2022 Chevrolet Trax Problems and Complaints

Senior Editor,

Updated on August 6, 2024

Officially starting with the AMC Eagle back in 1979, the crossover SUV segment saw a slow movement till 2000, post which, there has been a sudden surge in their demand. To follow the trend, almost every other car maker across the globe came up with their version of crossover SUVs and even the luxury brands such as BMW and Audi pitched in with their products as well. Americans’ love for SUVs of any shape and size compelled the car brands to come with multiple versions of crossovers and the compact along with the subcompact segments of the crossovers saw the highest demand among the entire crossover segment. The reason is their compact size and excellent fuel economy, putting them in the same league with sedans while having an edge over the latter for their higher ground clearance.

The street presence of these compact SUVs improved drastically over time and buyers with a tight budget also could have a crossover owing to the wide price range these vehicles come with. Among the prominent SUV manufacturers in the US, General Motors has taken up a sizable chunk of the market with its wide range of products with the Chevrolet Trax being the least expensive compact crossover on sale in the country. The Trax was launched back in 2014 and is continuing as a first-generation model. The 2022 Trax comes with an upgraded powertrain and some other minor updates as well. Now, the SUV is powered by an all-new 1.4-liter turbocharged four-pot motor that belts out a maximum of 155 horsepower along with 177 lb-ft of torque. The price of the latest Chevrolet Trax starts at $21,400 and it competes with the Ford EcoSport, the Honda HR-V, and the Buick Encore in its segment.

Chevrolet Trax user complaints and problems

In the recent past, we have seen Chevrolet vehicles having several problems with multiple aspects with the most prominent ones being the powertrain, safety, and the electrical systems. Some steady selling vehicles such as the Chevrolet Suburban and the Tahoe have had a considerable number of issues with their powertrains and the safety systems. The Chevrolet Trax isn’t an exception either. If we date back to some early model years such as 2017 MY, the vehicle had a considerable number of complaints lodged against it. The Chevrolet Trax's common problems include engine issues, transmission issues, and electrical system issues.

Engine problems

Power loss issue: Several Chevrolet Trax from the 2017 model year were affected by this issue. A majority of the complaints stated that while driving the vehicle would lose power and go into limp mode. Some other reports stated that while driving under cold weather conditions, the turbo system would freeze, putting the vehicle into limp mode. Repeated fixes failed to eliminate the issue and it recurred for the concerned owners.
Vibration issue with engine cooling system malfunction: The 2018 Chevrolet Trax models had this issue in an abundance. In some instances, the vehicle would shake violently at random and further inspections would reveal several issues such as coolant leak and complete burning of engine oil. In some cases, the cooling system of the engine would fail, causing the engine to overheat and emit white smoke.
Turbocharger crack: A single 2020 Trax model faced this issue. The complaint stated that the turbocharger of the vehicle cracked, compromising the vehicle’s ability to maintain speed.

Safety problems

Airbags failing to deploy: Airbags failing to deploy has been quite a common issue with a majority of modern vehicles now. The 2017, 2018, and 2019 models of the Trax were affected by several airbag issues. A major chunk of the reports recorded states that in an event of a crash, the airbags failed to deploy even the impact was quite high and caused considerable damages to the vehicles. In an instance, the airbags sensor of the front passenger seat failed to get activated.
Brake squeal and failure: The 2017 and 2018 models of the Chevrolet Trax faced several issues with their braking systems. Some users complained that despite getting no warning signs from the vehicle electronics, the brakes made abnormal squealing noises and failed. In some instances, the brakes would make grinding noises. There were electronic assist system failures with the vehicle as well. The complaints regarding the electronic issue stated that the traction control would malfunction, resulting in the vehicle stopping suddenly while driving.

Electrical problems

Multiple electronics malfunction: Modern vehicles with a bevy of electronics onboard are quite susceptible to malfunction but a carmaker is responsible for making them reliable for hassle-free daily usage. That doesn’t seem to be the case with the Chevrolet Trax. If we date back to the 2017 model year and have a look at the records, models till 2019 MY has several issues with their electronics systems. All the major complaints state that the interior electronics would fail randomly such as the driver’s information display as well as the infotainment systems would fail. In some cases, the power steering system would fail and give malfunctioning messages on the MID.

2022 Chevrolet Trax recalls

The NHTSA records regarding the complaints faced by the Chevrolet Trax till now show that it had a troubled past and there were some underlying issues present on the not-so-old 2020 model as well. The major issues were regarding the powertrain, safety systems, and electronics of the affected vehicles. The Chevrolet Trax 1.4 turbo issues were the most prevalent ones where reports were stating that the turbocharger itself would fail or get cracked. The brand did issue several recalls, but there weren’t any regarding the electrical systems and the powertrain failure issues. The airbags not deploying issue saw some recalls though and we expect Chevrolet to put in more efforts to fix the rest of the issues as well.

Recall Date	NHTSA Campaign ID	Component Affected	Recall Issue	Explanation
September 8, 2016	16V651000	AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS	Frontal Air Bags May Not Deploy	A failure of the front airbags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.
April 18, 2019	19V312000	SUSPENSION	Lower-Control Arm May Separate From Vehicle	A partial separation of the lower control arm from the vehicle could cause the attached front wheel to toe outward, impacting the vehicle's handling and steering and increasing the risk of a crash.
September 12, 2019	19V652000	SUSPENSION	Lower Control Arm May Separate From Vehicle	A partial separation of the lower-control arm from the vehicle could cause the attached front wheel to toe outward, impacting the vehicle's handling and steering and increasing the risk of a crash.
November 1, 2018	18V774000	AIR BAGS	Air Bags may not Deploy Due to Incorrect Setting	If the airbags do not deploy in the event of a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.

What model year of the Chevrolet Trax to avoid?

As per the NHTSA records of the complaints about the Chevrolet Trax, neither of the models from the recent model years has a clean track record. Some had the infamous airbags issue while others had the electrical system issues. The issues with the turbocharger were among the most critical ones but it saw no recalls but the affected owners received repairs at the dealership level. As such, we would strongly recommend staying away from 2017, 2018, and 2019 models of the Chevrolet Trax. If you’re looking at a used 2020 Trax also, have a thorough look into the vehicle, especially for the turbo failure issues.

Should you buy a used Chevrolet Trax?

The Chevrolet Trax is among the go-to vehicle in its segment owing to its affordable price tag and compact footprint. Its tall driving position and the optional AWD system make it a compelling option and allow it to give stiff competition to its peers as well. Finding a used example on the used car lot isn’t going to be hard yet, given the vehicle’s not-so-clean history of complaints and issues, going for a used one would be a risky affair. However, if you manage to find one that is free from the aforementioned issues, it would make a high value for money purchase. you can also opt for some of the rivals of the Trax such as the Honda HR-V or the Buick Encore since both of them are quite ahead of the Trax in terms of performance and overall fit and finish levels on the inside.