2012 Chevrolet Colorado problems and recalls

Owners have filed 42 complaints on the 2012 Chevrolet Colorado, and NHTSA has issued 2 recalls. The most cited component is the Air Bags (9 complaints).

42
Complaints
2
Recalls
3
Crash reports
2
Fire reports
2
Injuries
71.1
Severity index

Severity index 71.1 Medium. The index weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints. How it is calculated.

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 71.1p25 46p75 80cleanestworst
Severity index against the quartile range for all tracked vehicles.

Ranked 49 of 130 by severity index among 2012 vehicles with at least 40 complaints, highest first. 62% of those vehicles scored lower. Full 2012 ranking.

Components cited in complaints

Air BagsAir Bags: 9 complaints (21.4%)9 21%EngineEngine: 8 complaints (19.0%)8 19%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 8 complaints (19.0%)8 19%Service BrakesService Brakes: 7 complaints (16.7%)7 17%SteeringSteering: 5 complaints (11.9%)5 12%Electronic Stability Co…Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 5 complaints (11.9%)5 12%Engine And Engine Cooli…Engine And Engine Cooling: 4 complaints (9.5%)4 10%StructureStructure: 3 complaints (7.1%)3 7%
A single complaint can cite more than one component, so shares total over 100%.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
AIR BAGS921.4%
ENGINE819.0%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM819.0%
SERVICE BRAKES716.7%
STEERING511.9%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)511.9%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING49.5%
STRUCTURE37.1%

Complaints filed per year

0362012: 62013: 32014: 52015: 32016: 52017: 12018: 32019: 52020: 32021: 32022: 32025: 12026: 1 (partial year)126131415161718192021222526
Complaints by the calendar year they were filed. The hatched bar is the current year to date.
YearComplaints
20126
20133
20145
20153
20165
20171
20183
20195
20203
20213
20223
20251
2026 (year to date)1
Filings in 2021 to 2025 were close to 2018 to 2020 (7 against 11).

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
11V55200017/11/2011SEAT BELTS:FRONTGENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 CHEVROLET COLORADO AND GMC CANYON VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 9, 2011, THROUGH OCTOBER 19, 2011, FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NUMBER 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PRO
12V59400019/12/2012LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCHGeneral 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, "Hood Latch System." Th

Other Chevrolet Colorado model years

Severity index for every other model year on file. Compare all 13 years side by side.

Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-08-06. Complaints are unverified consumer reports. Totals vary with units sold and years on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.