The vehicle suffers from an extreme, unresolved internal crankcase pressure defect stemming from the factory 1.4L Ecotec PCV system and intake manifold check valve. This pressure cascade has caused a total turbocharger failure, multi-gasket oil blowouts, water pump failure, and has now completely blown a critical coolant housing hose off its connection, causing total coolant evacuation. The vehicle is currently parked and available for inspection upon request. The safety of the driver and minority passengers is severely compromised. The vehicle actively smokes from under the hood when turned on, which worsens immediately when the cabin heater is utilized. This indicates highly flammable oil and coolant are leaking directly onto hot exhaust/turbo components, presenting an active vehicle fire hazard. Furthermore, the pressure defect previously caused a catastrophic engine oil blowout while traveling at highway speeds, risking sudden power loss, engine seizure, and traffic collisions. The vehicle is currently deemed completely unsafe to operate. The vehicle's core turbocharger failure was previously confirmed and replaced by an authorized manufacturer dealership under a factory warranty extension. However, the dealership failed to diagnose or repair the underlying PCV/intake pressure defect, causing the new components to fail immediately upon vehicle delivery. The manufacturer has been notified of the failure cascade but is refusing to inspect or intervene without requiring out-of-pocket consumer diagnostic fees. No police or insurance inspections have occurred. began over two years ago with random, intermittent check engine lights accompanied by random error codes, a high-pitched engine squeak, rough idling, severe fuel economy drops, and intermittent engine stalling. The engine eventually developed a heavy knocking sound resembling a diesel engine. Currently, the check engine lamp does not illuminate, but all physical symptoms remain active and increasing in sever
The worst 2018 Chevrolet Trax 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.
- Suspension34
- Engine31
- Electrical18
- Transmission12
- Brakes9
- Steering9
- Acceleration6
- Wheels6
- Fuel system5
- Driver assistance4
- Airbags2
- Body1
- Seat belts1
- Tires1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2018 Chevrolet Trax
Ball joint 18Check engine light 14Stalling 6Grinding brakes 5Loss of power 5Overheating 5
Recalls 2
Suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Chevrolet Trax vehicles. A joint in one or both of the front lower control arms may have been improperly welded. An improperly welded joint may break, resulting in the partial separation of the lower control arm from the vehicle.
- Risk
- A partial separation of the lower-control arm from the vehicle could cause the attached front wheel to toe outward, impacting the vehicle's handling and steering and increasing the risk of crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the left and right front lower-control arms, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020. GM's number for this recall is A192261870.
Recall number 19V652000 · Recall details
Suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Trax vehicles. A joint in one or both of the front lower-control arms may have been improperly welded. An improperly welded joint may break, resulting in the partial separation of the lower-control arm from the vehicle.
- Risk
- A partial separation of the lower-control arm from the vehicle could cause the attached front wheel to toe outward, impacting the vehicle's handling and steering and increasing the risk of crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the left and right front lower-control arms, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began June 14, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020. GM's number for this recall is A182202370.
Recall number 19V312000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2018 Chevrolet Trax 899
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This service bulletin provides information about GM Accessories
- This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
- This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
- PI to help diagnose A/C concern
- This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size...
- This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a...
- This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have...
- New Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH
- This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have...
- Amendments to the Song-Beverly Act (SBA) California warranty law provides vehicle owners with an...
2018 Chevrolet Trax fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.4L 4‑cyl | FWD | 25 | 33 | 28 |
| 1.4L 4‑cyl | AWD | 24 | 30 | 27 |
What 2018 Chevrolet Trax owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Turbo failed
The diver side fuse box started a fire in the vehicle. The tracking control system light was flashing on and the vehicle lost power. Filed claim with insurance company. Insurance company issued a total loss and took possession of the vehicle.
There are known issues with the control arms on these vehicles and I have had a clunk any time I hit the slightest bump or crack and it is especially bad when my wheels are turned. There is no recall linked to my vin but this is the exact issue that has been recalled on other vins. This makes driving the car with my children very unsafe.
Both my control arms are loose and wheel baring is bad, plus a cracked catalytic converter. All of these are causing my car to be loud and burning smell, causing unsafe driving conditions for me and my children. Online states that the control arms are an issue with this vehicle make and model and have been recalled, however my VIN has not been recalled and I want to report this. improperly welded joints can fatigue and break, causing the lower control arm to partially separate from the vehicle. This can lead to a sudden loss of steering control and increase the risk of a crash. I have not gotten in an accident, but was at risk of this happening. My car is being worked on and it will cost me $800 for these repairs for the issues related to the 2018 Chevy traxs. I would like this VIN to be recalled and receive a refund for the work done to my vehicle.
Power steering isn’t working
My lower control arm weld has cracked. It was checked shortly after purchase and passed inspection at the Chevy garage in Elkins, WV. Now the weld is cracked on both driver and passenger sides and it making a clunking sound. I do not feel safe to drive this vehicle. This problem should of been fixed when the recall came out, they should of replaced with new parts. My husband Inspected the problem and found the cracks. I took photos to document it. We found the problem on [XXX] but has been clunking for over a month INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
My check engine light came on, I took my vehicle to Ken Ganley Chevrolet because that is where I purchased it. They claim they have no record I bought it there and at first refused service. I provided my loan documents that state I purchased it. Tim was in the service department, I brought the car in and he had it looked at. He said the issue is the turbocharger, which is a known issue with this year/make/model that GM knows about. The repair was under warranty, completed and the car returned to me. Less than 2 weeks later the check engine light came on and the diagnostic gave the same error. I took it back to the dealership and I got 3 different answers. One person told me it was an exhaust issue that was causing the turbo to overheat (the car is kicking out excessive amounts of carbon monoxide), the second person told me there was no issue and they weren't sure why the check engine light went off, the third person said it seemed like the exhaust and the overheating was a safety issue and it shouldn't be driven. They ultimately refused the repair and said bring it back if it gets worse. I called GM corporate to report the dealership and ask for an actual repair. They told me to take it to another dealership to be looked at. Multiple other dealerships have refused because the case is open with the original dealership. That Ken Ganley Chevrolet dealer is refusing to acknowledge a repair is needed. The car is continuing to kick out excessive carbon monoxide and smells like burning when driving. The engine chugs and doesn't get up to full speed. I requested goodwill reimbursement for part of the car from GM for failure to service and an unsafe vehicle and they have offered no solution because other dealers won't give a second opinion. The car is not safe to drive and is not being repaired.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Trax. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH and attempting to slow down, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact used the parking brake to slow and stop the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence. An independent mechanic was contacted to diagnose the vehicle. A dealer was not notified of the issue. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 135,000.
The oil cooler/oil housing leaks oil on every single one of these vehicles, spanning many years, due to its plastic housing, mounted up against a hot engine. The cost of repair is between $2000-3000 at a dealership.
Compare the 2018 Chevrolet Trax
Trax vs Chevrolet TrailblazerTrax vs Kia SoulTrax vs Jeep RenegadeTrax vs Honda HR-VTrax vs Ford EcosportTrax vs Ford Bronco SportTrax vs Subaru CrosstrekTrax vs Hyundai Kona
Other model years
Questions about the 2018 Chevrolet Trax
Is the 2018 Chevrolet Trax reliable?
Owners have filed 102 complaints about the 2018 Chevrolet Trax, close to a typical Trax model year.
What is the 2018 Chevrolet Trax year score?
The 2018 Chevrolet Trax scores 75 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Chevrolet Trax: 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 2018 Chevrolet Trax?
Suspension, with 34 complaints, typically around 10,500 miles. Next is engine (31).
How many recalls does the 2018 Chevrolet Trax have?
2 recalls, covering suspension.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Chevrolet Trax suspension?
Yes, 2 recalls: 19V652000, 19V312000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Chevrolet Trax have bad suspension?
The Chevrolet Trax model years with the most suspension complaints are 2018 (34 complaints), 2019 (19 complaints) and 2017 (10 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2018 Chevrolet Trax get?
Official estimates for the 2018 Chevrolet Trax range from 27 to 28 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.4L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 25 city and 33 highway.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2018 Chevrolet Trax?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history