2021 Chevrolet Colorado Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine1921.3%
- Brakes1618.0%
- Electrical1314.6%
- Powertrain (other)1011.2%
- Steering1011.2%
- Airbags55.6%
- Visibility33.4%
- Fuel system33.4%
- Seat belts33.4%
- Suspension33.4%
- Driver assistance22.2%
- Exterior lighting11.1%
- Body & structure11.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH, the engine revved without the accelerator pedal being depressed. The contact stated that while turning onto an exit ramp, the brake pedal was depressed to slow the vehicle; however, there was resistance to the brake pedal, and an excessive amount of pressure was needed to depress brake pedal to stop the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was informed of the failure. The dealer informed the contact that failure might cause the complete engine failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.
Brake vacum pump experienced a catastrophic failure. I was unable to step on the break because the break pedal was hard. I ran thru a red light. I was told the brake vacume pump shattered & pieces of metal went into my engine
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH, the engine revved without the accelerator pedal being depressed. The contact stated that while turning onto an exit ramp, the brake pedal was depressed to slow the vehicle; however, there was resistance to the brake pedal, and an excessive amount of pressure was needed to depress brake pedal to stop the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was informed of the failure. The dealer informed the contact that failure might cause the complete engine failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.
Brake vacum pump experienced a catastrophic failure. I was unable to step on the break because the break pedal was hard. I ran thru a red light. I was told the brake vacume pump shattered & pieces of metal went into my engine
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
Brake vacum pump experienced a catastrophic failure. I was unable to step on the break because the break pedal was hard. I ran thru a red light. I was told the brake vacume pump shattered & pieces of metal went into my engine
I am reporting a serious safety defect involving my 2021 Chevrolet vehicle. While driving, multiple warnings appeared including “Service Power Steering,” “Steering Assist is Reduced,” “Service ESC,” and “Service Battery Charging System.” The vehicle then lost steering assist, braking performance became unreliable, and it created a serious risk of crash. The vehicle later shut down completely and has remained inoperable. The failure appears electrical and affected multiple critical systems at once, suggesting a cascading system malfunction. Since the incident, the vehicle has not restarted or operated normally. I have replaced the battery, alternator, starter, ignition switch, brake vacuum pump, ECM, spark plugs, fuses, and relays, but the issue persists. The vehicle still shows charging system faults and severe battery drain, indicating an unresolved underlying electrical defect. I have found numerous reports from other 2021 Chevrolet owners describing nearly identical failures, including sudden loss of power steering assist, ESC warnings, charging system failures, battery drain, and complete vehicle shutdowns. This suggests a possible widespread defect affecting this model year. Given the loss of steering assist, braking irregularities, and full vehicle shutdown while driving, I request NHTSA investigate this issue for a potential safety-related defect and determine whether a recall or manufacturer action is necessary.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
While driving on the parkway, the engine revved, and then the brakes became hard as a brick. The truck was unable to be stopped. There were no warning lamps or indications there was a problem, it happened suddenly and immediately. Other drivers' and my own safety was at risk because I could not stop the truck. Here is the diagnosis from the GM service center where it was towed to: "After the removal of the valve cover, the tech found the pump in pieces, and the end of the exhaust camshaft was damaged, as presented in the photos. The quote attached depicts all that is being replaced with this repair." The is a know and acknowledged GM defect that has affected well over 3 million vehicles to date. There was a recall issued for some models, but not the Chevrolet Colorado. There are many reports online of other Colorado owners having the exact brake vacuum pump failure, resulting in damage to the camshaft.There is also a class action lawsuit filed in Michigan in early 2026, involving the same brake vacuum pump failure, for some of the models that were not included in the recall. This is an extremely dangerous mechanical failure that GM is aware of.
Brake vacuum pump appeared to fail creating brake system malfunction. Appears determined by mechanics to have seized and caused damage to cam shaft. Driver’s safety issue caused when trying to brake vehicle not functioning. Vehicle was towed to mechanic shop. There were no warning signs of impending failure of system. Note that earlier years for this model may have had recalls for safety issue and malfunction.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
I am reporting a serious safety defect involving my 2021 Chevrolet vehicle. While driving, multiple warnings appeared including “Service Power Steering,” “Steering Assist is Reduced,” “Service ESC,” and “Service Battery Charging System.” The vehicle then lost steering assist, braking performance became unreliable, and it created a serious risk of crash. The vehicle later shut down completely and has remained inoperable. The failure appears electrical and affected multiple critical systems at once, suggesting a cascading system malfunction. Since the incident, the vehicle has not restarted or operated normally. I have replaced the battery, alternator, starter, ignition switch, brake vacuum pump, ECM, spark plugs, fuses, and relays, but the issue persists. The vehicle still shows charging system faults and severe battery drain, indicating an unresolved underlying electrical defect. I have found numerous reports from other 2021 Chevrolet owners describing nearly identical failures, including sudden loss of power steering assist, ESC warnings, charging system failures, battery drain, and complete vehicle shutdowns. This suggests a possible widespread defect affecting this model year. Given the loss of steering assist, braking irregularities, and full vehicle shutdown while driving, I request NHTSA investigate this issue for a potential safety-related defect and determine whether a recall or manufacturer action is necessary.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that while attempting to make a right turn from a traffic light, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact depressed the brake pedal the vehicle started operating as intended. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure had occurred twice. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V213000 (STEERING); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 45,000.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
We bought this truck from a dealer (used) and before delivery the driver seat belt recall was repaired as it was still open. Now, months later, the airbag light is on with a warning and it appears that the airbags are disabled. This started as an intermittent issue and now remains constant. Not only does the warning chime when the truck is started, it will chime at random while driving which is a distraction and a significant safety concern for our young adult driver. Our local Chevy dealer will not assess the issue for less than $300. Our mechanic told us that replacing the airbag is a minimum of $800 depending on the extent of the work. Given the prior airbag recalls impacting Chevy/GMC, I thought this is important to report in case others are seeing airbag warning issues in a more widespread issue. As airbags are such a large part of automotive safety these days, I truly believe that these issues should be checked out at no cost to the consumer. Airbags should not be something that breaks down with normal wear and tear and should be a longstanding safety feature of the vehicle. Malfunction is likely a defect, not a result of normal use.
I was involved in accident where a driver ran a red light traveling approximately 60-70MPH and collided with the front of my 2021 Chevy Colorado ZR2 (22700 Miles). The hood was torn off, the entire front end of the truck was crushed with significant damage to the engine. The OnStar / SOS system also failed to work after the crash. The truck was deemed a total loss. I have spinal injuries, head and neck injuries, as well as leg injuries due to my knees taking the brunt of the impact into the dash. The airbags did not deploy.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
Windshield Wipers In-Op. Driving In Heavy Traffic At Highway Speed. Down Poor Started And Windshield Wipers Failed To Operate Nearly Causing Accident.
THE WINDSHIELD IS DEFECTIVE - WITHIN A MONTH OF OWNING THIS NEW TRUCK ONE STRIKE AGAINST IT (WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY) (OUR FIRST WINDSHIELD STRIKE) BROKE IT VERY SIGNIFICANTLY - CRACKED THROUGHOUT. I AM ABOUT 60 YEARS OLD AND HAVE OWNED MANY, MANY VEHICLES - WE HAVE NEVER SEEN A WINDSHIELD BREAK SO FAST AND SO SEVERELY. WE DID AN INTERNET SEARCH AND THERE ARE MANY OTHER CHEVY COLORADO OWNERS THAT HAVE MADE THE SAME OBSERVATION - MANY ARE SAYING IT IS CHEAP, UNUSUALLY THIN GLASS FOR FUEL ECONOMY OR FOR LESS EXPENSE, OTHERS SAY CHEVY HAS NOT INSTALLED THEIR WINDSHIELDS WITH THE PROPER AMOUNT OF ADHESIVE BEHIND IT. OWNERS SAY THE AFTER MARKET REPLACEMENT DOESN'T EASILY BREAK ON IMPACT LIKE THIS FACTORY ORIGINAL WINDSHIELD DOES. I AM NOT A SCIENTIST - ALL OUR FAMILY KNOWS IS THAT IT WAS NOT SAFE TO HAVE THIS FACTORY WINDSHIELD ON THIS NEW TRUCK AND WE DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH A WINDSHIELD THAT DOESN'T PROTECT US PROPERLY WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS WAS ONLY ONE IMPACT ON THE GLASS AND THE WHOLE WINDSHIELD IS DAMAGED SIGNIFICANTLY TO WHERE YOU CAN FEEL THE SHARP EDGE WITH YOUR FINGER FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES WITH THIS 2 MONTH OLD TRUCK BUT THIS WINDSHIELD IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR ALL CONCERNED AND THESE TRUCKS NEED A TSB OR RECALL FOR OWNERS THAT HAVE THIS DEFECTIVE, FLIMSY WINDSHIELD.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle started hesitating, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle immediately started to decelerate and failed to exceed 25 MPH. The contact moved over to the right lane and continued to drive until arriving at an independent mechanic shop. The mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the fuel pump was detaching due to a fractured bolt connecting to the mounting flange. The mechanic informed the contact of an undisclosed recall with a similar failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and it was confirmed from the diagnostic result; however, it was also confirmed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The dealer replaced the fuel pump and the fractured bolt. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall and did not provide a reimbursement for the repair. The manufacturer opened a case for the issue. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Transmission hesitates and/ or slams into gear.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
We bought this truck from a dealer (used) and before delivery the driver seat belt recall was repaired as it was still open. Now, months later, the airbag light is on with a warning and it appears that the airbags are disabled. This started as an intermittent issue and now remains constant. Not only does the warning chime when the truck is started, it will chime at random while driving which is a distraction and a significant safety concern for our young adult driver. Our local Chevy dealer will not assess the issue for less than $300. Our mechanic told us that replacing the airbag is a minimum of $800 depending on the extent of the work. Given the prior airbag recalls impacting Chevy/GMC, I thought this is important to report in case others are seeing airbag warning issues in a more widespread issue. As airbags are such a large part of automotive safety these days, I truly believe that these issues should be checked out at no cost to the consumer. Airbags should not be something that breaks down with normal wear and tear and should be a longstanding safety feature of the vehicle. Malfunction is likely a defect, not a result of normal use.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the front driver’s side seat belt buckle failed to remain latched securely and independently unlatched. The “SRS” warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that on occasion, the driver’s side seat belt buckle failed to unlatch, and excessive force was needed to depress the unlatch button on the seat belt assembly. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost. Upon further investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign: 20V811000 (Seat Belts); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 11,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
Brakes make an intermittent grinding sound when cold but make no abnormal sounds when it is warm out. As far as the suspension goes..... The truck sits higher on the passenger side than the driver side by almost 1 inch.
Vehicle pulls to the left and noise in front end. Excessive play in left upper ball joint and control arm. Reported to Chevrolet dealership, parts replaced under factory warranty Told dealership I was going to report to NHSTA Do not know what became of the parts
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
I was sitting at a traffic light stopped when all of a sudden the truck tried to accelerate, I stood on the brakes to get it to stop then all of a sudden it was like i was giving it gas again and I hit the car in front of me again but harder the second time.
2021 colorado has a low to almost non existent turn signal chime and lane departure chime even with the radio off or very low. There's no way to adjust the vehicles audio chimes. 2021 colorodo with approximately 11k miles on it.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
I'm reporting a safety issue with the head lights on this vehicle, 2021 Chevrolet Colorado LT. The low beam head lights are woefully insufficient for night driving. The light emitted is non-existent with any light from oncoming vehicles. This is well known buy other owners of this model truck, and immediately noticeable to anyone who has driven my own vehicle. I have tried 2 different types of bulbs to improve the situation with no improvement. There are upgraded lights available as an option if you order the vehicle that way, but most models on the lot do not have this option. The cost to have the vehicle retro-fitted with the optional headlights is well over $1000. in parts and labor. I have owned older vehicle with the same style /strength blubs with no issue, but this vehicle is dangerous to drive at night with the standard headlights, especially in inclement weather.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
WE PURCHASED A NEW TRUCK AND WERE SHOCKED TO SEE THE LACK OF BASIC SAFETY FEATURES. WE ARE HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING IN IT BECAUSE OF A LACK OF STEP BAR AND GRAB HANDLE ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE PEDAL IS IN THE WRONG SPOT AND TRIPS US. THE CRUISE LIGHT CANNOT BE SEEN WHILE DRIVING. THERE IS A LACK OF SHIELDING IN THE WHEEL WELLS EXPOSING THE ENGINE AND EXHAUST. IT IS FULLY EXPOSED ALL ALONG THE BOTTOM (NO SHIELDS AS NORMAL). THE FUEL SYSTEM DOESN'T LOCK AND IS VULNERABLE TO TAMPERING. THE INTERIOR MATERIALS ARE ALL EXTREMELY CHEAP AND THE A/C IS VERY WEAK. THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS WEIRDLY AT TIMES WHICH IS SCARY. YOU CANNOT ADJUST THE MIRRORS BECAUSE THEY ARE MANUAL AND UNSAFE WHILE DRIVING. WE ARE SHOCKED AT 26K GETS US A NEW VEHICLE THAT HAS SO MANY OMISSIONS ON IT - IT SHOULD NOT BE PERMITTED WHEN SO MANY STANDARD SAFETY EXPECTATIONS ARE UNMET.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .