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2012 Chevrolet Colorado

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 2012 Chevrolet Colorado are lower than the model-year median of 84.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

31 reports with mileage · 11 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports2 fire reports1 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

9 reports
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Mileage unknown · Aug 23, 2021
Air Bags

The wiring for the airbags runs through a hinge in the extended cab doors. I don’t use my rear doors much, but I would say that I use them a normal amount. Regular opening and closing of the door will cause the wires to break, thus making the airbags inoperable. Normal use of doors should not cause your airbags to not work.

NHTSA ODI #11430237

140,000 miles · Nov 3, 2020
Air Bags

ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO, THE AIRBAG LIGHT COME ON, I'VE CHECKED THE CODES IT GIVES ME AND IT B0065, B0066, I'VE CHECKED ALL THE WIRES AND THEY ARE IN PERFECT CONDITION, DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NOW

NHTSA ODI #11372893

34,000 miles · Apr 19, 2019
Air Bags

SHORTLY AFTER I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK WITH 33000 MILE ON IT IN JUNE OF 2018 THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND HAS CONTINUED TO REMAIN LIT SINCE THAT TIME. SINCE THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRRANTY, I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET IT REPAIRED.

NHTSA ODI #11197345

Mileage unknown · Jul 15, 2017
Air Bags

VEHICLE HAS ONLY 40,000 MILES. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING LIGHT FOR THE AIR BAG STAYED LIT. THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG WAS DEFECTIVE AND IT COST ME $250 TO REPLACE THE WIRING.

NHTSA ODI #11005503

90,000 miles · Jun 20, 2016
Air Bags

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND GO OFF PERIODICALLY WHILE DRIVING. TOOK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED AND THEY STATED THAT THERE IS A SHORT IN THE HARNESS AND THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT POST AIRBAG NEEDS TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED DUE TO THIS SHORT. THE VEHICLE HAD 90K MILES BUT IT IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD. THE COST OF…

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AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND GO OFF PERIODICALLY WHILE DRIVING. TOOK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT CHECKED AND THEY STATED THAT THERE IS A SHORT IN THE HARNESS AND THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT POST AIRBAG NEEDS TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED DUE TO THIS SHORT. THE VEHICLE HAD 90K MILES BUT IT IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD. THE COST OF THIS REPAIR WAS QUOTED AT $1200. WITH THE VEHICLE ONLY BEING 4 YEARS OLD, CHEVY NEEDS TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS AND COVER THIS SAFETY ITEM UNDER WARRANTY OR CONSIDER A RECALL FOR ANY FAULTY CONNECTERS THAT ARE PART OF THEIR AIR BAG SAFETY SYSTEM.

NHTSA ODI #10875475

32,000 miles · May 24, 2016
Air Bags

2012 CHEV COLORADO EXTENDED CAB (PURCHASED NEW IN 2012). AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON. 1ST INCIDENT AUG 2015 (32,000 MILES). DEALERSHIP RAN DIAG SCAN AND PULLED CODE B0092 AND REPAIRED WIRES UNDER PASSENGER SEAT AND CLEARED CODE. 2ND INCIDENT LESS THAN 4 MONTHS LATER (34,000 MILES) ' DEALERSHIP CLEARED CODE. 3RD INCIDENT APR. 2016 (…

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2012 CHEV COLORADO EXTENDED CAB (PURCHASED NEW IN 2012). AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON. 1ST INCIDENT AUG 2015 (32,000 MILES). DEALERSHIP RAN DIAG SCAN AND PULLED CODE B0092 AND REPAIRED WIRES UNDER PASSENGER SEAT AND CLEARED CODE. 2ND INCIDENT LESS THAN 4 MONTHS LATER (34,000 MILES) ' DEALERSHIP CLEARED CODE. 3RD INCIDENT APR. 2016 (37,000 MILES). DEALERSHIP FOUND B0092 SET IN SDM. AN INSPECTION FOUND THREE WIRES BROKEN. REPAIRED WIRING UNDER PASSENGER SEAT AND CLEARED CODE. NOTHING IS BEING PUT UNDER THE SEAT. THE SEAT OCCASIONALLY GETS MOVED FORWARD AND BACKWARD AND THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR GETS OPEN AND CLOSED. AN INTERNET SEARCH REVEALS SAME PROBLEM IN OLDER MODELS. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. THE AIR BAG WILL NOT INFLATE IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRES (POOR QUALITY OR TOO SHORT CAUSING TENSION AND WEAR & TEAR?). A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED AND PROPER WIRING AND/OR CONNECTIONS CORRECTED. ALSO SEEMS THAT THE COST OF REPAIRS ($120 - $140 PER INCIDENT) SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.

NHTSA ODI #10870693

76,126 miles · May 17, 2016
Air BagsSeat Belts

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET COLORADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO RESET THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT. APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND A LOUD POP SOUND WAS HEARD FROM THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS THE ODOR OF GUN POWDER. THE CONTACT DISC…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET COLORADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO RESET THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT. APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND A LOUD POP SOUND WAS HEARD FROM THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS THE ODOR OF GUN POWDER. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR EXPLODED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STILL NEEDED TO BE RESET. THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED AND BLEW A HOLE INTO THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED A SECOND TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,126.

NHTSA ODI #10865353

Mileage unknown · Feb 12, 2015
Air Bags

2012 CHEVROLET COLORADO. CONSUMER REQUESTS FOR AIR BAG ON-OFF SWITCH. *SMD

NHTSA ODI #10664930

43,000 miles · Nov 11, 2014
Air Bags

I NOTICED THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON ONE MORNING IN LATE OCTOBER. AS I WAS GOING OUT OF TOWN, I COULD NOT DEAL WITH IT UNTIL I GOT BACK, LAST WEEK. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, ON SATURDAY, THEY READ THE ERROR CODES FROM THE AIRBAG MODULE, BUT COULD NOT INTERPRET THEM, AS THE SPECIALIST WAS NOT ON DUTY. I RETURNED IT TUESDAY, …

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I NOTICED THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON ONE MORNING IN LATE OCTOBER. AS I WAS GOING OUT OF TOWN, I COULD NOT DEAL WITH IT UNTIL I GOT BACK, LAST WEEK. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, ON SATURDAY, THEY READ THE ERROR CODES FROM THE AIRBAG MODULE, BUT COULD NOT INTERPRET THEM, AS THE SPECIALIST WAS NOT ON DUTY. I RETURNED IT TUESDAY, (TODAY), AND THEY DIAGNOSED A BROKEN WIRE IN THE WIRING HARNESS TO THE LEFT REAR DOOR. THEY REPLACED IT, AT A CHARGE OF 247.07. THEY DID NOT COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY, THOUGH THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 26 MONTHS OLD, BECAUSE IT IS OVER THE 36,000 MILE WARRANTY. THIS TYPE OF FAILURE SHOULD NOT BE AFFECTED BY THE MILEAGE. I KNOW OTHERS WITH THIS SAME FAILURE. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS SIMILAR REPORTS ON-LINE. I USE THIS DOOR EVERY DAY, TO LOAD MY WHEELCHAIR BEHIND THE SEAT, AND I AM NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER FAILURE. USING THE DOOR SHOULD NOT CAUSE A SAFETY SYSTEM FAILURE. BROKEN AND BARE WIRES IN ANY WIRING IS NOT SAFE, AND AS PART OF A MAJOR SAFETY SYSTEM, SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN, AND CERTAINLY NOT ON SUCH A NEW VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10654271

Official recalls

2

12V594000 · Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch

Dec 19, 2012

General Motors is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon vehicles manufactured from November 9, 2009, through August 28, 2012, for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 113, "Hood Latch System." The hood may be missing the secondary hood latch.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the primary hood latch is not engaged, the hood could open unexpectedly. During vehicle operation, this could obstruct the view of the driver and increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: General Motors will notify owners and instruct them to inspect their vehicle for the presence of a secondary hood latch. Dealers will replace the hood on any affected vehicles, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on January 17, 2013. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC at 1-866-996-9463.

11V552000 · Seat Belts:front

Nov 17, 2011

GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 CHEVROLET COLORADO AND GMC CANYON VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 9, 2011, THROUGH OCTOBER 19, 2011, FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NUMBER 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITH DRIVER SAFETY BELT BUCKLE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR TERMINALS THAT DO NOT FIT SNUGLY WITH THE CONNECTOR PINS, CAUSING THE CONNECTION TO BE INTERMITTENT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE LOOSE CONNECTIONS MAY CAUSE THE DRIVER TO NOT RECEIVE A VISUAL OR AUDIBLE WARNING THAT THE DRIVER SEAT BELT IS NOT FASTENED, THEREBY INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

Remedy: GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR TERMINALS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 7, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 AND GMC AT 1-866-996-9463.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.