2018 Chevrolet COLORADO

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2018 Chevrolet COLORADO has 238 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 3.0x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (32% of all complaints), specifically: i had truck stationary parked on a slight incline on a dirt road for about 5 minutes when i heard a odd sound like "arrrrr clunk" and my car rolled down a hill. i had my car on park while on 4low with the engine off. i did not have my parking brake on though but the incline was so slight i feel i di. ⚠️ 6 fire reports filed.

6 fire reports 2 crash reports 5 injuries

238

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

3.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

75 complaints

32%

• I HAD TRUCK STATIONARY PARKED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE ON A DIRT ROAD FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES WHEN I HEARD A ODD SOUND LIKE "ARRRRR CLUNK" AND MY CAR ROLLED DOWN A HILL. I HAD MY CAR ON PARK WHILE ON 4LOW WITH THE ENGINE OFF. I DID NOT HAVE MY PARKING BRAKE ON THOUGH BUT THE INCLINE WAS SO SLIGHT I FEEL I DI
• UPON ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE ONTO A 3 LANE ROAD, ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON IN THE VEHICLE. A WARNING MESSAGE PRESENTED ON THE DASHBOARD STATING "ENGINE POWER REDUCTION" AND THEN THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY WHILE MOVING. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DISENGAGE FROM PARK.
• CHEVY COLORADO A BAD VIBRATION IN DRIVETRAIN. TOOK TRUCK TO DEALER WHO SAID IT WAS TORQUE CONVERTER PROBLEM. IT HAS BEEN AT DEALER FOR 9 DAYS BECAUSE THEY ARE DOING 9 VEHICLES A DAY FOR THIS PROBLEM. SUPPOSEDLY THEY ARE GOING TO CHANGE TORQUE CON

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“I HAD TRUCK STATIONARY PARKED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE ON A DIRT ROAD FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES WHEN I HEARD A ODD SOUND LIKE "ARRRRR CLUNK" AND MY CAR ROLLED DOWN A HILL. I HAD MY CAR ON PARK WHILE ON 4LOW WITH THE ENGINE OFF. I DID NOT HAVE MY PARKING BRAKE ON THOUGH BUT THE INCLINE WAS SO SLIGHT I FEEL I DI”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

35 complaints

15%

• I HAD TRUCK STATIONARY PARKED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE ON A DIRT ROAD FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES WHEN I HEARD A ODD SOUND LIKE "ARRRRR CLUNK" AND MY CAR ROLLED DOWN A HILL. I HAD MY CAR ON PARK WHILE ON 4LOW WITH THE ENGINE OFF. I DID NOT HAVE MY PARKING BRAKE ON THOUGH BUT THE INCLINE WAS SO SLIGHT I FEEL I DI
• BRAND NEW 2018 MIDNIGHT EDITION CHEVY COLORADO LESS THAN 24HRS ON THE ENGINE AND HAD LESS THAN 900 MILES ON IT. WENT TO GO TO WORK ONE MORNING AND IT WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING. NO REVERE. NO POWER STEERING. ALL LIGHTS AND GAUGES WERE FLICKERING AND GOING CRAZY. ENGINE WAS CHUGGING AND MAKING ODD NOISES.I
• TAKATA RECALLS HEAR WATER RUSH WITH A GURGLE NOISE FROM DASHBOARD THIS HAPPENS WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP. ALSO WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN DRIVE WITH THE FOOT ON THE BRAKES IT MAKES LOUD NOISE THEN JUMPS. ALSO PAINT ON HOOD HAS FISHEYES THE TRUCK ALSO IDOLS HIGH WHEN STARTING UP.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

32 complaints

13%

• THE DISPLAY FOR THE BACKUP CAMERA IS ON AT FULL BRIGHTNESS. THERE IS A CONTROL KNOB TO DIM THE INTERIOR LIGHTING AND DISPLAY, BUT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PUT INTO REVERSE, THE DISPLAY GOES TO FULL BRIGHTNESS AND CANNOT BE CONTROLLED BY THE BRIGHTNESS CONTROL KNOB. AT NIGHT, THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR IS
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET COLORADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DIMMER SWITCH DID NOT ACTIVATE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTERIOR LIGHTING WAS BRIGHT AND IMPAIRED HIS VISION WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. IN THE DAYTIME, THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WERE
• BRAND NEW 2018 MIDNIGHT EDITION CHEVY COLORADO LESS THAN 24HRS ON THE ENGINE AND HAD LESS THAN 900 MILES ON IT. WENT TO GO TO WORK ONE MORNING AND IT WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING. NO REVERE. NO POWER STEERING. ALL LIGHTS AND GAUGES WERE FLICKERING AND GOING CRAZY. ENGINE WAS CHUGGING AND MAKING ODD NOISES.I

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“THE DISPLAY FOR THE BACKUP CAMERA IS ON AT FULL BRIGHTNESS. THERE IS A CONTROL KNOB TO DIM THE INTERIOR LIGHTING AND DISPLAY, BUT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PUT INTO REVERSE, THE DISPLAY GOES TO FULL BRIGHTNESS AND CANNOT BE CONTROLLED BY THE BRIGHTNESS CONTROL KNOB. AT NIGHT, THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR IS ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

22 complaints

• WHILE DRIVING HOME, YELLOW CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON & I NOTICED REDUCTION OF OIL PRESSURE. PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, SHUT OFF ENGINE, WENT INSIDE. UPON RETURNING, NOTICED SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OIL ON DRIVEWAY. DIPSTICK SHOWED NO OIL. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. THEY VERIFIED LEAKING CAME FROM DEFECTIVE OI
• UPON ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE ONTO A 3 LANE ROAD, ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON IN THE VEHICLE. A WARNING MESSAGE PRESENTED ON THE DASHBOARD STATING "ENGINE POWER REDUCTION" AND THEN THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY WHILE MOVING. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DISENGAGE FROM PARK.
• I HAVE A 2018 CHEVROLET COLORADO LT 4WD CREW CAB. MULTIPLE TIMES ON A COLD START THE ENGINE IS MISFIRING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIKE COMES ON, THE VSA, AND T/C LIGHTS ALL COME ON AND A NOTIFICATION ON THE DASH SAYING STABILITRAK IS DISABLED. THE VEHICLE SHAKES TERRIBLY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL FL

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“WHILE DRIVING HOME, YELLOW CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON & I NOTICED REDUCTION OF OIL PRESSURE. PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, SHUT OFF ENGINE, WENT INSIDE. UPON RETURNING, NOTICED SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OIL ON DRIVEWAY. DIPSTICK SHOWED NO OIL. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. THEY VERIFIED LEAKING CAME FROM DEFECTIVE OI”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

18 complaints

• UPON ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE ONTO A 3 LANE ROAD, ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON IN THE VEHICLE. A WARNING MESSAGE PRESENTED ON THE DASHBOARD STATING "ENGINE POWER REDUCTION" AND THEN THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY WHILE MOVING. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DISENGAGE FROM PARK.
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET COLORADO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE STEERING ASSIST WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO USE EXTRA STRENGTH TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED PERIODICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWE
• BRAND NEW 2018 MIDNIGHT EDITION CHEVY COLORADO LESS THAN 24HRS ON THE ENGINE AND HAD LESS THAN 900 MILES ON IT. WENT TO GO TO WORK ONE MORNING AND IT WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING. NO REVERE. NO POWER STEERING. ALL LIGHTS AND GAUGES WERE FLICKERING AND GOING CRAZY. ENGINE WAS CHUGGING AND MAKING ODD NOISES.I

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“UPON ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE ONTO A 3 LANE ROAD, ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON IN THE VEHICLE. A WARNING MESSAGE PRESENTED ON THE DASHBOARD STATING "ENGINE POWER REDUCTION" AND THEN THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY WHILE MOVING. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DISENGAGE FROM PARK. ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 238 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: I HAD TRUCK STATIONARY PARKED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE ON A DIRT ROAD FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES WHEN I HEARD A ODD SOUND LIKE "ARRRRR CLUNK" AND MY CAR ROLLED DOWN A HILL. I HAD MY CAR ON PARK WHILE ON 4LOW WITH THE ENGINE OFF. I DID NOT HAVE MY PARKING BRAKE ON THOUGH BUT THE INCLINE WAS SO SLIGHT I FEEL I DI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: I HAD TRUCK STATIONARY PARKED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE ON A DIRT ROAD FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES WHEN I HEARD A ODD SOUND LIKE "ARRRRR CLUNK" AND MY CAR ROLLED DOWN A HILL. I HAD MY CAR ON PARK WHILE ON 4LOW WITH THE ENGINE OFF. I DID NOT HAVE MY PARKING BRAKE ON THOUGH BUT THE INCLINE WAS SO SLIGHT I FEEL I DI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: THE DISPLAY FOR THE BACKUP CAMERA IS ON AT FULL BRIGHTNESS. THERE IS A CONTROL KNOB TO DIM THE INTERIOR LIGHTING AND DISPLAY, BUT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PUT INTO REVERSE, THE DISPLAY GOES TO FULL BRIGHTNESS AND CANNOT BE CONTROLLED BY THE BRIGHTNESS CONTROL KNOB. AT NIGHT, THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR IS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: WHILE DRIVING HOME, YELLOW CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON & I NOTICED REDUCTION OF OIL PRESSURE. PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, SHUT OFF ENGINE, WENT INSIDE. UPON RETURNING, NOTICED SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OIL ON DRIVEWAY. DIPSTICK SHOWED NO OIL. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. THEY VERIFIED LEAKING CAME FROM DEFECTIVE OI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)