2019 Chevrolet Trax: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
133 NHTSA owner complaints · 2 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. 2019 specifically: a year the record favours — 133 complaints, score 70/100. 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 2019 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 133 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 19.0
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Trax. The contact stated that the air conditioning system was replaced twice. Additionally, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with a failure associated with the catalytic converter. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72…
I have 36400 miles on my vehicle. It has been to dealer for service as per maintenance manual On Monday the water pump blew. The oil covers blew. They are not even scheduled to be inspected until 60000 Miles I now have a 1800 bill. Service man said these things happen. They don’t make them like they used to. WHAT In 2022 the whole radiator system had to be replaced at 26000 miles Tuesday while taking the car to deale…
While driving the car the start loosing power and attempts to shut down, other time the steering wheel locks up up and im unable to turn steering wheel. The check engine light comes on and turns off. The dealer/ Car repair shop has been unable to reproduce issue and unable tell me what this issue is. No accident has resulted from this as of yet. But car has some kind of malfuctioning issue.
Recalls: 2 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 18V774000 | Air Bags | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Buick Encore, Chevrolet Spark, Traverse, and Trax vehicles. The Sensing Diagnostic Module (SDM) on these vehicle may not have been turned off of "manufacturing mode," preventing the air bags from deploying in the event of a crash. |
| 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.
- Engine34 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System25 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other21 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Suspension19 complaints · typical job: Struts, springs and control-arm bushings, one axle (4.0 h labour + parts)$780–$1,580
- Steering15 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Service Brakes14 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
Other Chevrolet Trax years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2019 Chevrolet Trax?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (34 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2019 Chevrolet Trax a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 70/100, computed from 133 NHTSA complaints and 2 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2019 Chevrolet Trax's most common problem?
34 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2019 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 2019 Chevrolet Trax cost to run per year?
About $4,211 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $21,055 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 2019 Chevrolet Trax have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for the 2019 Chevrolet Trax, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 01/11/2018. 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 2019 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 — 133 complaints, 2 recalls on record
- 133 NHTSA complaints on record (19.0/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (12.4/yr)
- 2 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems