2016 Chevrolet Colorado engine problems
50 of the 708 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 418 manufacturer bulletins. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database1 of the 50 reports a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2016: 7 · 2017: 8 · 2018: 5 · 2019: 5 · 2020: 4 · 2021: 4 · 2022: 4 · 2023: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 6 · 2026: 1
Half of the 35 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 6,000 and 69,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
708 complaints in all about the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado, 1 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Chevrolet Colorado engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
I have a 2016 chevy Colorado 4 cylinder truck at the dealer again. Had it in about 8-10 months ago on the engine reviving real high when coming to a stop. They said it was probably the hill assist system and nothing they could do. Now it's chronic. It can rev to 2200 rpms as I come to a stop.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Colorado. While driving various speeds, the vehicle suddenly hesitated when attempting to accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer (ferman Chevrolet of tarbon springs) on several occasions, but the failure could not be duplicated. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure.
At approx. 3500 miles started experiencing shifting issues. When slowing down transmission wanted to stay in 5th or 6th gear. Attempts to accelerate caused the truck to bog down until it shifted to a lower gear to accelerate again. When in cruise control problem was really bad.
Vehicle stalls. When navigating a corner transmission looses its gear and acts like it doesn't know what to do and bangs and stalls. Also trans acts confused stop and go situations(city) and bangs when it remembers. Also does this when coasting on highway and accelerating again. It may jump down several gears and take off.
Since purchase of vehicle, it had a bucking at speed of 25-40 MPH, this was very noticeable in city driving, this issue was couple with uncontrolled surges in the engine. The vehicle was purchase oct 28 or 30, 2016.
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications418 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
The 0 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P0300 P2463 P0308 P050D P0017 P0008 P0009 P0016
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado
Source: the same files- electrical problems 120 complaints
- transmission and drivetrain problems 97 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 50 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (7% of everything owners filed about it), and 418 manufacturer bulletins are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the engine on the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 4 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do engine problems show up on the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 35,000 miles; half of them between 6,000 and 69,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.