Total Complaints
1 filings
CHEVROLET COBALT · model year
1996 CHEVROLET COBALT
1 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996CHEVROLETCOBALT carries 1 consumer safety complaint in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1996 COBALT is air bags:frontal with 1 filings. Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 1996 COBALT, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
1
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20090828AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CHEVROLET COBALT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL, INDICATING THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AIR BAG WAS INOPERATIVE. AS A CONSEQUENCE IN A SITUATION THAT WARRANTS THE AIR BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY WHICH INCREASES THE RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER IN WHICH A TECHNICIAN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE WAS A TECHNICIAN BULLETIN THAT SPECIFIES THAT THE WIRING HARNESS SHOULD BE MODIFIED. ADDITIONALLY HE ADDED THAT BECAUSE THERE NOT AN OFFICIAL RECALL THEREFORE HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. AS OF CURRENT DATE THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 70,000. THE VIN NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Mileage: 70,000
Compare 1996CHEVROLETCOBALT to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 2 Open
EA25007Engineering AnalysisOpen
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
PE23022Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module
PE20016Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
EA20002Engineering AnalysisClosed
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
PE20011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Fuel Line Leak
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 CHEVROLET COBALT have?▼
The 1996 CHEVROLET COBALT has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 CHEVROLET COBALT?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 CHEVROLET COBALT is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 1996 CHEVROLET COBALT safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.