2017 Chevrolet Trax: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
111 NHTSA owner complaints · 3 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. 2017 specifically: a year the record favours — 111 complaints, score 81/100. 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 2017 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 111 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 12.33
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Turbocharger on my 2017 Chevy Trax failed at approximately 80,000 miles. Took it in for repair and they reported that upon examination a 299 code appeared and the turbocharger needed to be replaced. Check engines light also came on.
I work from home, so I drive my car maybe once a week and only on flat highways. One day, I heard a loud booming crack and then suddenly the vehicle was making a grinding noise and pulling strangely. I drove directly to a mechanic and had them looked at the vehicle since it was highly concerning to me. They said that the rear differential had split suddenly and that it was actually extremely dangerous that I had been…
My check engine light keeps staying on I go and have it scanned and they tell me it's sensors so each time I change my sensors the check engine light comes back on again, not sure how many sensor is that I have to keep changing in order for my check engine light to go off and I'm not sure if there's a problem with the diagnose of the engine light so I wanted to know if other people are having the same problem as me I…
Recalls: 3 campaigns (1 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… |
| 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. |
| 19V312000 | Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Chevrolet Trax vehicles. A joint in one or both of the front lower-control arms may have been improperly welded. |
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 28 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,200
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.
- Engine41 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System24 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other22 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Steering19 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Suspension10 complaints · typical job: Struts, springs and control-arm bushings, one axle (4.0 h labour + parts)$780–$1,580
- Power Train9 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
Other Chevrolet Trax years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2017 Chevrolet Trax?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (41 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2017 Chevrolet Trax a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 81/100, computed from 111 NHTSA complaints and 3 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2017 Chevrolet Trax's most common problem?
41 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2017 Chevrolet Trax sit in the Engine group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is cooling-system or timing-drive repair: about 6.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $1,040–$2,220 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 2017 Chevrolet Trax cost to run per year?
About $4,364 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $21,820 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 2017 Chevrolet Trax have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for the 2017 Chevrolet Trax, 1 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 2017 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 — 111 complaints, 3 recalls on record
- 111 NHTSA complaints on record (12.3/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (12.4/yr)
- 3 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems