Chevrolet · Trax · 2018
2
Recalls
95
Complaints
5/5
Safety Rating
The 2018 Chevrolet Trax has 2 recalls and 95 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Overall safety rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Most reported issue: suspension (21 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Rollover Resistance
17.9% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Chevrolet Trax vehicles. A joint in one or both of the front lower control arms may have been improperly welded. An improperly welded joint may break, resulting in the partial separation of the lower control arm from the vehicle.
Remedy Status
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the left and right front lower-control arms, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is A192261870.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Trax vehicles. A joint in one or both of the front lower-control arms may have been improperly welded. An improperly welded joint may break, resulting in the partial separation of the lower-control arm from the vehicle.
Remedy Status
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the left and right front lower-control arms, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 14, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is A182202370.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Trax. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH and attempting to slow down, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact used the parking brake to slow and stop the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence. An independent mechanic was contacted to diagnose the vehicle. A dealer was not notified of the issue. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 135,000.
The oil cooler/oil housing leaks oil on every single one of these vehicles, spanning many years, due to its plastic housing, mounted up against a hot engine. The cost of repair is between $2000-3000 at a dealership.
Service Brake Assist message appeared on the dash, brakes got soft , vehicle would not stop. Check engine light came on. Dealership reported no codes were reported but the Power Brake Booster Vacuum Sensor & Hose Assembly needs replaced due to a sensor malfunction. Say it is not covered under any safety/service bulletin so we need to pay for it. Other make and models are covered under 17-NA-314, Special Coverage Adjustment N182202780, Product Safety Recall N202300860. All similar issues but none for the 2018 Chevy Trax. Feel this is a huge issue as it is a direct issue with safety. Brakes are a critical part of safety when on the road.
My check engine light came on, I took my vehicle to Ken Ganley Chevrolet because that is where I purchased it. They claim they have no record I bought it there and at first refused service. I provided my loan documents that state I purchased it. Tim was in the service department, I brought the car in and he had it looked at. He said the issue is the turbocharger, which is a known issue with this year/make/model that GM knows about. The repair was under warranty, completed and the car returned to me. Less than 2 weeks later the check engine light came on and the diagnostic gave the same error. I took it back to the dealership and I got 3 different answers. One person told me it was an exhaust issue that was causing the turbo to overheat (the car is kicking out excessive amounts of carbon monoxide), the second person told me there was no issue and they weren't sure why the check engine light went off, the third person said it seemed like the exhaust and the overheating was a safety issue and it shouldn't be driven. They ultimately refused the repair and said bring it back if it gets worse. I called GM corporate to report the dealership and ask for an actual repair. They told me to take it to another dealership to be looked at. Multiple other dealerships have refused because the case is open with the original dealership. That Ken Ganley Chevrolet dealer is refusing to acknowledge a repair is needed. The car is continuing to kick out excessive carbon monoxide and smells like burning when driving. The engine chugs and doesn't get up to full speed. I requested goodwill reimbursement for part of the car from GM for failure to service and an unsafe vehicle and they have offered no solution because other dealers won't give a second opinion. The car is not safe to drive and is not being repaired.
The contact’s parents owned a 2018 Chevrolet Trax. The contact stated that while a parent was driving 30 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the accelerator pedal was also simultaneously depressed the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The failure caused the contact’s parent to veer off the side of the road, which caused the vehicle to roll over several times before landing on a construction vehicle. The contact stated that all the air bags deployed during the rollover. The contact’s parent suffered several injuries and was taken to a local emergency room. The contact’s parents suffered back, neck, and rib injuries. The contact stated that a Police report was filed; however, the report number was not provided to the contact. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was deemed destroyed. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 143,000.
The vehicle check engine light came on. Engine light is for a repair to the turbo charger. After looking online I noticed some of the 2017 and 2018 Chevy Trax cars are afftected however the VIN for my car is not included. I want to report the problem to see if my car can be checked to see if it's a faulty part.
I was driving my car to the post office in Waikii Ranch in Kamuela Hawai’i no or around [XXX] When all of a sudden my steering went out and my car could hardly turn without great effort from me and I am [XXX] I noticed a warning light stating my power steering was not working and to drive with caution This was a horrible drive home as I live where there are many turns and hills Once I made it home I contacted a friend to get some power steering fluid to remedy what I thought was the answer to remedy this problem I later found out my vehicle A 2018 Chevrolet Trax VIN #[XXX] does not take power steering fluid as its electronic. I contacted a mechanic to come and check out my car He hooked my car up to his computer and found it was indeed the steering and he would have to research and get back to me as he had never fixed this issue He later got back to me and told me there’s a recall on my Vehicle 2018 Chevrolet trax for this exact issue and the contact the manufacturer. Upon contacting Chevrolet by text on May 14 2025 a woman named Sherral told me there’s was indeed a recall for 2018 Chevy Trax however my vehicle is not included as it has a different vehicle Identification number so not included. Take it to a dealer and have it fixed at my cost. I did exactly that and the dealer, DELUZ Chevrolet in Hilo Hawai’i repair and replaced the FAULTY Steering unit that was DEFECTIVE in there own words. I have all supporting documents and the faulty equipment I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED DRIVING this vehicle! I live on the side of a mountain with steep grades and many winding turns. This steering problem warning did not state DO NOT DRIVE DUE TO STEERING PROBLEM it stated TO DRIVE WITH CAUTION. I am filing a complaint with you to All Chevrolet Trax 2018 no matter what the vin# is A faulty defective part is STILL going to be faulty and defective no matter where manufactured. Truthfully submitted by [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Car smoking under the hood not even a month after getting repairs done to it for the same issue of coolant loss. Replaced engine oil cooler, coolant housing, and turbo. Car started smoking again less than a month later and mechanic baffled at what it may be this time for there is no warning lights illuminated to point to the problem. The vehicle has had its regular maintenance on time.
2018 chevy trax turbo messing up loss of power and making noise
I had the car diagnosed and this is the issue.
Car filled with smoke and smell. Needed to replace the blower motor l, resistor, and pig tail or it would have killed my child.
Blower motor and resistor, wire lume melting. So many people have the same issue on several different models. Same part, same issues that could cause a fire. Well know issue by Dealership and auto repair facilities.
The indicator for the vehicle overheating illuminated as I checked. I noticed that the engine coolant was low so I brought a bottle to top it off however, I noticed once parking in front of my home that I had a puddle of the fluid on the ground.
Chevrolet had a recall (N232395330) for 2018 Trax models due to a problem with the turbocharger. For whatever reason, Chevrolet did not include all 2018 Trax models, and omitted ours. The turbocharger on ours failed, causing an oil problem and substantial damage to the engine (and, possibly, other parts), with an estimated $12,500 cost to repair. We have tried to work with both Chevrolet (case number X-XXX) and a local dealership (Tim Lally Chevrolet in Warrensville Heights, Ohio). Both are denying any liability for the problem. However, if Chevrolet had properly included all 2018 Trax models, and provided us with knowledge of the problem with the turbocharger, it would have been repaired without the substantial damage caused by Chevrolet's under reporting of the affected vehicles. The day of the problem, the Trax lost most power and did not indicate any oil issue. How does one get Chevrolet held responsible for the damage done because they under reported the affected vehicles? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine oil cooler leaking with no dash lights causing burning plastic fumes only when sitting at an idle to enter car cabin causing passengers to feel unwell at times. With no warning lights for specific leaks or overheating warnings caused high repair bills at the shop. Also, probably causing engines to malfunction earlier than normal since the only sign is the smell of something burning when at an idle and no other warning signs that would be cause of concern to a mechanic or owner. This would only happen if the recirculating outdoor air.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Trax. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle was losing motive power. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle failed to respond, and the vehicle was vibrating abnormally. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that there was no oil in the engine, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000.
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 was driving between 35 and 45 mph and ran over a manhole cover. The rear of my vehicle began to fishtail. I pulled into a gas station and upon attempting to leave my vehicle failed to drive forward. The car was still on but would not move forward. I had it towed by flatbed to the local chevy dealership where it was determined that the rear suspension swing bar has separated at the weld. If I were traveling at a higher rate of speed on the highway this could have been deadly. The current recall for this problem only mentions the front control arm but for the same issue. My car has been inspected by my insurance and the incident does not match the damage and I'm fighting to not have my vehicle considered totalled. There were no other warning signs or issues prior to this.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Trax. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the driveway, she noticed a leak on the ground underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the cooling system was leaking. The dealer determined that the cooling system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 87,046.
Power steering locks up while driving, service stabilitrack warning comes on, transmission drops and car will not drive, car will not reverse
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2018 Chevrolet Trax has 2 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 95 owner-reported complaints for the 2018 Chevrolet Trax.
The 2018 Chevrolet Trax received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2018 Chevrolet Trax are suspension (21 reports), engine (11 reports), unknown or other (8 reports).
Yes. NHTSA has 2 recalls on record for the 2018 Chevrolet Trax. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.