429 of the
4,906 complaints filed about the Chevrolet Colorado
are about the engine —
9% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2006.
While driving our 2022 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 (VIN: [XXX]) through an active roadway intersection at approximately midnight, the vehicle experienced a sudden, uncommanded complete loss of motive power and stalled without advance warning. Our teenage daughter was driving, making the abrupt loss of power, steering assist, and vehicle control in live traffic especially dangerous for an inexperienced driver. The stalled truck had to be physically pushed out of active traffic lanes into a nearby gas station for safety and has required flatbed towing for all subsequent transport. In the days prior to failure, an intermittent, unidentifiable mechanical odor was noticed, but zero warning lamps, dashboard messages, or diagnostic trouble codes were displayed, and the vehicle drove normally until the sudden shutdown. At the scene, an OBD-II diagnostic scan pulled DTC P0019-00 (Crankshaft Position - Exhaust Camshaft Position Not Plausible Bank 2). An independent service center subsequently confirmed adequate, safe oil levels (ruling out oil starvation), and independent technicians confirmed catastrophic internal engine failure. The truck is currently at an authorized Chevrolet dealership undergoing formal diagnostics to determine the exact internal failure mechanism (including potential correlation to known bearing/valvetrain defect patterns under GM Bulletin 19-NA-256). The vehicle and components are available for inspection upon request. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11757813 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
a/c control knocks out tempter senor and gauge goes to zero and check engine light comes on, gas mileage goings to hell, turn off engine clutch fan runs for several minutes, can still touch water hoses by hand and not even hot. This is a big safety problem because I'm looking at the gauge and now causing more smog! Chevrolet Merele Stone in Porterville CA had it all day reporting A GM Strat sticking ,it was a brand new gm delco and senor and still doing it . It's a $1000.00 to repair itThey had to jump start my truck went picking it up. tried to charge the battery over night but dead battery, had to replace it $250.00 expense, and $189.00 to denoised. Called GM for a appointment in Visalia to check the problem 42 mile on way from home and showed up to No APPOINTMENT!
NHTSA complaint #11756785 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that while reversing out of the driveway, the check engine warning light illuminated. The failure recurred while driving 65 MPH. The vehicle was taken to AutoZone, where DTCs P0024 and P0014 were retrieved, indicating exhaust camshaft position system performance issues for Bank 2 and Bank 1. The contact associated the failure with GM Special Coverage Number: N232430470 (Camshaft Position Actuator Valve Solenoid - Bank 2 (Left Side) Exhaust). The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where the diagnostic result was confirmed. The dealer swapped the camshaft position sensor actuators between both banks and cleared the codes. The contact was advised that the cause of the failure would be determined if the diagnostic trouble codes returned. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the special coverage. The failure mileage was approximately 36,500.
NHTSA complaint #11755484 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:CRANK/CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that while reversing out of the driveway, the check engine warning light illuminated. The failure recurred while driving 65 MPH. The vehicle was taken to AutoZone, where DTCs P0024 and P0014 were retrieved, indicating exhaust camshaft position system performance issues for Bank 2 and Bank 1. The contact associated the failure with GM Special Coverage Number: N232430470 (Camshaft Position Actuator Valve Solenoid - Bank 2 (Left Side) Exhaust). The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where the diagnostic result was confirmed. The dealer swapped the camshaft position sensor actuators between both banks and cleared the codes. The contact was advised that the cause of the failure would be determined if the diagnostic trouble codes returned. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the special coverage. The failure mileage was approximately 36,500.
NHTSA complaint #11755484 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH, the engine revved without the accelerator pedal being depressed. The contact stated that while turning onto an exit ramp, the brake pedal was depressed to slow the vehicle; however, there was resistance to the brake pedal, and an excessive amount of pressure was needed to depress brake pedal to stop the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was informed of the failure. The dealer informed the contact that failure might cause the complete engine failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.
NHTSA complaint #11754991 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving at normal and safe highway speeds, without warning (no audible or visual warning from the vehicle information display) my vehicle experienced engine lockout, loss of all non-electric power, and no control over vehicle speed. A few seconds after loss, the information display did show a "check engine light" and that the engine was in "lockout." We (my spouse, young child, and self) were surrounded by multiple commercial semi-trucks and passenger vehicles and had to weave and serve to avoid collisions at highway speeds and get to the shoulder of the highway in a few seconds. The root cause as diagnosed by a Chevrolet Dealership Service Department was failure of the magnetic strip that is press fit to the reluctor (tone) wheel. A 1/2in piece of the magnetic strip was missing and over 10 cracks within the strip itself observed. This magnetic strip is used by the Engine Control Module to measure engine RPMs. The strip's failure caused the EMC to shutdown the engine without warning which is a significant hazard for controlled vehicle movement at highway speeds. My vehicle's engine (LWN) is one of the few GM designs that have the press fit magnetic strip reluctor wheels. The rest use integrated wheels with the crankshaft or traditionally stamped steel with machined teeth. The vehicle and reluctor wheel has not been inspected by GM or any other representatives. I offered to send images to GM for records but they declined.
NHTSA complaint #11754282 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brake vacum pump experienced a catastrophic failure. I was unable to step on the break because the break pedal was hard. I ran thru a red light. I was told the brake vacume pump shattered & pieces of metal went into my engine
NHTSA complaint #11753572 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Colorado. While the contact’s husband was driving into the driveway at the residence, the steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn. The vehicle was parked, and the hood was opened to determine the cause of the failure. The contact’s husband discovered that the serpentine belt had slipped off the pulley because the pulley was fractured. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,000.
NHTSA complaint #11753224 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving on the parkway, the engine revved, and then the brakes became hard as a brick. The truck was unable to be stopped. There were no warning lamps or indications there was a problem, it happened suddenly and immediately. Other drivers' and my own safety was at risk because I could not stop the truck. Here is the diagnosis from the GM service center where it was towed to: "After the removal of the valve cover, the tech found the pump in pieces, and the end of the exhaust camshaft was damaged, as presented in the photos. The quote attached depicts all that is being replaced with this repair." The is a know and acknowledged GM defect that has affected well over 3 million vehicles to date. There was a recall issued for some models, but not the Chevrolet Colorado. There are many reports online of other Colorado owners having the exact brake vacuum pump failure, resulting in damage to the camshaft.There is also a class action lawsuit filed in Michigan in early 2026, involving the same brake vacuum pump failure, for some of the models that were not included in the recall. This is an extremely dangerous mechanical failure that GM is aware of.
NHTSA complaint #11748403 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Component that failed: brakes. I was pulling into a parking spot at low speed and the brake pedal was suddenly extremely difficult to depress, almost impossible. It felt as if a brick were under the pedal but there was no obstruction. I was able to stop only because I was already going so slow. Safety of myself and others was at risk because I was almost unable to stop the vehicle. If I had been going any faster I don't believe I would have been able to without crashing into an obstacle. Vehicle is currently at a service shop but issue has not been verified or repaired as of today. When restarting the vehicle, the engine stuttered and started making odd sounds, and wouldn't idle properly. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms at all prior to failure. When I entered the parking lot it was working normally and when I turned to enter a parking spot the brakes suddenly just failed.
NHTSA complaint #11748004 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:CRANK/CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the camshaft actuator valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact associated the failure with Special Coverage Program: N232430470 (Camshaft Position Actuator Valve Solenoid - Bank 2 (Left Side) Exhaust ); however, the VIN was not included in the program. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact to call the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 43,500.
NHTSA complaint #11746459 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
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.
Issue 1: Cooling Fan Remained On After Engine Shutdown Component or system involved: Engine cooling system and fan control system, including the radiator cooling fan, fan relay, coolant temperature sensor, wiring, or engine control module (ECM). The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. What happened: After turning off the engine, the radiator cooling fan remained running continuously for approximately five minutes and would not shut off as expected. No warning light, message, or other dashboard indication appeared before or during the event. This was unusual behavior compared with normal operation. Safety risk: The unexpected fan operation created concern that the cooling system was malfunctioning and that the vehicle could overheat, experience an electrical problem, or become unreliable while driving. A cooling system or electrical failure while in traffic could put me and other drivers at risk. Reproduction or confirmation: The issue occurred several time and was confirmed by a Chevrolet dealer, and was told that my warranty did not cover the issue. I took it to outside mechanic to fix the issue as Chevrolet wanted to charge over $1500 for the issue. No warning lamps, messages, overheating indicators, or other symptoms appeared before the fan remained on. The problem occurred suddenly back in 2025. Issue 2: Ignition Key Gets Stuck and Cannot Be Removed Ignition lock cylinder, ignition switch, transmission shift-interlock system, park-position switch, or steering column lock mechanism. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The ignition key intermittently becomes stuck and cannot be removed from the ignition. The problem occurs after parking and turning the vehicle off, and I sometimes need to move the shifter or steering wheel repeatedly before the key can be removed. A stuck ignition key can prevent me from properly shutting down and securing the vehicle. It may also indicate a failure in the ignition or shift-interlock system.
NHTSA complaint #11743496 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Since i've had my truck the passenger seat vibrates excessively while driving; the oil alert comes on even when there is oil, current oil change; seems to not have power, shifts hard. What's interesting is that these items come up when I searched on recalls. this truck is not driven hard... mehanic cant figure out what is causing the oil alert, the passenger seat shaking excessively.. and there is a recall on You Tube Truck was purchased in [XXX], 07/15 have lived in [XXX] since 11/15. This is unacceptable INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11742456 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Component: Drivetrain, brake, and engine management systems repeatedly fail in a coordinated pattern, with multiple warning indicators activating simultaneously and sudden unintended deceleration occurring without warning. Vehicle available for inspection. Safety risk: Most recent failure occurred at highway speed with family including passengers in the vehicle. Without warning, the vehicle decelerated abruptly while multiple dashboard warnings activated at once. Sudden deceleration at highway speed creates immediate risk of rear-end collision from following traffic and loss of vehicle control. Prior dealer confirmation: Yes. Curry Chevrolet (Scarsdale, NY) has had the vehicle in service for the same defect category on multiple prior occasions, including stays of over a week on at least two visits. The dealer has not permanently resolved the issue — symptoms have now recurred at sixth time. An additional early service visit at the same dealer was not documented with a repair order; I retain contemporaneous text messages establishing that visit occurred. Other inspections: Inspected only by Curry Chevrolet to date. GM Customer Assistance engaged (Case #XXX). No police, insurance, or independent inspections. New case has been filed with GM, linked to the previous (Case #XXX).Next service visit will be at a different authorized Chevrolet dealer for an independent diagnostic. Warning indicators: Yes. In the most recent incident, multiple warning lamps and system alerts activated simultaneously at the moment of deceleration, with no advance warning. Prior incidents showed the same multi-system warning pattern, consistently without predictive indicators. Vehicle is a 2026 Chevrolet Colorado, VIN [XXX], delivered January 2026 with 2,209 miles on the odometer at delivery. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11742259 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Engine fails it violenty thumps and studders and drops from highway speed with no warning. This is a mfg. defect and also an EXTREME SAFETY CONCERN. The engine studders and thumps and we were almost rear ended by a truck when our truck could not go into gear properly. It is very scary! Dealership confirmed that they have many vehicles with same issue and recommended a Super Flush of transmission but not sure this will correct problem or cause more problems. There is no warning when these incidents occur and the driver has no control to avoid it. It is commonly referred to as the Chevy thump and studder and a known mfg defect in which GM refuses to pay for repairs causing consumers an extreme hardship! This is an ongoing issue affecting thousands of vehicles and someone is going to die! There is no negligence of operator of vehicle, it is a manufacturing defect that affects thousands of GM vehicles and they are doing NOTHING about it except expecting customers to keep incurring cost to try to remedy a repair at our own expense which is unfair! The government needs to force a recall at GM's expense!
NHTSA complaint #11741750 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
The upper radiator hose on some huge percentage of these trucks fail (mine has failed at just over 35k 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 #11737678 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.