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 28, 2026
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.
24%
of 42 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.
2
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 2012 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
Engine
Filed Jul 28, 2026
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Colorado. While the contact’s husband was driving into the driveway at the residence, the steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn. The vehicle was parked, and the hood was opened to determine the cause of the failure. The contact’s husband discovered that the serpentine belt had slipped off the pulley because the pulley was fractured. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,000.
NHTSA ID
11753224
Incident
Jul 27, 2026
Mileage
106,000 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Oct 1, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET COLORADO. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, AN UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATOR FLASHED. THE CONTACT HAD TO REMOVE THE BATTERY CABLE, WAIT A FEW MINUTES, REINSTALL THE BATTERY CABLE, WAIT AN ADDITIONAL FEW MINUTES, AND THEN START THE VEHICLE FOR IT TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. THE CONTACT HAD NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER OR MECHANIC TO HAVE THE VEHICLE SERVICED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000. *DT THE CONSUMER STATED HE NEEDS A PAPER COPY OF EVOQ. *TR
NHTSA ID
11265489
Incident
Jun 4, 2018
Mileage
47,000 mi
Engine
Filed Sep 26, 2019
AS LONG AS THE SECURITY LIGHT FLASHES THE TRUCK WILL NOT START. I TAKE OFF THE NEGATIVE CLAMP OFF THE BATTERY AN WAIT 10 MINUTES IT WILL START. IF I USE THE REMOTE TO LOCK THE TRUCK EVERY THIRD TIME THE TRUCK WILL NOT START. AN SOME TIMES IT DOES IT MORE THAN THAT. SO I DON'T USE THE REMOTE. STATIONARY. THIS HAPPENS SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK.
NHTSA ID
11258438
Incident
Sep 26, 2019
ElectricalEngine
Filed Sep 11, 2019
WILL NOT START HAVE TO TAKE OFF - POST FROM BATTERY THEN 10 MINUTES BEFORE IT STARTS. THE SECURITY LIGHT FLASHES FOR THE 10 MINUTES BEFORE IT STARTS.. EMS NEEDS REPLACED. IF I LOCK THE TRUCK AFTER THE 3 TIME IT STARTS THIS S(XXX). 2012 CHEVY. COLORADO. IT'S NOT THE KEY OR SWITCH.
NHTSA ID
11254863
Incident
Sep 9, 2019
Mileage
85,356 mi
EngineSteering
Filed May 21, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET COLORADO. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER AND THE BATTERY WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND OPENED THE HOOD TO FIND THAT THE IDLER PULLEY BRACKET HAD FRACTURED, WHICH ALSO CAUSED THE BELT TO FRACTURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (DICK SHIRLEY CHEVROLET, 2616 ALAMANCE RD, BURLINGTON, NC 27215) WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE IDLER PULLEY BRACKET FRACTURED AND THE BELT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD BE UNABLE TO ASSIST WITH THE REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.
NHTSA ID
11097065
Incident
May 7, 2018
Mileage
85,000 mi
Engine
Filed Apr 13, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET COLORADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN ABNORMAL WHISTLING NOISE WAS HEARD AND GREW WORSE OVER THE PAST MONTHS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAD A CRACK DOWN THE MIDDLE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.
NHTSA ID
11084925
Incident
Sep 1, 2017
Mileage
118,000 mi
Body & structureEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Oct 19, 2015
Crash reported2 injuries reported
WAS TRAVELING SOUTH GOING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION ON A GREEN TRAFFIC LIGHT WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING NORTH IN A LEFT TURN YIELD ON GREEN, WHEN THE DESIGNATED GREEN ARROW IS NOT ILLUMINATED, TURNED IN FRONT OF ME AND WE COLLIDED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY ON EITHER SIDE. DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER IN VEHICLE TRAVELING SOUTH SUSTAINED INJURIES AND TRANSPORTED TO HOSPITAL IN AMBULANCE.
NHTSA ID
10783275
Incident
Oct 9, 2015
Mileage
43,000 mi
ElectricalEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jul 9, 2013
2012 CHEVROLET COLORADO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. WHEN THE CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALER A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, HE WAS INFORMED THE ISSUE WAS THE TRANSMISSION. THE NEXT WEEK, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED, THE PARTS REPLACED IN THE TRANSMISSION WERE NOT ISSUE, AND AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE ISSUE WAS A LOOSE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER. LATER IN THE WEEK, HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED AND THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A SPUN BEARING THAT CAUSED THE ISSUES. THE CONSUMER WAS THEN INFORMED THE ENGINE NEEDED TO REPLACED, BUT IT WOULD TAKE COUPLE OF DAYS TO GET AN APPROVAL FOR THE REPLACEMENT. THE AUTHORIZATION FINALLY CAME THROUGH AND THE DEALER PROCEEDED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE THE FOLLOWING WEEK. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD HE COULD PICK THE VEHICLE UP ON JUNE 1ST. HOWEVER, THEY WANTED TO PUT SOME ADDITIONAL MILES ON THE TRUCK TO CONFIRM EVERYTHING WAS IN SPECIFICATION. WHEN THE CONSUMER ARRIVED AT THE DEALER, HE WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND HAD TO BE TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER HAD THE VEHICLE FOR TWO WEEKS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO HAVE PROBLEMS. HE STATED THE TRUCK WOULD IDLE IN A ROUGH MANNER , AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMER STATED HE CHECKED THE CODES ON THE VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THEY WERE TRANSMISSION RELATED. THE CONSUMER WENT TO ANOTHER DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A WIRING HARNESS ISSUE AND SOME CRIMPED SEALS FROM THE FIRST DEALERSHIPS WORKMANSHIP. THE VEHICLE WAS PROPERLY REPAIRED AND RETURNED TO THE CONSUMER.
NHTSA ID
10522375
Incident
May 15, 2013
Engine
Filed Jun 21, 2012
Fire reported
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET COLORADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED BUT THE ENGINE FAILED AGAIN. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT AN UNKNOWN SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TEST DRIVEN, A FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DESTROYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT THE CONTACT HAD NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 380.
NHTSA ID
10462593
Incident
Jun 10, 2012
Mileage
380 mi
Engine
Filed Jun 13, 2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET COLORADO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH THE CONTACT HEARD A POPPING SOUND COMING FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE MUFFLER WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE MUFFLER WAS REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,500. ...UPDATED 07/19/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD MIS-FIRE WHEN THE ENGINE WAS COLD, AND IT WOULD LOSE POWER AFTER IT WARMED UP. UPDATED 02/06/13
NHTSA ID
10461455
Incident
Feb 1, 2012
Mileage
2,500 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