Power Train Problems of Chevrolet Trax - part 1

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.

See all problems of the 2016 Chevrolet Trax 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2024 Chevrolet Trax 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2025 Chevrolet Trax 🔎.

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 !.

See all problems of the 2015 Chevrolet Trax 🔎.

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.

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.

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.

See all problems of the 2020 Chevrolet Trax 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2021 Chevrolet Trax 🔎.

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.

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.

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.

For the past 3 to 6 months I've been hearing a gear backlash sound while using the adaptive cruise control when it would slow down for a car in front of the vehicle then when it would start to speed up. Brought the vehicle to the dealership on October 20th, 2025. They said that the sound is normal and there's a service bulletin that says its normal in other chevy models. Then on November 28th, 2025 I was driving home, turn right at a light, and started to accelerate. Then I heard the same backlash noise as before then the check engine light came on with the oil light. I pulled over immediately and turned off the engine just to see all the oil spilling out of the engine compartment onto the ground and white smoke. Got it towed to the dealership and they told me that "the engine had multiple components fail inside it and that I need a new engine assembly. " currently the engine is still in the vehicle awaiting a new engine assembly what is currently on backorder with no expected arrival time.

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).

See all problems of the 2017 Chevrolet Trax 🔎.

The contact owns a 2025 Chevrolet Trax. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission warning light illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 139.

My 2nd chevy just under 79000 miles. Turbo went out on this one. I owe 11grand still gonna cost 4 grand to fix. I dont know what. Chevy is doing but this is bs. Just out of warranty. My first newer chevy, engine blew at just under 79000 miles, $8 grand later, new motor just to blow up, year in half later this vehicle sat at dealership for over a year combined time of both times vehicle number 2 has just been diagnosed, I will never buy another. Chevy product once these 2 are fixed and sold. I see myself upside down I. Purchasing these chevies and trade in sucks.

See all problems of the 2019 Chevrolet Trax 🔎.

The coolant reservoir is missing hoses which are supposed to be connected. The head gasket is completely blown out, which is under warranty. Excessive overheating—three signs light up on the dashboard: red thermometer indicating an overheating engine; check engine light; and check engine light with arrow pointing downward indicating engine speed to be reduced. Trax stopped in the middle of the traffic light on and 7/26/25 and had it towed.

The contact owns a 2025 Chevrolet Trax. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop and while coming to a stop, the vehicle was jerking and the transmission experienced hard shifts. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The dealer performed a required ecm software update; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.

Turbocharger was replaced in October 2024. Now it is bad again as confirmed by the dealership. Check engine light was on. They had it in their repair shop and did a diagnostic test. Car stalled in the middle of the highway. The 2017 & 2018 Trax with the same engine have a recall for the turbocharger. The dealership would not honor the parts warranty because they said it was low on oil. No check oil light came on.

October 2024 the turbocharger was replaced. A few weeks ago check engine light came on. Bad turbocharger again while I was on a highway the car stopped running. Dealer said they will not replace it under the parts warranty. They said it was 3 quarts low on oil and I need to show receipts for last 3 oil changes. From previous times there they knew my son is a mechanic & did oil changes. They wanted me to call my son to ask him how much oil he put in ?? after looking online it is a very common problem with the chevy turbochargers. It will but an excessive amount of oil and cause it to be black and sludgy. I emailed the general manager. He never responded. I also filed a complaint with gm and consumer protection. When they replaced it in October it was still under the extended warranty. It is now over the 100,000 miles. However, I think a turbocharger should last more than 6 months. I could have been killed on the highway while broken down due to a part they know is defective. Instead they treated me like trash. It is not the first time they have done this to me. The car already has a new radiator, transmission, faulty turbocharger, and something with the valves was fixed. The car is a lemon. I just want them to be held accountable since they know this is a common occurrence with the chevy turbochargers.

I had the car diagnosed and this is the issue.

See all problems of the 2018 Chevrolet Trax 🔎.

I am reporting a safety incident that occurred on 2/21/25 with my new gm vehicle, a 2025 chevy Trax with roughly 3000 odometer miles. I was returning to troy mi from ann arbor mi on 2/21/25 a roughly 50 mile drive, a driver with one passenger. The weather was good, no ice or debris on the roads. We exited the highway and proceeded north through several stoplights. Just before making a right turn into a destination, the vehicle seemed to slam to stop multiple times, causing loss of vehicle control. The abrupt behavior knocked the steering wheel out of driver hands and lurched us forward against the seatbelts. I parked and powered down, giving it a chance to reset. Then continuing to drive a short distance, the vehicle repeatedly abruptly halted at speeds over 30mph as if hitting a wall. There were no warning lights or alerts displayed on the instrument panel, and the vehicle had never behaved abnormally in any way prior to this incident. On Monday morning 2/24/25 the dealership immediately verified the condition, though offering no speculation to the cause. The service manager reported that upon test drive, the service tech said "he would have gone through the windshield if not belted in. ” my passenger and I have between the two of us 50+ years of experience working in automotive, for gm and suppliers, in production capacities, and for years driving dozens of leased vehicles and gm company cars. Neither of us have ever experienced a vehicle doing anything as dangerous as this brand new Trax did. Had the failure occurred during the highway portion of our drive that day - multiple congested highways 75, 696, southfield freeway, m14 - we are certain we could have been killed and would have been a lethal danger to the drivers around us. An abrupt halt at high speed would have caused the car to roll and/or spin out of control. At the time of this report, the car is with the dealership with no root cause or repair estimation. We believe this is a transmission issue.

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!.

Brake system malfunctioned. Brakes making horrible grinding noise at 25000 miles. Took to dealership under warranty and was told "that is just the sound that gm brakes make" and they refused warranty repair. Assured noise wouldnt worse, but continued. Paid to have brakes replaced and the same exact noise continues today. Brake fluid leaked everywhere and totally disabled the entire braking system while driving on the interstate. When the brakes went out, I loss power and it was difficult to steer. Tried receiving assistance from Chevrolet on many occasions until I gave up car flashed a message suggesting vehicle was experiencing loss of power while driving down interstate, cleared the message and vehicle power remains weak. Code suggested turbo was going out. Car honks 2-3-4 times while in park only 5 minutes. Oil has to be changed constantly. Last oil change took 2 weeks before now having only 81% oil life. Forward collision warning warns when nothing is in front or around you. Lane keeping assistance cuts in and out and doesn't always work. Backup camera shows upside down often, and distorted. Ecm warranty reset has been completed. Lane departure warning signals hazard where there is none and sometimes lane keeping assistance disallows me to remain in the middle of my lane so I have to cut it off. Interior and exterior lights and radio have remained on for hours after locking vehicle and going inside my house.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Trax. The contact stated when the vehicle was sitting at a stop sign, the hill assists function did not function as intended. The contact stated when she removed her foot off the brake pedal, the vehicle rolled backwards. The vehicle was taken back carmax, where the vehicle was purchased, however the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to carmax again. The contact was informed that the vehicle was taken to the Chevrolet dealer for diagnostic testing. The contact was informed that the failure was not duplicated. In addition, the contact was informed that it was normal for the vehicle to roll backwards when the brake pedal is released. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure began seven days after the vehicle was purchased. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 36,900.

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 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.

The service stabilitrak and service powersteering will come up. Have had vehicle hooked up to computer multiple times no codes. The vehicle would not drive. The vehicle has started shaking. The engine light comes on. There is 30k miles on the vehicle. I bought this 3 months ago to have a safe vehicle. My spouse and I are disabled and we do not feel secure. I googled and it says probably a computer error from factory. I'd appreciate if I can get my vehicle recalled & fixed. Thank you.

Tech during an annual inspection found the rear diff. Carrier cracked and crumbling apart into small pieces. There was evidence of fluid leaking onto the rear exhaust. Due to safety concerns tech would not inspect without the replacement of the rear diff. Carrier, axel/differential. Replacement cost was $2,681. 41.

I discovered lubricant leaking from the rear differential. After a quick check for recalls. There are none for this. I did find that gm has a special service notice for this issue for vehicles located in canada. Apparently, what happen is there are pockets in the casting of the unit that hold road debris & road salt that will cause the case to corrode and leak. The vehicle was taken to my local Chevrolet dealer & the replaced the differential at a cost of $2901. 88. I contact aced Chevrolet customer service and they said it was not covered in any way. I find it strange that it is covered for cars registered in canada but not in the us. This could be a major safety concern if the differential were to fail at highway speed it could cause lack of control and possibly a crash.

Oil burning off for no reason and the coming system not worming properly.

When the engine is cold and temperature is below freezing the car idles rough and burns oil.

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.

The initial problem was a defective shifter. It took over a month for a Chevrolet service department to get the vehicle in and fix the problem. By the time I brought the vehicle in to fix the shifter, the transmission was hesitating to switch gears, jerking at highway speeds and overall failing to shift and accelerate properly. This high speed jerk causes the seatbelt to lock up and hit my chest-causing pain while driving. This defect has caused pain, soreness and stiffness in my chest and neck. Dealership 1 (coggin Buick GMC of orange park- jacksonville,FL) was notified upon drop off and did not fix the transmission issue. They claimed the only issue they found was the shifter. Dealership 2(gordon Chevrolet- orange park FL) has made 3 attempts to locate and repair the problem and were “unable to duplicate the concern ” I have additional documentation from dealer 3(carmax jacksonville west-jacksonville, FL) where they have duplicated the concern 3 times on a 1 hour test drive. Chevrolet/general motors are not taking accountability despite the vehicle still being under warranty.

The check engine light came on showing codes p 146 b,d,e,f the dealership looked at the car and said the purge pump needs replaced and ordered a part that is on back order and won’t be delivered in an undetermined date. We have now lost a considerable amount of gas mileage and the dealership it may be the fuel pump. They say if it is it won’t be covered by warranty. They have said the car is safe to drive on the other issue.

See all problems of the 2022 Chevrolet Trax 🔎.

Going at speeds 60-70, transmission slips and is jerky, pulsating symptoms. Unsure if transmission slipping or brake malfunction. Going at speeds lower, very hard gear shifts. Using adaptive cruise control at speeds 60-70, car slammed on brakes for no apparent reason and remained using the break, would let off (clear and wide open in front of me).