⌘K
Your vehicleHome›Chevrolet›Trax› 2018
Chevrolet · Compact SUV

2018 Chevrolet Trax

Gas
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
B
Safety Signal
85 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2
Complaints2 crash · 2 fire · 2 injured reported 102
Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 28 mpg
2026202520242022202120202019201820172016

The 2018 Chevrolet Trax is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Trax, is EPA-rated at 28 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 102 complaints, most often about the suspension. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Chevrolet Trax — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
Chevrolet Trax · Photo: Bull-Doser · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
TraxGasFWD1.4L 4-cyl turbo253328$2,400
Trax AWDGasAWD1.4L 4-cyl turbo243027$2,500

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 39462, 39000.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
Trax, Trax AWD3 / 10Federal Tier 3 Transitional Bin 110All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body styleSport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
Doors4
GVWR classClass 1C: 4,001 - 5,000 lb (1,814 - 2,268 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders4
Displacement1.4 L

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Seating

Seat rows2
Seating capacity5 seats

Transmission

DrivetrainFWD/Front-Wheel Drive
TransmissionAutomatic
Transmission speeds6

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Parking assist

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: 1LT, LS, Premier). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length167.3 in
Width (body, without mirrors)70.1 in
Height65.7 in
Wheelbase100.8 in
Track, front60.6 in
Track, rear60.6 in
Curb weight3,047–3,254 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear60/40

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: AWD 4-door SUV, FWD 4-door SUV. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

Advertisement

Factory warranty running out?

The 2018 Chevrolet Trax is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.

What to check before you buy →

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database
▲high

Suspension

A192261870
93,722 vehicles 82% reported repaired built Jul 1, 2015 – Jun 30, 2017
Problem 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. Fix 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.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF
NHTSA campaign 19V652000 reported Sep 12, 2019 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Suspension

A182202370
112,958 vehicles 90% reported repaired built Jul 1, 2017 – Apr 4, 2019
Problem 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. Fix 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.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF
NHTSA campaign 19V312000 reported Apr 18, 2019 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Trax

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2018 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Chevrolet publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2018 Chevrolet Trax, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Advertisement

Parts & accessories for the 2018 Chevrolet Trax

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this Trax →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
102complaints filed

2 involved a crash · 2 a fire · 2 injuries · 0 deaths reported

12 per 10,000 built · Chevrolet reported 85,560 Trax built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2018: 1 · 2019: 34 · 2020: 5 · 2021: 10 · 2022: 9 · 2023: 11 · 2024: 12 · 2025: 8 · 2026: 12

Most-cited components

Suspension 34
Engine 31
Electrical System 19
Unspecified 17
Power Train 12
Service Brakes 9

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

I took my chevy Trax in for the recall and was told the driver side needed to be fixed cause of the recall it was making a horrible noise they said 1 week to get the part in I called and they said it would be months then I was driving and it popped and vibrated under my feet so I took it in and was told it's unsafe to drive now I have…
Suspension at 10,000 miles Sep 19, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11256693
My car was call back for a re-call jake sweeney Chevrolet had it over a month when I received it back it was something wrong with the tires if they had replaced my tires with old tires the tires I had in there had a iron something iron in it also is making a lot of noise is waving back and forth it's very dangerous to drive and i've been…
Electronic Stability Control Sep 11, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11254629
Suddenly starting to receive "hood open" warning while driving; hood is completely closed. When parked, alarm started to go off, to alert that hood is open while car is sitting in driveway; again, hood is completely closed
Structure at 15,000 miles Sep 9, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11254092
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Trax equipped with two continental conti pro contact tires, size: p205/70/r16 (na). The contact received a recall notice for NHTSA campaign number: 19v312000 (suspension). The contact stated that the front driver and passenger tires shook and were worn down.
Tires at 16,000 miles Sep 9, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11254175
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Trax. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 19v312000 (suspension). The contact stated that the brakes squeaked. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer where the rotors were cleaned and the brake pads were also changed, but the failure recurred.
Service Brakes at 9,222 miles Sep 6, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11253650
2018 Chevrolet trax-ls AWD. Consumer writes in regard to many safety defects (stalling,battery losing power ,power steering and all wheel system issues) with vehicle
Electrical System Feb 25, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11175490

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Chevrolet itself: 40 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 killed, 51 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 47 per 100,000 built. Every Trax model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 28k

miles, typically

Half the 39 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 10,000 and 48,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

under 10k 7
10k–20k 7
20k–30k 6
30k–40k 6
40k–50k 3
50k–60k 1
60k–70k 4
70k–80k 1
80k–90k 1
90k–100k 0
100k–150k 3
150k + 0

Median mileage by component

ComponentReportsMedian milesVs same age
Suspension1310,5000.62×

Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2018-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Here, owners reported earlier than same-age vehicles: suspension (0.62×). Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆18%
SUV FWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆20%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every GM warranty extension (33) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 898
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-26
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 892 service bulletins, 4 service campaigns, 1 warranty extension

Most often about: Equipment, Engine, Electrical System, Power Train, Unknown Or Other.

  • PIT5698F Service bulletin
    2026-09-26 · Unknown Or Other
  • This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
  • PIP4902W Service bulletin
    2026-09-04 · Unknown Or Other
  • This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
  • PIT5099J Service bulletin
    2026-07-21 · Unknown Or Other
  • PI to help diagnose A/C concern
  • PIT3271Q Service bulletin
    2026-04-01 · Unknown Or Other
  • This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.
  • PIP6104 Service bulletin
    2026-03-09 · Unknown Or Other
  • This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
  • PIP4902V Service bulletin
    2026-03-09 · Unknown Or Other
  • This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
  • PIP4902U Service bulletin
    2026-01-08 · Unknown Or Other
  • This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
  • PIT5214G Service bulletin
    2025-11-20 · Unknown Or Other
  • This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer’s vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions without utilizing the support of General Motors Technical Assistance Center. If valid vibration frequency or Road Force Variation data has been collected and a repair attempt does no

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

CodeWhat it meansMost often filed underWhere it appears
P0299
P0299 on Chevrolet →
The turbocharger or supercharger is not making the boost the computer asked for.Engine16 bulletins · 1 owner report
P0234
P0234 on Chevrolet →
The turbocharger or supercharger is making more boost than the computer asked for.Engine13 bulletins
B3055
B3055 on Chevrolet →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →10 bulletins
B3060
B3060 on Chevrolet →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →10 bulletins
B3935
B3935 on Chevrolet →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →10 bulletins
P0300
P0300 on Chevrolet →
Misfire detected, but not isolated to one cylinder.Engine · Ignition coils →10 bulletins
P0308
P0308 on Chevrolet →
Cylinder 8 is misfiring.Engine · Ignition coils →7 bulletins
P050D
P050D on Chevrolet →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine7 bulletins
P0171
P0171 on Chevrolet →
The engine is running lean on bank 1: too much air, or not enough fuel, for the mixture the computer wants.Engine · Mass air flow sensor →5 bulletins
U0100
U0100 on Chevrolet →
A module has stopped hearing from the engine control module over the vehicle network.Electrical System · Battery →5 bulletins
C0131
C0131 on Chevrolet →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Service Brakes · Brake pads →3 bulletins
P0442
P0442 on Chevrolet →
A small leak in the evaporative emissions system.Electrical System · Gas cap →3 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2018 Chevrolet Trax failed the emissions check on 7.8% of first inspections — higher than the 3.0% for every 2018 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.4% (every 2018 vehicle: 1.9%).

New York inspections 7.8%

failed emissions

4,096 initial inspections of 3,973 vehicles.

MeasureThe 2018 TraxEvery 2018 vehicleBehind it
Failed the emissions check7.8%3.0%4,090
Failed the safety inspection2.4%1.9%4,096
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit0.15%0.22%4,096
Miles driven a year8,82310,002odometer at inspection
Average odometer72,97282,833odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2018 vehicle” is every 2018 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Common questions about the 2018 Trax

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2018 Chevrolet Trax have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2018 Chevrolet Trax. The most serious on file is 19V652000, covering Suspension. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2018 Chevrolet Trax?

NHTSA gave the 2018 Chevrolet Trax 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it B (85/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Chevrolet Trax?

Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2018 Chevrolet Trax, the best EPA combined figure is 28 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2018 Chevrolet Trax?

Transport Canada measured it at 167.3 in long, 70.1 in wide (body, without mirrors), 65.7 in tall, on a 100.8 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,047–3,254 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2018 Chevrolet Trax?

Owners have filed 102 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Chevrolet Trax, most often about suspension, engine, electrical system. Of those, 2 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 2 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2018 Chevrolet Trax?

The EPA smog rating for the 2018 Chevrolet Trax is 3 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. The certificate names the standard as Federal Tier 3 Transitional Bin 110.

Are there service bulletins for the 2018 Chevrolet Trax?

The manufacturer has filed 898 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2018 Chevrolet Trax, most often covering equipment, engine, electrical system. The most recent is dated 2026-09-26. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2018 Chevrolet Trax do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2018 Chevrolet Trax failed the emissions check on 7.8% of first inspections — higher than the 3.0% for every 2018 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.4% (every 2018 vehicle: 1.9%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations2 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates2 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls2NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints102NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings2 testedNHTSA NCAPOnly the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins898NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
InvestigationsnoneNHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationNo defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reportsnoneNHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA11 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions7 fieldsTransport Canada, Canadian Vehicle SpecificationsLength, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipmentnoneManufacturer press kitWe have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

JSON for this page · API