2015 Chevrolet Trax: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
95 NHTSA owner complaints · 7 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The Chevrolet Trax's years to avoid are the two newest, 2024 (AVOID at 44 on 169 complaints, 84.5 per year on the road) and 2025 (47 on 80); the years to buy are the first-generation cars of 2015 to 2022, every one a BUY, with 2021 and 2022 at 94 each. The first generation runs 95, 117, 111, 100, 133, 94, 24 and 9 complaints with scores from 70 to 94, and Engine is first or second in every year to 2020. Read the full note on the model page. 2015 specifically: a year the record favours — 95 complaints, score 76/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Chevrolet Sonic, Trax and Blazer: the years to avoid, including 2015 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 95 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 8.64
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Dash shuts down shutting off power steering, and power breaks, no dash readout, no turn signals breaklights or headlights, happens suddenly
Left red light on major hwy. Car stuck in first gear. Took MI turn around and no power steering. Limped home in first gear. Internet says there was a recall for 2014-15 Trax for same problems; Dealer says there's not, and told me to drive it there in 1st gear to check it out !
While driving in the highway vehicle lost power and gray smoke came out off the exhaust, it was hard to accelerate and TCS warning light and check engine light popped up. TCS warning light extinguished but check engine light still on. Cars behind me could have hit me from behind, because it was a sudden loss of speed, it made other drivers switch lanes creating the risk of crashing others or myself. I have taken the …
Recalls: 7 campaigns (5 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 16V651000 | Air Bags:Frontal | 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 Corvette, Silverado 1500, Trax, Caprice Police Pursuit Vehicle, GMC Sierra 1500, Buick Encore, and… |
| 16V422000 | Electrical System:Software | 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 fasten their seatbelt or if the driver leaves the key in the ignition. |
| 17V437000 | Air Bags:Frontal | 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 Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Trax, Suburban and Silverado 2500 and 3500 and GMC Yukon and Yukon XL… |
| 19V652000 | Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint | 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. |
| 15V146000 | Steering:Electric Power Assist System | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured November 27, 2014, to February 24, 2015, and 2015 Chevrolet Trax vehicles manufactured November 18, 2014, to February 17, 2015. The steering column assembly housing may contact the power steering printed circuit board causing the circuit board to wear. |
| 15V162000 | Equipment:Other:Labels | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured August 26, 2014, to February 9, 2015, and 2015 Chevrolet Trax vehicles manufactured October 13, 2014, to February 3, 2015. The affected vehicles have tire placards that do not provide the rim size information for the front or rear wheels. |
| 16V257000 | Equipment:Electrical:Radio/Tape Deck/Cd Etc. | 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 driver, after turning off the ignition and leaving the key in the cylinder, waits 10 minutes or longer… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a compact SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 29 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,100
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Electrical System22 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Engine22 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Power Train18 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Unknown Or Other14 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Steering13 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Air Bags12 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
Other Chevrolet Trax years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2015 Chevrolet Trax?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (22 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2015 Chevrolet Trax a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 76/100, computed from 95 NHTSA complaints and 7 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2015 Chevrolet Trax's most common problem?
22 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2015 Chevrolet Trax sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $540–$1,310 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2015 Chevrolet Trax cost to run per year?
About $4,473 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $22,368 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2015 Chevrolet Trax have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 7 recall campaign(s) for the 2015 Chevrolet Trax, 5 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 08/09/2016. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other compact suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2015 Chevrolet Trax really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 95 complaints, 7 recalls on record
- 95 NHTSA complaints on record (8.6/yr of exposure) — better than a typical year of this model (12.4/yr)
- 7 recall campaigns, 5 touching safety-critical systems