Chevrolet Trax 2016 recalls, problems, complaints and safety

NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls issued for the Chevrolet Trax 2016 and 120 complaints filed by owners. It has 24% more complaints than the average Chevrolet Trax from 2016–2025 (97 per year).

These are recalls issued for this model and year, not for your specific car. A car may already be repaired or may not be included. Confirm with your VIN on NHTSA.

Recalls issued for the Chevrolet Trax 2016

Suspension
NHTSA campaign 19V652000 · 2019-09-12

What happens

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.

Consequence

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.

The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.

NHTSA 19V652000

Air bags
NHTSA campaign 17V437000 · 2017-07-10

What happens

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse and Chevrolet Spark EV, Caprice PPV and SS vehicles, 2014-2017 Buick Encore and Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles, 2015-2016 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles, and 2015-2017 GMC Sierra HD 2500 and 3500 vehicles. While being previously remedied for recall 16V-651, the affected vehicles may not have received the complete software update necessary to remedy the recall condition. Without the update, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.

Consequence

A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

Remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 17287.

The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.

NHTSA 17V437000

Air bags
NHTSA campaign 16V651000 · 2016-09-08

What happens

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, 3500 HD, Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Sierra 2500 HD and 3500 HD, GMC Yukon, GMC Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Cadillac Escalade ESV vehicles and 2014-2017 Chevrolet Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and 2014-2016 Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Spark EV and SS vehicles. In the affected vehicles, certain driving conditions may cause the air bag sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) software to activate a diagnostic test. During this test, deployment of the frontal air bags and the seat belt pretensioners would not occur in the event of a crash.

Consequence

A failure of the front air bags or seat belt pretensioners to deploy in the event of a crash necessitating deployment increases the risk of injury to the driver and front passenger.

Remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the SDM software. Vehicles that have had a previous air bag deployment will have the SDM replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on October 13, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 16007.

The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.

NHTSA 16V651000

Electrical system
NHTSA campaign 16V422000 · 2016-06-10

What happens

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Chevrolet Sonic and Trax, and 2013-2015 Spark vehicles equipped with a Bring Your Own Media radio. The affected radios may fail to provide an audible warning chime when the driver fails to fasten their seatbelt or if the driver leaves the key in the ignition. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 208 "Occupant Crash Protection" and 114 "Theft Protection."

Consequence

Without audible indicators, the driver may not fasten their seatbelt, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The recall began on July 22, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 45340.

The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.

NHTSA 16V422000

Equipment and labels
NHTSA campaign 16V257000 · 2016-04-28

What happens

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Chevrolet Sonic and Trax vehicles and 2013-2015 Chevrolet Spark vehicles equipped with a Bring Your Own Media radio. The affected radios may fail to provide an audible warning chime when the driver, after turning off the ignition and leaving the key in the cylinder, waits 10 minutes or longer to open the door. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114 "Theft Protection."

Consequence

Without audible indicators, the driver may leave the key in the ignition, increasing the risk of theft.

Remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 17130.

The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.

NHTSA 16V257000

Complaints from other owners

120 complaints filed with NHTSA by owners of this model.

9 with a crash · 2 with a fire · 4 injuries

Most reported problems on the Chevrolet Trax 2016

• Engine: 46 (38% of complaints)
• Electrical system: 23 (19% of complaints)
• Air bags: 14 (12% of complaints)
• Powertrain and transmission: 13 (11% of complaints)
• Steering: 12 (10% of complaints)

Complaints are written by owners and NHTSA doesn't verify each one. They're useful to spot trends.

What to check before buying a Chevrolet Trax 2016

• Confirm by VIN on NHTSA that the recalls on this list were repaired.
• Start it cold, listen for noises, look for oil or coolant leaks and exhaust smoke.
• Test lights, windows, locks, the screen and dashboard warning lights; have trouble codes scanned.
• The air bag light should come on for a second at start-up and go off. Confirm by VIN that air bag recalls were done.
• Get an inspection from an independent mechanic before paying.

Safety rating (NCAP)

Chevrolet Trax recalls by year

• 2016 : 5 recalls · 120 complaints
• 2017 : 3 recalls · 114 complaints
• 2018 : 2 recalls · 102 complaints
• 2019 : 2 recalls · 135 complaints
• 2020 : 0 recalls · 98 complaints
• 2021 : 0 recalls · 25 complaints
• 2022 : 0 recalls · 9 complaints
• 2024 : 1 recall · 178 complaints
• 2025 : 1 recall · 93 complaints

Guides for this check

• What is a car recall and how to get it fixed for free
• Pre-purchase inspection for a used car: what to check
• Questions to ask the seller of a used car

Frequently asked questions

How many recalls does the Chevrolet Trax 2016 have?

NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls issued for the Chevrolet Trax 2016. That doesn't mean every car has them open: confirm with the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The repair is free at the dealer.

What is the most common problem with the Chevrolet Trax 2016?

In complaints filed with NHTSA, the most mentioned component is: engine (46 of 120 complaints). Complaints aren't verified one by one, but they show trends.