2015 Chevrolet Colorado
Counts come from unverified consumer complaints filed with NHTSA and cannot be compared between models — how to read them.
Common problems reported on the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado
| Component group | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 320 | 72.6% |
| Electronic Stability Control (ESC) | 55 | 12.5% |
| Electrical System | 47 | 10.7% |
| Power Train | 41 | 9.3% |
| Engine | 29 | 6.6% |
| Unknown or Other | 19 | 4.3% |
| Service Brakes | 17 | 3.9% |
| Air Bags | 12 | 2.7% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 9 | 2.0% |
| Structure | 8 | 1.8% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 5 | 1.1% |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 0.9% |
441 complaints filed between November 3, 2014 and December 23, 2024.
At what mileage the Chevrolet Colorado failed
| Component group | Median | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 60,000 | 242 |
| Electronic Stability Control (ESC) | 56,266 | 53 |
| Electrical System | 59,000 | 33 |
| Power Train | 8,250 | 32 |
| Engine | 16,500 | 22 |
| Service Brakes | 33,000 | 13 |
Across all components, half the reported failures happened before 51,000 miles, with the middle half falling between 29,000 and 80,000. Based on the 331 complaints (75%) that record a mileage.
A low figure does not mean the car stops working at that mileage. It means the reported failures clustered early, which most often points to a fault built into a production batch — usually the kind of thing a warranty repair or a recall campaign addresses.
How this mix compares with other model years
| Component group | Here | Typical |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 6.6% | 16.6% |
| Electrical System | 10.7% | 13.4% |
| Power Train | 9.3% | 10.2% |
| Unknown or Other | 4.3% | 10.2% |
| Service Brakes | 3.9% | 6.4% |
| Steering | 72.6% | 6.2% |
| Air Bags | 2.7% | 5.8% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 1.1% | 4.5% |
This compares the subjects of the complaints, not how many there are. A share needs no denominator, so unlike a count it can honestly be held against a norm — but a group sitting above the typical share means people complained about that part more often relative to everything else on this car, not that the car is worse than another.
How serious the complaints were
- 3.6% Crash reported 16 of 441
- 0.7% Fire reported 3 of 441
- 1.6% Injury reported 7 of 441
- 0.0% Death reported 0 of 441
Reported across all complaints on file: 9 injuries and 0 deaths. These shares sit within this model’s own complaints — they say nothing about how it compares to another model.
Recall campaigns
7 campaigns. A recall repair is free at a dealer regardless of how many owners the car has had. Check the car’s own VIN — a campaign listed here may already have been carried out on it.
21V213000 Steering: Electric Power Assist System March 25, 2021
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon vehicles. The power steering assist may be lost due to a poor electrical connection within the steering gear assembly.
Consequence: A loss of power steering, particularly at lower speeds increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace steering gear torque sensor cover assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 6, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N202325410.
Campaign covered 60,681 vehicles across model year 2015 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
17V621000 Air Bags: Frontal October 5, 2017
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2016 GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado, and 2016 Chevrolet Volt vehicles. The driver's frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash.
Consequence: An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17387.
Campaign covered 16 vehicles across model years 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
16V054000 Steering: Electric Power Assist System February 1, 2016
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Chevrolet Colorado vehicles manufactured January 6, 2015, to March 17, 2015, and 2015 GMC Canyon vehicles manufactured January 6, 2015, to March 19, 2015. A poor electrical connection within the steering gear connector may cause a loss of power steering assist.
Consequence: A loss or reduction in power steering assist may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear torque sensor cover assembly, free of charge. The recall began March 1, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 15595.
Campaign covered 2,988 vehicles across model year 2015 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
15V278000 Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Foundation Components: Disc: Caliper May 12, 2015
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Chevrolet Colorado, and GMC Canyon trucks manufactured January 6, 2014, to December 24, 2014. The affected vehicles may experience the front brake calipers leaking brake fluid. This is due to air pockets, an imperfection in the metal caliper body.
Consequence: If the vehicle experiences a brake fluid leak it can increase the stopping distance, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the front-brake calipers if necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 9, 2015. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14888.
Campaign covered 24,380 vehicles across model year 2015 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
15V267000 Seats May 8, 2015
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon trucks manufactured January 6, 2014, to April 1, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the hooks that secure the driver's and/or front passenger's seat frame may not have been properly attached to the vehicle body during assembly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems."
Consequence: If the seat-frame attachment hooks are not secured properly, the seat may not be adequately anchored to the vehicle, and in the event of a crash, the seat occupant could be at an increased risk of an injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seats, correcting their installation as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on June 2, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 15150.
Campaign covered 49,980 vehicles across model year 2015 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
15V157000 Air Bags: Frontal: Driver Side: Inflator Module March 18, 2015
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Chevrolet Colorado vehicles manufactured September 15, 2014, to January 21, 2015, and 2015 GMC Canyon vehicles manufactured October 3, 2014, to December 9, 2014. The affected vehicles have a front driver air bag inflator that may be misaligned to the air bag module backplate. This can cause the inflator to separate from the backplate during a deployment.
Consequence: If the inflator separates from the back plate in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, this may cause the air bag or steering wheel components to separate and be propelled into the interior compartment, potentially seriously injuring the driver or other occupants. Additionally, the air bag may fail to properly inflate, increasing the risk of injury to the driver.
Remedy: GM has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the driver air bag module inflator for proper alignment, replacing the air bag, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 19, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 15037.
Campaign covered 40 vehicles across model year 2015 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
14V645000 Air Bags October 9, 2014
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon vehicles manufactured January 6, 2014, to October 1, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the driver air bag connections may have been wired incorrectly. This could reverse the deployment sequence and disrupt the deployment timing of the driver air bag. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: If the driver air bag does not deploy as designed, there is an increased risk of driver injury in the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the inflatable restraint sensing and diagnostic module (SDM), free of charge. The recall began on October 6, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet) or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14690.
Campaign covered 2,283 vehicles across model year 2015 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
NCAP crash-test ratings
| Variant | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Chevrolet Colorado PU/CC RWD | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated |
| 2015 Chevrolet Colorado PU/EC RWD | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| 2015 Chevrolet Colorado PU/EC 4WD | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| 2015 Chevrolet Colorado PU/CC 4WD | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated | Not Rated |
Ratings are out of 5 stars.
Pre-purchase inspection checklist
Written and checked by someone who does this work; it is not derived from the data. The complaint counts decide only the order: the assemblies this model’s owners complain about most come first.
Suspension, control arms, steering
Related complaint groups: Steering (320), Suspension (4)
With the car parked
- Rock the steering wheel briskly left and right. Knocking and free play point to ball joints, tie rod ends or the rack. This is the most productive check of this assembly without a lift.
- Rock each wheel at 12 and 6 o’clock (ball joint, wheel bearing) and at 3 and 9 o’clock (steering linkage).
- Inspect the bushings for cracks and separation, and the ball joint boots for damage.
On the road
- Dull knocking from the front over small bumps. The cause cannot be determined without a lift: sway bar links are inexpensive, control arms cost several times more, and by ear the two are indistinguishable. A knock is grounds to require an inspection on a lift before purchase — not grounds to walk away from the car.
- Whether it pulls to one side on a level road, and whether the wheel returns to center after a turn.
Red flags
- Uneven tread wear — almost always alignment
- A recent alignment in the paperwork with no explanation of why
- One control arm noticeably newer than the rest
Cost if it needs work: Low to moderate. Depends on what turns out to be the source. Plus an alignment after the replacement.
Electrical system
Related complaint groups: Electrical System (47), Exterior Lighting (4)
With the car parked
- With the ignition on, before starting, every warning light should come on and then go out once the engine runs. None coming on at all is worse than one staying lit: the bulb may have been removed or disabled in software.
- Click through everything: windows from every switch, mirrors, heated elements, climate control on all settings, the radio, the camera, the parking sensors, cruise control.
- Every exterior light, including running lights, brake lights, side repeaters and the license plate lamp.
- Battery terminals for corrosion, and the date on the battery.
- Cabin and trunk for signs of water: damp carpet under the mats, condensation in the headlights, rust on the seat mounts. Water in the electrics causes faults that are extremely hard to trace.
On the road
- Whether anything dims when several high-draw consumers are switched on at once.
- A second hot start after the drive.
Red flags
- A dashboard with no warning lights at all when the ignition is on
- Signs of water ingress
- Homemade wiring, twisted joints, tape under the dash
- Several small non-working functions at once — usually one common root cause
Automatic transmission
Related complaint groups: Power Train (41)
Checking the fluid level during an inspection is usually not possible — many cars need a lift, some have no dipstick at all, and Honda’s procedure differs from the rest. So this assessment is built on behavior, not on fluid.
With the car parked
- Move the selector P → R → D and back with the brake held. Each engagement should be a soft nudge, without a thump and without delay. Repeat two or three times in each direction.
On the road
- Shifts without noticeable delay or thump, both under acceleration and when slowing down.
- Pay particular attention to the 1-2-3 and 3-2-1 transitions — they carry the most load.
- Hard acceleration at full throttle: the revs should not flare without the car gaining speed.
- On a CVT the revs should rise smoothly, without steps, droning or jerking.
Questions for the seller
- Has the fluid been changed, and is there proof. Regular changes are a substantial plus for the car; their absence at high mileage is reason for caution.
Red flags
- A stored transmission fault code (a scan tool is worth having)
- Slipping under load in any form
- Recently cleared codes with no explanation
- The seller offering to "just change the fluid" when it is black and burnt — that is cosmetic cover over wear that has already happened
Cost if it needs work: Expensive. The most expensive of the likely assemblies; a repair is often comparable to the value of the car.
Axles and CV joints
Related complaint groups: Power Train (41)
With the car parked
- Turn the steering to full lock and inspect the outer CV boots on both sides for cracks, splits and thrown grease on the inner face of the wheel and in the wheel arch. A split boot on a joint that is still sound is a cheap repair today and an expensive one in six months.
On the road
- Empty parking lot, steering at full lock, slow circles in both directions. A rhythmic clicking points to an outer CV joint; the side is identified by the direction of the turn.
- Vibration under acceleration in a straight line that disappears when you lift off may indicate an inner CV joint.
Cost if it needs work: Relatively low. A good indicator of how the car has been treated overall.
Engine and cooling system
Related complaint groups: Engine (29), Engine and Engine Cooling (1)
Come to a cold car. A warmed-up engine hides a hard start, smoke and knocking. If the car is already warm, that is a yellow flag: ask for 30–40 minutes to let it cool. A refusal to let it cool is a red flag.
With the car parked
- Oil: level, color, consistency. Level above maximum plus a smell of fuel on the dipstick means the oil is being diluted with fuel.
- A whitish film on the oil filler cap alone is usually condensation from short trips in cold weather, not cause for alarm. What matters is the dipstick: a coffee-with-milk emulsion on the dipstick requires serious further inspection. A further indication is coolant hoses that are hard and under excess pressure.
- Coolant: level, color, no oil film. Open the reservoir only on a fully cooled engine.
- Leaks: under the engine, along the sump seam, around the valve cover, along the hoses and the radiator.
On the road and after
- Cold start: how long the starter cranks, smoke in the first seconds, knocking that goes away as it warms up.
- Temperature over the whole drive. Idle with the air conditioning on: the fan should cut in and the needle should not climb.
- After the drive, switch off, wait a couple of minutes and look for fresh drips under the car.
Red flags
- A freshly washed engine bay on a high-mileage car
- Thick white smoke after warm-up
- Temperature climbing in traffic
Brakes
Related complaint groups: Service Brakes (17)
With the car parked
- Brake fluid level and color. Clear yellow is fresh; dark brown has not been changed in a long time.
- Fluid at the lower mark with no leaks usually means worn pads: the pistons have extended and the fluid has moved into the calipers.
- Pad thickness through the spokes of the wheel. Check the disc for a lip at the outer edge and for deep scoring.
- Inside face of the wheels: an even dark dust film is normal; one wheel noticeably dirtier than the others may indicate a sticking caliper.
- Hoses for cracks and bulges, lines for corrosion.
On the road
- First stop at low speed: the pedal should be firm, with no sinking.
- Accelerate to 40–45 mph and brake moderately. Pulsing through the pedal or the steering wheel usually means warped discs.
- Braking on flat dry pavement: pulling to one side requires further inspection.
- The ABS light should come on with the ignition and go out after the engine starts.
- A feeling that the car is driving "as if towing a trailer" may indicate binding brakes.
- The car squatting at the rear when pulling away may indicate parking-brake cables or stuck rear shoes.
After the drive
- Hold your palm near each wheel without touching the disc or the caliper — after braking they will burn you. Compare only left against right on the same axle: the front is always hotter than the rear, and that is normal. A noticeable difference between the two wheels of one axle requires further inspection.
Red flags
- The pedal slowly sinks to the floor when held down
- An illuminated ABS or brake system warning light
- Fresh fluid together with completely worn pads
Cost if it needs work: Moderate. Confirm actual cost against local prices at the time of purchase.
Airbags and the VIN recall check
Related complaint groups: Air Bags (12)
The most reliable procedure in this library — it does not depend on hearing, experience or inspection conditions.
Required procedure
- Take the VIN from the car itself — the windshield on the driver’s side, the door pillar, the paperwork — not from the listing.
- Check that VIN in NHTSA’s official recall lookup.
- A recall repair at a dealer is free regardless of how many owners the car has had. An open recall is a reason to visit a dealer, not a reason to haggle.
- An open airbag recall is grounds not to buy the car until it has been fixed.
Inspection
- The SRS light should come on with the ignition and then go out. Not coming on at all probably means it has been disabled deliberately.
- Airbag covers on the wheel and dash: uneven gaps, mismatched texture, marks from removal.
- Seat belts: pull each one out to full length and check for chafing, tears and water marks. The inertia reel should lock when pulled sharply.