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8.7

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$13,080
Average Mileage:
95,650 miles
Total Complaints:
3 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. need a totally new/refurbished engine (3 reports)
2016 Chevrolet Trax engine problems

engine problem

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2016 Chevrolet Trax Owner Comments

problem #3

Jun 162024

Trax LT 1.4L Turbo

  • Automatic transmission
  • 109,311 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I received no codes in fact my diagnostics report from onstar only about a week or 2 prior came back clean, aside from a blinking oil light to which I checked my oil life it was good and topped off the oil. The engine started smoking the day after I topped off the oil and to which the car started heating as soon as the oil had leaked out of the engine, my mom and sister were in the car and were less than a mile away from the house so they managed to get it home at the time they got home oil life which was at 34% less than an hour ago was now at 0 and I was now receiving codes on my phone to which none ever appeared on the cars dash.

I called onstar later that week to get a full diagnostic report and received 2 codes to do with the variable valve timing system, and one to do with low coolant, the coolant was topped off, we topped off the oil again, and we did not drive the car hot, we checked the dipstick the oil was gone, it had all leaked out. We were able to call onstar to get a tow to the mechanic shop where we found out that the crankshaft had slipped shattering a pulley and ruining the motor. I have had this car for less than 4 months, and it will cost around $3000-4000 to replace the engine. No codes were showing on the car until after it had broke down, it has been really stressful and frustrating to deal with as a result because I still have to make my make my payments and I am unable to use the car to go to work on. I am a extremely careful driver, I have faced no issue like this with cars I have driven previously so for this to happen to the first Chevy have owned and the newest car to date I have driven it has discouraged me from purchasing another vehicle from Chevy.

- Katie K., Cary, NC, US

problem #2

Dec 132022

Trax LT V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 67,518 miles

The car was in for an oil change less than one month ago, with no alerts. It starts to run loud. I make an appointment to bring it in. On my way there, it's difficult to accelerate and the check engine light goes on. Next the oil light starts to flash and alarm. Fortunately, the drive was less than 2 miles to the service department at the dealer.

Get a text the next day with the itemized bill. Yes, that's correct. The bill would be $13,078.42 to repair.

What? Yes, I was told, the engine failed. Did I have the extended warranty? No, I do not. The car only has 67,000 miles on it. Sorry, not covered. However, in August, a check engine light was on and covered under warranty. Was told that Chevy knew that part was defective and was like a recall, but covered, even though was never recalled. I said I couldn't afford that cost and was in shock of the problem and solution.

I WAS SENT A LINK FOR FINANCING!! If I wanted to take a loan for $13, 000 to repair a car, not worth $13,000.

I was in shock. I said I'd call back later. I decided to pick up the car and bring home to junk it and told them I would be there to get it.

While ringing up my charge for the diagnostic test, the man asked how my day was going? What?? Horrible experience. No one ever reached out to discuss the problem or solutions. I purchased the car from the dealer that was servicing the vehicle. Never will I go there again. So disgusted by the entire experience.

- Kathy K., Evergreen Park, US

problem #1

Sep 052022

Trax LX

  • Automatic transmission
  • 110,000 miles

After putting at least 110,000 miles on my used 2016 Chevy Trax the engine started overheating, so I took it to Aamco and they told me what the dealership told me, that I would need a whole new/refurbished engine. I had started looking at other cars, since I can't afford to finish paying for financing of vehicle, plus drop a whole new engine into it, especially when I just owe about $9,000 more dollars on the vehicle, and the estimated cost of repair is $8,000 dollars. Worse yet, the financing company doesn't want to budge on the rest of their money, although I've been overpaying since I purchased the car because I had gotten a limited warranty on the vehicle that has since expired for more than 2 years but it is still being factored into my car payments. Between the dealership, which I think sold me a slow lemon, and financing company, nobody is willing to help me. Now I have to pay out of pocket, once again, for a major repair, that I can't afford.

I had purchased this 2016 Trax with barely 68,000 miles, if that, and I have had it for almost 5 years now, but it needed fixable repairs, that I was able to afford since 2020. I had noticed that it wouldn't speed up when I pressed on gas and was making strange engine knocking noises back in July 2022, then when I took it to dealership they tell me that I have to either repair existing engine or pay for a whole new/ refurbished engine to be put into car in order to what exactly. Now I have no idea because it feels as though there's another major problem that is brewing because when I took it to Aamco, their service tech kept telling me about seeing metal scrapings after repairing the part that sits on top of the engine, he personally said he had replaced it but the car was still overheating and spilling out oil everywhere.

Now, they told me there was no way to repair the existing engine and I would need to replace it with a totally new/refurbished engine because one of the pistons is misfiring but he showed me the top of engine, where the cylinders/ pistons connect to the engine and the one that was just replaced shows some weird damage on it. I really don't remember all that they had told me when I brought it to repair shop, but all I remember is that I would need a whole new engine and I feel as though the financing company, named Capital One Auto Finance knew and where I had purchased the car at, Cox Chevrolet in Bradenton, knew how long my car would go without needing major repairs.

After feeling that I was the luckiest lady in the world to have a better car, a nice SUV, a reliable car for me and my 3 sons to get to wherever we needed or desired, I found out that this particular car I had purchased was already in a previous accident because the rear bumper had been epoxied on the inside, right where the dummy tire sits, which is under a hatch in the back. So I then felt like a stupid idiot for purchasing this car that just looked nice but has had major issue after issue happening to it. It seems as though it was found deep in some water, probably from up north, since if there was like a hurricane or bad weather, a dealership in the New York, New Jersey area would be under water.

I don't really appreciate this, since I can't afford such a costly repair, and finish paying off the financing loan, who are now talking as though they want to repose the car, since turning it back into them, at this point would be reported as a repossession, whether it was voluntary or not. I'm very hurt, mad, and upset with mostly myself for purchasing this car. And I had purchased it from a major dealership in the Manatee County area, in Florida. I bought it in 2018, and was happy because it was only 2 years old at the time, with less mileage than any vehicle I had ever owned. Talk about buyer beware!

- marciarichards24mr, Bradenton, US

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