2017 Chevrolet Colorado: shudder or vibration when accelerating

Filed Nov 7, 2026 · Transmission · OH

I purchased a new 2017 Chevrolet Colorado on XXX. On about XXX the truck started shuddering or not shifting correctly. I took my truck to the local dealer [XXX] GM. There the diagnosed the problem to be the torque converter. According to what they told me GM instructed them to drain and replace the transmission fluid. GM knew the 8-speed transmission had a design defect in the torque converter. The torque converter clutch fails to engage smoothly, creating the shudder vibration. A fluid flush treats the symptom, not the cause. GM was permitted to put a band aid on a problem to get the vehicle through any warranty and make it not their responsible. The vehicle was returned to me, even after I complained to the dealer that this was not fixing the problem. And the truck continued to have a pause in the shifting. On about XXX the shuddering became much more apparent. I made an appointment with this same dealer that had done all of my service. On about XXX they did confirm the the problem was the torque converter. At this point the truck was no longer under the warranty, so GM had succeeded in putting the replacement of the faulty torque converter on me the consumer. As a consumer I feel I have been failed by a system we have in place to protect consumers from dishonest Corporate transactions. This process cost me $4000.00 out of pocket, and 11 days without the use of my truck. All of this transpired, because GM decided to not do what was right and fix what they knew was defective. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Aug 31, 2026 · Transmission · SC

Transmission fluid flushing. Hard gear shift at slow speeds. Transmission shudder at high speeds

Filed Jul 21, 2026 · Transmission · 39,200 miles · OH

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered and vibrated abnormally. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and the contact was made aware of a technical service bulletin which included replacing the transmission fluid. The transmission fluid was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that recently the transmission started slipping and the vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer determined that the transmission torque converter and the transmission valve body needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was 39,200.

Filed Apr 23, 2025 · Transmission · 38,000 miles · FL

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission converter clutch was shuddering. The contact stated that the failure persisted. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the torque converter and a fluid change were needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and offered to assist with the cost of the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.

Filed Jan 23, 2024 · Electrical, Steering · TX

Power steering stops working on and off out of no where no engine light until power steering is actually not working. Transmission shudders also which both are known issues to these year model trucks.

Filed Oct 6, 2023 · Transmission · 32,500 miles · HI

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle briefly shuddered before returning to normal functionality. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the federal safety agency hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 32,500.

Filed Jul 12, 2023 · Transmission · SC

Purchased vehicle new in 2017 with 14 miles. In June 2018 at 17,500 miles vehicle developed a sever transmission shudder. Took the vehicle to the Chevrolet dealership where purchased. They replaced the transmission fluid and torque converter. Now, in July 2023 at 79,000 the transmission shudder has returned. This shudder affects my ability to control the car’s speed, acceleration, and deceleration and increases the risk of collision. Took the vehicle back to a dealership. They now recommend a full transmission replacement at $5,900. They will cover only $237 of the cost since the vehicle is past 5 years and 60,000 miles.

Filed Jul 10, 2023 · Engine, Transmission · CO

From a stop, accelerating has occasionally caused transmission to shudder, limiting power and ability to follow traffic until transmission reengages and power is restored. This creates an unnatural traffic pattern and puts myself at risk. After much research it appears the problem is with the transmission and torque converter. The engine may produce more torque than the transmission can handle. Problem started out infrequently, but has increased in frequency over time. Please reference report #11449007

Filed Dec 7, 2022 · Transmission · WA

My car was shuddering (almost like the wheels didn't have enough power) and it felt like I was going over a rumble strip. After some research I found out that Chevrolet knew of this problem and acknowledged it in a service bulletin in 2018. The problem was that the transmission oil Chevrolet had used was failing and needed to be replaced. The oil Chevy had in there was causing the Torque Converter Clutch (TCC) to Shudder or slip. Chevrolet never notified its customers because they said this would not harm the truck. However they're wrong, if the transmission does not have the right oil and is causing the TCC to slip, this inevitably would ruin the clutch and thus is a manufacturing default and should be replaced at no cost by Chevy. The newest service bulletin on this problem is N0: 18-NA-355 Chevrolet said this was not covered by a warranty and wanted me to pay $500 to fix their mistake of putting in faulty oil in my truck. They then offered me to pay $80 . They also refuse to extend my warranty and cover the remaining $80. This is a safety problem because it could cause the transmission to seize up if not fixed. Because this has been well documented in many other customer cars, I believe they should be forced to Recall and notify all customers and pay for this procedure. My car was inspected and flushed by car dealer (Chuck Olsen Chevrolet in Shoreline WA). There were no warning lamps, or messages. It failed why I was driving on a two hour road trip. The rumbling was so noticeable I initially thought my wheel was falling off so pulled over to make sure my tire still had all of it's bolts. Turns out the fluid Chevy used in my transmission was to blame. In the owners manual it says you should flush your transmission at 72,000 miles. My truck only has 58,000 miles.

Filed Nov 10, 2022 · Transmission · 30,000 miles · NC

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that on numerous occasions while accelerating at low speeds, the vehicle shuddered and jerked. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

Filed Sep 28, 2022 · Transmission · FL

Vehicle vibrates and/or shudders during light throttle acceleration at a steady state, promoting a driver to accelerate quickly to overcome the disconcerting shudder. This definitely should be a safety recall as GM has acknowledged the problem in a Technical Service Bulletin #19-NA-018, prevalent in many models & brands including Cadillac, Chevrolet & GMC (even Corvettes 2015-2019 models). Suggested repair is for dealer to fill & flush transmission pan 3 times(!) with 7 liters of Synthetic LV ATF HP fluid. Other complaints on this site question the effectiveness of this repair citing recurrence of shudder. Very disturbing & unsafe condition.

Filed Sep 8, 2022 · Transmission · 52,000 miles · PA

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that the transmission was shuddering while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with a defective torque converter. The torque converter was replaced under warranty; however, after several thousand miles the failure returned. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was now out of warranty. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.