RoadVitals

2009 Chevrolet Colorado Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Jul 4, 2023
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
15%
of 67 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 Chevrolet Colorado submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

ElectricalEngineFuel system
Filed Jul 4, 2023
Fire reported

Vehicle caught fire and lost everything

NHTSA ID
11530336
Incident
Mar 16, 2021
Engine
Filed Jul 31, 2019
Fire reported1 injury reported

RUBBER HOOD WEATHER STRIP AT REAR OF HOOD CLOSURE AREA DETACHED, DROPPED DOWN FROM INSUFFICIENT RETENTION CLIP DESIGN, ATOP OF DRIVER SIDE EXHAUST MANIFOLD CATALYST, AND CAUGHT FIRE. FIRE GREW QUICKLY AND TRAVELED UP VERTICAL LAYING WEATHER STRIP, MELTED THROUGH PLASTIC PCV HOSES AND CONVOLUTE OVER PRESSURIZED FUEL LINE SOFT FLEX HOSE PORTION. WAS ABLE TO SMELL BURNING, SEE SMOKE, OPEN HOOD, AND EXTINGUISH FIRE WITH PORTABLE EXTINGUISHER BEFORE FIRE PENETRATED PRESSURIZED FUEL FLEX HOSE AREA. ALL OF THIS HAPPENED AFTER PULLING UP TO MY WORKPLACE. THIS IS A STOCK VEHICLE KEPT IN EXCELLENT MAINTENANCE WITH NO MODIFICATIONS. I KEPT THE WEATHER STRIP AND RETENTION CLIPS AS PROOF.

NHTSA ID
11240904
Incident
Jul 31, 2019
Mileage
222,228 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Dec 8, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET COLORADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT START AFTER TURNING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MUST REMAIN PARKED FOR TEN MINUTES IN ORDER TO BECOME OPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT INITIALLY BELIEVED THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A DEAD BATTERY. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE BATTERY, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000.

NHTSA ID
10933897
Incident
Dec 8, 2012
Mileage
60,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 28, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET COLORADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING AND TOOK APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES BEFORE RESTARTING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION OR STOPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ID
10889228
Incident
Feb 1, 2014
Mileage
100,000 mi
EngineFuel system
Filed Feb 21, 2015

THE 2009 MODEL CHEVROLET COLORADO WILL NOT START WHEN I TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE INCIDENT DATE AND MILEAGE MAY NOT BE CORRECT, HOWEVER WHEN I FIRST BEGAN EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM, I WOULD ALWAYS CALL ON-STAR AND THEY WOULD RUN A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK WHILE THE CAR WASN'T OPERATING PROPERLY. THE DIAGNOSTIC WOULD ALWAYS COME BACK " NORMAL". I LEARNED THAT IF I WAITED 5-9 MINUTES, THE VEHICLE WOULD START AS IF NOTHING WERE WRONG. THE " NO-START " HAS BECOME MORE FREQUENT. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH GM RECENTLY CONCERNING THE "NO START" PROBLEM AND AN "AIR BAG" SENSOR LIGHT THAT HAS RECURRED AFTER THE FIRST DEALERSHIP "SUPPOSEDLY REPAIRED" AND CHARGED ALMOST $300 ( THE BILLING STATEMENT READ " RESET SENSORS" AND THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO ELABORATE ON THE TYPE OF SENSORS THAT WERE "RESET" ). GM MADE ARRANGEMENTS FOR A SECOND DEALERSHIP TO LOOK AT THE "AIR BAG" ISSUE, BUT REFUSED TO ADDRESS THE "NO-START" ISSUE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT- BELT PRETENSIONER WAS REPLACED FOR $303. THE REPAIRMAN RELATED THE PRETENSIONER TO THE "AIR BAG" SENSOR LIGHT. I INQUIRED ABOUT REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS AND RECALLS ON THE 2009 COLORADO AND WAS RUDELY INFORMED THAT REIMBURSEMENTS WOULD BE" DENIED". AFTER GIVING TWO SCENARIOS OF ME BEING IN AN INJURY AND FATAL ACCIDENT RELATED TO THE "NO-START" ISSUE, I WAS TOLD BY THE GM REPRESENTATIVE THAT "WE WILL DEAL WITH IT, THEN!". I ASKED IF THERE HAD BEEN ANY RECALLS FOR IGNITION SWITCHES ON GM PRODUCTS AND WAS TOLD "YES, BUT THERE WAS NO OPEN RECALL ON MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE" . I RESEARCHED RECALLS ON THE 2009 CHEVROLET COLORADO AND DISCOVERED A FUEL SYSTEM CONTROL MODULE RECALL DATED MAY 6, 2009 BEFORE I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE IN JULY 2009 (NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 09V-154), AND THE PRODUCT SAFETY RECALL BULLETIN NO. 08411 INCLUDES VIN NUMBERS 98104802 THROUGH 98123134. MY VIN NUMBER, IS INCLUDED IN THIS RANGE. PLEASE HELP ! *TR

NHTSA ID
10689776
Incident
Jan 1, 2013
Mileage
60,000 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Nov 6, 2014

PURCHASED VEHICLE USED. WITHIN 1 WEEK VEHICLE FAILED TO START. DASH SHOWS SECURITY LOCK FLASHING. VEHICLE WILL NOT START UNTIL IT IS NO LONGER ILLUMINATED, TAKES APPROX. 10 TO 15 MINUTES. CONTINUES TO HAPPEN ON A REGULAR BASIS EVERY 7 TO 10 DAYS, ON OCCASION HAS HAPPENED TWICE IN SAME DAY OR 2 DAYS IN A ROW. CALLED DEALERSHIP - OFFERED NO SOLUTION. HAS BEEN 2 MONTHS NOW AND HAVE BEEN STRANDED MANY MANY TIMES WAITING FOR VEHICLE TO START. *TR

NHTSA ID
10653213
Incident
Sep 5, 2014
Mileage
76,371 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Aug 27, 2014

THIS VEHICLE "PASS LOCK" SYSTEM IS ACTIVATING NEARLY EVERY ATTEMPT TO START. THIS REQUIRES THE DRIVER TO WAIT 10 MINUTES WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, IN THE "ON" POSITION. AFTER APPROX 10 MINUTES, THE PASS LOCK LIGHT WILL GO OFF ALLOWING THE DRIVER TO ATTEMPT TO START THE VEHICLE AGAIN. SOMETIMES IT WILL ACTIVATE THE PASS LOCK SYSTEM AN ADDITIONAL TIME AND REPEAT THE ABOVE PROCESS. THIS HAS LEFT ME STRANDED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS IN AREAS I PREFER NOT TO BE AROUND ANY LONGER THAN NECESSARY. THIS ISSUE IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10628761
Incident
Jul 16, 2014
Mileage
88,200 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Aug 27, 2014

THIS VEHICLE "PASS LOCK" SYSTEM IS ACTIVATING NEARLY EVERY ATTEMPT TO START. THIS REQUIRES THE DRIVER TO WAIT 10 MINUTES WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, IN THE "ON" POSITION. AFTER APPROX 10 MINUTES, THE PASS LOCK LIGHT WILL GO OFF ALLOWING THE DRIVER TO ATTEMPT TO START THE VEHICLE AGAIN. SOMETIMES IT WILL ACTIVATE THE PASS LOCK SYSTEM AN ADDITIONAL TIME AND REPEAT THE ABOVE PROCESS. THIS HAS LEFT ME STRANDED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS IN AREAS I PREFER NOT TO BE AROUND ANY LONGER THAN NECESSARY. THIS ISSUE IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. *TR

NHTSA ID
10628759
Incident
Jul 15, 2014
Mileage
88,150 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Jul 24, 2014

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I TOOK IT TO AUTO ZONE TO GET IT CHECKED. THE TECHNICIAN HOOKED THE TRUCK TO S DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER AND IT READ IGNITION SWITCH DEFECTIVE. THE TRUCK IS STILL DRIVE ABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10616150
Incident
Jul 3, 2014
Engine
Filed Jan 9, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET COLORADO LT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING TWICE, BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,000. UPDATED 02/11/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED HE WOULD HAVE TO WAIT `12-15 MINUTES, BEFORE THE TRUCK WOULD FINALLY START. UPDATED 02/14/14

NHTSA ID
10559189
Incident
Jan 11, 2012
Mileage
40,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .