This service bulletin provides information on the proper Reflective High Temperature Heat and/or Insulating Tape to use for certain repairs, such as Wiring Harness Repairs.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2017 Chevrolet Trax electrical problems
severe Owners of the 2017 Chevrolet Trax have filed 15 NHTSA complaints about the electrical at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
15
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2015 Trax | 12 |
| 2016 Trax | 18 |
| 2017 Trax (this page) | 15 |
| 2018 Trax | 15 |
| 2019 Trax | 22 |
| 2020 Trax | 16 |
| 2021 Trax | 6 |
2crashes
1injury
When does it fail?
Of the 15 electrical complaints filed for the 2017 Chevrolet Trax, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA electrical complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 6 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
The intent of this service bulletin is to identify aftermarket ALDL or DLC interface devices as potential sources for causing multiple customer concerns that do not have other diagnostic methods to identify them.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Service Programming System (SPS) Error Codes E4398, E4399, E4401, E4403, M4404, M4413, M6954, M6955, E4414, E4423, E4491, E4492, or E6961 and resolution information.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This service bulletin provides information to diagnose batteries that have set for a long period of time and/or cold weather climates and testing those batteries.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin advises the dealers to maintain the vehicle stock on hand by doing a full inspection on the vehicles before being sold (prepping) to the customer.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of the 2017 Chevrolet Trax describe a vehicle plagued by electrical failures spanning HVAC, power systems, control modules, and safety-critical functions. The most serious complaint involves the heater blower motor burning out repeatedly—one owner reported six failures since October 2023, spending over $1,800 on repairs that don't stick. The owner attributes this to a defective factory pigtail connector; dealers have blamed rodents and other sources despite finding no wiring damage.
HVAC resistor and harness failures are equally concerning. Multiple owners report smoking, melting wiring, and near-fire conditions that keep recurring even after dealer replacements. One owner notes the resistor was made in Japan and questions whether other electrical components were properly tested for safety.
Beyond HVAC, owners describe dashboard warning lights and steering failures happening simultaneously on the highway, with one incident involving loss of power at 75 mph. Check engine lights that won't turn off, door locks cycling continuously with alarms firing every five minutes, and instrument panels that go completely dark are also reported. One owner's windows fogged up during a failed heater repair, causing them to miss their driveway and go into a ditch on a remote ranch road.
Air conditioning compressor seals have failed under 22,000 miles with no warranty coverage, Bluetooth produces loud noise instead of audio, and starter delays suggest premature aging. The problems persist even after multiple dealer visits, with one vehicle spending four weeks in the shop only to fail again within a week.
Same Chevrolet Trax electrical reports on nearby years: 2015 · 2016 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020
Failure modes owners describe
Heater blower motor failure and burning
Blower motor burns out repeatedly, often within days or weeks of repair. Owner reports 6 failures since October 2023 despite multiple dealer repairs. Complaint attributes the defect to a faulty pigtail connector from the factory that causes the motor to overheat and fail.
When: Recurring failures; initial reports from October 2023 onward
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of heat; Loss of defrost capability; Window fogging due to lack of defroster; Motor burnout
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple repairs totaling over $1,800; replacement of blower motor attempted multiple times without permanent resolution; dealer blamed rodent damage and other sources rather than acknowledging defective pigtail
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall issued despite factory defect in pigtail connector. Dealer reluctant to honor existing recalls and refused to address the core defect.
HVAC blower motor resistor and harness failure
Resistor and resistor harness for HVAC system short out and melt, creating smoking and fire risk. Defect confirmed by dealer technician. Owner reports impending fourth repair for the same component.
When: Multiple failures over vehicle ownership; no specific mileage provided
Symptoms owners cite: Burning smell before failure; Smoking from HVAC area; Sudden shutdown of HVAC system; Melting and charring of wiring harness; Small bit of smoke
Repairs/costs cited: Resistor and harness require repeated replacement; dealer confirmed prior shorts and melted wiring
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No manufacturer response or recall noted in complaint
Multiple electrical system failures with loss of vehicle control
Multiple warning lights illuminate (check engine, StabiliTrak, others), hard steering, and loss of power while driving at highway speeds. Symptoms recur intermittently despite dealer service lasting 4 weeks. Diagnostic testing at independent shop found no fault codes.
When: Recurring; failures reported on multiple occasions including June 27
Symptoms owners cite: Multiple warning lights (check engine, StabiliTrak); Hard steering; Loss of power; Unstable vehicle handling
Codes mentioned: Check engine light, StabiliTrak warning
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple dealer visits with 4-week repair period; no permanent fix identified
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer claimed repair completed but problem recurred within a week
Persistent check engine light with no identifiable fault
Check engine light came on and remains on despite ground cable replacement and subsequent repairs. Owner reports the vehicle was involved in accident in October 2020 and light has not turned off since, regardless of repairs attempted.
When: Initial light September 2020; persistent through multiple repairs
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light on continuously
Codes mentioned: Check engine light
Repairs/costs cited: Ground cable replaced; subsequent repairs made after accident but light remained on
Shifter console illumination missing
Shifter console does not illuminate at night on some 2017 Trax vehicles, making it impossible to see what gear is selected. Chevy admitted the feature was left out of some vehicles but refused to retrofit it, citing cost.
When: Apparent from purchase/use of vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: No backlighting on shifter console at night; Inability to visually confirm gear selection without relying on small dashboard notification
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Chevrolet acknowledged the defect but refused to repair it, stating the cost was prohibitive
Door lock and theft alarm malfunction
Doors lock and unlock repeatedly while driving at highway speed. Theft alarm activates every 5 minutes continuously. Disconnecting battery to reset had no effect.
When: Occurred while driving at 75 mph on interstate
Symptoms owners cite: Doors locking and unlocking repeatedly; Theft alarm activating every 5 minutes; Alarm persists after battery disconnect
Dashboard lights and instrument panel flickering with loss of steering control
All dashboard lights and display pictures flash on and off. Steering becomes hard and difficult to turn. Service engine light flashes continuously. Vehicle handling becomes unstable while in motion.
When: While driving on interstate
Symptoms owners cite: All dashboard lights flashing; All dashboard pictures flashing; Hard steering; Service engine light flashing on and off; Unstable vehicle handling
Codes mentioned: Service engine light
Instrument panel inoperative
Instrument panel becomes inoperable. Battery light and engine light illuminate on the panel.
When: Unspecified
Symptoms owners cite: Instrument panel inoperable; Battery light on; Engine light on
Codes mentioned: Battery light, Engine light
Air conditioning compressor seal failure
AC compressor had defective seal and became unrepairable at very low mileage. Owner was not covered under warranty.
When: Under 22,000 miles on odometer
Symptoms owners cite: AC compressor failure due to seal defect
Repairs/costs cited: Compressor unrepairable; discovered during lift inspection at repair shop
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No warranty coverage provided despite premature failure
Bluetooth audio malfunction
Bluetooth function produces loud noise that other party hears, preventing normal audio transmission. Diagnosed as 'fine' by dealer but problem persists since purchase.
When: Began within one month of purchase; ongoing
Symptoms owners cite: Other party cannot hear caller clearly; Loud noises transmitted over Bluetooth; Persistent despite dealer diagnosis
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer said system was fine; no repair performed
Starter delay
Starting the vehicle delayed as if the car were several years old, suggesting starter is beginning to fail despite new vehicle.
When: About 3 months into ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Delayed start when turning key; Starter seems to struggle
Brake delay and soft response
Braking does not stop vehicle as expected for a new car, with delayed response and soft feel. Owner reports almost crashing multiple times in traffic.
When: Apparent from early ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Delayed brake response; Soft brake feel; Vehicle takes longer to stop than expected
HVAC limp mode with StabiliTrak service warning
After replacement of pigtail and resistor for HVAC, system goes into limp mode and displays 'Service StabiliTrak' warning even at low speed (20 mph at stop light).
When: After HVAC component replacement
Symptoms owners cite: HVAC goes into limp mode; Service StabiliTrak warning displays; Warning occurs at 20 mph
Codes mentioned: Service StabiliTrak
Repairs/costs cited: Pigtail and resistor previously replaced; current status and repair costs unknown
Thermostat control cable and gear failure
Cable controlling thermostat to temperature knob broke, and gears that run the system stripped out.
When: Unspecified
Symptoms owners cite: Broken thermostat control cable; Stripped gears in HVAC system
Chronic AC blower failure
Air conditioning blower has been repaired multiple times but continues to malfunction and not blow air properly.
When: Multiple repairs over vehicle ownership
Symptoms owners cite: AC not blowing air; AC repeatedly stops working after repairs
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple repairs performed without permanent resolution
Synthesized from 15 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
As I was driving all the lights and pictures started to flash on the dash board. The car wheel didnt want to turn and hot very hard to steer. The service engine light keeps flashing on and off. Its riding crazy. It was in motion.
My air conditioning compressor had a defective seal and the compressor was un repairable.the vehicle had only had less than 22,000 miles on the odometer.I didn't have warranty coverage for this.the seal should not have failed so early.my car was up on a lift in auto repair shop when this was discovered.
This car is been having problems since months of me buying it frustrated just beacause have to be alot in the dealer and long hours waiting
Had electrical trouble with your 2017 Chevrolet Trax?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the electrical problem on the 2017 Chevrolet Trax?
It's a meaningful issue. 15 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 15 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 45,925 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2017/Chevrolet/Trax.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.