Illustration2005 CHEVROLET COBALT 1. COMPUTER DISPLAYS "POWER STEERING" MESSAGE AND VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER VEHICLE. 2. NO STEERING. HAPPENS WITHIN 2-3 MINUTES AFTER EACH IGNITION. VERY DANGEROUS WITH DIFFICULT STEERING. 3. NOT REPAIRED YET. *TR
2002 Chevrolet Cobalt
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.
About this comparison →2Owner complaints
Model-year median: 2
0Recall campaignsView recall details →
0InvestigationsView investigation details →
Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Inspection summary
2002 Chevrolet Cobalt
NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 2 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.
Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.
Top reported categories (up to 5)
- Steering: 2 reports
Full reported-category list and vehicle report
Recall links
No recall campaigns in this snapshot.
Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.
How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Cobalt years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 2 of 2 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Steering. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
2 reportsTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 22 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY LOST POWER STEERING ABILITY. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CEMENT BARRIER AND WAS DAMAGED. THE POLICE WAS NOT CALLED TO THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, BUT THEY WERE UNAB…
Read full complaint
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET COBALT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 22 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY LOST POWER STEERING ABILITY. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CEMENT BARRIER AND WAS DAMAGED. THE POLICE WAS NOT CALLED TO THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 11,624.
Recall campaigns
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
Defect investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.