2019 Chevrolet Express Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Caution The 2019 Chevrolet Express carries a complaint index of 74 and ranks 6th worst out of 20 model years, earning a Caution verdict. Transmission & Powertrain problems make up half of its complaints, alongside 4 recall campaigns covering suspension, electrical, visibility, and other systems.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 74/100
- #6 of 20 Express years
- Verdict
- Caution
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 8
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 4
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 1
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 2
- Top issue
- Transmission & Powertrain
Top 2019 Chevy Express problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Transmission & Powertrain4 (50%)
- Brakes2 (25%)
- Airbags1 (13%)
- Electrical System1 (13%)
- Other1 (13%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Transmission unexpectedly rolls or moves forward while parked in reverse without driver input.
- Owners describe clunking noises when slowing to a stop, progressing to rough shifting and check engine lights with transmission trouble codes.
- A torque converter and previously replaced valve body were suspected causes of recurring transmission failure.
- Vehicle jerks violently or fails to accelerate as intended when the accelerator pedal is pressed.
- Transmission locked up entirely after a broken output shaft ring gear weld, bringing the vehicle to a stop in traffic.
- A rear passenger sliding door closed unexpectedly on a person's arm while the van was parked on a hill.
2019 Chevrolet Express recalls
4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 21V115000Feb 25, 2021Suspension, Wheels & Tires33,838 vehicles
Tires
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, XT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, 2018-2021 Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana, 2019-2020 Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, GMC Acadia, Sierra 1500, and certain Continental tires sold to the aftermarket for various model year 2018-2021 vehicles. The affected tires were cured for too long during production.
Risk: Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212329050.
- NHTSA 19V644000Sep 6, 2019Electrical System91,399 vehicles
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana vehicles. The seatbelt-unfastened warning light will not illuminate for approximately five seconds after the ignition is moved to the "on" or "start" position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk: Without the seatbelt warning reminder, the driver may forget to fasten the seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the instrument panel cluster, free of charge. The recall began October 3, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192264500.
- NHTSA 19V428000Jun 11, 2019Other325 vehicles
Equipment
Unicell Body Company Inc. (Unicell) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Express and GMC Savanna, 2018-2019 Hino 155, Ford Econoline and Transit and Isuzu NPR, and 2018 Ram ProMaster-based vehicles equipped with ASA Electronics Voyager monitors used to display the back-up camera image. The affected monitors may revert back to the factory default settings which may cause the camera image to be reversed.
Risk: The driver may inadvertently turn the wrong direction to avoid an object behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Unicell will work with ASA Electronics to notify owners and offer a remedy, free of charge. The recall began May 9, 2019. Owners may contact ASA Electronics customer service 1-800-384-4400 or Unicell at 1-716-853-8628.
2019 compared with other Express years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2019 Chevrolet Express reliable?
- NHTSA data gives the 2019 Express a complaint index of 74, ranking it 6th worst among 20 model years, which puts it in the Caution category. Transmission & Powertrain issues account for half of its complaints.
- What is the biggest problem with the 2019 Chevrolet Express?
- Transmission & Powertrain complaints are the largest category, making up 50% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 72,391.5 miles. Owners reported clunking, rough shifting, and unexpected movement.
- Does the 2019 Chevrolet Express have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2019 Express, covering suspension/tires, electrical seatbelt warning lights, an aftermarket electronics component, and rear-quarter window glass that failed to meet safety standards. None are do-not-drive recalls.
- What year Chevrolet Express should I avoid?
- Among the years with data, 2010, 2009, 2012, 2020, and 2021 carry Avoid verdicts with complaint indexes of 100, 79, 95, 84, and 89 respectively, all worse than the 2019 model's index of 74.
- How does the 2019 Express compare to the 2018 model?
- The 2018 Express has a Good verdict with a complaint index of 37, lower than the 2019 model's 74, meaning 2019 shows more reported problems relative to other years.