The Lane Check

CarsChevrolet › Trax › 2017

2017 Chevrolet Trax: engine and transmission complaints

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
50%
52 of 105 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

50% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2017 Chevrolet Trax are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 63% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 6 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 47%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
Share this car

Looking at a specific Trax?Check its VIN: the full report, quotes about its own engine, and whether its recalls are still open. First report free.

Check a VIN
Drivetrain complaints
52
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
111
this model year
Fires reported
3
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
3
10 crashes · 5 injuries

Complaints by component

ENGINE41 · 37%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM24 · 22%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER22 · 20%
STEERING19 · 17%
SUSPENSION10 · 9%
POWER TRAIN9 · 8%

The years either side

2010
no data
2011
no data
2012
no data
2013
no data
2014
no data
2015
51%
40 of 95
2016
59%
55 of 117
2017
50%
52 of 111
2018
40%
39 of 101
2019
37%
47 of 133
2020
46%
37 of 94
2021
too few complaints
2022
too few complaints
2023
no data

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

Cleaner alternatives

Other subcompact SUVs with no elevated signal

The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.

What owners reported

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM07/21/2026
Turbocharger on my 2017 Chevy Trax failed at approximately 80,000 miles. Took it in for repair and they reported that upon examination a 299 code appeared and the turbocharger needed to be replaced. Check engines light also came on.
POWER TRAIN07/08/2026
I work from home, so I drive my car maybe once a week and only on flat highways. One day, I heard a loud booming crack and then suddenly the vehicle was making a grinding noise and pulling strangely. I drove directly to a mechanic and had them looked at the vehicle since it was highly concerning to me. They said that t…
ENGINE06/12/2026
Vehicle engine light came on XXX and was driven immediately to Auto Zone to check the code. The code showed P0299. The vehicle was then taken 2 miles home and parked. It was towed to Lake Chevrolet in [XXX] on XXX to prevent any engine damage from occurring due to the failed turbo. Upon Lake's inspection they claim th…

Three of 52 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (3)

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Trax vehicles. A joint in one or both of the front lower-control arms may have been improperly welded. …
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Chevrolet Trax vehicles. A joint in one or both of the front lower control arms may have been improperly welded. An…
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Y…

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2017 Chevrolet Trax

Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.

Check a VIN

Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.