Chevrolet Colorado 2015–2022

2nd generation · GMT 31XX · 2,574 complaints, 1,293 with mileage

When failures happen

What fails, and when

By model year

Which systems, and when

Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 38,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.

The steering accounts for 34.5% of complaints (888 reports, 422 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 60,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 39,000 and 90,000 miles.

A single system taking 34.5% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.

The transmission and driveline accounts for 16.8% of complaints (432 reports, 251 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 12,400 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,750 and 34,000 miles.

The electrical system accounts for 11.8% of complaints (303 reports, 117 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 37,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 17,000 and 58,000 miles.

Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 7.3% of complaints (188 reports, 67 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 17,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 2,800 and 37,545 miles.

The engine accounts for 7.3% of complaints (187 reports, 103 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 30,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 6,300 and 50,000 miles.

The brakes account for 3.8% of complaints (99 reports, 34 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 27,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 8,000 and 51,000 miles.

Differences between model years

Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2016 model year drew the most — 938 complaints — while 2022 drew the fewest at 66. The median year sits at 220.

That makes 2016 an outlier: roughly 4.3 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.

Recalls and what they cover

NHTSA records 12 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.

The campaigns cluster around the airbag system (4), seats (2), the steering (2). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.

Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.

Reported severity

Of the 2,574 complaints filed against this generation, 82 reported a crash; 27 reported a fire; 75 reported an injury; 3 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 3.2% of the total.

These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.

What this means if you are buying one

For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 10,200 and 68,000 miles, with a median of 38,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.

On inspection, the steering and the transmission and driveline are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The transmission and driveline in particular shows a median failure mileage of 12,400, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.

None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.

Documented problems

Recalls (12)

What owners reported

Other generations

• Chevrolet Colorado 2004–2012
• Chevrolet Colorado 2023–2025