; however, the mechanic found a fuel leak and an abnormal gasoline odor. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 17,311.
2009 Chevrolet Cobalt: fuel leak
132 of the 710 complaints about the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt describe fuel leak.
- owner complaints
- 132
- of this car's complaints
- 19%
- typical repair cost reported
- $800
- typical mileage
- 100,000
- recalls
- 1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 4 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below
Fuel leak by model year
What owners say
My Cobalt 2009 has gas leaking in front of the back driver's side wheel. This has been report it seems by several people online that I have found. Why can not GM cover this repair in a recall? I've tried to call around for pricing but most garage's won't give me a quote over the phone. The best I got was that this would cost around 2000-3000 for replacement. But it seemed like a shot in the dark on the pricing. I called the local dealership near me in Darian Connecticut, and was told that this was not covered under any recall. Corrosion protection coverage expired in 2019 from GMs site. But why would a fuel line be made of a metal that rust and is near the hot exhaust requiring a heatshield on the pipes? Aftermarket repairs seems to be either Braided Stainless Steel around Nylon, or Some Nickel/Copper Piping using compression fittings that plumbers use.
Fuel leak very strong gas smell
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that there was a strong fuel odor coming from the vehicle while driving and while the vehicle was parked. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was determined that there was a fuel leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 152,816.
There is a gas leak an after reviewing online there are several complaints of chevy colbalt 09 owners whos car forms a gas leak on the driver side of the car near back seat. There is a very strong smell of gasoline and seems to be a repeated issue
Vehicle is leaking fuel from rusted fuel line near drivers side rear tire. Apparently a common issue with this model with no recall.
Fuel leaking from near top of tank/pump. Sounds similar to other recalls though my VIN is not currently included. Noticed fuel smell in garage and could see fuel from top of tank. No indicators showing a malfunction.
Fuel pump leak: fuel pump line started spewing fuel over ground during engine start. Engine wouldn’t not start due to high pressure fuel leak.
Strong smell of gas inside vehicle. Gas is leaking from vehicle. Known problem of fuel leakage and vehicle recalls.
The vehicle had an instance of hard starting, then I became aware of the odour of fuel in my car which quickly made me exit the vehicle as the fumes were strong. Liquid fuel was leaking out of the left rear in from of the wheel area, in proximity to the exhaust system
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact stated that the odor of fuel was present inside and outside of the vehicle. Additionally, the odor was present whether the vehicle was on or turned off. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact stated that no visible fuel leaks were present. The local dealer was contacted regarding the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 12V459000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 150,000.
Wiring harness is located too close to the human under the driver's seat. Exposes the driver to electrical frequencies that could be avoided if the wire harness was a further distance away from the human. Also, the the fuel line rusted through after 9 years about 9 inches away from the rear axle where the metal tape ends around the fuel line. The metal tape seems to allow more moisture to become trapped around the fuel line; which promotes rust and a leak where the metal tap ends. After the metal tape, the fuel line is in good condition on this specific vehicle. The fuel leak is about 0.5 inches wide and a lot of gasoline drips / leaks after the car is started. The rust particles are located after the fuel filter; which may promote the rust particles to reach the engine via the rusted fuel line. The car has trouble starting (a delay) and needs to have the key turned twice due to the leak. The leak is very close to the muffler, so it seems like it would be at risk of catching on fire if the muffler was hot enough or if it were traveling on a long trip or going up or down a steep hill. The vehicle has been inspected by police. There were no warning lamps or lights.
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Risk
- 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.
Recall number 12V459000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt fuel leak
Is fuel leak a common problem on the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt?
132 of 710 owner complaints about the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt (19%) mention fuel leak. The model year with the most reports is 2006.
How much does it cost to fix fuel leak on the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $800 (median of 13 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt?
There is 1 recall and 4 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
Fuel smell 101Fuel pump 61Power steering loss 50Stalling 38Steering lock-up 31Engine failure 25Check engine light 23Loss of power 22Won't start 21Airbag light 19No deployment 14Fire or smoke 10Jerking 10Headlights 7Door locks 6Overheating 6Fuel gauge 5
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