2018 Chevrolet Colorado · symptom sheet
Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard
- 34owner reports
- 35,958median miles
- 1involved a crash
Newest report Jul 21, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
78 of the 183 complaints on this car are about the transmission and drivetrain. 34 of those describe transmission shudder, which makes it the most reported problem on the 2018 Colorado.
Tick what matches of 34 reports
Transmission shudder on other Colorado years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2015, 2023, 2024, 2026.
What this problem usually is
This is the biggest drivetrain group on the site: a transmission that shudders, slips, hesitates or bangs into gear. It's the everyday version of transmission trouble, where the car still drives but doesn't drive right, and it has three narrower sheets of its own for jerking, hesitation and slipping.
What got replaced
Few of these reports name the part that was replaced.
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the transmission and drivetrain covers the 2018 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 18,000 and 60,000 miles, from the 22 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 21 service bulletins or notices for the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
This service bulletin provides information on Transmission Adaptive Functions and Correcting Low Mileage Harsh Shifts, Slips, or Flares.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that may have a delayed engagement into drive, shudder at a launch, or the transmission is slipping when shifting into 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th gears.
This service bulletin provides information on some vehicles that may rock or move slightly forward or rearward while in Park at start up after cold soak. This condition may be accompanied by a clunk noise.
This service bulletin provides information on Driveline Clunk Noise and what is acceptable and what is considered normal operation.
17 more on the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado page.
What owners wrote
“66,500 miles transmission shudder. Scenic Chevrolet advised the torque converter failed and damaged the transmission.”
Filed Jul 16, 2026 · 66,500 miles
“Luggage and shudders at cruise speed, seems like auto transmission is coming apart. Paid $500 for the trans flush the service bulletin suggests but didnât help, shop quoted a $8000 replacement on a vehicle with 60k miles. This should be a recall”
Filed Jan 29, 2026 · 60,000 miles
“Suddenly losing power, shifting hard, slipping between gears, causing shuddering while driving, and surging forward while accelerating.”
Filed Jan 31, 2025
“transmission shudders from 20 to 60 under light acceleration. took to dealer and said that needed different oil. dealer stated that a common issue with these vehicles. Cost $500 to replace oil to proper oil.”
Filed Nov 12, 2024
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 1 of 34 reports involved a crash and 2 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found