Looking to buy a used Chevy Colorado? Avoid 2017-2019!
There was a recent reddit thread asking if there were specific years to avoid for the Chevy Colorado. There was an overwhelming response to avoid the 2017-2019 models.
It seems that during these years, there was significant issues with transmission shuttering. This was identified as the 8-speed being the problem.
The NHTSA released a Service Bulletin specifically mentioning this issue. In this issue, it mentions that there is a shudder when accelerating in the 2017-2019 Chevy Colorado (as well as other GM vehicles).
Any vehicle made over March 1, 2019 should not have this specific issue.
This document also walks through how to service the vehicle if experiencing this problem. Which is simply replacing the transmission fluid.
But why does that mean you should potentially avoid it?
Well it is possible that the transmission experienced some problems and was already damaged, or you may just get a vehicle with this problem and need to pay for the fix. If there is shuttering, then there is a possibility of the torque converter slipping which would cause greater damage.
Damage to the transmission can be very costly and time consuming. One redditor who experienced this problem waited over 4 months to get the transmission replaced and just gave up.
What to look for when buying a 2017-2019 Chevy Colorado?
If you are thinking of buying a 2017-2019 Chevy Colorado, you can still think about buying one, but you’ll want to keep a few things in mind.
- If you test drive it and experience this slipping, then you should not buy this vehicle. There could be costly damage to the transmission.
- Take a look at the maintenance and vehicle history to see if any major work has been done on the vehicle, specifically the transmission.
- If the truck seems to drive smoothly, and everything else seems ok, you can consider buying, but it is recommended that you still get the transmission fluid changed in accordance with the TSB to prevent any damage.
