Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2018 Chevrolet Colorado owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost power and the driver observed a high pitch sound coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and turned off. The vehicle was not able to restart. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the high-pressure fuel pump had fractured and there was a fractured bolt inside the cylinder head that needed to be replaced. Additionally, diagnostic trouble codes: P0089, P228C, and P2c1F were retrieved using a DTC machine. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,369.
While driving at normal and safe highway speeds, without warning (no audible or visual warning from the vehicle information display) my vehicle experienced engine lockout, loss of all non-electric power, and no control over vehicle speed. A few seconds after loss, the information display did show a "check engine light" and that the engine was in "lockout." We (my spouse, young child, and self) were surrounded by multiple commercial semi-trucks and passenger vehicles and had to weave and serve to avoid collisions at highway speeds and get to the shoulder of the highway in a few seconds. The root cause as diagnosed by a Chevrolet Dealership Service Department was failure of the magnetic strip that is press fit to the reluctor (tone) wheel. A 1/2in piece of the magnetic strip was missing and over 10 cracks within the strip itself observed. …
Engine fails it violenty thumps and studders and drops from highway speed with no warning. This is a mfg. defect and also an EXTREME SAFETY CONCERN. The engine studders and thumps and we were almost rear ended by a truck when our truck could not go into gear properly. It is very scary! Dealership confirmed that they have many vehicles with same issue and recommended a Super Flush of transmission but not sure this will correct problem or cause more problems. There is no warning when these incidents occur and the driver has no control to avoid it. It is commonly referred to as the Chevy thump and studder and a known mfg defect in which GM refuses to pay for repairs causing consumers an extreme hardship! This is an ongoing issue affecting thousands of vehicles and someone is going to die! …
The vehicle stuttered upon acceleration between 20mph and 35mph. After the 2018 Chevy Colorado was taken into the Chevy dealership for inspection, the torque converter failed at roughly 76,000 miles. A bad torque converter can potentially cause an accident. It can lead to engine revving issues, sudden speed changes, which can be dangerous while driving. The torque converter failed and left metal shavings in the transmission causing the transmission to need replaced as well. This was diagnosed by the Chevy dealership and has a repair ticket of over thirteen thousand dollars. ( $13,000.00 ) which most people can't afford to absorb. After a quick Google search, this appears to be a common problem. There should be a recall to fix this issue.
P2738 Pressure Control Solenoid Valve 6 Control Circuit Low Voltage. Whenever you drive, the transmission will go into limp mode every now and then. It will say low oil pressure and throw another code of P0700 MIL Request From TCM. This is a common issue that I have researched and would like to know a way forward. I've only had the vehicle for 6 months. Within city limits as long as you don't push the accelerator too much (50mph within 2 minutes) it runs ok until the vehicle comes to a stop. Also, when you get on and off of the freeway, same issues make it go into limp mode in which you will have to shut the truck off and start up after a few minutes to reset.
The issue is with the transmission not shifting as should. The issue is called Shuddering and seems to be a know isuue. If you google search issues with 2018 Chevy Colorado this is the first issue that comes up. This could cause an accident. If gears aren't shifting properly and I cannot excel as needed I could be rear ended or cause me not to be able merge into traffic if once accelerating it shudders and causes my speed to slow. I think there should be a recall for this issue.
Crankshaft Position Tone Wheel delaminated, mechanic changed it out and not sure what they did with it. Stalled vehicle on uphill passing lane during rush hour traffic, cars where inches from me as they passed at 65-70 mph, I called 911 and had a state trooper come and direct traffic. Joe's Garage inspected my vehicle and did the repair. It was not inspected by anyone besides Joe's Garage to my knowledge. No warning, dashlights came on after engine stalled.
A/c lines near driver side wheel well has chafed through fuel line and wire harness.Causing a couple thousand dollars in damage.Nor warning indicators leading up to either incidents. My chevy dealership mis diagnosed it twice and has now found the issue. Fuel lines leak can cause fires and as far as the electrical issue I've been left stranded with my 3 year old daughter a couple of times..Have looked up forums and many people have had the same issue.
The problem started two months ago, with a loss of engine power and a stability track warning on the dashboard. This happened occasionally while driving, often going away on its own by turning off the vehicle. Two weeks ago, I took it to Chevrolet for an inspection. They did a general inspection and said it was a factory defect. Now, the vehicle has the problem constantly, and there are times when it's undriveable. That's a risk for me.
Key cannot be removed from ignition. I bought my truck 6 months ago and it's been in the shop 3 times bc I can't remove my key. Last time it left me stranded at my veterinary clinic at 1 AM after dealing with an emergency because the battery died. It appears as though I am not the only one having this issue
Engine complaints in other Colorado years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado, 13% of the model year's 183 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2018 Chevrolet Colorado engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado, though it has 1 recall 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 2018 Chevrolet Colorado engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 31,000 miles, and 38% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to engine & cooling 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.