The Most Annoying Chevy Colorado Problems Owners Complain About
First introduced in 2003, the Chevrolet Colorado and its twin, the GMC Canyon, were available from 2004 to 2012. The second generation appeared in 2012 and lasted until 2022. The 2023 Colorado marks a brand new generation. While lots of people love their Chevy Colorado trucks, some owners have run into problems. Here’s a look at the most common ones.
Convenience issues for Chevy Colorado owners
RepairPal.com, a site that collects owners’ complaints and connects them to repair shops, has collected a number of reports of 13 different problems. Earlier model years of the Chevy Colorado had the most reported problems.
The years with the most issues were 2006, 2009, and 2010, with between eight and 10 problems reported for each model year. The good news is that most of the common problems are not terribly serious; however, one issue can be expensive to repair.
The biggest issue, reported by 433 people, is that the “AC blower is not working correctly due to a failed resistor.” This meant that the heater or air conditioning motor could stop working at one or more speeds because of a problem with the blower motor resistor block.
A number of people mentioned that the blower would only work on the No. 4 high setting. The problem is most common in model years 2004 through 2010 and 2012, and it shows up at an average mileage of 90,278. Repairs were estimated to cost between $65 and $112.
The third biggest issue, reported by 123 people, is that the “CD player in radio may fail.” Owners reported that their CDs wouldn’t play or eject. Fixing this problem involved removing the radio from the truck and sending it to a radio repair shop.
These repairs generally cost $88 to $111 for a diagnosis and appear around an average mileage of 75,124. The problem is most common for model years 2004 through 2008 plus 2011 and 2012.
Potential Colorado mechanical problems
Another 221 people reported the second biggest Chevy Colorado issue of “engine misfire due to a worn valve seat.” This problem also caused the check engine light to turn on. Most common for model years 2004 through 2009 and 2016, the issue appeared on average around 107,358 miles.
It took about $88 to $111 to diagnose the problem, but the cylinder head might need to be replaced, which would cost closer to $3,000. One commenter wrote, “Wow, sure, seems GM has decided to turn its head and not address this very costly problem.”
In addition, 83 people submitted reports of “check engine light due to gas cap issue.” In these cases, a loose or worn-out gas cap caused the check engine light to turn on.
Some owners reported replacing their gas cap multiple times. Problems appeared on average around 87,459 miles, and most affected model years 2004 through 2010 plus 2015. Diagnosis and testing cost $88 to $111.
Is the 2020 Colorado a better truck?
Luckily, the majority of the issues reported on RepairPal were for first-generation Colorado models. The current second generation doesn’t appear to have the same concerns.
The 2020 Chevy Colorado has a number of options to customize the truck. There are five trim levels: Base, Work Truck, LT, Z71, and ZR2. The ZR2 is the off-road option.
The Chevy Colorado has the Extended Cab or Crew Cab, the long box and the short box, two-wheel or four-wheel drive, plus three engine options.
The three engines are a 200-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder, a 308-hp 3.6-liter V6, and a 2.8-liter four-cylinder diesel engine. With the diesel engine, the Chevy Colorado has best-in-class towing abilities, with capabilities of up to 7,700 pounds.
The infotainment system is “outstanding,” and it is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. However, some critics say the interior seems cheap, and the Colorado doesn’t come with much driver-assistance technology.
This model has a reliability score of 81 out of 100 from J.D.Power. This is an above-average score. Ratings between 70 to 80 are average, and scores between 81 and 90 are above average. The Colorado’s reliability rating has been increasing, indicating that older issues have been corrected.
If you own an older Chevrolet Colorado or are considering a used truck, be aware of the most common issues. They aren’t too terrible though, and they also aren’t being reported on the outgoing generation.
