2016 Chevrolet Trax Problems, Recalls & Reliability
185 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2016 Chevrolet Trax, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 77/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 69,150 miles.
Below average
Where 2016 sits among all Trax years
What owners report
“The air bag light randomly came on about two yeatago and never went off. The engine(turbo) has been having problems for two years now. I’ve been to the dealership several times over the year. I was almost hit by another vehicle because of slow take off”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Trax
“Interior lights dim on star doesn't work radio doesn't work and no sound chimes for blinkers or sensors. Key gets very hot.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Trax
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 91 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 55,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 27,000 and 69,349 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (5)
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…
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…
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…
Fix: 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.…
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…
Fix: 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.…
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…
Fix: 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…
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…
Fix: 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…
Technical service bulletins
1,111 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2016 Chevrolet Trax. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2016 Chevrolet Trax reliable?
The 2016 Chevrolet Trax drew 185 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 77/100, scored against the model's worst year (2024).
What are the most common 2016 Chevrolet Trax problems?
The top reported problems for the 2016 Chevrolet Trax are engine (45 complaints), electrical (25), and other (23).
At what mileage do 2016 Chevrolet Trax problems show up?
Owners most often report 2016 Chevrolet Trax problems around 55,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 27,000 and 69,349 miles.
Does the 2016 Chevrolet Trax have recalls?
5 recall campaigns apply to the 2016 Chevrolet Trax. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
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.