Problems · NHTSA complaints
2016 Chevrolet Trax problems
Owners filed 120 complaints about the 2016 Chevrolet Trax with NHTSA between Jun 2016 and Sep 2026. The most-cited component is engine (46).
Complaints
120
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
9
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine46
- Electrical system24
- Air bags19
- Steering14
- Power train13
- Service brakes9
- Suspension7
- Fuel/propulsion system7
- Structure7
- Electronic stability control (esc)6
- Seat belts5
- Vehicle speed control4
- Exterior lighting4
- Engine and engine cooling3
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
6
13
7
22
18
8
10
9
8
9
10
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2017 | 13 |
| 2018 | 7 |
| 2019 | 22 |
| 2020 | 18 |
| 2021 | 8 |
| 2022 | 10 |
| 2023 | 9 |
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2025 | 9 |
| 2026 | 10 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Engine
46 reports1 fire
“Was driving the car,when started losing power up a hill,started making a loud puttering noise..Check engine light and traction control along with tire light all came on,ran a diagnostic at auto store said it was the plugs,so bought plugs and changed them,still doing the same thing..went back for another diagnostic and still said plugs,also states I would not pass emissions,..bought this car at a dealership..what’s the point if I can’t even drive it.”
Electrical system
24 reports1 related recall
“Was driving the car,when started losing power up a hill,started making a loud puttering noise..Check engine light and traction control along with tire light all came on,ran a diagnostic at auto store said it was the plugs,so bought plugs and changed them,still doing the same thing..went back for another diagnostic and still said plugs,also states I would not pass emissions,..bought this car at a dealership..what’s the point if I can’t even drive it.”
Air bags
19 reports6 crashes2 related recalls
“There wasnt a passenger side seat belts Legal Violations by LBurg Auto Sales (2016 Chevy Trax KRS 189.125(2): State law strictly prohibits a dealership from selling any modern vehicle without working seat belts for all passengers. Federal Safety Standards (FMVSS 208/209): Mandates functional three-point seat belts. Selling a car with a missing passenger seat belt violates federal law and makes it legally "unroadworthy." Kentucky Consumer Protection Act (KRS 367.170): Outlaws deceptive trade practices. Concealing a missing mandatory safety assembly is a fraudulent omission of material fact. KRS 355.2-314 (Implied Warranty): A dealer cannot use an "As-Is" clause to contract out of mandatory state and federal safety equipment laws. The car must be legally fit for public roads at the time of sale. Which it wasn't.”
Steering
14 reports
“The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Trax. The contact stated that while driving out of the driveway, there was a loud snapping sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that while attempting to drive back to the residence, the steering wheel became inoperable. Additionally, there was a grinding sound coming from the rear passenger’s side of the vehicle. The failure persisted, and the vehicle was towed. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer referred the contact to the manufacturer for further assistance. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.”
Power train
13 reports
“The vehicle lost communication to the transmission causing the check engine light to come on when the vehicle key was turned off the vehicle would not restart. There was no warning signs of this happening. The vehicle only had 70,000 miles on the odometer when this occured.”
Service brakes
9 reports3 crashes
“I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO A RED LIGHT AND THE BRAKE FROZE, IT WOULD NOT CONTINUE TO PRESS DOWN, I ENDED UP HITTING ANOTHER CAR. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, TURNED IT OFF AND TURNED IT BACK ON AND THE BRAKE WAS STILL STUCK.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.