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Chevrolet Colorado: Years to Avoid and Best Years (Engine & Transmission)
Chevrolet Colorado problems by model year, from 2,216 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. For each year: the share of complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system, how many there were, and the recalls.
Worst years to avoid: 2017 (67%, 137 drivetrain complaints), 2020 (63%, 49 drivetrain complaints) and 2019 (62%, 89 drivetrain complaints). 7 of the 12 Chevrolet Colorado years we score have an elevated engine, transmission or fuel-system complaint share; 3 of them are at the very high level (60% or more), where every model year we track has a documented failure behind it.
Best years on this measure: 2015 (16%), 2022 (18%) and 2016 (20%). 2022 rests on fewer than 60 complaints, so treat it as provisional. A low share means owners complained about other things more than the drivetrain, not that nothing ever fails.
The sharpest change between consecutive years is from 2016 (20%) to 2017 (67%), up 47 points. The complaint pattern shifts at that year, so check which year the car in front of you is.
By raw volume, the 2016 drew the most drivetrain complaints (141 of 690 across the scored years). Volume also tracks how many were sold and how long they have been on the road, which is why the share, not the count, sets the verdict.
Engine and transmission complaint share, 2010–2023
Share of relevant owner complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system. 33% is elevated, 40% high, 60% very high. A dash means too few complaints to score.
Every Chevrolet Colorado year
| Model year | Signal | Drivetrain share | Drivetrain complaints | All complaints | Rank (1 = worst) | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Colorado | elevated | 39% | 9 | 29 | 6/12 | 2 |
| 2011 Colorado | no elevated signal | 31% | 8 | 42 | 8/12 | 5 |
| 2012 Colorado | elevated | 35% | 11 | 42 | 7/12 | 2 |
| 2013 Colorado | too few to score | – | 1 | 1 | – | 0 |
| 2014 Colorado | too few to score | – | 0 | 1 | – | 0 |
| 2015 Colorado | no elevated signal | 16% | 74 | 491 | 12/12 | 7 |
| 2016 Colorado | no elevated signal | 20% | 141 | 709 | 10/12 | 4 |
| 2017 Colorado | very high | 67% | 137 | 216 | 1/12 | 1 |
| 2018 Colorado | high | 59% | 102 | 183 | 4/12 | 1 |
| 2019 Colorado | very high | 62% | 89 | 150 | 3/12 | 0 |
| 2020 Colorado | very high | 63% | 49 | 84 | 2/12 | 0 |
| 2021 Colorado | high | 43% | 29 | 76 | 5/12 | 1 |
| 2022 Colorado | no elevated signal | 18% | 10 | 56 | 11/12 | 1 |
| 2023 Colorado | no elevated signal | 24% | 31 | 136 | 9/12 | 3 |
What owners complain about most, all years
Categories as NHTSA files them, summed across the Chevrolet Colorado years with data. A complaint can name more than one component, so the shares overlap. Red is engine, transmission or fuel.
Chevrolet Colorado transmission recalls: timeline
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the Chevrolet Colorado involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 21 across the years we track. Each model-year page has the details. Whether a particular car still has a recall open depends on its VIN.
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2011 | 11V337000 | power train: automatic transmission: gear position indication (prndl) | 2011 |
| May 2018 | 18V358000 | fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump | 2016–2018 |
19 other recalls (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
| Date | Campaign | Component | Model years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2010 | 10V575000 | child seat | 2010–2011 |
| Jan 2011 | 11V007000 | suspension: rear: axle: spindle | 2011 |
| May 2011 | 11V276000 | visibility: windshield wiper/washer: motor | 2011 |
| Nov 2011 | 11V552000 | seat belts: front | 2012 |
| Dec 2012 | 12V594000 | latches/locks/linkages: hood: latch | 2010–2012 |
| Oct 2014 | 14V645000 | air bags | 2015 |
| Mar 2015 | 15V157000 | air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module | 2015 |
| May 2015 | 15V267000 | seats | 2015 |
| May 2015 | 15V278000 | service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: caliper | 2015 |
| Dec 2015 | 15V807000 | latches/locks/linkages | 2016 |
| Feb 2016 | 16V054000 | steering: electric power assist system | 2015 |
| Mar 2016 | 16V125000 | air bags: frontal | 2016 |
| Oct 2017 | 17V621000 | air bags: frontal | 2015–2016 |
| Dec 2020 | 20V811000 | seat belts | 2021 |
| Mar 2021 | 21V213000 | steering: electric power assist system | 2015 |
| May 2022 | 22V375000 | seats: critical fasteners | 2022 |
| Feb 2024 | 24V133000 | electrical system: adas: driver monitoring: camera/sensor | 2023 |
| Mar 2024 | 24V237000 | wheels: lugs/nuts/bolts/studs | 2023 |
| Sep 2024 | 24V703000 | seat belts: critical fasteners | 2023 |
What the free pages leave out on the Chevrolet Colorado
- The mileage where it happens, for the model year you are looking at.
- What the repair costs, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives: similar cars with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive.
- Open recalls on the actual car, by VIN.
Questions people ask about the Chevrolet Colorado
What are the worst years for the Chevrolet Colorado?
On engine and transmission complaints, the worst Chevrolet Colorado years are the 2017 (67% of relevant complaints, very high), the 2020 (63% of relevant complaints, very high) and the 2019 (62% of relevant complaints, very high). 7 of 12 scored years are elevated in all.
What are the best years for the Chevrolet Colorado?
On engine and transmission complaints, the best Chevrolet Colorado years are the 2015 (16%), the 2022 (18%) and the 2016 (20%). That describes the model year; any one car still needs an inspection.
Does the Chevrolet Colorado have transmission problems?
In some years. Across the 12 scored years, 690 of 2,138 relevant NHTSA complaints (32%) concern the engine, transmission or fuel system; the largest drivetrain category is power train. The years with an elevated share are 2010, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Is the Chevrolet Colorado reliable?
On the engine and transmission it depends on the year: 7 of 12 Chevrolet Colorado years we score have an elevated complaint share and 5 do not. Pooled across those years, 32% of relevant complaints are about the drivetrain, against a 33% line for an elevated signal. Complaint data does not measure overall reliability, so pick the year first, then inspect the car.
Are there transmission or engine recalls on the Chevrolet Colorado?
Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns involving the engine, transmission or fuel system across the Chevrolet Colorado years we track, out of 21 in total: 11V337000 (Jun 2011, 2011), 18V358000 (May 2018, 2016–2018). Whether a car still has one open depends on its VIN.
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across model years, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Model years with fewer than 25 complaints are not scored.