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2021 Chevrolet Colorado problems

The most common problem on the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado is brakes. It has fewer complaints than a typical Colorado model year.

Typical yearClose to a typical year
Year score
77/100
Owner complaints
80
Recalls
1
Service bulletins
7502 warranty
Worst area
Brakes
Fuel economy
17-23mpg

The worst 2021 Chevrolet Colorado problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

Specific symptoms reported on the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado

Brake failure 7Engine failure 7Power steering loss 6Check engine light 5Loss of power 5

Recalls 1

Seat belts: critical fastenersReported December 23, 2020 · 470 vehicles affected
What is wrong
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2021 GMC Canyon and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV and Chevrolet Blazer, Camaro, Colorado, Equinox, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500, Suburban and Tahoe vehicles. Incorrect bolts may have been used at one or more fastening locations to secure the seat belts to the vehicle. If an incorrect bolt was used, the seat belt may not be properly attached to the vehicle.
Risk
If a seat belt assembly is not properly attached to the vehicle, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect bolts, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1‑800‑462‑8785, Cadillac customer service at 1‑800‑458‑8006, or Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020. GM's number for this recall is N202322230.

Recall number 20V811000 · Recall details

See all 1 recalls for the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado

Technical service bulletins for the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado 750

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 750 bulletins for the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado

2021 Chevrolet Colorado fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
2.8L 4‑cyl DieselRWD203023
2.5L 4‑cylRWD192522
2.8L 4‑cyl Diesel4WD18-1922-2819-22
3.6L 6‑cylRWD182521
2.5L 4‑cyl4WD192421
3.6L 6‑cyl4WD16-1718-2417-19

What 2021 Chevrolet Colorado owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed Oct 24, 2026 · Brakes, Engine · OK

The brake booster vacuum pump broke and caused my brakes to stop working properly while driving on the highway. There were zero warnings from the vehicle I went to press on my brake and it was stuck i luckily was able to push it down enough to safely stop

Filed Oct 15, 2026 · Transmission · FL

The rear differential is sounding very loud, like grinding roaring sound @ 72,000. This truck doesn't pull any loads or anything heavy.all service are on time. How can this young milage truck major part go bad just so. It's dangerous driving on the street. It can cause death if it blows up or freeze. GM has a global service about their miss labeled rear differential. They now acting like they now hearing about this when many people is complaining about this faulted differential.

Filed Oct 9, 2026 · Airbags · 90,000 miles · CA · crash · 1 injury

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that the vehicle was involved in a crash after the contact fell asleep while driving 15 MPH. The vehicle came to a complete stop after crashing into a tree. The front of the vehicle was damaged. The contact stated that the air bags had not deployed. The contact sustained a fractured wrist and hand, burns to the neck from the seat belt and burns to the elbow from impact with the steering wheel. Medical attention was required. The vehicle was towed to a body shop. The vehicle was scheduled to be repaired. The failure mileage was 90,000.

Filed Oct 4, 2026 · Transmission · FL

In May 2025, I took my truck to the dealership due to a severe whining noise from the rear. They said the rear differential had failed and needed a full replacement, costing me $1,800 since the warranty didn’t cover the entire amount. By late September 2026, while driving on the highway, the whining returned—this time with vibrations under my feet whenever I accelerated. Back at the dealership, I was told the rear differential had failed again. From July 2025 to July 2026, my truck was equipped with a Snapshot device from my insurance, both before and after the first repair, so I can’t understand why the differential failed twice in just a year and a half. The dealership mentioned that many owners of the same vehicle, and others with the same differential, are experiencing the exact same issue. I believe this is a serious safety concern, as repeated failures could lead to a dangerous acc

Filed Sep 30, 2026 · Brakes, Engine · 65,500 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard and the engine seized. The contact stood on the brake pedal. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a fractured camshaft. The contact was informed that the brake vacuum pump fractured the camshaft, and the camshaft was fractured in half. The contact was informed that the camshaft needed to be replaced. The contact was advised to contact the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,500.

Filed Sep 12, 2026 · Brakes · MI

Both rear calipers have become frozen or stuck, causing the brakes to seize and not work correctly. This happened around 53,000 miles. There was a burning rubber smell as well as the tire/brake temp was 5 times the normal. This created a severe driving hazard.

Filed Sep 2, 2026 · Brakes · TN

Brake boost vacuum pump failure. While approaching a traffic light that was red, I applied the brakes. The pedal was very hard to press and required me using both feet to bring the vehicle to a stop. Stopping distance was much longer than normal. I removed the vacuum pump and found it had seized and broke apart.

Filed Aug 25, 2026 · Transmission · FL

My 2021 Chevy Colorado experienced a distinct bucking and shuddering sensation under slow acceleration at lower RPMs, specifically when shifting between 2nd and 3rd gear. There were no dashboard warning lights or malfunction codes prior to the issue. The defect was officially reproduced, inspected, and confirmed by a GM technician at a certified Chevrolet dealership on October 28, 2025, at 46,437 miles. Diagnostic scanning using GM’s GDS software explicitly confirmed that the Torque Converter Clutch (TCC) slip speed was exceeding 100 RPM when the low-speed shudder occurred. The dealership determined the component was failing and replaced the entire torque converter assembly under warranty. This documentation is submitted to prove that the TCC defect remains uncorrected in post-2019 vehicles. My sister’s identical 2021 Colorado is now experiencing the same defect at 59,000 miles, but her symptoms have progressed significantly worse to include a severe high-speed drivetrain shudder alongside the low-speed acceleration bucking.

Filed Aug 21, 2026 · Brakes · CA

Iba sobre el freeway a 60 millas y de la nada el freno se puso duro no respondían me pasé a los carril de la orilla y fui metiendo freno de mano poco a poco bendito Dios me puse a salvo! La agencia me dijo que fue el booster ahora tienen que verificar que no halla fragmentos de metal en el motor!

Filed Aug 5, 2026 · Brakes, Engine · 106,000 miles · TN

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.

Used buying checklistWhat to check on a 2021 Chevrolet Colorado before you buy

Compare the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado

Colorado vs Toyota TacomaColorado vs Ford RangerColorado vs Nissan FrontierColorado vs Honda RidgelineColorado vs GMC CanyonColorado vs Jeep Gladiator

Other model years

20042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026

Questions about the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado

Is the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado reliable?

Owners have filed 80 complaints about the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado, fewer than a typical Colorado model year.

What is the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado year score?

The 2021 Chevrolet Colorado scores 77 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Chevrolet Colorado: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.

What is the most common problem with the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado?

Brakes, with 21 complaints. Next is engine (21).

How many recalls does the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado have?

1 recall, covering seat belts.

What year does the Chevrolet Colorado have bad brakes?

The Chevrolet Colorado model years with the most brakes complaints are 2005 (95 complaints), 2004 (52 complaints) and 2006 (41 complaints).

What gas mileage does the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado get?

Official estimates for the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado range from 17 to 23 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.8L 4-cyl diesel, RWD) gets 20 city and 30 highway.

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