2021 Chevy Colorado Problems and Top Complaints – Is Your Car A Lemon?

Service brakes, electrical system and structure system issues among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners

Updated on Author: Brian Jones

Updated on Author: Brian Jones

After many years of making defective trucks, the 2021 Chevy Colorado seeks to be the year of redemption. The company claims it is “such a showoff,” but most customers would be happy with simply reliable. Yet, there are just as many problems with the newer Colorado, from defective service brakes to a faulty electrical system and a poorly made structure.

Click on other model year to view more problems:  2018   2019   2020   2022   

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NHTSA Complaints for the 2021 Chevy Colorado

Complaint CategoryNumber of Complaints
Unknown Or Other
7
Power Train
5
Engine
4
Electrical System
3
Visibility/wiper
3
Air Bags
2
Steering
2
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/panel
1
Equipment:electrical:infotainment
1
Exterior Lighting
1

Problems with the Service Brakes

Stopping the Colorado is a top priority for owners, but these brakes just don’t seem to work right at all.

Here is one Edmunds review. “I have had my 2021 Colorado for 7 weeks less than 900 miles. I have had it in for service twice for the same issues.  Brakes grind for the first 10 minutes of driving. Took it in they cleaned the brakes, two days later same thing.  Took it in again they changed the pads. 3 days later same thing, called and they told me it had a service bulletin for this issue and GM is working on it. Well 3 days later and now it grinds all the time.”

For now, Chevy has chosen to issue no bulletins about brake problems. It seems odd that the company suddenly wants to be quiet after talking about “showing off.” Maybe the automaker is eating some humble pie right now.

Electrical System Problems

In 2021, the electrical system should be top-notch in any vehicle, but the Colorado can’t seem to get the basics right.

Here’s another Edmunds complaint. “Hands free phone system worked about 10% of the time. They flashed the program, seemed to work better, nope took it in again, same thing flashed the program, this time it when it started acting up again, I installed Google assistant.”

It actually wasn’t that long ago that Chevy was facing class action lawsuits because its wireless phone chargers in the older Colorado models weren’t compatible with almost any standard device. This was just one of many problems that created a mass exodus of truck owners to become loyal to Ford.

Problems with the Structure

One last look forces a peek at the build of the Colorado. It should come as no surprise that nothing is made the way it is expected to be.

A final Edmunds review says, “I have had my Colorado for a month. It’s been in the shop for almost 2 weeks out of the month. The a/c compressor sounds like a jet plane. The truck has a vibration during highway speeds and really noticeable during deceleration. They tell me it’s normal. I traded a 2013 Tacoma with a hundred thousand miles that didn’t have these problems. I love the style of the truck but there has to be some design flaws somewhere. I’m a certified diesel mechanic and this stuff just isn’t right. Now they want me to test drive another one to show me it’s normal. I drove 2 last week and neither made these noises. But because they were not the exact same model that doesn’t count. Well I went and drove another LT model that was just delivered. Not only did this truck have the vibration but it also had a whining noise that sounded like a siren coming from either the transmission or rear end. Was told by the lead technician at RK in Virginia Beach va that this truck sounds like the carrier bearing was bad. Colorado’s do not have carrier bearings. But these are the same people that tell me the vibrations in my truck are normal operating procedures of this vehicle. What a real joke. I have since hired a lawyer. Do yourself a favor, do not buy the Colorado. I regret I ever did.”

Remember a few years back when Chevy was facing class action lawsuits because the transmission was defective in Colorado trucks? How could anyone expect the same company that doesn’t know anything about transmissions to have the knowledge to build the rest of a pickup truck? Let’s get real – there’s nothing here worth showing off.

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Brian Jones

About the Author:

Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.

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3 COMMENTS
  • Rob

    I work for a Gm dealership in Canada. Bought a 2021 Colorado crew z71 new. Been with this company for over 20 years. three months into having the truck I notice that when I put it in reverse or drive for about 5 minutes there is a knock or bang noise coming from the transmission area. After 5 min the noise starts going away. Now today….. I am starting to get shiftier issues where when I put the truck into park the key will not deploy. I have to play around with the shiftier. This is just starting now. I have been in service at least 3 times and its the same thing ” we must hear the issue”. Sold over 2,500 vehicles for this company and they are excellent to work with. I’m just not happy with the trucks performance.

  • Ed G

    2021 Colorado owner. Bought used from dealer. Only 8800 miles. First time I drove it over 65mph the truck SHAKES.(BIG TIME) Took back to dealer. They told me they never heard of this. For me to bring in to service department to have checked out. Bullcrap. I know several people with same problem.

  • Steve

    2014 Chevy Impala Lt 4 cylinder with 8 speed transmission. The issues I have started after my 100000 tune up. I have no warning lights or codes that come up. The issues I am having feels like the car shifts speracrly and loses power. Sometimes it does not accelerate correctly step on gas RPMs go up but car does not respond. Also encountered shaking jerking and a loud bang from engine compartment. Dealer changed front motor mount fuel pump cleaned injectors.They are currently looking at the transmission. Car has been at dealership on and off since July.
    Any ideas?

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