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2010 Chevrolet Cobalt

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2010 Cobalt.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt is a passenger car paired with an automatic 4-speed transmission, carrying EPA fuel-economy ratings of 24 city/33 highway/27 combined mpg and specifying 4.5 quarts of 5W-30 API engine oil. Within the 1996-2017 complaint history, the 2010 model's 582 owner complaints and six recalls place it well below the 2006 peak of 2,330 complaints, with steering reported as the top complaint area. For a researcher, that means 2010 is a lower-volume complaint year than the model's worst point, but the steering concentration and six recalls are still the first items to verify.

Model year2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy24/33/27 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 90 · 590 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12580255. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 90 · 590 CCAOEM · verified

Tire sizeLS P195/60R15; LS P205/55R16OEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12580255 alt 12605566
Engine air filter	21999324 alt 25894265
Fuel filter	19169217 alt 22734980
Spark plug	12681663 alt 12681658
Battery	88866263
Front wiper blades	20918023 alt 20918022
Serpentine belt	12634319 alt 12634320
Thermostat	12622410 alt 03522676
Cabin air filter	52493319

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	180.3 in
Overall width	68.1 in
Overall height	55.9 in
Wheelbase	103.1 in
Curb weight	2732 lb
Track (front / rear)	57.9 / 58.7 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	60/40

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	24 / 33 / 27 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Cobalt of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

5.4–8.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 5.40 sec — 2009 SS Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
2009	SS Sedan 2.0L Turbo I-4	5.40 sec	13.90 sec	260 hp	FWD
2009	SS Sedan 2.0L Turbo I-4	5.50 sec	14.20 sec	260 hp	FWD
2009	SS Sedan 2.0L Turbo I-4	5.50 sec	14.00 sec	260 hp	FWD
2009	XFE Sedan 2.2L I-4	7.50 sec	15.90 sec	155 hp	FWD
2008	SS Coupe 2.0L Turbo I-4	5.50 sec	13.90 sec	260 hp	FWD
2008	SS Coupe 2.0L Turbo I-4	5.70 sec	14.20 sec	260 hp	FWD
2007	SS Supercharged Coupe 2.0L Supercharger I-4	6.10 sec	14.60 sec	205 hp	FWD
2007	SS Coupe 2.4L I-4	7.10 sec	15.70 sec	171 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid	ATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity	7
Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	DEX-COOL OR EQUIVALENT
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.5 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	5 qt

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	10 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts	7.4 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts

100 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order

1-3-4-2

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	.90 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	4.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	90
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	590 cca
Standard BCI Group Number	90

Service checks

Pressure Test	20 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	20 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	188-206 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	57-67
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	50-60
Engine Compression	100
Engine Compression	100
Engine Oil Pressure	50-80 psi

Brakes

Brake Application	WITH FN3
Torque Caliper to Bracket	25 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	85 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Brake Application	WITH FN3
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	0.933 in / 1.023 in / 0.783 in / 0.551 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

74 ft. lbs., step 2: 125

74 ft. lbs

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

74 ft. lbs., step 2: 125

74 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 25,000 mi	Fuel System (inspect)
Every 50,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 100,000 mi	Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The federal record shows a sharp rise in complaints from the mid‑2000s, peaking at 2,330 in 2006 and remaining above 900 through 2009, before falling to 582 in 2010 and dropping to just 2 in 2011. Recalls stayed constant at six for both 2009 and 2010, then disappeared entirely in 2011, while investigations declined from three in 2009 to one in 2010 and none in 2011. Technical service bulletins continued to climb, reaching 1,143 in 2010 after 1,015 in 2009, then falling to 197 in 2011. Thus, the 2010 model year sits on the descending limb of the complaint curve, with recall activity still present but investigations markedly reduced. For a buyer seeking fewer reported problems, the 2010 Cobalt offers a notable improvement over earlier years, though the lingering recall count suggests caution and a pre‑purchase inspection are advisable.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

1143

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

582

Owner complaints

46 involved a crash · 8 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’96 ’00 ’02 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09’10’11 ’12 ’16 ’17

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 582 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering181

Fuel/Propulsion System88

Electrical System37

Air Bags32

Steering,Electrical System19

Unknown Or Other17

Fuel System, Gasoline16

Electrical System,Air Bags16

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

14V171000Electrical System:IgnitionReported 10/04/2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Chevrolet Cobalt, 2006-2011 Chevrolet HHR, 2007-2010 Pontiac G5, 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice, 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky vehicles. In… Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and for vehicles that were built with the defective ignition cylinder and have not previously had the ignition cylinder replaced with the…

14V153000Steering:Electric Power Assist SystemReported 31/03/2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will perform one of four bulletins. Parts are not currently available. GM expects to send an interim notification around May 28, 2014. When…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 1143 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
PIT3271Q	2026-04-01	Unknown Or Other	This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel…
PIP6104	2026-03-09	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and…
PIP4902V	2026-03-09	Unknown Or Other	This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIP4902U	2026-01-08	Unknown Or Other	This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIT5214G	2025-11-20	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Cobalt. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 90 battery Vehicles taking 4.5 qt Engine oil filter 12580255 Engine air filter 21999324 Fuel filter 19169217 Spark plug 12681663

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2010 Cobalt take?

4.5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2010 Cobalt have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Cobalt get?

EPA figures are 24 city / 33 highway / 27 combined mpg.