2020 Chevrolet Trax Problems

What owners report

Complaints on the 2020 Chevrolet Trax are split between electrical gremlins and powertrain trouble. The most common recurring themes in the sampled complaints are the instrument cluster display blanking or glitching, brakes locking up while driving with a StabiliTrak warning, and turbocharger failures that leave the car low on power. Mileage at the time of the report varies widely, from a few hundred miles to well past 80,000.

1. 1
   Brakes

   Brakes lock up with StabiliTrak warning

   • 9 complaints (9%)
   • typically at 3.3 yrs old
   • filed 2022–2026

   Owners describe the brakes suddenly locking or dragging while driving at speed, sometimes accompanied by the StabiliTrak, traction control, or ABS lights and messages. Several say the vehicle was towed and dealers replaced parts such as a fuse block, master cylinder, or brake booster, with the problem returning in some cases. Complaints also mention a manual parking brake that did not hold the car on an incline. Reported at various mileages, from under 20,000 to around 60,000 miles, often at highway speeds.

   What to check: Ask for the service history on brake, fuse block, and StabiliTrak repairs, and confirm the parking brake holds the car on a slope during a test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I got a code for the electronic brake control module, and my front brakes kept locking up. took it to the dealership and they kept telling me that it’s fine. My safety was put at risk when I was going 60 down the interstate and the brakes locked up. The service stabilitrak light came on too.”

   NHTSA complaint #11668214, filed 2025-06

   “This is the 3rd time this has happened in our vehicle, my second complaint here. I was driving on the interstate at posted limit of 60 when brakes began locking up on me. I got it off to the side of the road, I thought my car was going to flip over the brakes locked down so hard. Service stabilitrak light came on, abs light and traction control light came on. I called the dealership who told me onstar provided the stabilitrak code for it. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11484756, filed 2022-09
2. 2
   Engine

   Turbocharger failure and loss of power

   • 20 complaints (20%)
   • median 25,280 mi at 1.4 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2021–2026

   Complaints describe sudden loss of acceleration, hesitation, limp mode, or a check engine light traced to a failed turbocharger, sometimes replaced more than once. Owners report that the car would not exceed highway speeds or climb grades, and in some cases oil was found in the intake, manifold, and turbo. Repairs were quoted in the thousands of dollars and several complaints note no warranty coverage. Mostly between about 30,000 and 90,000 miles, sometimes during highway driving or cold weather.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Listen for whistling or rattling under acceleration and ask whether the turbocharger has been replaced. A scan for stored codes and a check of the intake for oil residue are worth requesting.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving my car and was at a stop sign and the vehicle started acting odd and it felt like it was lunging me forward. I was concerned that it was going to do it without my control and after that it almost sluggish and stalling until I could get it out of the intersection. Took it to a repair shop and the whole turbo unit needs to be replaced with 38,000 miles on it.”

   NHTSA complaint #11719156, filed 2026-02

   “CRITICAL SAFETY INCIDENT / LIFE-THREATENING VEHICLE FIRE HAZARD. On January 2, 2026, I purchased a 2020 Chevrolet Trax. Within less than five months, while driving in active traffic, the vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic powertrain failure. The vehicle completely lost all acceleration, leaving me trapped and stranded in a highly dangerous roadway position. Immediately following the power failure, the engine bay filled with heavy smoke and began severely overheating. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11750507, filed 2026-07
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Instrument cluster display blanks or glitches

   • 13 complaints (13%)
   • median 30,000 mi at 2.6 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2020–2026

   Complaints describe the driver information center going black, snowy, or garbled while driving, sometimes for 15-25 minutes at a time before returning. Owners say they lose the speedometer, gear indicator, and trip information, and that it comes and goes at random. According to complaints, dealers often could not duplicate the problem or said the whole cluster would need replacement, with a diagnostic fee charged. Reported from roughly 30,000 to 88,000 miles, intermittently while driving or idling.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Start the car and watch the cluster through a short drive, and check whether the cluster or its programming has been replaced. Ask the seller if the display has ever blanked.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The driver information center in the cluster intermittently goes completely black or glitches while driving. This is a safety concern because it is distracting while driving and removes important trip and vehicle information. I paid $222.79 for the dealership to inspect and they were not able to recreate the issue. They stated that the entire cluster would need to be replaced. I called GM to report the problem, but received no further options. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11613880, filed 2024-09

   “The Instrument panel that shows the Tire Pressure, Speed, Oil, Mileage etc. goes blank black then comes back on. Its been happening for a year and I did contacted Chevy about it. I waited for them to contact me back but they never did. I have taken it for the oil changes at the dealer but its usually on. I explain to the Chevy Dealer service about it over the phone, they told me it would cost a certain amount to fix and they needed to do a diagnosis first. This has been going on for 3 years (the turning blank on and off) while driving .”

   NHTSA complaint #11726865, filed 2026-03
4. 4
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission hesitation and jerking

   • 25 complaints (26%)
   • median 19,780 mi at 1.2 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2020–2026

   Complaints describe harsh or delayed shifting, jerking at highway speeds, hesitation to accelerate, and occasional shuddering or slipping, sometimes shortly after a shifter repair. Owners say dealers could not reproduce the issue or found no stored codes, and some repairs were not resolved. Reported from very low mileage under 1,000 miles up to about 48,000 miles, both in city driving and at highway speeds.

   What to check: Test drive at both low speed and highway speed, paying attention to shifts under light and hard acceleration, and test the hill-hold feature on an incline.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driving on a main road on news year eve on my way home from work in a snow storm, my vehicle decides to only drive 9mph or less indicating that it has gone into limp mode. Unable to go up hills of any incline caused panic from the drivers around me. Luckily I was able to pull into a parking lot and sit and call for help. My vehicle was showing a code for the accelerator pedal position sensor indicating an issue with the voltage difference between the APP and the Throttle position sensor. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11711404, filed 2026-01

   “I was forced to sell my Jeep and buy a chevy trax at Friendly Chevrolet back in 2020 because supposdely there was a pandemic and the economy shut down. It has been giving me lots of problems. I have taken it to Friendly Chevrolet, Young Chevrolet and Lakeside Chevrolet several times since 2020 and they always say: leave it here, we cannot loan you a car, it will take 5-7 days to repair it. It jerks when I drive it, every time I get gas, the car doesn't start unless I push the speed pedal and drive. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11644384, filed 2025-02
5. 5
   Engine

   Coolant loss and engine overheating

   • 11 complaints (11%)
   • median 64,000 mi at 5.5 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2024–2026

   Owners report overheating warnings such as an idle-engine alert, low or empty coolant reservoirs, steam, and a cracked overflow line, sometimes with no visible external leak. Some complaints note that the vehicle lacks a temperature gauge, so the warning came without prior notice. In a few cases dealers diagnosed engine failure or found a failed water pump. Reported from roughly 30,000 to just under 90,000 miles, sometimes on the first long drive after purchase.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: With the engine cold, check the coolant reservoir level and look for cracks in the overflow line or residue around the cap; ask about any prior coolant or water pump repairs.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I think it is crazy that my 2020 chevy trax doesnt have a temperature garage, there was a 2019 recall concerning leaking coolant, and I believe a recall on something dealing with the oil cap or component all of which I am having problems with. First in February of 2026 I was on a busy multiple lane express way and all of a sudden my coolant image warning light came on and indicated :engine overheating idle engine . No pre-warning or nothing , no temperature gauge to even see if the car was running hot. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11727856, filed 2026-03

   “My vehicle lost all its antifreeze. It was the day before filled to the proper level in the overflow container. The IDLE ENGINE ALERT CAME ON. When I opened the hood, no antifreeze coolant in my square overflow bottle. My vehicle has 58, 000 miles approximately on it. I purchased at Autolenders in Turnersville, NJ at approximately 32,000 miles on it. When purchased Autolenders replaced the air conditioning unit & they replaced a radiator because I smelled antifreeze. My concern is related to the 2015-2019 recall by the NHTSA. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11603687, filed 2024-07

Buying note. A 2020 Trax is worth a careful test drive: check that the instrument cluster stays lit, the brakes do not drag, and the car pulls cleanly under boost, and ask for service records covering turbo, brake, and coolant work.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.