Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Chevrolet Colorado owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Wiring for turnsignals melts down. There is a wire harness with a connector at the turn front signals, the wire gauge is in adeqaute and causea excessive heat build-up this causes the wires and connectors to the front turn signals to melt down and the turn signals become inoperable. I have replaced these components twice due to thia issue. The resistor pack for air conditioning blower fan speed control melts and catches fire. I have replaced this part twice and ultimately have bypassed the resistor pack leaving the ac blower with only the choice of high speed or off.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Colorado. While the vehicle was stationary, burning fumes emitted inside the vehicle. After an inspection, it was confirmed that there were burned wires in the vehicle. The contact replaced the wire harness and a temperature control regulator. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.
Fire fire fire an air conditioning resistor pack overheats and catches fire in the air conditioning plenum. This is the fan speed control resistor. I found mine to be melted down and the socket that it plugs into was also severely damaged. The only recommendation that the dealership offered was that I pay them to replace those components. I purchased those components and installed them myself. The same thing happened again. I determined that the ground used for several components in the cabin was insufficient and poorly connected. I replaced the factory installed ground with a heavier gauge wire and attached it to the tubular framing behind the stereo . This was a sufficient fix and I believe it is in GM's best interest to remedy this issue before a GM vehicle catches on fire in a carport or with children on board.
On 23 June 2010 I was driving my 2005 Chevy Colorado to work when I began to smell burning wires. I shut off my vent fan switch and the smell went away. I turned it back on and the smell returned. Later after work I found a charred wire connector and resistor next to the fan motor. The resistor had been previously replaced in 2006 when the vehicle was under warranty. There are alot of posts on-line from owners of the same vehicle complaining about the same issue. I can tell the short started in the resistor where the connector hooks into it. The part number of the resistor is 015218254, and the connector is 015306069. The resistor is made in slovenia. I feel this needs to be a recalled item because of the fire hazard.
Tl contact owned a 2005 Chevrolet Colorado. While driving approximately 35 MPH the contact noticed thick smoke escaping from the dashboard. The contact pulled the vehicle to the side of the road and exit the vehicle. The contact also noticed flames underneath the hood. The fire department extinguished the fire. A fire report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The cause of the fire was undetermined. The contact did not state if there were any injuries. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 52,000.
I am experiencing an intermittent issue where the passlock system fails when attempting to start the vehicle and I have to wait 15 minutes for it to time out. There are forums with this model of truck that state this is a common problem but I have found no recall on it. I have found that the ignition and body control modules were to blame and currently dealers are charging upward of $1100 to repair. This should be a recall issue due to the widespread problem and that it is a known defect specific to this model of truck.
Ignitinion switch triggers anti-theft secure on truck so it would not start I wait for 10 minutes then it starts, dealership could not tell me a few years ago when I took it, and mechanics tell me its a defected ignition switch but only dealer can fix it, its a recall thing from what mechanics are telling me. Its a shame mechanics outside the dealership know more then dealership on what it is been recall.
Driving down the road, all the sudden started to get a burn smell. Had to pull over and have the truck being towed to the shop. The problem is the harness connector to the A/C- heating blower was burning. Luckily I had discover the problem on time. This problem could be a dangerous fire. We need this problem to be addressed and fixed since all the owners of this vehicle have been having the same issue.
At different times turn signals, brights, brake lights will quit working and dash light indicator that air bag is not working will illuminate. This can happen while driving or when first starting up. At times you can push stalk up for a right hand turn and left turn signal indicator will light up and blink. If you push the stalk down for a left turn signal nothing will happen.
The blower motor resistor and the wiring is broken for the third time. This time there were burn marks on the wires which worries me about a possible fire in my dashboard. This occurs while the vehicle is on. This overheating/burning of the resistor and wires causes the blower motor to not blow air which in phoenix, az is a must due to severe hot weather.
Electrical complaints in other Colorado years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2005 Chevrolet Colorado?
NHTSA has 69 complaints about the electrical system of the 2005 Chevrolet Colorado, 19% of the model year's 356 complaints. The component named most often is wiring › interior/under dash (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Chevrolet Colorado electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2005 Chevrolet Colorado, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2005 Chevrolet Colorado electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 74,000 miles, and 18% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 6 fires and 2 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.