2023 Chevrolet Colorado problems

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My 2023 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 cannot receive over‑the‑air (OTA) software updates because the gateway module is still running outdated firmware (XXX.mnf). General Motors issued Service Update XXX to correct this defect by performing a vehicle‑wide programming update. However, GM’s system incorrectly shows the bulletin as “closed” for my VIN even though the gateway module was never updated. The truck was sold to me by Tyrell Chevrolet in [XXX] with this safety‑related service update not completed properly. The dealership has confirmed they cannot perform the required update because GM’s system will not authorize it until the bulletin is reopened. GM corporate has been contacted multiple times, but after several days they have not reopened the bulletin or provided a resolution. Because the gateway module remains on outdated firmware, the vehicle cannot receive critical OTA updates related to safety, diagnostics, and module stability. This condition has been reported by other 2023 Colorado owners and has previously been associated with battery‑drain issues caused by software modules failing to sleep properly. GM has acknowledged the defect by issuing Service Update XXX, but they are refusing to reopen the update for my VIN despite the incomplete firmware and the vehicle’s inability to receive OTA updates. I am filing this complaint so the defect and GM’s refusal to correct it are formally documented. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11749540 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION

My 2023 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 cannot receive over‑the‑air (OTA) software updates because the gateway module is still running outdated firmware (XXX.mnf). General Motors issued Service Update XXX to correct this defect by performing a vehicle‑wide programming update. However, GM’s system incorrectly shows the bulletin as “closed” for my VIN even though the gateway module was never updated. The truck was sold to me by Tyrell Chevrolet in [XXX] with this safety‑related service update not completed properly. The dealership has confirmed they cannot perform the required update because GM’s system will not authorize it until the bulletin is reopened. GM corporate has been contacted multiple times, but after several days they have not reopened the bulletin or provided a resolution. Because the gateway module remains on outdated firmware, the vehicle cannot receive critical OTA updates related to safety, diagnostics, and module stability. This condition has been reported by other 2023 Colorado owners and has previously been associated with battery‑drain issues caused by software modules failing to sleep properly. GM has acknowledged the defect by issuing Service Update XXX, but they are refusing to reopen the update for my VIN despite the incomplete firmware and the vehicle’s inability to receive OTA updates. I am filing this complaint so the defect and GM’s refusal to correct it are formally documented. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11749540 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

My 2023 Chevrolet Colorado (2.7L, approx. 49,000 miles) experiences sudden, intermittent loss of motive power involving the 8-speed automatic transmission. The transmission sets codes and the vehicle drops into limp mode, capped at roughly 45 mph, without warning. The most dangerous symptom is a total loss of acceleration from a stop, especially on inclines — pressing the accelerator produces no response. On one occasion, stopped on a slight incline, the vehicle rolled backward toward the car behind me when it failed to move forward on accelerator input. I narrowly avoided a collision. On a separate occasion, after pressing the accelerator with no response, the vehicle then suddenly lurched forward into cross traffic; repeated presses produced inconsistent, delayed engagement, nearly causing a collision. To climb inclines I now have to hold the brake while applying throttle and slowly release the brake to prevent rollback. These are unpredictable loss-of-control events that create a serious crash risk in traffic. I believe this relates to a known issue affecting the GM 8-speed automatic transmission. The vehicle is currently at a GM dealer and I have an open GM Customer Care case. No crash, fire, or injury has occurred yet, but two near-collisions have.

NHTSA complaint #11744039 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

My 2023 Chevrolet Colorado (2.7L, approx. 49,000 miles) experiences sudden, intermittent loss of motive power involving the 8-speed automatic transmission. The transmission sets codes and the vehicle drops into limp mode, capped at roughly 45 mph, without warning. The most dangerous symptom is a total loss of acceleration from a stop, especially on inclines — pressing the accelerator produces no response. On one occasion, stopped on a slight incline, the vehicle rolled backward toward the car behind me when it failed to move forward on accelerator input. I narrowly avoided a collision. On a separate occasion, after pressing the accelerator with no response, the vehicle then suddenly lurched forward into cross traffic; repeated presses produced inconsistent, delayed engagement, nearly causing a collision. To climb inclines I now have to hold the brake while applying throttle and slowly release the brake to prevent rollback. These are unpredictable loss-of-control events that create a serious crash risk in traffic. I believe this relates to a known issue affecting the GM 8-speed automatic transmission. The vehicle is currently at a GM dealer and I have an open GM Customer Care case. No crash, fire, or injury has occurred yet, but two near-collisions have.

NHTSA complaint #11744039 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

On May 15, 2026, my 2023 Chevrolet Colorado (2.7L L3B turbocharged engine, approximately 49,000 miles) lost its entire engine oil charge while in normal operation, and at NO point did the low-oil-pressure warning light illuminate to alert me. While driving, a loud buzzing/vibrating noise developed near the upper engine and the center dash area. The vehicle continued to run with no oil-pressure warning of any kind — no low-oil-pressure light and no audible oil-pressure chime. Concerned by the noise, I immediately pulled into a parking lot and checked under the hood. The engine oil dipstick was completely dry, showing no oil whatsoever. I added 3 quarts of oil and the dipstick still showed no reading, indicating the engine had been operating with a critically low or empty oil level. Throughout this entire event, no oil-pressure warning activated. There was no external oil leak, no puddle where the vehicle is normally parked, and no oil in the coolant reservoir, which suggests the oil was being consumed or lost internally rather than dripping out — a condition the driver cannot see or anticipate without a functioning warning system. Drivers depend entirely on the oil-pressure warning system to alert them before oil starvation causes catastrophic engine damage or sudden engine seizure. An engine that seizes without warning while the vehicle is in motion creates an immediate and severe crash risk — sudden loss of motive power in traffic, on a highway, or in an intersection. The complete failure of this warning system to illuminate during a total loss of oil is, by itself, a safety defect independent of whatever is causing the oil loss, because it removes the driver's only opportunity to stop the vehicle safely before failure. These symptoms also align with existing GM service documentation: TSB 25-NA-309 addresses high idle, oil consumption, oil leaks, and MIL illumination caused by internal failure of the PCV oil separator, and service campaign N232415060 addresses a

NHTSA complaint #11744040 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

My 2023 Chevrolet Colorado (2.7L, approx. 49,000 miles) experiences sudden, intermittent loss of motive power involving the 8-speed automatic transmission. The transmission sets codes and the vehicle drops into limp mode, capped at roughly 45 mph, without warning. The most dangerous symptom is a total loss of acceleration from a stop, especially on inclines — pressing the accelerator produces no response. On one occasion, stopped on a slight incline, the vehicle rolled backward toward the car behind me when it failed to move forward on accelerator input. I narrowly avoided a collision. On a separate occasion, after pressing the accelerator with no response, the vehicle then suddenly lurched forward into cross traffic; repeated presses produced inconsistent, delayed engagement, nearly causing a collision. To climb inclines I now have to hold the brake while applying throttle and slowly release the brake to prevent rollback. These are unpredictable loss-of-control events that create a serious crash risk in traffic. I believe this relates to a known issue affecting the GM 8-speed automatic transmission. The vehicle is currently at a GM dealer and I have an open GM Customer Care case. No crash, fire, or injury has occurred yet, but two near-collisions have.

NHTSA complaint #11744039 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

On May 15, 2026, my 2023 Chevrolet Colorado (2.7L L3B turbocharged engine, approximately 49,000 miles) lost its entire engine oil charge while in normal operation, and at NO point did the low-oil-pressure warning light illuminate to alert me. While driving, a loud buzzing/vibrating noise developed near the upper engine and the center dash area. The vehicle continued to run with no oil-pressure warning of any kind — no low-oil-pressure light and no audible oil-pressure chime. Concerned by the noise, I immediately pulled into a parking lot and checked under the hood. The engine oil dipstick was completely dry, showing no oil whatsoever. I added 3 quarts of oil and the dipstick still showed no reading, indicating the engine had been operating with a critically low or empty oil level. Throughout this entire event, no oil-pressure warning activated. There was no external oil leak, no puddle where the vehicle is normally parked, and no oil in the coolant reservoir, which suggests the oil was being consumed or lost internally rather than dripping out — a condition the driver cannot see or anticipate without a functioning warning system. Drivers depend entirely on the oil-pressure warning system to alert them before oil starvation causes catastrophic engine damage or sudden engine seizure. An engine that seizes without warning while the vehicle is in motion creates an immediate and severe crash risk — sudden loss of motive power in traffic, on a highway, or in an intersection. The complete failure of this warning system to illuminate during a total loss of oil is, by itself, a safety defect independent of whatever is causing the oil loss, because it removes the driver's only opportunity to stop the vehicle safely before failure. These symptoms also align with existing GM service documentation: TSB 25-NA-309 addresses high idle, oil consumption, oil leaks, and MIL illumination caused by internal failure of the PCV oil separator, and service campaign N232415060 addresses a

NHTSA complaint #11744040 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Failed upper radiator hose.

NHTSA complaint #11743322 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION

The blind spot indicator on my truck activates randomly without any vehicle present, and I reported this issue immediately after purchasing it. Despite bringing the truck to Boyd Chevrolet in Henderson, NC multiple times, I am repeatedly told they “can’t duplicate the problem” and therefore cannot repair it. Their only explanation has been that “maybe a future software update will fix it.” No components have ever been replaced to rule out a defective part, and I have no indication that Boyd Chevrolet has escalated the issue to Chevrolet, or anyone else, for further guidance. After nearly three years and 30,000 miles, the problem remains completely unaddressed while my warranty is nearing expiration. This is not a minor inconvenience — it is a serious safety hazard. On several occasions, I have begun changing lanes only for the blind spot indicator to suddenly illuminate, causing me to jerk the wheel to avoid a car that isn’t there. The unexpected false alerts create a dangerous overreaction that puts me and others at risk. I want my truck properly diagnosed and repaired, but I have been unable to find a solution through the dealership. I have detailed service records documenting every visit and every time I reported this issue. At this point, I need meaningful action taken to resolve this ongoing safety concern.

NHTSA complaint #11740714 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES

My 2023 Chevy Colorado developed a rear brake squeal when backing up at approximately 20,000 miles. The dealer found nothing wrong at my next appointment. By 30,000 miles, the rear pads and rotors required replacement, at partial cost to me. The new rear brakes are already squealing again after just a few thousand miles. This isn't an isolated issue. A Chevy Colorado forum I follow has documented multiple owners experiencing the same pattern: rear brake squealing beginning around 20,000 miles, followed by premature pad and rotor failure shortly after. Notably, front brake wear is normal across all reported cases, including my own, pointing directly to a rear-specific defect rather than general driving habits or conditions. The rear brakes on the 2023 Chevy Colorado appear to be failing well ahead of any reasonable service interval, and the consistency of this pattern across multiple owners strongly suggests a systemic problem.

NHTSA complaint #11739233 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Engine light came on. Fan ran high. Had it towed to the dealership. Has 39,000 miles on it. Needs a new upper radiator hose due to a defective hose. Apparently, after reading online, GM is aware of this issue. Now we have to pay the diagnostic fee and $850 for a new hose and a flush, as well as the tow bill! Now can’t get the part for a week or 8 days and then have to wait on the repair. This is unsatisfactory that there is a known problem and isn’t covered or hasn’t been a recall.

NHTSA complaint #11738638 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Faulty Radiator Inlet Hose, upper radiator hose failure, outlined in PIT6494A. This is the third time that the light on the dashboard has come on for failure, the first time they "Fixed it" the second time they said it was the Battery, it was NOT!! This time they are saying what it really is, The Radiator Hose FAILURE, since the vehicle is only 3 years old but over the 36k mile WARRANTY, they will NOT fix! failure on their part.

NHTSA complaint #11736022 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Faulty Radiator Inlet Hose, upper radiator hose failure, outlined in PIT6494A. This is the third time that the light on the dashboard has come on for failure, the first time they "Fixed it" the second time they said it was the Battery, it was NOT!! This time they are saying what it really is, The Radiator Hose FAILURE, since the vehicle is only 3 years old but over the 36k mile WARRANTY, they will NOT fix! failure on their part.

NHTSA complaint #11736022 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

The automated emergency breaking system has been triggered unintentionally twice traveling at speeds of 50 miles per hour. There was no vehicle or object that entered our path. We were traveling behind cars at least three car lengths behind that remained at the same speed. Had there been vehicles behind us, we would have been rear ended at high speeds as the truck came to almost a complete stop on its own immediately.

NHTSA complaint #11733820 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Blind spot monitoring system consistently malfunctions, illuminating the driver mirror warning light when no other vehicles are present. It occurs more frequently after dark, which flickers the bright light continuously, or leaves it on constantly, creating a significant distraction and mistrust of the systems reliability. Dealer had no recommendation for fix.

NHTSA complaint #11732461 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION

Blind spot monitoring system consistently malfunctions, illuminating the driver mirror warning light when no other vehicles are present. It occurs more frequently after dark, which flickers the bright light continuously, or leaves it on constantly, creating a significant distraction and mistrust of the systems reliability. Dealer had no recommendation for fix.

NHTSA complaint #11732461 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING

Traveling approximately 45 mph on a main road and brakes automatically engaged causing vehicle to abruptly stop. This due to faulty Automatic Emergency Braking system that has allegedly already been repaired with a software update. My child and I were in the vehicle and had another vehicle been directly behind us or even oncoming we would have likely been involved in a collision. There was no warning that came on other than the red flashing lights and beeping that engaged the same time as the automatic braking. I will likely have to go to seek medical care for soreness in my neck and back from the jarring of my body from the abrupt stop. Waiting to hear if daughter is feeling any pain as well, as mine onset through the day after the incident.

NHTSA complaint #11731914 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Coolant leak, upper radiator hose, TSB issued PIT6494A over $500 repair. Not covered under any warranty.

NHTSA complaint #11730145 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Smell gas the night before. Today, March-20-2026, after driving car for few miles, it came to a complete stop on high way I-95. Large amount of fuel was leaking from fuel hose attached to fuel tank. Vehicle was unsafe to drive.Vehicle was towed to car shop. Damaged part will be determined after fuel tank removal. Vehicle is at Franco Auto Repair in Dania Beach, Florida

NHTSA complaint #11725969 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The upper radiator hose on some huge percentage of these trucks fail (mine has failed at just over 20K miles). You can check the Colorado Chevy forum, youtube, etc., et al, and find plenty of instances where this has failed. As this is the cooling system, it can cause the engine to overheat and potentially ruin the engine. The flaw seems to be an engineering issue with the rubber seal they use (instead of a high quality o-ring) to seal the upper hose to the radiator. Additionally, since this can cause engine failure it should be addressed immediately. Instead, my local Chevy dealer, since its not a recall item, said they could schedule a time next week for me to LEAVE the truck and then they would get to it in 7-10 days. This is extremely unfair to the consumer who depends on these vehicles. This should absolutely be a recall item. You can find 1000's of examples online and if you can pull GM repair data, I'm sure you'll find 1000's more.

NHTSA complaint #11722505 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Radiator hose near failure, lose of coolant could be catastrophic. Upper Radiator hose quick disconnect O-ring inside failed.

NHTSA complaint #11720352 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Since Friday, February 23rd 2026 when my 2023 Chevy Colorado first start blowing oil out of the oil pan. almost 5 qts total was lost when it arrived at the dealership. Truck was out of service from Friday until the following Wednesday, January 28th. The truck was picked up and taken on a drive out to (January 29th, 2026) Waverly, KS from my hometown of Prairie Village, KS about 70 miles. On the way back home the truck went into safe mode at highway speeds. Lost all acceleration and barely made it off the side of the road before getting hit. Truck went back to dealership after being towed 70 miles. Where it was kept until Friday, February 6th. During this time at the dealership, they thought the problem was fixed, where again blew out all the oil while driving. Finally received the truck back. Check engine lights were still on but truck was holding oil and driving decent. Truck was doing fine until Monday February 16th. I was at a job and was driving home to finish the day. Again on the highway at highway speeds, truck goes into safe mode and limp it to gas station to again be empty on oil. It is still sitting there. Just last January the truck needed a new Transmission at 48,000 miles and at the same time a wirinig harness for the back-up camera needed replaced. Alot of things have been going wrong with this truck to be so new. It has cost me alot of out of pocket expenses.

NHTSA complaint #11719107 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.