2018 Chevrolet Trax: engine and transmission complaints
ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
40%
39 of 101 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
40% of relevant owner complaints on the 2018 Chevrolet Trax are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is elevated. Worth an independent inspection before you commit to one.
Better than 54% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
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
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE06/27/2026FIRE1 INJURED
The diver side fuse box started a fire in the vehicle. The tracking control system light was flashing on and the vehicle lost power. Filed claim with insurance company. Insurance company issued a total loss and took possession of the vehicle.
ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM09/07/2026
Turbo failed
SUSPENSION,WHEELS,ENGINE06/03/2026
Both my control arms are loose and wheel baring is bad, plus a cracked catalytic converter. All of these are causing my car to be loud and burning smell, causing unsafe driving conditions for me and my children. Online states that the control arms are an issue with this vehicle make and model and have been recalled, ho…
Three of 39 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 (2)
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…
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2018 Chevrolet Trax
Ask the seller whether the engine has ever been repaired or replaced, and whether the car has shown stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light.
Drive it from a cold start and long enough to warm up. Many engine faults hide once the car is warm.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose, and tell them to focus on the engine.
2 recall campaigns on this model year. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on the VIN; the report checks that.
Ask for service records. A engine already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
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.
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.