Reliable Auto DB

2018 Chevrolet Colorado reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2018 Chevrolet Colorado has 183 complaints with NHTSA after 9 years, or 24 per year. That is about even with the other Colorado years here. Their median is 22 complaints per year. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Fuel pump.

2012 Chevrolet Colorado
Photo by RL GNZLZ, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 2.0
Complaints

183

Per year

24

Recalls

1

Years on the road

9

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (78 of 183), then Electrical system (34) and Engine (24). Those filings include 3 that report a crash, 5 that report a fire, and 2 that report an injury.

Next to 2017 and 2019

The 2017 Colorado has 216 complaints, 23 per year, and the 2019 has 150 complaints, 20 per year. The 2018 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2018 Chevrolet Colorado. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall Fuel pump 2018-05-31 · NHTSA campaign 18V358000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18188.

Complaints by component (183 total)

Powertrain
78
Electrical system
34
Engine
24
Steering
18
Fuel and propulsion system
11
Air bags
7
Seat belts
5
Speed control
5
Service brakes
4
Structure
4
Suspension
4
Exterior lighting
3
Fuel system, gasoline
3
Visibility
3
Forward collision avoidance
2
Back-over prevention
1
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
Interior lighting
1
Latches, locks, and linkages
1
Seats
1
Tires
1
Visibility and wipers
1
Wheels
1
Show 15 more Show less
Crash-flagged

3

Fire-flagged

5

Injury reports

2

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

2201713201839201917202024202192022242023222024212025122026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "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…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-14
  • "There are these "New" headlights that are LED and White and they are far to bright for oncoming traffic to the point that I see black spots that block the view of the road. To be clear they are not on my vehicle…"
    Exterior lighting · filed 2026-09-01
  • "When shifted into drive, transmission hesitates to accelerate. Not all the time, some of the time."
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-08-17
  • "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…"
    Powertrain, Engine · filed 2026-08-02
  • "I purchased the truck at the end of March 2025. Within a few weeks I was noticing different issues in the transmission. It would occasionally shudder, have jerky or long shifts, would jump gears and lose power. The…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-07-21

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2018 Chevrolet Colorado PU/CC 4WD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 3 stars
2018 Chevrolet Colorado PU/CC RWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 3 stars
2018 Chevrolet Colorado PU/EC 4WD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 3 stars
2018 Chevrolet Colorado PU/EC RWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 3 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Colorado two-wheel drive 2.8L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Rear-wheel drive 22 30 25 MPG $3750
Colorado two-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 8-speed Rear-wheel drive 18 25 20 MPG $3250
Colorado two-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Rear-wheel drive 20 26 22 MPG $2950
Colorado two-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Rear-wheel drive 20 26 22 MPG $2950
Colorado four-wheel drive 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Four-wheel drive 19 24 21 MPG $3100
Colorado four-wheel drive 2.8L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Four-wheel drive 20 28 23 MPG $4100
Colorado four-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 8-speed Four-wheel drive 17 24 19 MPG $3400
Colorado Cab Chassis two-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 8-speed Rear-wheel drive 15 15 15 MPG $4300
Colorado ZR2 four-wheel drive 2.8L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Four-wheel drive 19 22 20 MPG $4700
Colorado ZR2 four-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 8-speed Four-wheel drive 16 18 17 MPG $3800

Specs and fitment

1st generation (US return), 2015–2022
Body styles Pickup truck
Oil 0W-20 or 5W-30 (gasoline); 5W-30 (2.8L Duramax diesel) , 6 qt capacity
Tire size 245/70R16 to 265/55R20 (trim-dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 18V-358 covers certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado vehicles among other GM models: the high-pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange and damage the high-pressure fuel line. Recall 20V-811 covers certain 2021 Colorado vehicles among other GM models: incorrect bolts may have been used to secure the seat belts, which can prevent the belts from holding the occupant in a crash.

Compare

Previous year 2017 Chevrolet Colorado Next year 2019 Chevrolet Colorado See every Chevrolet Colorado model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado reliable?

The 2018 Chevrolet Colorado has 183 complaints with NHTSA after 9 years, or 24 per year. That is about even with the other Colorado years here. Their median is 22 complaints per year. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Fuel pump.

What are common problems with a 2018 Chevrolet Colorado?

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (78 of 183), then Electrical system (34) and Engine (24). Those filings include 3 that report a crash, 5 that report a fire, and 2 that report an injury.

Is the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2017 Colorado has 216 complaints, 23 per year, and the 2019 has 150 complaints, 20 per year. The 2018 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

Has the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado been recalled?

The 2018 Chevrolet Colorado has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado?

Owners have filed 183 complaints about the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2018 Chevrolet Colorado get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado is 20.4 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

When did the Chevrolet Colorado return to the US market?

The mid-size Colorado relaunched in the US for the 2015 model year after a gap in the early 2010s catalog years.

What engine oil does a Chevrolet Colorado use?

5W-30 (2.9L, 3.7L, and 5.3L where equipped)

What does NHTSA recall 11V-552 cover on the Chevrolet Colorado?

Recall 11V-552 covers certain 2012 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon vehicles that do not comply with FMVSS 208 occupant crash protection requirements related to driver safety belt buckle electrical connector terminals.