Is the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado a bad year?
497 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Colorado years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado are in line with other Colorado years. Steering and stability control stand out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2015 Colorado owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 60,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| SteeringSTANDS OUT | 364 (73%) | 42k–86k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Stability controlSTANDS OUT | 56 (11%) | 39k–85k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Electrical system | 54 (11%) | 39k–89k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Engine | 36 (7%) | 8k–69k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Brakes | 18 (4%) | 25k–104k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 45 (9%) | 3k–30k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Speed control | 9 (2%) | 5k–40k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Air bags | 12 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Body structure | 8 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 6 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 5 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 60,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 497 complaints: 17 mention a crash · 4 mention a fire · 7 report an injury · 16 say the car was towed.
33 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Oct 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Back in early 2018 prior to my bumper to bumper expiring, I had the check power steering and stabilitrak come on on dic.
Truck has 11k miles. When breaking at low speeds, I get a lot of break squeal. This happens driving forward or in reverse.
Vehicle bucks and hesitates when pressing gas pedal riding in 6th gear at speeds up to 50MPH. If you give it gas it gets worse and finally after 5 secs it will down shift 2 or 3 gears and go way to fast.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 60,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado: 7
The power steering assist may be lost due to a poor electrical connection within the steering gear assembly. A loss of power steering, particularly at lower speeds increases the risk of a crash.
The driver's frontal air bag may improperly inflate during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash. An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in a crash.
A poor electrical connection within the steering gear connector may cause a loss of power steering assist. A loss or reduction in power steering assist may increase the risk of a crash.
The affected vehicles may experience the front brake calipers leaking brake fluid. This is due to air pockets, an imperfection in the metal caliper body. If the vehicle experiences a brake fluid leak it can increase the stopping distance, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
In the affected vehicles, the hooks that secure the driver's and/or front passenger's seat frame may not have been properly attached to the vehicle body during assembly. If the seat-frame attachment hooks are not secured properly, the seat may not be adequately anchored to the vehicle, and in the event of a crash, the seat occupant could be at an increased risk of an injury.
The affected vehicles have a front driver air bag inflator that may be misaligned to the air bag module backplate. This can cause the inflator to separate from the backplate during a deployment. If the inflator separates from the back plate in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, this may cause the air bag or steering wheel components to separate and be propelled into the interior…
In the affected vehicles, the driver air bag connections may have been wired incorrectly. This could reverse the deployment sequence and disrupt the deployment timing of the driver air bag. If the driver air bag does not deploy as designed, there is an increased risk of driver injury in the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Chevrolet: 578
Repair instructions Chevrolet sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle response when the throttle plate is opened rapidly and advises the customer that it is normal…
Delayed engagement into drive, shudder at a launch, or the transmission is slipping when shifting into 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th gears
Guidelines to replace Oil Cooler, Oil Cooler Lines and Oil Tank if the engine was replaced where large amounts of debris has flowed throughout the oiling system
Internal Engine Noise or Damage After Oil Filter Replacement
NHTSA defect investigations: 1
Loss of Power Steering Assist
Neighbouring years
2016 Colorado: 710 complaints, keep it.
Every Chevrolet Colorado year
2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Colorado years side by side
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Questions
Is the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado a bad year?
497 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Colorado years. At 60,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: steering (364), stability control (56), electrical system (54), engine (36), brakes (18).
How many recalls does the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado have?
7 recall campaigns list this model year: Steering (NHTSA 21V-213), Air bags (NHTSA 17V-621), Steering (NHTSA 16V-054), Brakes (NHTSA 15V-278) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.