AI Damage2016 Chevrolet Colorado: common problems
Owners of the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado filed 713 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and electrical system. The maker issued 1,127 service bulletins for this year. We found 4 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 713
- involving a crash
- 14
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 1,127
- YouTube repair videos
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 65% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 17% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 14% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 7% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 6% of all complaints
- 6 Electronic stability control 5% of all complaints
- 7 Vehicle speed control 3% of all complaints
- 8 Fuel/propulsion system 3% of all complaints
- Steering: 463 complaints (65% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 28.
- Electrical system: 119 complaints (17% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 223.
- Powertrain: 97 complaints (14% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 104.
- Engine: 48 complaints (7% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 115.
- Service brakes: 41 complaints (6% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 25.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.5 L · petrol · 4 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- 3.6 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 2.8 L · diesel · turbo · 4 cylnamed in 7 complaints
- automatic, 6-speed
- manual, 6-speed
Drive: RWD, 4WD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 713 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 463 | 6 | 28 |
| Electrical system | 119 | 2 | 223 |
| Powertrain | 97 | 3 | 104 |
| Engine | 48 | 1 | 115 |
| Service brakes | 41 | 5 | 25 |
| Electronic stability control | 36 | 1 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 24 | 0 | 3 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 18 | 0 | 5 |
| Suspension | 10 | 1 | 36 |
| Air bags | 10 | 4 | 6 |
| Structure | 9 | 0 | 51 |
| Wheels | 6 | 0 | 47 |
| Visibility | 6 | 0 | 20 |
| Fuel system | 4 | 0 | 67 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
As I was driving in the icy weather feb 2022 going down a slight incline approx speed 10-15 mph on the road the power steering went out and the traction control lights came on and air bag light went off and I lost steering control wound up in a 6 ft drop off of a culvert may have lost consciousness briefly as I didn’t…
The contact stated that while driving at various speeds the vehicle would have a sudden loss of power steering. The failure occurred intermittently. The contact believed the check engine light, traction control, abs, and stability track warning lights and or messages become illuminated.
Vehicle suddenly loses power steering without warning. The power steering module is connected to the CAN bus which errors everything else on the same network so stabilitrack, traction control, ABS, etc goes out all at the same time. On icy roads, this caused to hit the ditch at very high speed.
The contact stated that while backing out of a parking space at a very slow speed, the braking system suddenly malfunctioned and erroneously released causing the vehicle to surge backward and crash into a second parked vehicle. During the incident, no injuries were reported and a police report was taken at the scene.
On november 28, 2017, on my way home from work, while driving straight in traffic on us /route 40 in maryland, my colorado turned itself off, brakes didn't work, resulting in rear ending the vehicle stopped in front of me. The brakes did not work, the air bags did not work (did not deploy).
After backing up and putting the truck in gear, the truck would surge forward without touching the gas pedal. This also occurred on 6/11/16, 6/17/16 and 6/23/16. On 6/23/16 I was at surdykes port 20 marina at the lake of the ozarks. After backing out of the parking space I put it in gear.
I was traveling 35mph as posted and applied the brakes only to have the pedal go all the way down to the fire wall. The truck had no braking power and only slowed to about 15mpg after applying for roughly 40-50 yards. I ended up running into the intersection collided with another vehicle that proceeded on green.
The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained left wrist, left arm, shoulder, and neck injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a body shop for repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 200.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 68 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 3% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Colorado has 161 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 713, above average.
What to check before buying
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it
- This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance
- PI to help diagnose A/C concern
- This PI provides diagnostic tips for diagnosing electric trailer brakes issues
- This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size…
- This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a…
This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
- This service bulletin provides information on Tire Sidewall Irregularities
- This service bulletin provides information on replacing the intake manifold when the engine is replaced…
This service bulletin provides information on replacing the intake manifold when the engine is replaced after severe internal engine damage.
- This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have…
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer’s vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions…
- The service bulletin advises the tech of a normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle…
The service bulletin advises the tech of a normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle response when the throttle plate is opened rapidly and advises the customer that it is normal for the delay.
- This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about fluid leaking from…
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about fluid leaking from the brake caliper piston area found during a service of the vehicle. The substance is actually excess assembly…
- This Preliminary information communicates a possible issue with an engine timing chain, gear or crankshaft key
NHTSA lists 1,127 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
- 2016 CHEVY COLORADO TRANSMISSION FLUID EXCHANGE!amount per author: 200 UNSPECIFIED_DOLLAR
- Chevrolet colorado 2016 mantenimiento
- Без щупа - як додати трансмісійну рідину в Chevy Colorado 2016 року випуску #semperfimechanic #mo...
- 2016 Chevrolet Colorado Problems: 713 Complaints, 4 Recalls — Should You Buy? #Shorts
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, electrical system, powertrain. Total complaints: 713. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: steering or power steering problems (60%), warning lights, check engine (23%), loss of power / limp mode (12%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado?
NHTSA lists 1,127 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2016 Chevrolet Colorado from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2016 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.