2017 Chevrolet Trax: sudden loss of power

Filed Oct 7, 2026 · Engine · MO

My 2017 Chevrolet Trax experiences intermittent engine rough running, hesitation and loss of power when accelerating from a stop. It runs especially rough around the shift into second gear. At idle, such as in a drive-through, the engine shakes and the RPM repeatedly drops and rises as though it may stop. This is near-stalling; I have not confirmed a complete engine shutdown. The unpredictable hesitation and loss of power when moving away from a stop raise concern that the vehicle may not accelerate adequately to clear an intersection or move with traffic. We drive it only short distances around town, not on the highway. Symptoms occur more often during or shortly after rain and in cold weather; it can run normally in warm, dry weather. Check-engine and StabiliTrak warnings appear intermittently during these episodes. The current symptoms were present before the October 2025 turbocharger replacement and continued afterward. The exact date they first appeared, and whether the warning lights preceded the symptoms, are unknown. There is a documented history of engine and turbocharger repairs. In February 2021, at approximately 91,586 miles, a Chevrolet dealership confirmed a cylinder 2 misfire, low compression, a cracked piston and a cracked turbo housing. All four pistons and rings and the turbocharger were replaced. Handwritten notes also document PCV hose replacement. An independent shop replaced the turbocharger again in October 2025 at approximately 195,510 miles. Its invoice records the complaint that the vehicle sputters when taking off from stop signs. Those symptoms continued after the repair. On October 6, 2026, at 197,216 miles, an O’Reilly scan recorded stored P0304 (cylinder 4 misfire) and P1101 (intake airflow system performance). A separate shop’s scanner also displayed stored P0304. These scans document codes, but the cause of the current intermittent problem has not been diagnosed. Another cracked piston or turbocharger failure has not been confir

Filed Sep 22, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · FL

I am filing this formal complaint regarding a severe, recurring, and catastrophic electrical and vehicle control system failure in my 2017 Chevrolet Trax. On multiple occasions while driving at highway speeds (70+ mph), the vehicle experienced simultaneous loss of critical safety and control systems—including power steering, traction control, and instrumentation displays—plunging the vehicle into a severe "limp mode." This sudden and unpredictable loss of control at high speeds presents an extreme safety hazard to myself, my passengers, and other drivers. CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS & DEFECT PATTERN 1. Initial Intermittent Failures (Past 12 Months): The traction control light began activating intermittently and randomly without cause. A dealership reset temporarily cleared the issue, but it later returned. 2. Sensor System Failures (Approx. March 2026): All four Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) sensors began failing sequentially until complete loss of tire pressure telemetry across the dashboard. 3. First Major Highway Power Failure (July 2026): While traveling at 70 mph on the highway, the vehicle suffered a complete system collapse: Simultaneous loss of Power Steering (requiring extreme manual steering effort at high speeds) and Traction Control. Check Engine Light illuminated. Instrumental cluster failed completely: digital tachometer and speedometer registered 0 RPM and 0 MPH while actively traveling at speed. Upon pulling off the highway, the vehicle entered a limp state, restricting speed to under 10 mph. After shutting off the engine, the vehicle's dashboard screen went entirely black/unresponsive upon re-attempting ignition. After sitting stationary for an extended period, the vehicle restarted, though the Check Engine Light remained illuminated. There is more to this but I ran out of characters to type it all so I'll include it with the files below. Thank you.

Filed Jan 15, 2026 · Engine, Transmission · CA

To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to formally request reimbursement or goodwill assistance for the repair of the turbocharger on my Chevrolet Trax, which failed unexpectedly and caused my vehicle to stall in the middle of the freeway, creating a serious safety hazard. I had previously reported concerns related to the turbo, and after the failure occurred, I learned that General Motors issued a Special Coverage Adjustment for turbocharger malfunction on certain Chevrolet Trax vehicles. Unfortunately, I never received any notification or letter informing me of this coverage. Had I been made aware, I would have taken appropriate action prior to the failure. Because this vehicle was my only means of transportation, I had no choice but to immediately repair it at my own expense. I later contacted GM Customer Assistance to inquire about reimbursement and was informed that my request was denied solely due to the vehicle exceeding 120,000 miles, despite the fact that: This is a known defect The failure resulted in a dangerous loss of power while driving I was never notified of the special coverage I was also advised that the notification was sent by a government department, yet no department could be identified, and despite multiple requests, I have not received a call back from a manager. Given the seriousness of the safety risk, the lack of notice, and the documented nature of this defect, I am respectfully requesting that GM reconsider my case for reimbursement or goodwill assistance for the turbocharger repair. I have attached copies of my repair invoice, proof of payment, and vehicle documentation for your review. I would appreciate escalation of this matter to a Senior Advisor or District Manager for further consideration. Thank you for your time and attention. I look forward to your response. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] 2017, Chevy Trax [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Dec 12, 2022 · Acceleration, Electrical · NY

2017 Chevrolet Trax mileage 35,703 November 20, 2022 ( second incident)while driving 50 mph on a highway, I lost power steering, acceleration, and dashboard instruments( speedometer & tach) failed. Dashboard message advised of loss of power steering. I was able to drive about one mile before I could safely pull to the side of the road and after stopping the issue resolved itself but check engine light came on but turned off within a 24 hour period. Later found out my son had experienced the same issue with my car one month earlier. December 6 th- Took it to dealer who could not replicate the problem and was unable to provide explanation or solution. This was a frightening safety issue- luckily there was not a lot of traffic when the problem occurred. I am very concerned about driving this car and having this happen again.

Filed Jun 29, 2021 · Electrical · MD

Multiple warning lights came on. Check engine, stabilatrak among others. Car got hard to steer and lost power. Very dangerous while driving on a highway. Pulled into a local repair shop because vehicle was unsafe to drive. They ran a diagnostic test and couldn't find anything. They said take it to a dealer. Barely Made it to the dealer. Left car. They said it was fixed. Happened again within a week. Took it back. They had the car for about 4 weeks. They fixed it. Ran fine until Sunday June 27 and did the same thing. Got it home. Had to drive very slow. It is now at the dealer again. This seems to be a problem with this vehicle as seen by researching the symptoms. The fact that it is so dangerous should make this a recall,

Filed Sep 17, 2019 · Electrical, Steering · 107,000 miles · TX

Car just lost power then service light came on telling me about power steering..car wont crank or do nothing...towed to dealership ordered so ething electrcal ckst 8lo.oo dollars..now power s steering not working again car was moving everything shut down