2011 Chevrolet Colorado Problems, Recalls & Reliability

54 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2011 Chevrolet Colorado, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 7/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 50,635 miles.

One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2011 Chevrolet Colorado has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.

54Complaints
7/100Trouble index
5Recalls
55,000Typical trouble mileage

Better year

Where 2011 sits among all Colorado years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Electrical 18 complaints (33%) · typically ~50,635 miles
Airbags 10 complaints (19%) · typically ~51,226 miles
Other 6 complaints (11%)
Engine 4 complaints (7%)
Brakes & stability 3 complaints (6%)
Seat belts 3 complaints (6%)

Mileage when trouble shows up

Among the 47 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 55,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 41,000 and 96,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.

Recalls (5)

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 12V594000 2012

General Motors is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon vehicles manufactured from November 9, 2009, through August 28, 2012, for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 113,…

Fix: General Motors will notify owners and instruct them to inspect their vehicle for the presence of a secondary hood latch. Dealers will replace the hood on any affected vehicles, free of charge. The…

POWER TRAIN 11V337000 2011

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 CHEVROLET COLORADO AND GMC CANYON PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.9 OR 3.7 LITER ENGINE AND A FOUR-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FOR FAILING TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…

Fix: GM DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ADJUSTMENT CLIP FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT JULY 19, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438…

VISIBILITY 11V276000 2011

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 CHEVROLET COLORADO AND GMC CANYON VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 22, 2010, THROUGH NOVEMBER 5, 2010. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE THE CONDITION IN WHICH THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CRANK ARM NUT MAY NOT…

Fix: DEALERS WILL SECURE THE WIPER MOTOR CRANK ARM NUT FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE MAY 11, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, GMC AT…

SUSPENSION 11V007000 2011

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV, ESCALADE EXT; CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, COLORADO, EXPRESS, SILVERADO, SUBURBAN, TAHOE; AND GMC CANYON, SIERRA, SAVANA, YUKON AND YUKON XL VEHICLES. THE REAR AXLE CROSS PINS WERE…

Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW REAR AXLE CROSS PIN FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 11, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, GMC AT…

CHILD SEAT 10V575000 2010

GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2011, CHEVROLET COLORADO, GMC CANYON, MODEL YEAR 2006, ISUZU I-280/I-350, AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2008, I-290/I-370, REGULAR CAB VEHICLES AND EXTENDED CAB VEHICLES WITHOUT A REAR SEAT AND EQUIPPED WITH A FRONT 60/40 SPLIT…

Fix: DEALERS WILL CUT A HOLE INTO THE BACK PANEL TRIM COVER TO ALLOW ACCESS TO THE TOP TETHER ANCHOR FOR THE FRONT CENTER SEAT POSITION AND WILL PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION AS TO USE IN THE OWNER'S…

Technical service bulletins

1,257 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2011 Chevrolet Colorado. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

See the 2011 Colorado TSB list →

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2011peak 11 in 20192025

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2011 Chevrolet Colorado reliable?

The 2011 Chevrolet Colorado drew 54 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 7/100, scored against the model's worst year (2016).

What are the most common 2011 Chevrolet Colorado problems?

The top reported problems for the 2011 Chevrolet Colorado are electrical (18 complaints), airbags (10), and other (6).

At what mileage do 2011 Chevrolet Colorado problems show up?

Owners most often report 2011 Chevrolet Colorado problems around 55,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 41,000 and 96,000 miles.

Does the 2011 Chevrolet Colorado have recalls?

5 recall campaigns apply to the 2011 Chevrolet Colorado. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

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Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.