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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).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
39
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
101
this model year
Fires reported
2
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
2
2 crashes · 2 injuries

Complaints by component

SUSPENSION34 · 34%
ENGINE29 · 29%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM18 · 18%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER17 · 17%
POWER TRAIN11 · 11%
STEERING9 · 9%

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 in 2018

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

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.

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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.