Chevrolet Trax Years to Avoid
Based on federal records, the Chevrolet Trax years to avoid are 2015, 2016, 2017: the 2015 alone has 0 NHTSA owner complaints and 1,308 manufacturer service bulletins on file, led by equipment issues. The cleanest recent records so far belong to the 2025 and 2023 model years.
Sources: NHTSA complaints, manufacturer service bulletins, recall campaigns, CarWhere verified buyer prices · Updated 2026-09-04 · By CarWhere Research
| Model year | NHTSA complaints | Service bulletins | Recall campaigns | Avg. price buyers paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015AVOID | 0 | 1,308 | 7 | — |
| 2016AVOID | 0 | 1,111 | 5 | — |
| 2017AVOID | 0 | 1,027 | 3 | — |
| 2018 | 0 | 895 | 2 | — |
| 2019 | 0 | 670 | 2 | — |
| 2020 | 0 | 609 | 0 | — |
| 2021 | 0 | 519 | 0 | — |
| 2022 | 0 | 455 | 0 | — |
| 2023BEST | 0 | 263 | 0 | — |
| 2024 | 0 | 411 | 1 | — |
| 2025BEST | 0 | 239 | 0 | — |
| 2026 | 0 | 76 | 0 | $25,511 (12 deals) |
Methodology: complaint counts are owner reports filed with NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation; service bulletins are manufacturer communications filed with NHTSA; counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume. Prices are averages of CarWhere verified buyer transactions (shown when 3+ deals exist for the year).
Common Chevrolet Trax problems by year
Across NHTSA owner complaints, the most-reported problem areas on the Chevrolet Trax are equipment, electrical system, engine and engine cooling, unknown or other. The years below carry the highest combined complaint and service-bulletin counts on federal record.
2015 Chevrolet Trax: 0 owner complaints, 1,308 service bulletins, 7 recall campaigns — most-reported areas: equipment, electrical system, engine and engine cooling.
2016 Chevrolet Trax: 0 owner complaints, 1,111 service bulletins, 5 recall campaigns — most-reported areas: equipment, electrical system, engine and engine cooling.
2017 Chevrolet Trax: 0 owner complaints, 1,027 service bulletins, 3 recall campaigns — most-reported areas: equipment, electrical system, engine and engine cooling.
2025 Chevrolet Trax: cleanest recent federal record (0 complaints, 239 bulletins).
2023 Chevrolet Trax: cleanest recent federal record (0 complaints, 263 bulletins).
Know what to pay for the right Chevrolet Trax — then negotiate it
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FAQ
What are the worst years for the Chevrolet Trax?
Based on federal records, the Chevrolet Trax years to avoid are 2015, 2016, 2017: the 2015 alone has 0 NHTSA owner complaints and 1,308 manufacturer service bulletins on file, led by equipment issues. The cleanest recent records so far belong to the 2025 and 2023 model years. Counts are raw federal filings (NHTSA complaints, manufacturer communications, open recall campaigns) and are not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Chevrolet Trax?
Among recent model years, the 2025 and 2023 Chevrolet Trax show the lowest combined complaint and service-bulletin counts on federal record.
Is the Chevrolet Trax reliable?
The Chevrolet Trax's reliability varies by model year. Across 0 NHTSA owner complaints on federal record, 2015, 2016, 2017 stand out as the years to avoid, while the 2025 and 2023 model years show the cleanest records — see the year-by-year table above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Chevrolet Trax?
The most-reported problem areas for the Chevrolet Trax are equipment, electrical system, engine and engine cooling, based on NHTSA owner complaints. See the year-by-year table above for how these cluster by model year.
How do I check a specific Chevrolet Trax before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report for that VIN — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for the exact model year, the original window sticker where the manufacturer publishes one, and a market price check from verified buyers. One-time purchase, no subscription.
Where does this data come from?
Three federal sources — NHTSA owner complaints (ODI), manufacturer service bulletins filed with NHTSA, and open recall campaigns — plus CarWhere's verified buyer-paid transaction prices. Counts are presented raw and refreshed regularly.