AutoUtility currently tracks 100 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2018 Chevrolet Trax. Suspension issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 34 complaints (34% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 2 filings cite a crash, 2 cite a fire, 2 report one or more injuries.

Key Problem Findings
  • Total NHTSA Complaints: 100 reports
  • #1 Reported Problem Area: Suspension (34 reports • 34% of submitted complaints)
  • Secondary Problem Areas: Engine & Cooling (27), Electrical System (18)
  • Crash-Citing Complaints: 2 filings
  • Fire-Citing Complaints: 2 filings
  • Complaints Reporting Injuries / Fatalities: 2 injury filings • 0 fatality filings
Reporting Methodology: Statistics describe unverified consumer submissions voluntarily filed with NHTSA. Complaint volume is not normalized for vehicle sales volume or miles driven. Multiple components can be cited within a single owner complaint submission.
Total Complaints
100
Submitted to NHTSA ODI
Crash-Citing Complaints
2
Filings citing a collision
Fire-Citing Complaints
2
Filings citing smoke or fire
Complaints Reporting Injuries
2
Filings citing one or more injuries
Complaints Reporting Fatalities
0
Consumer filings citing fatalities

Most Reported Problems for 2018 Chevrolet Trax

Top automotive subsystem defect categories ranked by unique owner complaint volume in federal records

#1 Problem Area 34% of complaints

Suspension

34 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI
⚠️ NHTSA Recall Context

NHTSA records list 2 official safety recall campaigns for this model year involving the same broad component area:

*Component overlap means an official recall exists for the same broad vehicle system. It does not establish that an individual owner complaint was caused by, covered by, or resolved through that recall.
⚠️ 1 crash report
#2 Problem Area 27% of complaints

Engine & Cooling

27 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI
🔥 1 fire report 🩹 1 injury report entry
#3 Problem Area 18% of complaints

Electrical System

18 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI
🔥 2 fire reports 🩹 1 injury report entry
#4 Problem Area 11% of complaints

Brakes & Traction Control

11 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI
⚠️ 1 crash report 🩹 1 injury report entry
#5 Problem Area 11% of complaints

Powertrain & Transmission

11 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI
✓ 0 crashes or fires cited
Domain Share Note: Share percentage represents the proportion of unique complaint filings referencing each vehicle system. Because single complaints may cite multiple systems (such as engine and electrical simultaneously), domain percentages represent individual category incidence and may sum to over 100%.

Symptoms Mentioned in NHTSA Owner Reports for 2018 Chevrolet Trax

Specific mechanical, electrical, and driver-assist defect symptoms identified via deterministic narrative analysis

AutoUtility uses deterministic phrase matching to identify recurring symptom descriptions within consumer-submitted NHTSA complaint narratives.

Powertrain & Transmission 3% of complaints

Loss of Motive Power While Driving

3 complaint narratives describe this symptom
Symptom Identification Method: A complaint may describe more than one symptom, so percentages may sum to more than 100%. Symptom identification reflects text contained in consumer-submitted complaint records and does not establish a confirmed mechanical diagnosis.

Recent NHTSA Owner Reports for 2018 Chevrolet Trax

Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Engine & Cooling NHTSA ODI ID: #11746862
Fire Cited 1 Injury Entry Filed: 06/27/2026

"The diver side fuse box started a fire in the vehicle. The tracking control system light was flashing on and the vehicle lost power. Filed claim with insurance company. Insurance company issued a total loss and took possession of the vehicle."

Incident Date: 04/14/2026 • Raw NHTSA Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE
Suspension NHTSA ODI ID: #11745169
Filed: 06/18/2026

"There are known issues with the control arms on these vehicles and I have had a clunk any time I hit the slightest bump or crack and it is especially bad when my wheels are turned. There is no recall linked to my vin but this is the exact issue that has been recalled on other vins. This makes..."

Incident Date: 01/02/2026 • Raw NHTSA Component: SUSPENSION
Engine & Cooling NHTSA ODI ID: #11741821
Filed: 06/03/2026

"Both my control arms are loose and wheel baring is bad, plus a cracked catalytic converter. All of these are causing my car to be loud and burning smell, causing unsafe driving conditions for me and my children. Online states that the control arms are an issue with this vehicle make and model and..."

Incident Date: 05/01/2026 • Raw NHTSA Component: SUSPENSION,WHEELS,ENGINE
Steering System NHTSA ODI ID: #11740794
Filed: 05/29/2026

"Power steering isn’t working"

Incident Date: 05/18/2026 • Raw NHTSA Component: STEERING
Steering System NHTSA ODI ID: #11739885
Filed: 05/25/2026

"My lower control arm weld has cracked. It was checked shortly after purchase and passed inspection at the Chevy garage in Elkins, WV. Now the weld is cracked on both driver and passenger sides and it making a clunking sound. I do not feel safe to drive this vehicle. This problem should of been..."

Incident Date: 05/24/2026 • Raw NHTSA Component: STEERING,SUSPENSION
Consumer Narrative Notice: Excerpts are sanitized text descriptions submitted by vehicle owners to the federal ODI database. They reflect the reporting consumer's observations at the time of filing and have not been independently confirmed by vehicle manufacturers or government investigators.

Complaint History for Chevrolet Trax

Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2026)

Model Year NHTSA Complaints Crash Reports Safety Recalls Detailed Report
2015 Chevrolet Trax 95 13 7 View 2015 Problems →
2016 Chevrolet Trax 117 9 5 View 2016 Problems →
2017 Chevrolet Trax 111 10 3 View 2017 Problems →
2018 Chevrolet Trax Current Page 100 2 2 Current
2019 Chevrolet Trax 133 9 2 View 2019 Problems →
2020 Chevrolet Trax 94 5 0 View 2020 Problems →
2021 Chevrolet Trax 24 5 0 View 2021 Problems →
2022 Chevrolet Trax 9 1 0 View 2022 Problems →
2024 Chevrolet Trax 168 9 1 View 2024 Problems →
2025 Chevrolet Trax 79 9 0 View 2025 Problems →
2026 Chevrolet Trax 0 0 0 View 2026 Problems →
Comparative Disclaimer: Complaint totals are unadjusted historical counts and are not normalized for vehicles sold, active fleet size, or total road mileage. Newer model years naturally have had less calendar exposure time to accumulate owner filings.

Detailed NHTSA Component Breakdown for 2018 Chevrolet Trax

Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 41 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications

Vehicle Component / System Total Complaints Crash Reports Fire Reports Reported Injury Entries Reported Fatality Entries
Suspension NHTSA category: SUSPENSION 22 1 0 0 0
Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE 11 0 0 0 0
Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER 8 0 0 0 0
Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 6 0 1 0 0
Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN 5 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 4 0 1 1 0
Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES 3 0 0 0 0
Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS 2 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 2 0 0 0 0
Steering NHTSA category: STEERING 2 0 0 0 0
STEERING,SUSPENSION 2 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,SERVICE BRAKES 2 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,WHEELS,ENGINE 2 0 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 2 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEAT BELTS 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
Engine & Cooling NHTSA category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 1 0 0 0 0
ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,BACK OVER PREVENTION 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 1 0 0 0 0
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 1 0 1 0
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,SUSPENSION,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE 1 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,WHEELS 1 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,WHEELS 1 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,WHEELS,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 0 0 0 0
Tires NHTSA category: TIRES 1 0 0 0 0
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,WHEELS 1 0 0 0 0
Data Attribution & Reporting Methodology: Complaints are unverified voluntary submissions to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Because multiple vehicle components can be cited within a single owner complaint submission, component-level rollups may sum to more than the unique complaint count (100). Injury and fatality entries in the detailed table reflect raw values entered by reporting consumers across individual submissions; they are not deduplicated casualty statistics and may include duplicate or unverified entries. Complaint volume is not normalized for sales volume or vehicle mileage and does not represent an audited component failure rate.
Official US Government Data Provenance

The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.