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 ↗2019 Chevrolet Colorado electrical problems
severe Owners of the 2019 Chevrolet Colorado have filed 19 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
19
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2015 Colorado | 20 |
| 2016 Colorado | 47 |
| 2017 Colorado | 31 |
| 2018 Colorado | 24 |
| 2019 Colorado (this page) | 19 |
| 2020 Colorado | 4 |
| 2021 Colorado | 7 |
| 2022 Colorado | 14 |
| 2023 Colorado | 34 |
2fires
What stands out
No new NHTSA electrical complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 4 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 repair information to correct a customer concern of Vehicle Will Lock and Unlock (Active Functions Work) but Will Not Crank or Start (Loss of Passive Functions Do Not Work).
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This service bulletin provides repair information to correct a customer concern of No Crank, No Start, Quick Start/Stall, No FOB Detected, Key FOBs Inoperative, B3924 00, B3925 00, B3926 00, B3927 00, B3928 00 Set.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report a cluster of electrical problems that recur after dealer repairs. The most common complaint is an ignition key stuck in the accessory position that won't rotate fully off or come out—some owners can eventually free it by moving the shifter repeatedly, but it keeps happening monthly or more often. Dealers replaced the gear shift selector under warranty for one owner in 2022, only to have the same failure recur in 2023 off warranty. A TSB exists for this issue.
Engine shutdown without warning is the most dangerous failure reported. One owner's truck lost all power and died at highway speed with no warning lights at 41,000 miles; dealer repairs didn't fix it and it died again within 100 miles of pickup. Another truck caught fire underneath while parked at 13,125 miles with no warning chimes or lights—flames shot from under the running board, causing burn injuries and requiring the fire department.
Infotainment failures are widespread: screens go black intermittently, dropping CarPlay connection and backup camera display. Some owners report blinker failures when the screen blacks out—a safety issue. Multiple lighting failures recur: headlights, brake lights, blinkers, and running lights fail individually. Dealers have replaced BCMs, wiring harnesses, fuses, and fuse boxes without stopping the pattern.
Fuel gauge falsely reads empty while driving; dealers have replaced fuel sensors and wiring without permanent fix. Some owners spent over $4,000 on repairs for fuel delivery codes (P026D, P1089) that keep reappearing.
Same Chevrolet Colorado electrical reports on nearby years: 2016 · 2017 · 2018
Failure modes owners describe
Ignition switch key stuck/won't remove
Key becomes stuck in the accessory position and cannot be fully rotated to off or removed from the ignition. Engine shuts down but key remains engaged, draining battery and preventing vehicle lockup.
When: Occurs intermittently; some owners report it happening repeatedly over months or years. One owner noted it started occurring after February 2022 repair.
Symptoms owners cite: Key cannot be removed from ignition; Key stuck in accessory position; Engine shuts down but key won't rotate to off; Lights and radio remain on; Battery drains; Vehicle cannot be locked
Repairs/costs cited: One owner had gear shift selector replaced under warranty in 2022. Another report mentions dealers replacing gear shift selector. One dealer told owner they had no solution after investigation.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: TSB exists for this problem. Chevrolet aware of multiple class action lawsuits filed. One owner reported GM rep investigated but claimed no fault found.
Fuel level sensor malfunction
Fuel gauge reads full, then drops to empty while driving without actual fuel loss. Multiple diagnostic attempts and repairs have not permanently resolved the issue.
When: Recurring issue; multiple occurrences over vehicle ownership period
Symptoms owners cite: Fuel gauge jumps from full to empty while driving; Dashboard alerts no fuel when tank is not empty; Gauge inaccuracy causing uncertainty about actual fuel level
Repairs/costs cited: Fuel level sensor replaced. Wiring/cord attached to fuel level sensor running under truck replaced. First dealer found no computer fault.
Infotainment system failures and disconnections
7-inch infotainment center goes out intermittently, causing loss of navigation, CarPlay connectivity, and backup camera display. System blackouts occur with increasing frequency.
When: Issues reported as ongoing for over a year; frequency increased to every minute or so within last 30 days as of June 2025. Problems worse during phone calls.
Symptoms owners cite: Infotainment screen goes black for 5-30 seconds intermittently; Loss of CarPlay connection to phone; Backup camera display goes out; Navigation system unavailable when screen is off; Audio cuts out during phone calls; Volume echoes briefly then cuts out; Audio levels change unexpectedly after power restoration; All audio functions affected (FM, Bluetooth, CarPlay)
Repairs/costs cited: Owner notes infotainment bulletin exists. No repairs completed as of report date.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Infotainment bulletin issued. Dealer contacted GM regarding Bluetooth iOS issue but no resolution provided.
Turn signal failure linked to infotainment outage
When infotainment center goes out, turn signal system stops functioning. Creates safety concern as driver loses ability to signal turns while screen is black.
When: Concurrent with infotainment outages
Symptoms owners cite: Blinker stops working when infotainment center powers off; Unable to signal turns during screen blackout
Multiple lighting failures (headlights, brake lights, blinkers, running lights, reverse lights)
Various exterior lights fail individually or in combination, recurring roughly monthly. BCM, wiring harness, fuses, and fuse box replaced without permanent resolution.
When: Recurring approximately monthly since purchase July 2022; ongoing through March 2023 reporting date
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger side headlight failing; Passenger side blinker failing; Driver side running light failing; Driver side rear brake lights failing; Rear passenger side reverse light failing; Rear passenger side blinker failing
Codes mentioned: Blinker failure warning, Brake light failure warning, Headlight failure warning
Repairs/costs cited: BCM (body control module) replaced. Wiring harness replaced. Fuses replaced. Fuse box replaced. Dealership worked on issue four times (three times at primary dealership, once at another shop). Engineers consulted multiple times.
Unexpected engine shutdown with no warning
Engine loses power and dies while driving without any warning lights or alerts. Vehicle becomes unresponsive after shutdown. Issue recurs after dealer repair attempts.
When: At approximately 41,000 miles (first incident February 2024) and again after dealer repair on return drive after ~100 additional miles
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden complete loss of power; Engine dies without warning; No warning lights illuminate before shutdown; Vehicle will not restart or stay running; DEF regen message appears on dash after initial failure
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer ordered parts and claimed faulty part was cause. Vehicle returned March 14, 2024. Same failure recurred within days of pickup.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer and Chevrolet techs unable to locate root cause. Vehicle has been in shop for approximately 6 months with no resolution identified.
Electrical fire under vehicle
Flames shot out from underneath vehicle between driver door and passenger door while vehicle was in park. Running board became hot enough to cause burn injury. No warning indicators or chimes before fire.
When: At 13,125 miles, while driving on grade at 40-45 mph. Smoke in console noticed before engine died.
Symptoms owners cite: Smoke smell in center console between seats; Engine dies; Loss of power brakes; Loss of power steering; Flames shooting from undercarriage; Running board hot enough to burn skin; No warning chimes or warning lights before failure
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle became total loss. Volunteer fire department required 15 minutes to extinguish fire.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Insurance company investigator and independent investigator suspect General Motors electrical issue. GM contacted by investigator but no resolution reported.
Fuel delivery system codes and persistent engine issues
Multiple engine check light codes related to fuel delivery system recurring despite repeated component replacements. Same fault codes reappear after parts are swapped.
When: Recurring over 3.5 years of ownership; vehicle purchased used with 60,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light (CEL) illuminates repeatedly; Engine codes P026D and P1089 most common
Codes mentioned: P026D, P1089
Repairs/costs cited: Shop visits at least 6 or more times. MAP sensor replaced. Fuel rail replaced. Fuel pressure regulator replaced. Injectors replaced. Part of wiring harness re-wired. Owner reports $4,000+ spent on repairs; additional $6,000-$7,000 quoted for further work.
Radio volume spontaneously increases to maximum
Radio volume suddenly turns all the way up without user input while driving. Creates distraction and potential safety hazard.
When: While driving at normal volume setting
Symptoms owners cite: Volume spontaneously increases to maximum without warning; Extremely distracting while driving; Unpredictable timing
Backup camera display failure
Backup camera display shows blue screen with 'SERVICE BACK UP CAMERA' message when vehicle is placed in reverse. Camera does not function.
When: When reversing vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: Blue screen displays instead of camera feed; Service message appears; No camera image available
Heater core failure with smoke
Smoke came from front windshield area while driving. Diagnosed as heater core failure.
When: At approximately 38,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Smoke from front windshield area
Repairs/costs cited: Heater core identified as needing replacement.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer made aware. Vehicle not repaired.
Bluetooth connectivity issue with iOS devices
Bluetooth system does not consistently connect to or send notifications from iPhone/iOS devices, though Android systems function. First dealer contacted GM but no resolution provided.
Symptoms owners cite: iPhone/iOS call and text notifications may not alert in vehicle; Inconsistent Bluetooth connectivity with iOS devices; Android devices work normally
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: First dealer contacted GM; GM provided no final resolution.
Synthesized from 19 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
While driving with the radio at a normal volumn the volumn on the radio will spontaneously turn all the way up without warning. It is exteremly distracting while driving as you never know when this is going to happen which could result in an accident or loss of control ove the vehicle.
Had electrical trouble with your 2019 Chevrolet Colorado?
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 2019 Chevrolet Colorado?
It's a meaningful issue. 19 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 19 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 19,281 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/2019/Chevrolet/Colorado.
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.