97 of the 1,446 complaints filed about the Chevrolet Trax are about the transmission — 7% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2015.
97
Complaints
7%
Share of all complaints
2
Crashes
3
Fires
POWER TRAIN
catastrophic internal failure (e.g., connecting rod issue punching the block),
NHTSA complaint #11750734 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
CRITICAL SAFETY INCIDENT / LIFE-THREATENING VEHICLE FIRE HAZARD. On January 2, 2026, I purchased a 2020 Chevrolet Trax. Within less than five months, while driving in active traffic, the vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic powertrain failure. The vehicle completely lost all acceleration, leaving me trapped and stranded in a highly dangerous roadway position. Immediately following the power failure, the engine bay filled with heavy smoke and began severely overheating. The vehicle came within moments of bursting into a full thermal engine fire. This vehicle was a rolling death trap that almost killed me on the road. No one is taking this life-threatening safety failure seriously. The selling dealership refused to address the known hazard, forcing a predatory repossession that destroyed my financial life while leaving a severely defective, fire-prone vehicle completely unaccounted for. I need an immediate federal investigation into this vehicle before this defect causes a fatal fire for another driver.
NHTSA complaint #11750507 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
I work from home, so I drive my car maybe once a week and only on flat highways. One day, I heard a loud booming crack and then suddenly the vehicle was making a grinding noise and pulling strangely. I drove directly to a mechanic and had them looked at the vehicle since it was highly concerning to me. They said that the rear differential had split suddenly and that it was actually extremely dangerous that I had been driving still. They said if it had fully cracked it might have ended in my death! Again, this car is very underworked and not driving over so crazy terrain or anything to cause damage. The mechanic also mentioned that they've seen this problem in this vehicle make a lot, stating, "it's very common". I had to drop 3 grand to fix this. Given the danger and that it's a common problem I'm surprised this isn't already a recall.
NHTSA complaint #11749154 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
While driving the car the start loosing power and attempts to shut down, other time the steering wheel locks up up and im unable to turn steering wheel. The check engine light comes on and turns off. The dealer/ Car repair shop has been unable to reproduce issue and unable tell me what this issue is. No accident has resulted from this as of yet. But car has some kind of malfuctioning issue.
NHTSA complaint #11737520 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
The vehicle lost communication to the transmission causing the check engine light to come on when the vehicle key was turned off the vehicle would not restart. There was no warning signs of this happening. The vehicle only had 70,000 miles on the odometer when this occured.
NHTSA complaint #11733519 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
On 4 seperate occasions, my vehicle has completely shut off in the middle of the road. 3 times this has happened while traveling on the interstate. Every time with my 6 year old son in the car. The steering wheel locks up when it happens and you have to use all of your strength to get out of the road as soon as possible to avoid being smashed by oncoming traffic. On 8 seperate occasions, my vehicle randomly loses the majority of it's power, and takes over 6,000 rpms just to continue at 50mph. The issue fixes itself by the time I try to take it to the dealership and they tell me there is nothing they can do about any of these issues because it "isn't doing it now" - refusing to even look at it. If I don't take no for an answer, they said just a diagnostic will take 48 hours and they do not offer any sort of loaner vehicle. Both of these events happen without warning, at completely random times. Chevrolet service members each give me different advice and non of it is helpful. My car is a death trap. I bought it brand new with 5 miles on it. I had to order it and wait for it to be shipped to me. This has happened throughout the entire life of the vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11731862 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
On December 28, 2025, while driving normally with my children, my 2024 Chevrolet Trax displayed multiple warnings including Engine Power Reduced, Service ESC, Service Stability, and Steering Assist Reduced. The engine began sputtering and knocking. The next morning the vehicle would not start and was towed to Malcolm Cunningham Chevrolet. The dealership found the engine free-wheeling with no compression and denied my warranty claim alleging spark plug tampering. I never touched the engine. It went directly from my driveway to the dealership via tow. An active recall — A242435780, Engine Spark Timing Following Auto Stop Event — was noted on the repair order upon arrival but was not completed until February 17, 2026, seven weeks after the engine failed. GM’s own recall states engine knock and engine damage are the known risks of this unrepaired fault. The dealership told me verbally it was just a console update, directly contradicting GM’s published description. A second dealership performed a compression test showing Cylinder 1 at 10 PSI, Cylinder 2 at 90 PSI, and Cylinder 3 at 0 PSI. Normal compression is 150 to 200 PSI. No diagnostic codes were retrievable. This dealership initially found something different but reversed their position after speaking with the first dealership and receiving direction from GM. GM denied my warranty claim and offered only a $2,000 incentive toward a new vehicle. The vehicle remains completely unrepaired. I continue making monthly payments on a car I cannot drive. This aligns with class action Cook v. General Motors LLC, Case 1:26-cv-00229-RGA, filed March 4, 2026.
NHTSA complaint #11731014 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
Since brand new the electronics have been defective. The lane keep assist has to be turned off during slippery road conditions because the computer jerks the steering wheel during normal driving where white road markings, such as merging lanes are present. During highway speeds on slippery snow or ice it nearly sends the vehicle into a dangerous maneuver. The backup camera was defective intermittently since it was new and was unable to be corrected by the dealer shop during its first new vehicle service. The rear camera has now gone completely out which is standard safety equipment. A dealership has ordered a new backup camera part. The transmission jerks and lurches. Odd shifting is normal for this vehicle which could lead to transmission failures which could lead to a collision.
NHTSA complaint #11730838 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
The first problem began at approximately 5,000 miles. After refueling, the vehicle’s transmission would slip severely. The slipping continued to occur intermittently after that point. I brought the vehicle to a dealership Initially, I was told that nothing was wrong with the vehicle. After further testing, the dealership identified a transmission issue related to Technical Service Bulletin 25-NA-211 and stated that the repair was completed. At approximately 8,000 miles, an additional issue occurred where the check engine light illuminated and a warning appeared indicating that the brakes had stopped working. This was extremely concerning and created a serious safety risk. Following the transmission repair, a new and more dangerous issue developed. The vehicle now fails to accelerate properly from a complete stop. When attempting to accelerate, it becomes stuck at approximately 1 mph for around 45 seconds before finally moving. This happens intermittently and creates a high risk of collision when entering traffic or crossing intersections. These issues—transmission slipping, brake warning alerts, and failure to accelerate—pose a serious safety hazard to myself and others on the road. The vehicle has been taken in for service, but the problems have not been fully resolved. I am requesting that this issue be investigated as a potential defect affecting this vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11730560 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
I was driving 70MPH down the highway, electronics blacked out, when they finally came back, the check engine light came on. Got to dealership, had 18 codes, engine, transmission, and electronics issues. Car is two weeks old with 498 miles on it.
NHTSA complaint #11725976 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
The vehicle has 2 permanent codes. One is a communication blackout, the other code means the hardware is melting. GM is doing a formal inspection in April. The Ucode meant that the engine stopped talking to the transmission or visa versa. The vehicle “ran my daughter and I” off the highway into the dirt, on 2 different occasions. They are described as “catastrophic engine failures”. The last one occurred on MLK Jr Day 2026, before the vehicle was permanently grounded. It could have been fatal. GM is doing a formal investigation to see what liability the have for it because the vehicle is now considered a “lemon”. There were no external (dashboard) warnings before the events, but, there may have been internal ones that require a professional grade scanner to detect. The permanent Ucode, which causes a communication blackout, never appeared in the vehicles memory, on a scanner, until AFTER the local GM franchise conducted “repairs” (unsuccessfully) to fix the vehicle. (It wouldnt start, which is often a symptom of a Permanent UCode. The GM investigation will determine if the dealership knew the safety liability, (the permanent Ucode) and they tried bypassing or ignoring it, or, if they CAUSED the safety defect. Also, the vehicle is now showing a Permanent PCode, which means it is now a potential fire hazard.
NHTSA complaint #11725693 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
Left red light on major hwy. Car stuck in first gear. Took MI turn around and no power steering. Limped home in first gear. Internet says there was a recall for 2014-15 Trax for same problems; Dealer says there's not, and told me to drive it there in 1st gear to check it out !
NHTSA complaint #11725182 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
I was driving down the highway going with the flow of traffic and my car caught fire. I was told by the mechanic that “the turbo line combusted and put a hole in the engine” I’ve also been told “oil got on the turbo belt and caught fire” I’ve also been told “the software recall actually had nothing to do with the software and it was an issue with turbos and something was mechanically wrong with this car. I was in the car with my 9 month old daughter. In the middle lane in the highway. The car instantly stopped accelerating leaving us going very slow compared to others. We could’ve been killed! I had to figure out how to get over and then get my daughter out of the car safely and wait on the side of the highway with a baby for fire and police to come put the fire out. When I was driving it sounded like pressure popped under the car and then I could almost hear pieces flying out. And then the dash lights came on telling me to turn the engine off. It was extremely unsafe and now I’m afraid to even drive with my baby in any car.
NHTSA complaint #11725012 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
My car sometimes has a hard time catching a gear during acceleration and jerks hard when letting off the gas pedal. It has done it since I purchased my car brand new in November 2023. I've had the car in the shop numerous times since I've purchased it. For a variety of issues.
NHTSA complaint #11723439 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
I was driving my car and was at a stop sign and the vehicle started acting odd and it felt like it was lunging me forward. I was concerned that it was going to do it without my control and after that it almost sluggish and stalling until I could get it out of the intersection. Took it to a repair shop and the whole turbo unit needs to be replaced with 38,000 miles on it.
NHTSA complaint #11719156 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
I have had replaced the valve cover 4 times already about ever 3 months or so and it is starting to chirp and act up by lagging and jumping on acceleration. My mother is [XXX] old and does not drive it hard or in excess. The 1st was in summer of 2024 the 2nd was December 2024 3rd was april 2025 4th November 2025 and it just started chirping again & its jyst now February. This is absolutely ridiculous. Ther are so many more things wrong with this car. Most of those are on the dealerships & their lies about this car are completely at fault; Unfortunately, they went out of business 2 weeks after my mother got the car. We found this news out when I brought it up to them to explain why her touch screen for the radio no longer responded. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11716067 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
We have a 2024 Chevrolet Trax purchased in July 2024, brand new with 6 miles. On Jan 9, 2026, we towed it to Serra Chevrolet for service due to repetitive screen blackouts and the inability to start the car. On Jan 16, 2026, we picked up the car. The car was diagnosed with a radiator leak, a replacement of the high-pressure fuel pump, and an update to the information system. Within two hours, the car would not start again, and we had it towed back to the dealer. We have been told that it now requires an entirely new engine, and we have been renting a car since January 9th, with no reasonable solutions from the dealer or GM Customer Care. We have also been informed that the engine is on backorder, and we have no timeline for its repair.
NHTSA complaint #11714717 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to formally request reimbursement or goodwill assistance for the repair of the turbocharger on my Chevrolet Trax, which failed unexpectedly and caused my vehicle to stall in the middle of the freeway, creating a serious safety hazard. I had previously reported concerns related to the turbo, and after the failure occurred, I learned that General Motors issued a Special Coverage Adjustment for turbocharger malfunction on certain Chevrolet Trax vehicles. Unfortunately, I never received any notification or letter informing me of this coverage. Had I been made aware, I would have taken appropriate action prior to the failure. Because this vehicle was my only means of transportation, I had no choice but to immediately repair it at my own expense. I later contacted GM Customer Assistance to inquire about reimbursement and was informed that my request was denied solely due to the vehicle exceeding 120,000 miles, despite the fact that: This is a known defect The failure resulted in a dangerous loss of power while driving I was never notified of the special coverage I was also advised that the notification was sent by a government department, yet no department could be identified, and despite multiple requests, I have not received a call back from a manager. Given the seriousness of the safety risk, the lack of notice, and the documented nature of this defect, I am respectfully requesting that GM reconsider my case for reimbursement or goodwill assistance for the turbocharger repair. I have attached copies of my repair invoice, proof of payment, and vehicle documentation for your review. I would appreciate escalation of this matter to a Senior Advisor or District Manager for further consideration. Thank you for your time and attention. I look forward to your response. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] 2017, Chevy Trax [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11711127 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2024 Chevrolet Trax. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was jerking while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that while driving at various speeds, the instrument panel intermittently went blank. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with a defective valve body and torque converter. The contact retrieved the vehicle, and the failure returned immediately upon exiting the parking lot. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and remained with the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was referred to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 1,900.
NHTSA complaint #11709333 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Trax. The contact stated that while his wife was making a left turn, the rear wheels locked up. The contact stated that his wife shifted into reverse(R) and attempted to turn and was able to execute the turn the second time. The contact stated that there were no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the rear differential had rusted out and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 74,200.
NHTSA complaint #11705632 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.