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Before you buy a used Chevrolet Trax.

2013–2015 · Petrol / Diesel · 2 engines

Taken only from Testigo's sourced sheets. Use it to question the seller and on the test drive: it does not confirm that any particular car is affected.

The essentials.

Typical faults by engine

The period and mileage are those mentioned by each sheet's sources. They are not a maintenance interval and do not predict that any particular car will fail.

All versions

Sheets the catalogue links to all 2 of its engines.

  • Faulty 4x4, heavy steering and a flat battery caused by the Mokka's rear differentialTransmission
    Period mentioned
    2012–2019
    Mileage mentioned
    What the sheet says: According to L'argus, the three symptoms have a single cause: a failure of the rear differential (the all-wheel-drive coupling). In France, Opel covered it as a technical defect for up to 5 years or 80,000 km.

    Applies if: The Trax is the twin of the Opel Mokka (A): only with four-wheel drive.

1.4 Turbo / 1.6

Petrol

  • Opel 1.4 Turbo timing chainValve timing
    Period mentioned
    2009–2018
    Mileage mentioned
    The sheet does not mention a mileage.

    Applies if: The Trax is the twin of the Opel Mokka (A): the sheet is for Opel’s 1.4 Turbo and does not apply to the non-turbo 1.6.

1.7 VCDi

Diesel

  • Opel CDTI EGR cooler and timing beltEGR / timing
    Period mentioned
    2006–2019
    Mileage mentioned
    80,000–180,000 km

    Applies if: The Trax is the twin of the Opel Mokka (A), with the same engines and 4WD: the sheet is the Mokka’s.

Which engine has the fewest documented faults?

Documented faults and recalls by engine for the Chevrolet Trax
EngineDocumented faultsRecalls
1.4 Turbo / 1.6Petrol22 with conditions2
1.7 VCDiDiesel22 with conditions2

According to the data we have, all its engines have the same number of documented faults.

We only count the sourced sheets we have. An engine with fewer is not guaranteed to be more reliable: it may have been studied less or sold in smaller numbers.

Official recalls: ask before you pay

A recall existing does not mean this car is affected or that it is still outstanding: it depends on the chassis number, the market and the production date.

  1. Ask the seller for the chassis number (VIN): it has 17 characters, appears in the car's documents and can usually also be seen at the base of the windscreen.
  2. Ask an official Chevrolet dealer, or the brand's official website if it lets you check by chassis number, whether each recall has been done or is still outstanding for that VIN.
  3. Manufacturer recalls are normally carried out free of charge by the official service network. If one is outstanding, ask for it to be done before you close the sale.
Chevrolet airbag and seat-belt recalls (2005–2025)Airbags and seat belts

How to check it: Check by VIN whether any of the recalls is outstanding (at the dealer or on the DVSA website) and carry out the inspection or replacement it requires.

View full entry
Chevrolet brake recalls (2005–2021)Brakes

How to check it: Check by VIN whether any of the recalls is outstanding (at the dealer or on the DVSA website) and carry out the inspection or replacement it requires.

View full entry

On the test drive: what to look and listen for

Taken from each sheet's symptoms and checks. You can tick off what you have already looked at: it is saved only in this browser.

0 of 3 checked

Valve timing

  • Look out for: Chain rattle, engine light and lack of power. Note: a rattle lasting only 1–3 seconds on a cold start is usually the dual-mass flywheel, not the chain.

    Ask them to check: Listen to how long the noise lasts on a cold start and check chain stretch with a diagnostic tool before replacing it.

Transmission

  • Look out for: Together or separately: a 4x4 fault warning, loss of power steering assistance at times and a battery that drains while the car is parked.

    Ask them to check: Note whether the 4x4 warning and the heavy steering appear together. With heavy steering, do not drive on. At the garage, have them check the rear differential and its module before replacing the steering or the battery.

EGR / timing

  • Look out for: Coolant loss with no visible leak or white smoke (cracked EGR cooler); power loss and rough idle (clogged EGR); on the 2.0 CDTI, water pump noise before the belt breaks.

    Ask them to check: Watch the coolant level, check whether the 2.0 CDTI belt and water pump were replaced together and inspect the EGR.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these Testigo sheets and their original sources. Sources are not checked in real time.

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