Chevrolet TRAX Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Chevrolet TRAX options? We analyzed 10 model years (2017–2026) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
Model-year trends show patterns. Run a VIN check for the exact Chevrolet TRAX you plan to buy.
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Chevrolet TRAX has 691 owner complaints and 8 safety recalls across model years 2017–2026. The most reported issue area is ENGINE. 2024 drew the most complaints; 2026 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Chevrolet
- Model
- TRAX
- Model years analyzed
- 2017–2026 (10 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 691
- Safety recall campaigns
- 8
- Crash-related complaints
- 49
- Fire-related complaints
- 18
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2024 (153 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2026 (9 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- ENGINE
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
Chevrolet TRAX: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
PoorThe CHEVROLET TRAX has 691 NHTSA complaints and 8 recalls on record. 49 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 691 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 8 federal recall campaigns
- 49 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Jun 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
8 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Safety Recall
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2017–2026. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
Most-reported problem areas
Based on component keywords extracted from all 691 NHTSA complaints.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
691 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
The contact owns Ac condenser became inoperable cluster Mask (ICM). The dealer diagnosed with a failed internal cluster mask. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 115,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Trax. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50-55 MPH, the driver's side roof rack exterior trim detached and flew off the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was inspected. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the dealer informed the contact that the manufacturer would partially cover the cost of the repair. The contact declined to pay a fee because the contact believed that the failure was a factory defect. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.
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.
The Turbo Charger failed suddenly without a prior display of a warning light and was replaced by an independent service center in June 2025. I received a letter from GM in November 2025 stating there was a known "condition" that may cause the Turbo Charger to need replacing but a recall was not issued. On 1/22/26 the vehicle suddenly went into "Limp Mode" while driving. The Throttle Body Injection Unit, Engine Coolant Water Outlet, and Coolant were replaced. The coolant had been topped off on 1/20/26. On 1/27/26 the vehicle began shuddering and lost power while I was driving on the highway. As I attempted to get to a gas station off of the next exit, it intermittently lost power and began smoking under the hood. It seemed to be overheating but there is no temperature gauge on the display. I had it towed to my service center again. At that time, four spark plugs and an ignition coil were replaced. After these repairs, I have continued to have significant power issues, the engine warning light has come back on, and the "Service Brake Assist" warning light has come on. Additionally, the instrument panel frequently goes blank or displays what can best be described as "static" and the A/C and heat do not work, making it difficult to defrost and defog the windshield. The wiper fluid will not come out even though the reservoir is full. Due to prohibitive diagnostic fees at the dealership, which I was told would not be waived or reimbursed, I have continued to utilize my independent service center to maintain basic drivability. My service center has advised me that the engine may fail completely within a short time frame. I have reported these issues to the manufacturer and have been assigned a case number. I'm concerned that this may indicate a potential safety defect and/or premature engine failure affecting my vehicle and others of the same model. I'm submitting this complaint for documentation and safety tacking.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Trax. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, while the roads were clear, dry, and the weather was good, the engine seized, and the vehicle lost motive power and decelerated to 55 MPH. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, and the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond and continued driving forward. While driving at 50 MPH, the failure reoccurred. The engine and stabili-trak illuminated after the vehicle came to a complete stop. The local dealer was contacted regarding loaner vehicles on two occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was scanned, and DTC: TCM U0101 and P0700 were retrieved. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was referred to the local dealer and the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.
Check engine light keeps coming on. Crankshaft sensor is the problem according to the code but the dealership says it’s the catalyst converter. Also my low power engine light came on.
At roughly 20,000 miles, my cars' carplay connection begain to intermittently disconnect. Never could get it to reproduce the same results when at the dealership. At roughly 60,000 miles the VCU (vehicle cockpit unit) began glitching. It would flicker, go black and then come back after a few seconds. Now at 92,xxx miles (don't know how many miles because it's black right now) its off more than its on. I can't get access to important vehicle information including digital speedometer, milage, tire pressure, oil life span, miles left until my gas tank is empty, and more. This makes it impossible to adhere to an oil change done at proper intervals, knowing my exact speed when driving, or if I'm about to run out of gas. And i cant see my tire pressure if it fluctuates before the tire pressure sensor goes off, possibly preventing me from getting to safety BEFORE i have a flat tire. GM has a recall for the screens on the newer 2024 and 2025 Trax, but this has been an issue in the Chevy Trax since around 2016. Also while driving in rain or wet conditions, the side detection shuts off and the screen will say "Side Detection System Unavailable" and no longer works. I have not been able to take my car to the dealership because they want too keep it and I don't have another way to get to work or get groceries. This car is my lifeline.
UNKNOWN I’ve had my car for 11 months. When I first got the car I got it fully inspected and there were minor issues like tires and brakes. However, now the ac compressor is completely damaged and there may be contamination in my lines. This is not an owner issue. I take really good care of my car. I just don’t know how this could’ve happened if this wasn’t a manufacturer related issue.
The instrument panel where the digital speed, tire pressure, mileage etc.. is displayed goes black. Sometimes it comes back on and sometimes it stays off for hours
The front exhaust flex pipe leaked by a corrosive hole that allowed exhaust and CO carbon monoxide to escape making the drivers dizzy, nauseated, and with a headache. This also caused the vehicle to smoke, run rough and stall in traffic. This also required the post 02 sensor to be replaced.
1/23/25 This is the 3rd time the turbocharger has malfunction within 2 1/2 months and is once again at the dealership service department. Horrible smoke was filling the inside of the car while I was driving and smelled as though something was badly burning. The car had began shaking with minimal driving and loss of power. Electric dashboard not working which should indicate if there is any particular problems going on with my Trax. This is a real Safety Hazard. My car should be recalled in order to fix this hazardous problem once and for all!
On 11/25/24 while my daughter was driving my 2021 Trax all of a sudden the engine light came on and my car lost power while lots of smoke began coming out of the exhaust pipe the car started to shake she thankfully made it to the Dealership service department where the codes showed a FUEL TRIM PROBLEM once that problem was serviced my daughter picked the car up drove my car home and the very next day my Trax engine light came on again and once again it Lost Power my daughter went back to the Dealership service department where the codes showed aTurbocharger problem. I have 33,440 miles on my 2021 Trax and purchased it last year from the Dealership. My car is still there.
My car is only at around 37,7000 miles. My I have only had it since it was around 15,000 miles. My battery has died at least 4 times due to my alternator having problems charging. My brakes have also gone out on me at one point in the beginning. My battery is now trash and so is my alternator.
My car, which as of today, July 6, 2024 has a mileage of 45349, and is experiencing issues related to the EVAP purge pump under speed. I see that there is already been a recall on multiple models of the Chevrolet tracks, but not mine as it is a 2021 and not a 2020. I have owned this vehicle for two months, and have kept up with all of the maintenance as instructed. But I figured that this malfunction will lead to further damage, including but not limited to blown head gasket or blown engine.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Trax. The contact stated that while stopped at a stop light, another vehicle rear-ended the vehicle. The contact stated that both the driver and passenger seat belts failed to restrain both occupants. The air bags also failed to deploy upon impact. A police report was filed. The contact managed to drive away from the scene of the accident. The contact and the other occupant both sought medical attention the next day at a hospital. The contact was treated for multiple herniated, torn, and bulging discs on their vertebrae. The contact's passenger also sustained several bulging discs on their vertebrae which extended from the neck to the bottom of the spine. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
The vehicle is very hard to control in high winds. I was driving down the highway on a very windy day the vehicle fishtailed the entire time. Almost rolled the vehicle it’s very dangerous
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Trax. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed and became stuck. The contact had to manually retract the brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with brake positioner failure. The contact was informed that the brake positioner needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that the vehicle had been taken to the dealer on three separate occasions however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 42,681.
It appears the rear axle separated from the vehicle. This appears to prevented braking ability. My conclusion is from skid marks at the crash scene. Also Front wheels disengaged. I have photos.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Trax. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph, the AC unit was distributing hot air. The contact detected white smoke emerging from the engine compartment and the vehicle caught fire. The contact was able to pull over and exit the vehicle without injury. There were no warning indicator lights illuminated. The fire department extinguished the fire. A police report was filed. There was the deployment of air bags. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 7,800.
My wife was driving and we were hit hard enough to shove the vehicle into the next lane and crumple the undercarriage of the vehicle. Making it undrivable anymore. And any information I can find says side impact air bags will deploy if the vehicle is hit anywhere on the side of the vehicle. Which clearly did not happen in this case. A side note I can only ever find videos on direct side impact not indirect impacts that involves the wheels. In either case the front or back tire impacts will still involve the persons head being slammed into the door window causing head injury.
Showing 20 of 691 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Chevrolet TRAX
These pages show model-year patterns across 10 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
Understanding this data
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Chevrolet TRAX has 691 complaints on record across 10 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Chevrolet TRAX has 8 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 49 of the Chevrolet TRAX's 691 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Chevrolet TRAX vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Chevrolet TRAX vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Chevrolet TRAX has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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By state
Check a Chevrolet TRAX by state
Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Chevrolet TRAX.
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Keep researching before you buy
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Chevrolet TRAX reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Chevrolet TRAX reliable?
Poor. The Chevrolet TRAX has 691 NHTSA owner complaints and 8 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is ENGINE. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Chevrolet TRAX years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2024 (153 complaints), 2019 (131 complaints), 2017 (109 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Chevrolet TRAX problems?
Top reported issues: ENGINE (189 complaints); ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (186 complaints); UNKNOWN OR OTHER (123 complaints).
Does the Chevrolet TRAX have recalls?
Yes — 8 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Chevrolet TRAX. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.