NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated while driving 30-35 MPH, the contact smelled an abnormally strong fuel odor. The odor became more intense while driving. The contact stated upon arriving at the residence, the fuel gauge indicated that the fuel tank was empty. Additionally, the contact noticed a puddle of gasoline underneath the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who informed the contact that the failure could be related to the fuel pump. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.
Transmission is shuddering, some jerking starts and stops.
clunking in the transmission, when slowing down it feels like you got rear-ended. Then when accelerating from a stop the transmission seems to slip and then catch and then engages and shoots you forward, feels like it surges forward. TSB to replace the transmission fluid was done at about 18k miles, it didn't fix its still doing it now. It did it since day one from the factory and the TSB didn't correct it.
Power steering unexpectedly toggled on and off very quickly causing very uneven cornering. After this the truck then drove normally for a couple of miles before happening again at slow speed. Mechanic was able to recreate but due to the intermittent nature cannot diagnose it. Seems like there was an issue with 2015/2016 Colorado's that sounds similar with a faulty electrical connection. Have gone 1 day now without the issue repeating but unsure if/when it will happen again.
I along with other people who own this model of truck with the diesel engine around 60,000 to 70,000 Miles have part number 55488542 which is the fuel feed line that rubs up against the AC line and starts to leak fuel. https://www.coloradofans.com/threads/2016-diesel-canyon-severe-fuel-leak.410108/ I along with others have numerous complaints to the Chevy dealership they said this is a common issue because of the type of line that was used and placement that it rubs up and down and since it's a diesel and vibrates a lot and basically the hose is going against the AC Muffler which is a canister and rubs it until there is a hole from rubbing. The link I added to this is one of many. This is dangerous it is fuel it is pouring out and it is in contact with hot parts of the engine
On 4/19/2023, upon turning on the truck, putting it into gear and starting to very slowly move forward a Power Steering Warning/Drive with caution came on. There was no power steering and it required driving very carefully because of the inability to make turns. The truck had to go in for service. Power steering is not covered under the power train warranty, which you would think it should be. The repair required a motor kit, steering gear, belt and reprogram/sensor reset. The truck had less than 40,000 miles on it, and it cost $1533.00
For at least 6 months now My ignition key goes in and starts normally. When parked the key goes back one notch and freezes. Cannot pull it out or put back to off position. This is sporadic. Have been to 2 Chevrolet dealers who simply stated they cannot duplicate the issue so they don't want to throw parts at it. On you tube there are many videos of how people are handling this.. If I had a emergency run to a hospital or something of a time constraint I cannot do it because i am stuck for at least a half hour until it moves again. Now about $280.00 into diagnostic fees that Chevrolet claims they know nothing about so they are doing nothing. Imagine that click the key 5 or 6 times video it and then say cannot duplicate the problem. I hope this leads to someone acknowledging an issue. Thanks
UNABLE TO REMOVE KEY FROM IGNITION SWITCH. ENGINE SHUTS OFF, BUT IGNITION IS STILL ON. IN SHORT TIME THE BATTERY GOES DEAD. PER THE DEALER, THE CUSTOMER NEEDS TO LIFT HOOD AND DISCONNECT NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE TO PREVENT THE BATTERY FROM DYING AND THE VEHICLE NEEDING TOWING. MOST CUSTOMERS UNDER THE HOOD WITH WRENCHES IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. PER THE INTERNET THIS IS COMMON WITH THIS VEHICLE, AND THE DEALER FIX IS NOT A SURE CURE. GM NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE AND COME UP WITH A PERMANENT FIX THAT DOES NOT LET CUSTOMERS STRANDED, CARRYING WRENCHES, AND WORKING UNDER THE HOOD TO KEEP GOING, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT.
Car begins to shudder intermetiently if driven over 50 MP due to faulty factor installed transmission fluid, can cause panic when unaware of what is happening. Also can marginally effect handling.
Suddenly losing power, shifting hard, slipping between gears, causing shuddering while driving, and surging forward while accelerating.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated while driving 40-60 MPH, the vehicle would shudder while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that she was able to continue driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was test driven and diagnosed with transmission failure. The mechanic referred the contact to the dealer. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where the transmission fluid was flushed and replaced with HD transmission fluid per GM Technical Service Bulletin Number: 18-NA-355. The dealer then advised the contact to drive 500-1,000 miles to allow the new HD transmission fluid to circulate the transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 22,589.
I have a 2018 Colorado 4x4 with 51K miles. Purchased with 28k. When driving at normal highway speed, get drive train shudder when increase torque is needed (hill, ramp, etc.). Only happens in overdrive. When tow/haul is activated shudder does not occur. It feels like transmission and/or drive shaft is about to fall off. I have not attempted repair due to numerous concerns voiced on this site and class action lawsuit now in progress. No warning lights or messages.
A/c lines near driver side wheel well has chafed through fuel line and wire harness.Causing a couple thousand dollars in damage.Nor warning indicators leading up to either incidents. My chevy dealership mis diagnosed it twice and has now found the issue. Fuel lines leak can cause fires and as far as the electrical issue I've been left stranded with my 3 year old daughter a couple of times..Have looked up forums and many people have had the same issue.
My 2018 Colorado Z71 (40,000 miles) suffers from transmission shudder intermittently. Dealer took it for a 14 mile test drive and was unable to duplicate. Blamed it on the tires. Refused to flush transmission fluid in accordance with GM TSB 18-NA-355. Shudder becomes worse when trailering boat. Known issue to GM, however, dealers refuse to perform the solution provided by GM in the absence of a recall.
Seat belt buckle receiver occasionally does not “click” all the way and takes at times multiple attempts to connect. No light shows that it is disconnected. I’ve noticed it with both front seat belts receiver. Unknown with rear seats I’ve never sat in my vehicles backseats to confirm it there. Unknown if I can get them inspected upon request at my local dealer as they have not been the best with customer service. Seat belt not working correctly doesn’t give me confidence in it in the event of a collision. Unknown if reproduced No inspection has been conducted as of the time of this report. Will move to get that done asap.
The HVAC module temp door is cracked, as previously seen in the 2015-2016 recall for Chevrolet Colorado’s and GMC Canyons. This forces the temperature to be 33 degrees F colder than requested. This poses a risk to those that live in cold winter climates, as there is no heat available in the vehicle.
when traveling at any speed usually between 1200-2200 RPM there is a rumble strip/ vibration feeling coming from the vehicle most notably around 35-45 MPH but happens at all speeds. I took it to my local mechanic and it was not a suspension, tire or drive shaft issue. i was informed it seems to be coming from the transmission. upon looking on other forums about this issue it seems to be a common problem with the 8 speed transmissions on the Colorado's. i still have been unable to fix this issue. No indicator lights are on, engine runs fine its only when traveling when the engine is between 1200-2200 RPM
I have the 2018 Chevy Colorado, I got it at 22k miles and it had a slight shudder, it got a bit worse so I brought in to a dealership and had the transmission fluid changed at 50k miles. It made it better but can still feel the shutter and a slight jerk while shifting yet
problems shifting shaking and vibration at higher speeds very noticeable while pulling a trailer 11449007 reference number
Ignition interlock will stick and not allow key to be taken out of the ignition. The truck is off, in park and parking brake applied but key is stuck in ignition. Have to rapidly push shifter lever button until it unlatches and the key is able to be taken out. Occurs 2-3 times per week.
We reported issues with our thermostat to our dealer back in September of 2022. The vehicle would not defrost or heat. We were then told the thermostat required replacements but there was no part in existence and they would notify us when it became available. After following up numerous times with no actionable timeline from the dealer we consulted with a secondary mechanic who confirmed the issue was related to a thermostat sensor malfunction and would require a replacement thermostat. Again we were told that the item was not available from GM and we would be contacted when more information was available. A SPAC case was created by our dealer in October of 2022, notifying the system of the urgent need and our dealer has followed up numerous times that GM has not provided any timeline for replacement. I have also filed a separate claim in January of 2023 to GM customer service notifying them of the ongoing issue and escalating to upper management. I have not heard back on mitigation or rectification plan for our issue. This ongoing issue is a major safety concern that has rendered my vehicle unfit for operation. I am unsure why GM is not making this major safety concern a priority because we are now in the middle of a Chicago winter we’re temperatures are regularly below freezing. I cannot defrost my windows or maintain a safe cabin temperature. This is unsafe for me to operate let alone use the vehicle to transport my child because of the immediate danger it would place her and I in. I am now paying for a vehicle that has sat inoperable in my driveway for 4+ months with no end in site and opening is up to additional damages because it has had to remain inoperable for an extended period of time.
The wiring harness was touching the air condenser line. The line gets hot when air conditioning is used. It melted causing my truck to throw a lot of random alarms. It also would turn my cruise off and make it down shift all of a sudden startling me. Melted wires are also a fire hazard. There is a bulletin for wire harness chafing that GMC knows about this issue. If it had melted something major and shut my truck down while driving down the interstate it would put me and anybody around me in danger. It was wired back together but is still not fixed. Might need a new wiring harness.
transmission indicated drive when actual gear was reverse 05
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle shuddered and started shaking abnormally. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where the transmission was flushed and the vehicle was diagnosed. The contact was informed that the torque convertor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 82,630.
I put my car in reverse and the back up camera on the head unit is blue
Occasionally the ignition key cannot be turned to the OFF position and cannot be removed. After shifting to Park, the key can be turned to position 1 (ACC) but will not turn all the way to position 0 (OFF) and therefore the key cannot be removed from the steering column. So far I have been able to temporarily resolve the problem by re-starting and stopping the engine several times. The number of times the cycle must be repeated is not consistent. On one occasion, the driver was not able to remove the key so the key was left in position 1 for several hours. This resulted in a drained battery and the truck would not start. We needed a mechanic to come by and jump start the truck.
We have been complaining to the dealerships (2) since 2021 about a spontaneous outage of the Infotainment system. Each time we were told there was no problem. They claimed to have contacted GM, who said 'no problem' or so we were told. The 'problem' has become a serious safety issue for myself. It starts with a loud constant ‘ticking’ sound that begins after getting seated, even before the key is placed in the ignition and does not stop. The radio rolls a list of station numbers even when nothing is on making it very distracting. Listening to the radio has become impossible. This system malfunction has created a more serious problem for me. At my height, the view of the speedometer reading on the dashboard is blocked by the steering wheel making me dependent on the mph display directly in front of the steering wheel, and is part of the Infotainment system, which keeps going off and I have no way to watch or judge my speed safely. It also interferes when using gps and causes a loss of direction. This is just downright dangerous. As obvious as the problem is, the current dealership requires a $190 diagnostic fee with repair costs to follow. This system was not an option or add-on. We could not break it or wear it out. Now out of warranty GM refuses any responsibility. Why no recall? Many complaints stated on social media.
The steering just stop work and started jerking?
Ignition key gets stuck and will not come out of switch when vehicle is put in park and turned off. Must restart vehicle several times and engage transmission from park to drive or neutral several times before the key will eventually come out
Electrical problems with Chevrolet Mylink display. A variety of errors include backup camera flashing on at highway speeds, hands free phone calls put on hold, navigation screen flashing random inaccurate destinations. These distractions impair safe operation of the vehicle. Dealer verified issues but could not perform diagnostics on a timely basis. Issues continue.
My 2018 Chevrolet Colorado is having transmission issues. It started at 90,000 miles and is now getting worse. The transmission stutters at various speeds and is very pronounced while going up an incline. I have taken it in several times to a chevy dealership only to be told nothing is wrong and no warning lights are on. Finally and just this week I have a dealership that is saying a code came up saying the transmission fluid needs to be change since they receive a service technical bulletin saying the wrong transmission fluid was original installed and needs to be replaced. The repairs are at my costs and it just doesn't seem right. Is there anything I can do?
While driving my truck overheated and Antifreeze was leaking inside the car. Due to the antifreeze leaking my windows were fogging up pretty quickly and I couldn’t see. Therefore having to stop in the middle of the road cause I could t see almost getting hit. Now I can not drive the my car due to the smell making my kids and myself sick. It also states in the paper work after buying my truck new that this is a defect part. This would be a heater core. Thanks for this heater core being inside the truck I almost was hurt.
It trys to constantly shif gears and when it does finnally shifts it starts to shutter bad have to pull off the road and shut it off sometimes it will stop it and sometimes it doesn't it very annoying and can't be safe or good I know that this specific transmission has a recall but for some reason my truck didn't I haven't even made my first car payment I noticed it the very first day I took it home the service porter said I had it in for wheel drive when it wasn't than blamed it on the tires .the dash lights go out .the radio changes stations Werth out me even touching the steering wheel
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated while driving approximately 45-65 MPH, the vehicle would shudder. The dealer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the manufacturer. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA to file a complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
The key repeatedly will not turn to off position and cannot be removed from ignition. This results in my having to leave the key in the ignition. IE: at the grocery store, at the post office, at the drug store etc. I have taken to dealership. The first time for 2 days and they said they could not duplicate the problem. The 2nd time it happened in the service drive. The service advisor saw it but the technician said could not duplicate. This could result in stolen vehicle or dead battery depending how long I have to leave in the on position. The TSB on this says replace shifter control assembly.
Upon acceleration the truck felt as if we were riding over rumble strips. No lights/warnings. Although this was ongoing whenever driving, the truck continued to operate normally otherwise. Searching the internet noted a problem with this year/make/model with the transmission - one search result suggested submitting the information here. The dealer flushed the fluid today and told us it might take up to 200 miles for the shudder/rumble to stop.
When driving over 40MPH there is a very pronounced Shuttering/Vibration that occurs. Assume it's caused by the transmission based on many complaints I've read on the internet.
El vehículo en muchas ocasiones no quiere encender el tablero, se vuelve loco como si quisiera apagar ah blim, queda mucho ah, las luces del tablero y la radio se encienden y apagan
Ignition Key can't be removed and will not rotate all the way to the off position. Have to leave key in the ignition and the door unlocked. It does not do this all the time, but enough to know GM has a design problem and should figure out a solution and issue a recall. When I go on line I find that this seems to be a common problem with a lot of colorado owners.
Key cannot be removed from ignition. I bought my truck 6 months ago and it’s been in the shop 3 times bc I can’t remove my key. Last time it left me stranded at my veterinary clinic at 1 AM after dealing with an emergency because the battery died. It appears as though I am not the only one having this issue
2018 CHEVROLET Colorado...when driving if a side window is dropped less than an inch, vehicle shakes, vibrates and make odd noises. Raise all windows and vehicle runs smoothly. Many drivers are reporting the same problem online. Both the Colorado and same GMC vehicle having same problem. When a window is lowered the vehicle vibrates and shakes violently...one has to drop down to 30 miles and hour to make it safe to drive. Seems like a problem GMC should be able to repair without much trouble.
The Multimatic DSSV damper in the left rear lost its fluid through a leak. Various forums indicate there is a design flaw with the DSSV for the ZR2. A blown shock renders the vehicle unbalanced, and marginally safe in unexpected rough terrain or when pulling a trailer. These dampers or shocks have shafts that are too thin and poorly designed seals, causing them to leak.
Ignition tumbler and steering wheel locked. Could not turn key, could not turn wheel. Truck was is park on flat driveway. Tried all basic instructions (three adults) and then called mobile mechanic. He could not get it to turn either and could not remove steering wheel cover to access ignition tumbler to replace. Truck is three years old. Had to have it towed to dealership.
2018 CHEVY COLORADO ZR2, 21000 MILES. ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING IN MOTION ON ROAD. RESTARTED TWICE AND SHUTDOWN AGAIN TWICE. CHECK END ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND TRACTION CONTROL SAID IT WAS DISABLED. STARTED THIRD TIME AND PUT IN DRIVE. WOULDN'T PUT POWER FROM ENGINE TO DRIVE TRAIN. 4TH START, PUT IN DRIVE AND LIMPED BACK HOME. WAS TOWED TO CLOSEST DEALER AND THEY CLEARED ERROR CODES WITH DIAGNOSING. I SCANNED CODES BEFORE BEING TOWED AND ERROR CODES WERE U0700 AND U0100. AFTER 3 DAYS OF NO COMMS FROM 1ST DEALER HAD 2ND DEALER PICK UP VIA TOW TRUCK. THEY SAID 1ST DEALER CLEARED CODES AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE. PICKED UP TRUCK AND RAN FINE FOR A WEEK, THEN HAD SAME ISSUE ON BUSY ROAD. HAD TO RESTART, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND LIMPED BACK HOME. SCANNED CODES AND RECEIVED SAME U0700, U0100. DEALER IS HAVING TOW TRUCK PICK UP TRUCK TO DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE CAUSING TRUCK TO SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AND NOT KNOWING IF IT WILL RESTART AND HAVE POWER TO DRIVETRAIN.
IGNITION SWITCH FULLY WON'T TURN TO OFF POSITION. ENGINE DOES TURN OFF, BUT KEY CAN'T BE REMOVED. HAPPENS FREQUENTLY AND SO FAR, STARTING IT, PUTTING IT INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE AND MOVE A BIT, THEN BACK INTO PARK WILL WORK. AT SOME THAT MIGHT NOT WORK AND I'D HAVE TO LEAVE THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND LEAVE THE TRUCK UNATTENDED. I COULD STILL LOCK IT, BUT IF SOME KIDS SEE IT OR BREAK INTO IT, THEY COULD DRIVE IT AWAY. CHEVY KNOWS ABOUT THIS. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN #PI1429B.
DUEL DRINK (COFFEE) CUP HOLDERS NEXT TO SHIFTER LEAK FROM ANY DRIP OR SPILL. IT IS NOT DESIGNED TO CONTAIN ANY SMALL OR INSIGNIFICANT SPILL OR DRIP. ANY LIQUID LEAKS DOWN DIRECTLY UPON SENSITIVE EXPOSED ELECTRICAL DIP SWITCHES NEEDED TO SHIFT THE TRUCK. THIS INCLUDES THE RUBBER RESERVOIR (DOES NOT HOLD WATER AND DIRECTS LIQUIDS THROUGH KNOBBIES TO UNDERSIDE) AND THE HARD PLASTIC CONTAINER (HARD PLASTIC COMPARTMENT HAS DRAINAGE HOLES THAT LEAD DIRECTLY TO TOP OF ELECTRICAL SWITCHES) IS DESIGNED LIKE A STRAINER. REPLACING ELECTRICAL SWITCHES COST ME $632. I CANNOT USE THE BEVERAGE HOLDERS AS I INFERRED THAT THEY WERE DESIGNED TO USE, TO NOT ONLY HOLD MY BEVERAGE IN PLACE BUT CONTAIN IT FROM LEAKING ABOVE ANY SENSITIVE EXPOSED ELECTRICAL SWITCHES. I UNDERSTAND THE SAME DESIGN IS IN THE CHEVY EQUINOX THIS YEAR. GOOD LUCK.
WE WERE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET AND WE STARTED TO SMELL BURNED PLASTIC, WE PULLED OVER AND THE SEAT WHERE MY 3 MONTH OLD BABY IN HER CAR SEAT STARTED TO SMOKE, I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR SEAT OUT AND FLAMES STARTED TO COME OUT FROM BEHIND THE SEAT, POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE, FIRE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME IT'S A ELECTRICAL RELATED FIRE.THEY ARE NO SEAT WARMERS ON THE REAR SEATS.
STARTED THE TRUCK ON A COLD MORNING, COOLING FAN KICKED IN ON HIGH WITHIN SECONDS OF START. TEMPERATURE GAUGE ON DASH NOTED TO BE INOPERATIVE AT THAT TIME. HOSES FROM RADIATOR BECAME WARM AS NORMAL, HEAT DELIVERY TO CAB ALSO NORMAL. DROVE FOR A FEW MILES WITHOUT CHANGE IN FAN SPEED. ENGINE TURNED OFF, FAN SPEED REMAINED HIGH FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. SAME PATTERN OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY, WITH NORMAL FUNCTION OTHERWISE, INCLUDING NORMAL FUNCTION OF DASH TEMPERATURE GAUGE. CODES READ AT REPAIR SHOP DURING ONE EPISODE SHOWED PROBLEM WITH THERMOSTAT. THERMOSTAT/HOUSING REPLACED ON 2/15/21. TRUCK DRIVEN SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT PROBLEM, BUT SEVERAL DAYS LATER, PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN, FAN ON HIGH, TEMP GAUGE INOPERATIVE. HAS BEEN INTERMITTENT SINCE, WITH NORMAL FUNCTION IN BETWEEN IDENTICAL MALFUNCTION EPISODES.
ABOUT A YEAR AGO, I STARTED GETTING A SLIGHT SHUDDER IN MY TRANSMISSION SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. THEY COULDN'T GET IT TO SHUDDER. SEVERAL TIMES I'LL BE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT OR AROUND 45MPH AND THE TRUCK WILL START SHUDDERING SO BAD I FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. EVERY TIME I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR I END UP LOSING MY TRUCK FOR A DAY AND THEY TELL ME THEY CAN FIND ANYTHING WRONG EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND THERE IS A TSB OUT TO FIX THE ISSUE.
THE TRUCK VIBRATES , STUTTERS SOME TIMES WHEN DRIVING. WENT TO DEALER HE SAID IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING IN TRUCKS. HE SAID THICKER TRANS OIL SHOULD FIX IT. IS THIS JUST A BAND AID FOR A BIGGER PROBLEM. WOULD LIKE YOUR VIEW. THANKS.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026