There are 4 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2018 Chevrolet Coloradoin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The issue is with the transmission not shifting as should. The issue is called Shuddering and seems to be a know isuue. If you google search issues with 2018 Chevy Colorado this is the first issue that comes up. This could cause an accident. If gears aren’t shifting properly and I cannot excel as needed I could be rear ended or cause me not to be able merge into traffic if once accelerating it shudders and causes my speed to slow. I think there should be a recall for this issue.
I HAVE A 2018 CHEVROLET COLORADO 3.6L. I HAVE HAD A RATTLE NOISE ON COLD START THAT WOULD HAPPEN EVERY SO OFTEN. NOW THAT I'M 1K MILES OUT OF POWERTRAIN WARRANTY THIS RATTLE NOISE HAPPENS JUST ABOUT EVERY TIME I START MY TRUCK. IT IS CAUSED BY THE VARIABLE TIMING ACTUATOR ON THE CAMSHAFT. I AM AN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN, AND I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH VARIABLE TIMING ACTUATORS. THE PROBLEM IS THE LOCK PIN IN THE ACTUATOR DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY WHEN YOU TURN THE VEHICLE OFF CAUSING IT TO DRAIN ALL THE OIL OUT OF IT. THIS CAUSES THE ACTUATOR TO RATTLE AROUND UNTIL IT GET OIL PRESSURE. THIS WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSING ISSUES WITH YOUR TIMING CHAIN AND OTHER COMPONENTS INTERNALLY IN THE ENGINE. VERY DISTURBING THAT GM KEEPS MAKING VEHICLES THAT WORK FINE, USUALLY, UNTIL THEY HAVE GOTTEN OUT OF WARRANTY. LET ME ALSO STATE THAT I REGULARLY CHANGE MY OIL WITH THE RECOMMENDED OIL AND WELL BEFORE IT'S DUE. NOT VERY HAPPY!
A FAULTY ENGINE BLOCK HEATER CAUSED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO CATCH FIRE WHILE THE TRUCK WAS PARKED, TURNED OFF AND THE FACTORY INSTALLED ENGINE BLOCK HEATER WAS PLUGGED IN.
WHILE DRIVING HOME, YELLOW CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON & I NOTICED REDUCTION OF OIL PRESSURE. PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, SHUT OFF ENGINE, WENT INSIDE. UPON RETURNING, NOTICED SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OIL ON DRIVEWAY. DIPSTICK SHOWED NO OIL. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. THEY VERIFIED LEAKING CAME FROM DEFECTIVE OIL COOLER LINE HOSE. WAITED SEVERAL DAYS FOR REPLACEMENT PART. THIS IS A NEW 2018 COLORADO Z71 WITH ONLY 5K MILES ON ENGINE. AND, THIS IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM THAT GM HAS KNOWN ABOUT SINCE 2015 AND IMPACTS BOTH COLORADO AND CANYON MODELS (THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON WEB). THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. IT WAS NOT A SLOW LEAK. OBVIOUSLY, IT IS MANUFACTURING PROBLEM. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (INVOICE AND PICTURES) AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026