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)
Chevrolet Colorado shudder problems
121 of the 3,667 owner complaints about the Chevrolet Colorado describe shudder or vibration when accelerating, most of them for the 2017 model year.
- owner complaints
- 121
- worst model year
- 2017
- typical repair cost reported
- $2,788
- typical mileage
- 30,000
By model year
Often reported together
Jerking 15Transmission failure 11Harsh shifting 11Slipping 7Loss of power 6Hesitation 5Check engine light 4Stalling 2
What owners say
Drive train shudders intermittently seams like a program issue. Chevy trying to achieve higher MPG creating a driving issue. Loss of power on the highway. Makes me wonder about total failure at highway speeds and getting hit from behind. Chevy knows about this and makes the owner eat the cost and refuses to address the issue. I truly believe Chevy knows how to fix it but refuses and refuses to release accurate information.
The vehicle developed a rapid and moderate shudder followed by "Check Engine", "Service Traction Control", "Service ESC" messages and associated icons on the driver display. The shudder happened a second time within approximately 30 seconds and the engine lost power followed by "Reduced Power Warning" message. I engaged the emergency flashers and limped to the nearest side road. I had to stop on the road because of no shoulder. I waited there while assessing the situation and eventually was able to drive the short distance home. I disconnected the battery to reset the PCM. This action temporarily cleared the fault code and check engine light. The first dealer said it couldn't do anything without a fault code. A second dealer said it was unable to duplicate the malfunction. Two weeks later the vehicle began to shudder on a busy interstate, with the same warning lights and messages and had to pull off the interstate. It happened once more on the way home. The dealer duplicated the issue. It took them over 30 days with multiple repair attempts. The dealer replaced all four fuel injectors, fuel injector wiring harness, Engine Control Module (ECM), and wiring between the ECM and another connector. The dealer had to reach out to GM's Technical Assistance Team (TAC) to get it back on the road again. Approximately 8 weeks later, the vehicle began to shudder again, this time only while travelling up hills. There has not been any messages or warning lights associated with this event. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where is has been now for almost a week with no follow-up on the diagnosis or repair status. These events compromised safety and we were put at risk due to the sudden lack of power while in traffic, maintaining control of the vehicle while trying to understand the situation, and the possibility of other drivers adversely reacting to these events.
Transmission fluid flushing. Hard gear shift at slow speeds. Transmission shudder at high speeds
Request to be added to any class action lawsuits with my Colorado Truck. Truck was purchased Jan 2015. On day one the truck had a shudder that was lite but noticeable, dealer said " this is normal and as the computer gets to understand your driving it will be less noticeable" I put up with until the transmission stopped working and had to replace the Torque Converter on Jan 2022 after to warranty ran out. $2788. The trunk still has a shudder issue...if the transmission temperature is less that 120 degrees the truck will shudder as your coming to a stop. Once the temperature is over 12 degrees the shudder stopes
The vehicle experienced severe transmission hesitation, rough shifting, and shuddering early on, which was brought to a Chevrolet dealership under factory warranty at 16,875 miles (April 2021). The issue was reproduced by the dealer at that time. The transmission has now suffered a complete failure at 97,277 miles, creating an immediate driving and safety hazard due to loss of propulsion while operating the vehicle. The failed transmission and vehicle are currently available for inspection upon request.
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.
Transmission is shuddering, I had a transmission flush done, and a tune up, and neither helped. I am concerned the transmission is going to go out while driving, especially in a busy intersection and cause an accident. I have had problems with the vehicle no accelerating when need going uphill to get out of the way of traffic when turning. Problem is duplicated every day until I can get it fixed. It has been looked at by a dealership and other personal mechanic shops. No lights on the dash have appeared.
While driving on the freeway, I experienced a sudden issue with the vehicle’s braking system. The brake pedal became extremely stiff and difficult to press, and the brake assist stopped functioning. I was still able to apply the brakes, but it required significantly more force than normal to slow and stop the vehicle. Prior to this incident, I had also noticed an issue where the engine did not shut off normally after removing the key. The engine continued running briefly before shutting off with a noticeable rumble/shudder. I do not know whether the two issues are related, but I am including this information because it occurred before the brake-assist failure and may be relevant to diagnosing the vehicle.
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.
Related recalls
Power train: automatic transmission: gear position indication (PRNDL)
- What is wrong
- General motors is recalling certain model year 2011 chevrolet colorado and gmc canyon passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.9 or 3.7 liter engine and a four-speed automatic transmission for failing to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no 102, "transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking effect," and federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 114, "theft protection." these vehicles may have been built with an automatic transmission adjustment clip that may not retain the shift cable in the correct position. If the shift cable is not in the correct position, the prndl shift lever may not accurately reflect the position of the transmission gear. The driver could move the shifter to "park" and remove the ignition key, but the transmission gear may not be in "park."
- Risk
- The driver may not be able to restart the vehicle, and the vehicle could roll away as the driver or other occupants exit the vehicle or have exited, resulting in the possibility of the vehicle striking them or someone around the vehicle, or could result in a crash without prior warning.
- Remedy
- Gm dealers will install a new automatic transmission adjustment clip free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about july 19, 2011. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438 and gmc at 1‑866‑996‑9463.
Recall number 11V337000 · Recall details
Questions about the Chevrolet Colorado shudder
Which Chevrolet Colorado years have shudder or vibration when accelerating problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2017 (39 complaints), 2018 (26 complaints) and 2019 (20 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix shudder or vibration when accelerating on the Chevrolet Colorado?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $2,788 (median of 12 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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