2022 Chevy Colorado Problems and Top Complaints – Is Your Car A Lemon?

Electrical system, powertrain, and steering issues are the main causes of complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners

Updated on Author: Brian Jones | Reviewer: Sergei Lemberg

According to the automaker, the 2022 Chevy Colorado “delivers everything you could ask for in a midsize pickup.” But owners with the electrical system, powertrain, and steering issues are not so sure. Complaints focus on numerous issues, most of which dealers can’t fix. These include issues with faulty exterior lighting, fuel gauge, and steering malfunctions,  and airbags that don’t deploy.  

Click on other model year to view more problems:  2019   2020   2021   

Most Common Problems

The most common problems reported to the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) about the 2022 Chevrolet Colorado relate to the electrical system and the powertrain. There are also steering issues and problems with tires. Other components and systems named include airbags, equipment, exterior lighting, forward collision avoidance, structure, and vehicle speed control.

One new owner drove through a heavy rainstorm just after taking delivery of the Colorado. Two days later everything was wet inside. Additionally, there are complaints about driver distraction caused by Apple CarPlay and the text menu in the cluster instrument.

While there aren’t currently any complaints about the seats, there is a recall that relates to front passenger seat frames. NHTSA Campaign Number 22V375000 states that 1,631 2022 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon vehicles are at risk due to seat frames that haven’t been welded properly. The faulty part is a hook attachment that, if it fails, may result in the seat separating from the inboard track of the seat frame. If this happens, the seat is unlikely to “properly restrain” the passenger in the seat. And if the pickup is in a crash, it would increase the risk of injury.

2022 Chevy Colorado Complaint Summary

Complaint CategoryNumber of Complaints
Electrical System
4
4
Unknown Or Other
4
4
Power Train
2
2
Service Brakes
2
2
Air Bags
1
1
Equipment:electrical:infotainment:software
1
1
Exterior Lighting
1
1
Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control
1
1
Fuel/propulsion System
1
1
Steering
1
1

Problems with the Electrical System

Complaints about the 2022 Colorado electrical system relate to the dimmer on the exterior lights, fuel gauge malfunctions, and an issue that is also associated with the powertrain (discussed under Powertrain).

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Exterior Lighting Malfunction

In a complaint that highlights exterior lighting, an owner tells how the dimmer malfunctions. While using the dimmer “to see better,” the radio dials turned off completely and it was dark. After keeping the vehicle for a week, the dealer said the issue was fixed. But it wasn’t. So, the owner opened a case with General Motors (GM.) “They assured me it would be fixed. I brought it to another dealership. They replaced the radio and told me it was fixed and it was not. They took the truck in again for a week.” This was the third time it had been booked into a dealership. And each time, they said “it is not right and should be fixed.

“They are now telling me it is operating as designed. They are saying there is nothing else they can do under the warranty. It is absolutely ridiculous. The radio dials are not illuminated at night if you use the dimmer at all.”

Urging other owners with this problem to file a complaint against GM with the Better Business Bureau, he says, “GM has tried to fix this issue 3-4 times and had my truck for almost 30 days and is now refusing to fix it.”

Fuel Gauge Malfunction

An owner from Florida states in an NHTSA complaint that the fuel gauge of a 2022 Chevy Colorado shows “full” regardless of how much gas is in the tank. Additionally, when they try to fill the tank, “the gas pump keeps stopping as if the tank is full even when the tank is not. We are extremely uncomfortable to travel any distance. The dealership looked at the issue and said everything checked out ok. It is NOT ok.”

Powertrain Problems

The complaint from a New Jersey owner relates to the powertrain, electrical system, and airbags of the 2022 Colorado. It refers to a crash that resulted in an injury.

After parking the Colorado, the driver went into a store, leaving the engine running and his partner in the truck. Suddenly, there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the transmission, and “the vehicle began to roll back.” As it rolled over a curb and into the grass, the passenger tried unsuccessfully to get out. The truck only stopped when it hit a telephone pole. The airbag, seat belt, and service safety restraint warning lights appeared on the instrument panel, but the airbags didn’t deploy. The passenger was taken to a hospital by ambulance where she was treated for a head and neck injury. A police report was filed. The driver managed to secure the front passenger door with a bungee cord and drove home.

The driver believes it was because of “a park to reverse defect.” An insurance adjuster deemed the Colorado a total loss, and it was destroyed.

An owner from Michigan states in a complaint that while there were no issues with the truck during the winter of 2021/2022, there were problems the following winter. “When braking, prior to coming to a complete stop, the vehicle shifts down hard with two clunks. On a slippery surface, it causes the truck to slide a bit – as though the wheels are close to locking up.” After taking the truck to a dealership for inspection, they received a letter from GM “stating this is normal.”

Strangely, the problem is only evident “in freezing temperatures and when first driving the vehicle. In warmer temperatures, or after the truck has warmed up in freezing temperatures, the problem lessens or goes away.”

Problems with the Steering

It’s difficult to decide whether it’s more frustrating when dealers refuse to acknowledge issues with vehicles or when they “fix” them and then they recur. An owner from North Carolina had issues with the steering wheel squeaking abnormally when turning left or right. And these recurred every time the Colorado was supposedly fixed.

The owner took the truck to be serviced 3 times, at 2 different dealerships. The first time, they replaced the GM SIR coil, which is a “clockspring” used with heated steering wheels, and the entire steering column. The second time, they replaced the intermediate steering shaft. The third time, they removed the intermediate shaft and discovered that the boot ring had detached from the boot. They replaced the boot. But after every repair, the failure returned. At the time of the NHTSA complaint, the steering wheel was still malfunctioning.

Problems that Cause Driver Distraction

When drivers are distracted while driving, the risk of crashing increases. So, when there are complaints of design or component issues that cause driver distraction, it’s important that the manufacturer investigates and assesses them.

One owner of a 2022 Colorado lodged a complaint to the NHTSA stating that the text in the menu shown in the cluster instrument is very long. “It lists 30-40 pages of legal and policy terms that can be read while driving and can distract the driver.” The complaint maintains that the menus should show limited text while the truck is being driven. The only response he got from GM said it was “working as designed.”

Another owner is highly critical of Apple CarPlay, stating that driver distraction is a “safety critical” issue. “Since iOS14, Apple has switched off the simple map scrolling and zooming functions,” making it “a big effort to change anything on the map while driving.” When zooming in and moving the map, “I am constantly distracted from looking at the street which leads to dangerous situations in thousands of cars every day multiple times.”

Previously, the complaint states, “I could simply move the map and zoom in and out like I can on the phone itself: very intuitive and fast.” Describing in detail how Apple CarPlay distracts drivers, the complaint ends by saying: “I think it is dangerous and safety critical and needs to be addressed from NHTSA’s side to Apple.”

What Should you do if your 2022 Chevy Colorado is a Lemon?

If you have a problem with your 2022 Chevy Colorado that tends to recur and affect their use of the vehicle or its value, it’s a good idea to investigate whether it’s a lemon. Lemberg Law has been helping vehicle owners for many years, and we have negotiated many settlements on their behalf.

If you’d like us to assess your problems, free of charge, contact us by calling our Helpline or filling out a contact form. The law says that GM must pay the legal fees for lemon law cases, so you won’t have to worry about legal bills.

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.

See more posts from Brian Jones
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