YearToAvoid

2018 Chevrolet Colorado Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 27 engine complaints for the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado, 15% of its 183 total complaints for the year, with a median failure mileage of 31,200 miles. No related recall is listed for this engine issue.

Engine complaints
27
15% of 183
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
31,200 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Engine loses power or shuts off completely while driving, sometimes accompanied by a dashboard warning of engine power reduction before the vehicle stalls in traffic.
  • Owners report sudden, unexplained engine shutdowns during low-speed turns, with no warning lights, forcing the truck to coast to a stop and be restarted.
  • Cold starts trigger rough misfires with the check engine, stability control, and traction lights coming on together, along with noticeable shaking.
  • A rattling or ticking noise on cold start has been traced by an owner to the variable timing actuator on the camshaft.
  • One owner reported an oil cooler line hose leak that caused a rapid loss of oil pressure and required towing to a dealership.
  • A parked truck's factory-installed engine block heater was linked to a fire in the engine compartment.

When 2018 Chevrolet Colorado engine complaints were filed

First complaint Feb 11, 2018, latest Sep 14, 2026.

2018 Chevrolet Colorado engine complaints: complaints filed per month2Feb 2018Aug 2019Feb 2021May 2022Dec 2024Jul 2025Sep 2026
27 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2018 to Sep 2026; peak Oct 2020 (2).

Engine recalls for the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Colorado model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200543 (12%)
  2. 200655 (23%)
  3. 200732 (23%)
  4. 200818 (22%)
  5. 200910 (15%)
  6. 201010 (36%)
  7. 20114 (10%)
  8. 201211 (26%)
  9. 20130 (0%)
  10. 20140 (0%)
  11. 201543 (9%)
  12. 201665 (9%)
  13. 201731 (14%)
  14. 201827 (15%)
  15. 201924 (16%)
  16. 202019 (23%)
  17. 202120 (27%)
  18. 20227 (13%)
  19. 202323 (17%)
  20. 202423 (19%)
  21. 20254 (15%)

Frequently asked questions

How many engine complaints does the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado have?
NHTSA lists 27 engine complaints for the 2018 Colorado, which is 15% of the 183 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado engine problems?
No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for this engine complaint category.
At what mileage do 2018 Colorado engine problems usually occur?
The median mileage at failure for engine-related complaints on the 2018 Colorado is 31,200 miles.
Did the 2018 Colorado engine problems cause any crashes or injuries?
NHTSA data shows 0 crashes and 0 injuries tied to these engine complaints, though 1 fire was reported.
What kind of engine failures do 2018 Colorado owners report?
Owners describe sudden power loss and stalling while driving, cold-start misfires with warning lights, a camshaft actuator rattle, and one oil cooler hose leak.

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.