There are 162 stored owner reports matching the brakes leading-label group for the 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 50 of 162 matching reports. This is a limited sample of up to 50 reports, ordered by incident date when available, not the complete group. The list controls page through the loaded reports only.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)I WAS DRIVING THE OTHER DAY AND NOTICED THAT ONE OF MY BACK BRAKES WAS STICKING AND SO I TOOK A LOOK AT IT AND FLUID LEVEL WAS FINE AND THERE WAS NO AIR IN THE BRAKE LINE. I FEEL THE CAUSE OF THIS IS BAD CALIPERS AND SOME OTHERS I HAVE TALKED HAD THE SAME ISSUE.
COMING OUT OF A ROUNDABOUT IN RUSH HOUR WHEN A CAR AHEAD OF HER SUDDENLY STOPPED. SHE HAD ABOUT ONE AND HALF TO TWO CAR LENGTHS AND HER SPEED WAS ABOUT 35 MPH. SHE APPLIED HER BRAKES AND THEY DID NOT RESPOND. HER CAR REAR ENDED ANOTHER CAR. THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. SHE HAS A SPRAINED NECK AND BACK. SHE HAS BEEN OFF FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS PER DOCTOR'S REQUEST. MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE CAR.
FUEL LINE RUSTS THROUGH CAUSING FUEL TO LEAK OUT NEXT TO EXHAUST PIPE. HAPPENS TO EVAP LINE AS WELL. POOR DESIGN IN THE HEAT SHIELDING TRAPS MOISTURE WHICH RUSTS THROUGH THE LINE. FUEL LEAKS OUT WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING, PARKED, MOVING OR NOT. REAR BRAKE CALIPER STICKS OUT FROM USING THE PARKING BRAKE AND PAD STICKS TO ROTOR CAUSING EXCESSIVE WEAR.
REAR BRAKES WEAR OUT WAY TOO QUICKLY
ABOUT THE THIRD TIME THAT I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR BRAKES WITH IN LESS THAN 30000 MILES. THE PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT HOLD THE CAR. THE PADS WEAR UNEVEN, ONLY THE INTERIOR PAD IS BEING WORN. GM DEALERSHIP CONTINUES TO STATE THAT THIS IS NORMAL WEAR, WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE. AND BRAKING PERFORMANCE IS COMPROMISED BY THIS UNEVEN AND PREMATURE WEAR OF THE REAR BRAKES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED ACCELERATING AND WOULD NOT RESPOND WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE BEGAN VIBRATING AND THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD WHINING NOISE COMING FROM THE UNDERCARRIAGE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO THE DEALER AFTER KEEPING THE VEHICLE PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES. IN ADDITION, ONCE THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS ACTIVATED TO LEVEL THREE OR HIGHER, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL. IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE MASTER CYLINDER ON THE BRAKES WAS FAULTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000. UPDATED 10/23/2014*LJ UPDATED 4/21/2015 *JS
REAR BRAKE CALIPER PISTON DRAGGING CAUSING EXCESSIVE INNER PAD WEAR. REAR BRAKES FREEZE UP. DAMAGED REAR ROTORS. INADEQUATE BRAKE PEDAL OPERATION. *TR
I WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 25 - 30 MPH WHEN WITH OUT WARNING MY 2009 CHEVY COBALT BEGAN TO SPIN IN THE MOST VIOLENT SPIN I HAVE EVER BEEN IN A VEHICLE. THE BRAKES WERE NOT STOPPING ME THE REAR OF THE CAR THEN SLID AROUND AND SLAMMED MY CAR INTO A POST OR CHAIN LINK FENCE HITTING IT HARD.THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WAS CREASED DOWN THE WHOLE SIDE, THE FRONT QUARTER PANEL WAS ALL RIPPED UP AND THE FRONT PASSENGER HEADLIGHT WAS COMPLETELY SMASHED AND BROKEN. WHEN THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED MY HAND WAS TWISTED IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE THE CAR WAS SPINNING AND THE FORCE OF THE CAR HITTING SPRAINED MY BACK. NO AIR BAGS WERE SET OFF AND I WAS BROUGHT TO THE ER BY AMBULANCE. I HAVE BEGUN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH MY IGNITION SINCE THIS ACCIDENT. MY KEY GETS STUCK IN THE ACCS POSITION AND I CAN NOT MOVE IT EITHER WAY. I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE CAR SITS FOR A WHILE SOMETIMES HOURS BEFORE IT WILL UNLOCK. VERY SCARED TO DRIVE IN THIS CAR NOW. *TR
REAR BRAKES WEAR OUT VERY FAST FOR A NEW CAR, ALSO VERY NOISY AND DESTROY MY ROTORS. OUTTER PAD SEEMS FINE, INNER PAD IS DETERIORATING AT AN ALARMING RATE. *TR
PREMATURE REAR BRAKE WEAR, NOISE STARTED AT 17500 MILES, COMPLETE FAILURE AT 23500 MILES, THIS CAR HAS BEEN PAMPERED AND NEVER DRIVEN IN SNOW AND ONLY DRIVEN BY ONE DRIVER. ROTORS ARE BADLY SCORED, PADS GONE, UNHEARD OF WEAR FOR THIS KIND OF MILEAGE! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DECELERATE AND A LOUD SQUEAKY NOISE EMITTED OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER COMING TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE CERAMIC BRAKES PERFORMED AS DESIGNED. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWO WEEKS AFTER THE REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE MOST RECENT DEFECT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000.
SHORTLY AFTER BUYING THIS CAR, THE PARKING BRAKE STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. THE REAR CALIPERS HAVE LOCKED UP AND DO NOT DO ANYTHING WHEN THE HANDLE IS PULLED UP. THIS IS A TERRIBLE DESIGN WHICH CAUSES, AT BEST AN INCONVENIENT, AND AT WORST, POSSIBLY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS, FOR A CAR EQUIPPED WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION, THERE IS NO PARK TO PUT THE CAR IN SO I HAVE TO BLOCK THE WHEELS WHEN PARKING UNTIL I CAN GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED. THE GM DEALER SAID THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM BUT THERE IS NO PERMANENT FIX. HOW CAN SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM BUT NOTHING IS BEING DONE ABOUT IT? WHAT IF I HAD PARKED ON A HILL AND MY CAR ROLLED DOWN INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE OR A PEDESTRIAN? *TR
THE REAR BRAKE CALIPER SEIZED AND CAUSED ME TO LOSE ALL REAR BRAKES. THE REAR BRAKE PADS WILL WEAR DOWN TO BARE METAL ON THE INSIDE SO NO WEAR BAR NOTIFIES THE DRIVER YOU HAVE AN ISSUE TILL YOU NO LONGER HAVE REAR BRAKES. THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT! *TR
I DRIVE A 2009 CHEVY COBALT SS, MANUAL TRANSMISSION WHEN I PARKED AT A FRIENDS APARTMENT COMPLEX I APPLIED MY E-BRAKE ON A SLIGHT HILL AND THE BRAKE DID NOT HOLD AT ALL. I HAD TO RE PARK MY VEHICLE ON A COMPLETELY FLAT SURFACE AND THEN PLACE IT IN FIRST GEAR. A FEW DAYS LATER I DECIDED TO TEST SOMETHING. SO I PARKED MY CAR ON A FLAT SURFACE AND ENGAGED THE E-BRAKE. THE LEVER WAS ABLE TO BE PULLED ALL THE WAY UP WITH VERY LITTLE RESISTANCE. I THEN GOT OUT OF MY VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO PUSH MY VEHICLE FORWARD WITH LITTLE RESISTANCE. I THEN TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY FIXED IT UNDER WARRANTY. I THEN BEGAN TO APPLY THE E-BRAKE AND PUT MY CAR IN FIRST GEAR EVERY TIME I PARK. THEN A FEW MONTHS AGO, ABOUT ON 01/05/2014 I EXPERIENCED THE SIMILAR ISSUE. I NOTICED THAT I WAS ABLE TO PULL MY E-BRAKE LEVER ALL THE WAS UP WITH LITTLE RESISTANCE. I THEN PARKED MY CAR WITH IT IN NEUTRAL AND THE E-BRAKE ENGAGED AND WAS ABLE TO PUSH THE CAR FORWARD WITH VERY LITTLE EFFORT. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE PART IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT FIX IT FOR FREE. WHILE LOOKING ONLINE I NOTICED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. I FOUND THAT THE BRAKE CABLE GET STRETCHED OUT VERY EASILY AND THAT ONE OF THE TWO BRAKE CABLES IS OFTEN MORE STRETCHED THAN THE OTHER. *TR
MY SON WAS DRIVING TO WORK, HE WAS HEADING DOWN A LONG WINDING ROAD WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKES HAD SUDDENLY FAILED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD NOT GO TO THE FLOOR; IT WAS STUCK AND UNABLE TO MOVE. HE DESCRIBED THAT THE CAR SEEMED TO STALL AND CONTINUE TO DRIFT DOWN THE HILL WITH NO ABILITY TO STOP, GRADUALLY PICKING UP SPEED. HE GOT IN THE CURB LANE AND CONTINUED STEERING THE VEHICLE WHILE SEARCHING FOR THE SAFEST PLACE TO CRASH, AS THIS WAS HIS ONLY OPTION BECAUSE HE WAS UNABLE TO SLOW TO A STOP. IN THE MIDDLE OF MORNING RUSH HOUR, HE WAS ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY CROSS OPPOSING LANES OF TRAFFIC AND CRASH HEAD-ON INTO A HILLSIDE IN A PARKING LOT AT ABOUT 45 MPH. THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS SMASHED IN, DAMAGING THE FRAME BEYOND REPAIR. THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, WHICH RESULTED IN BRUISING OF THE CHEST. HE DID NOT LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS, AND DID NOT ACQUIRE ANY CUTS OR SCRATCHES. HE DID REQUIRE TRANSPORTATION TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE, AND WAS STRAPPED TO A BACKBOARD AND PUT IN A NECKBRACE. AT THE HOSPITAL, HE WAS GIVEN A CHEST X-RAY AND AN EXAMINATION, WHICH DETERMINED THAT NOTHING WAS BROKEN OR FRACTURED. HE DID SUFFER MICRO TEARS IN THE MUSCLES OF HIS BACK DUE TO THE IMPACT OF THE CRASH, AND A BRUISED CHEST AS A RESULT OF THE SEATBELT AND AIRBAG. NEEDLESS TO SAY, HE MISSED WORK THAT DAY AND THE NEXT THREE WEEKS OF WORK WHILE RECOVERING. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. *TR
REAR BRAKES ARE DRAGGING ON THE ROTOR AND GRINDING AT STOPS. *TR
WHEN BRAKING SOFTLY, REAR BRAKES MAKE A LOUD NOISE AND I'VE STARTED TO NOTICE SLIGHTLY UNEVEN WEAR ON ONE OF THE REAR BRAKE PADS. ALSO OCCASIONALLY WHILE MOVING IN REVERSE WITH FOOT BRAKES APPLIED I CAN HEAR A VERY VERY LOUD SOUND SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT AND WAY LOUDER THEN THE SOUND WHEN MOVING FORWARD. *TR
AT 20,300 MILES, THE INNER REAR BRAKE PADS HAD WORN COMPLETELY DOWN TO THE METAL AND SCORED THE ROTORS TO THE POINT THEY HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP MAINTAINS THIS IS NORMAL WEAR. THE FRONT BRAKES WERE FINE AND THE OUTER REAR PADS WHILE WORN, WERE STILL WITHIN ACCEPTABLE LIMITS. AFTER SEEING NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA WEB SITE (144 OUT OF 168 TOTAL COMPLAINTS, OR 86%) NEARLY IDENTICAL TO MINE, THIS IS CLEARLY A GLARING SAFETY ISSUE - 144 COMPLAINTS FOR A LOW-VOLUME 2-YEAR OLD VEHICLE. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE NHTSA HAS NOT INITIATED AN INVESTIGATION ALREADY. PERHAPS THEY ARE WAITING FOR FATALITIES CAUSED BY THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT BEFORE TAKING ACTION. UPDATED IVOQ 12/01/11. UPDATED IVOQ 01/05/12 *TR
BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS DID NOT LAST. MY BRAKES NEEDED REPLACING WAY EARLIER THAN THEY SHOULD. IT'S A SAFETY HAZARD. *JS
AT ABOUT 5000 MILES I NOTICED GROOVES DEVELOPING IN THE REAR BRAKE DISCS. AT 10,000 MILES I HAVE ONLY 35% LEFT IN THE REAR BRAKES AS THE GROOVES HAVE DEEPENED AND NOW DAMAGE THE PADS EVERY TIME THEY ARE ENGAGED. AT THIS RATE THE BRAKES WILL FAIL AT BEFORE 16,000 MILES OF USE. *TR
Showing 1-20 of 50 loaded complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.