Reliable Auto DB

2019 Chevrolet Trax reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2019 Chevrolet Trax holds 134 complaints after 8 years, a rate of 19 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Trax years here — over the median of the other years, which is 9. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Front lower ball joint and Air bags.

2013 Chevrolet Trax
Photo by L.Willms, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0
Complaints

134

Per year

19

Recalls

2

Years on the road

8

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (35 of 134), then Electrical system (25) and Suspension (19). Those filings include 9 that report a crash, 2 that report a fire, and 7 that report an injury.

Next to 2018 and 2020

The 2018 Trax has 101 complaints, 13 per year, and the 2020 has 94 complaints, 9 per year. The 2019 has more complaints per year than the 2018. The 2019 has more complaints per year than the 2020.

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 2019 Chevrolet Trax. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (2)

Recall Front lower ball joint 2019-04-18 · NHTSA campaign 19V312000
Summary 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 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.
Recall Air bags 2018-11-01 · NHTSA campaign 18V774000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Buick Encore, Chevrolet Spark, Traverse, and Trax vehicles. The Sensing Diagnostic Module (SDM) on these vehicle may not have been turned off of "manufacturing mode," preventing the air bags from deploying in the event of a crash.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the SDM module to the correct mode, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 and Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18365.

Complaints by component (134 total)

Engine
35
Electrical system
25
Suspension
19
Steering
15
Service brakes
13
Powertrain
11
Fuel and propulsion system
8
Speed control
8
Wheels
8
Structure
6
Engine and engine cooling
5
Air bags
4
Equipment
3
Electronic stability control (ESC)
2
Seats
2
Tires
2
Visibility
2
Visibility and wipers
2
Hydraulic brakes
1
Seat belts
1
Show 12 more Show less
Crash-flagged

9

Fire-flagged

2

Injury reports

7

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

12018332019122020102021172022182023122024182025132026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "11/8/24 and 8/13/26. The turbo and engine has went out. Engine light came on. the engine reduced power and it shut off, while I was driving on interstate. Also had water coolant leak as well. Talk to dealership and was…"
    Powertrain, Engine · filed 2026-09-11
  • "The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Trax. The contact stated that the air conditioning system was replaced twice. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it…"
    Engine and engine cooling · filed 2026-08-12
  • "I have 36400 miles on my vehicle. It has been to dealer for service as per maintenance manual On Monday the water pump blew. The oil covers blew. They are not even scheduled to be inspected until 60000 Miles I now have…"
    Engine · filed 2026-07-11
  • "While driving the car the start loosing power and attempts to shut down, other time the steering wheel locks up up and im unable to turn steering wheel. The check engine light comes on and turns off. The dealer/ Car…"
    Steering, Powertrain · filed 2026-05-13
  • "See attached document for complaint."
    Engine and engine cooling · filed 2026-04-02

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2019 Chevrolet Trax SUV AWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2019 Chevrolet Trax SUV FWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 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
Trax 1.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Front-wheel drive 26 31 28 MPG $2300
Trax all-wheel drive 1.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) All-wheel drive 24 29 26 MPG $2500

Specs and fitment

1st generation, 2013–2023
Body styles SUV
Oil 5W-30 (1.4L turbo); 0W-30 alternative where listed , 4.2 qt capacity
Tire size 195/70R16 to 215/55R18 (trim-dependent)

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA campaign 19V-652 covers certain 2015-2018 Chevrolet Trax vehicles: a joint in one or both front lower control arms may have been improperly welded and can break, partially separating the control arm so the front wheel toes outward and raising crash risk. Dealers inspect and replace the arms as needed. This expands an earlier population under 19V-312. Campaign 16V-422 covers certain 2015-2016 Trax vehicles with Bring Your Own Media radios that may fail to chime for an unfastened seat belt; dealers update radio software. Campaign 15V-146 also names certain early-2015 Trax builds for steering-column wear that can cause sudden loss of electric power steering assist.

Compare

Previous year 2018 Chevrolet Trax Next year 2020 Chevrolet Trax See every Chevrolet Trax model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2019 Chevrolet Trax reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2019 Chevrolet Trax holds 134 complaints after 8 years, a rate of 19 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Trax years here — over the median of the other years, which is 9. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Front lower ball joint and Air bags.

What are common problems with a 2019 Chevrolet Trax?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (35 of 134), then Electrical system (25) and Suspension (19). Those filings include 9 that report a crash, 2 that report a fire, and 7 that report an injury.

Is the 2019 Chevrolet Trax more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2018 Trax has 101 complaints, 13 per year, and the 2020 has 94 complaints, 9 per year. The 2019 has more complaints per year than the 2018. The 2019 has more complaints per year than the 2020.

Has the 2019 Chevrolet Trax been recalled?

The 2019 Chevrolet Trax has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2019 Chevrolet Trax?

Owners have filed 134 complaints about the 2019 Chevrolet Trax with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2019 Chevrolet Trax get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2019 Chevrolet Trax is 27 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What model years use the second-generation Chevrolet Trax?

The redesigned Trax returns for the 2024 model year in the US catalog.

What oil does a first-generation Chevrolet Trax take?

US notes list 5W-30 for the 1.4L turbo, with 0W-30 as an alternative where listed; 2024-on 1.2L turbo notes list 0W-20.

What tire sizes does a Chevrolet Trax use?

First-gen fits often run 195/70R16 to 215/55R18; second-gen trims commonly use 225/55R18 to 245/45R19.