YearToAvoid

2018 Chevrolet Colorado Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Caution The 2018 Chevrolet Colorado has 183 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 60, ranking 9th worst out of 21 model years, with a Caution verdict. Transmission & powertrain issues dominate at 43% of complaints, and one recall covers a fuel pump defect.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
60/100
#9 of 21 Colorado years
Verdict
Caution
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
183
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
1
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
3
reported in complaints
Fires
5
Injuries
3
Top issue
Transmission & Powertrain
Best nearby year
2012
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
20.5
19 city / 24.5 hwy
Injuries / deaths
3 / 0

Top 2018 Chevy Colorado problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Transmission & Powertrain78 (43%)
  2. Electrical System36 (20%)
  3. Other36 (20%)
  4. Engine27 (15%)
  5. Steering18 (10%)
  6. Fuel System14 (8%)
  7. Airbags7 (4%)
  8. Suspension, Wheels & Tires6 (3%)
  9. Brakes5 (3%)
  10. Seat Belts5 (3%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Owners report a loud bang and loss of control during low-speed deceleration, traced by dealers to a faulty transfer case.
  • Some describe a factory-installed engine block heater catching fire while the truck sat parked and plugged in.
  • Owners report smelling burned plastic and seeing smoke and flames come from behind the rear seat, attributed to an electrical fire.
  • Several describe the backup camera display becoming too bright at night, blinding the driver or washing out the side mirror view.
  • Owners report the brakes failing to engage during sudden freeway braking, leading to a collision.
  • Some report airbags failing to deploy during a crash, or side curtain airbags deploying unexpectedly while driving on sand.
2018 Chevrolet Colorado complaints: complaints filed per quarter112017 Q42019 Q12020 Q22021 Q32022 Q42024 Q12025 Q22026 Q3
183 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2017 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2019 Q3 (11).

2018 Chevrolet Colorado recalls

1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 18V358000May 31, 2018Fuel System895 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

    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.

    Risk: A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.

    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.

2018 Chevrolet Colorado fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19 MPG
Highway
24.5 MPG
Combined
20.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,575
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2018 compared with other Colorado years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2016Avoid100707421.5
2017Caution70216120.5
2018Caution60183120.5
2019Avoid75150020.5
2020Caution5584020.5

All Chevrolet Colorado years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado reliable?
NHTSA lists 183 complaints for the 2018 Colorado with a complaint index of 60, giving it a Caution verdict relative to other Colorado years. Transmission and powertrain problems make up 43% of complaints.
What is the top problem area for the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado?
Transmission & Powertrain issues lead with 78 complaints, or 43% of the total, with a median failure mileage of 18,000 miles.
Does the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado have any recalls?
Yes, one recall (18V358000) covers a high pressure fuel pump and fuel pipe replacement on certain 2016-2018 Colorado trucks.
How does the 2018 Colorado compare to other Colorado model years?
It ranks 9th worst out of 21 years tracked, with a complaint index of 60. Worse years include 2016 (index 100) and 2015 (index 95), while 2010-2012 rate as Best years with indexes of 10-20.
What mileage do problems typically show up at on the 2018 Colorado?
The overall median mileage at failure is 14,000 miles, though transmission issues median at 18,000 miles and steering issues at 9,242 miles.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.