What are the most common problems with the 2005 Chevrolet Colorado?

Brakes lead the complaints, followed by the electrical system and exterior lighting. Air bag complaints are fewer but include the most crash reports.

Does the 2005 Chevrolet Colorado have recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for this model year. See the Recalls section on this page for the full list.

Is the 2005 Chevrolet Colorado reliable?

Owners filed 356 complaints with NHTSA. They are unverified and not adjusted for sales, so read them as a guide to what to check, not as a score.

How many miles per gallon does the 2005 Chevrolet Colorado get?

See the Fuel economy section on this page. It is built from EPA data.

Which year of the Chevrolet Colorado is best?

See the by-year comparison on this page. Complaint counts are not adjusted for sales, so compare years of the same model with care.

2005 Chevrolet Colorado Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 356 owner complaints on file for the 2005 Chevrolet Colorado^[1]. Brakes are the biggest group, with 87 complaints^[2].

356owner complaints^[1]

3recalls^[3]

17–21MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Owners filed complaints across several parts of the truck, and these are the groups in the order of how often they appear.

Brakes. 87 complaints^[2]. Owners describe brakes that grab and release, wear that showed up early, and a stopping feel that worried them in traffic.
Electrical System. 69 complaints^[5]. In the stories we read, owners describe the truck shutting off while driving, gauges and the radio losing power together, and windows or door locks that quit at random. In some stories the dealer could not repeat the trouble.
Exterior Lighting. 49 complaints^[6]. Owners describe headlights that seemed too dim at night and brake lights that stopped working. In several stories the cruise control also quit at the same time.
Air Bags. 33 complaints^[7]. Owners describe air bags that stayed folded in a collision and warning lights that came on and stayed on. This group also has the most crash reports of any group here^[7].
Engine. 30 complaints^[8].
Power Train. 27 complaints^[9].
Suspension. 23 complaints^[10].
Structure. 19 complaints^[11].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2005 Colorado is necessarily included.

Child Seat (10V575), November 2010. About 192,676 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury, death, stalling.^[12]
Exterior Lighting › Brake Lights › Switch (09V310), July 2009. About 185,903 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, reduced braking. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]
Exterior Lighting › Brake Lights › Switch (06V139), April 2006. About 404,733 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, reduced braking.^[14]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Colorado 2WD, 2.8L 4-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive^[15]	16 / 23 / 18	$3,700
Colorado 2WD, 2.8L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive^[4]	18 / 24 / 21	$3,200
Colorado 2WD, 3.5L 5-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive^[16]	16 / 22 / 18	$3,700
Colorado 2WD, 3.5L 5-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive^[17]	17 / 23 / 19	$3,550
Colorado Crew Cab 2WD, 2.8L 4-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive^[18]	16 / 23 / 18	$3,700
Colorado Crew Cab 2WD, 2.8L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive^[19]	18 / 24 / 21	$3,200
Colorado Crew Cab 2WD, 3.5L 5-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive^[20]	16 / 22 / 18	$3,700
Colorado 4WD, 2.8L 4-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive^[21]	15 / 21 / 17	$3,950
Colorado 4WD, 2.8L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive^[22]	17 / 22 / 19	$3,550
Colorado 4WD, 3.5L 5-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive^[23]	16 / 21 / 18	$3,700
Colorado 4WD, 3.5L 5-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive^[24]	17 / 22 / 19	$3,550
Colorado Crew Cab 4WD, 2.8L 4-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive^[25]	15 / 21 / 17	$3,950
Colorado Crew Cab 4WD, 2.8L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive^[26]	17 / 22 / 19	$3,550
Colorado Crew Cab 4WD, 3.5L 5-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive^[27]	16 / 21 / 18	$3,700

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
EXTENDED CAB None^[28]	n/a	n/a	n/a	4	17.9%
4 DR None^[29]	n/a	n/a	n/a	4	17.9%
REGULAR CAB None^[30]	n/a	n/a	n/a	4	17.9%

How 2005 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Colorado model year. The 2005 is highlighted^[3].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
2004	361	3
2005	356	3
2006	236	4
2007	140	3
2008	81	2
2009	67	3
2010	29	2
2011	42	5
2012	42	2
2015	493	7
2016	712	4
2017	216	1
2018	183	1
2019	150	0
2020	85	0
2021	79	1
2022	56	1
2023	137	3
2024	123	3
2025	27	1
2026	18	1

NHTSA's counts for the Colorado show 356 complaints and 3 recalls for 2005^[3]. Among the 21 model years listed, 17 have fewer complaints than 2005 and 3 have more^[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2026 (18) and the most are for 2016 (712)^[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2005 Colorado?

These are unverified owner reports, so they show where people ran into trouble and not how every truck behaves^[1]. Brakes and the electrical system lead the list^[2]^[5]. The air bag group is smaller, but it carries the most crash and injury mentions among the groups listed^[7]. The exterior lighting group has a lower median mileage at failure (39,495) than the other big groups^[6]. If you are shopping for one, check the brake and lighting systems and ask about the air bag warning light before you buy.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2005 Chevrolet Colorado?: Brakes lead the complaints, followed by the electrical system and exterior lighting^[2]^[5]^[6]. Air bag complaints are fewer but include the most crash reports^[7].
Does the 2005 Chevrolet Colorado have recalls?: Yes. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for this model year^[3]. See the Recalls section on this page for the full list.
Is the 2005 Chevrolet Colorado reliable?: Owners filed 356 complaints with NHTSA^[1]. They are unverified and not adjusted for sales, so read them as a guide to what to check, not as a score.
How many miles per gallon does the 2005 Chevrolet Colorado get?: See the Fuel economy section on this page. It is built from EPA data.
Which year of the Chevrolet Colorado is best?: See the by-year comparison on this page. Complaint counts are not adjusted for sales, so compare years of the same model with care^[3].

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Chevrolet Colorado

2005 this page
2006 236 complaints, 4 recalls
2012 42 complaints, 2 recalls
2015 493 complaints, 7 recalls
2016 712 complaints, 4 recalls
2017 216 complaints, 1 recall
2026 18 complaints, 1 recall

Compare all model years of the Chevrolet Colorado

Other Chevrolet models from 2005

2005 Chevrolet Cavalier 287 complaints, 0 recalls
2005 Chevrolet Corvette 537 complaints, 6 recalls
2005 Chevrolet Express Passenger 59 complaints, 8 recalls
2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer 1,466 complaints, 2 recalls
2005 Chevrolet Venture 42 complaints, 1 recall

All Chevrolet models

Similar cars from 2005: pickup trucks

2005 Dodge Dakota Pickup 470 complaints, 6 recalls
2005 Nissan Frontier 532 complaints, 3 recalls

All pickup trucks we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 356 owner complaints on file for the 2005 Chevrolet Colorado (27 mention a crash, 11 a fire, 19 injuries, 1 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
87 complaints name the brakes component group (7 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, median mileage at failure 49,400). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Chevrolet Colorado model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Colorado 2WD, 2.8L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive: 18 city / 24 highway / 21 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,200. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
69 complaints name the electrical system component group (1 crashes, 6 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 73,300). NHTSA vehicle records
49 complaints name the exterior lighting component group (1 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 39,495). NHTSA vehicle records
33 complaints name the air bags component group (15 crashes, 0 fires, 10 injuries, median mileage at failure 96,000). NHTSA vehicle records
30 complaints name the engine component group (0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 63,500). NHTSA vehicle records
27 complaints name the power train component group (0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 32,150). NHTSA vehicle records
23 complaints name the suspension component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 17,465). NHTSA vehicle records
19 complaints name the structure component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 79,500). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 10V575, filed November 18, 2010: Child Seat. NHTSA recall database
Recall 09V310, filed July 29, 2009: Exterior Lighting › Brake Lights › Switch. NHTSA recall database
Recall 06V139, filed April 27, 2006: Exterior Lighting › Brake Lights › Switch. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Colorado 2WD, 2.8L 4-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive: 16 city / 23 highway / 18 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,700. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Colorado 2WD, 3.5L 5-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive: 16 city / 22 highway / 18 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,700. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Colorado 2WD, 3.5L 5-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive: 17 city / 23 highway / 19 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,550. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Colorado Crew Cab 2WD, 2.8L 4-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive: 16 city / 23 highway / 18 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,700. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Colorado Crew Cab 2WD, 2.8L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive: 18 city / 24 highway / 21 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,200. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Colorado Crew Cab 2WD, 3.5L 5-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive: 16 city / 22 highway / 18 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,700. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Colorado 4WD, 2.8L 4-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive: 15 city / 21 highway / 17 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,950. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Colorado 4WD, 2.8L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive: 17 city / 22 highway / 19 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,550. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Colorado 4WD, 3.5L 5-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive: 16 city / 21 highway / 18 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,700. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Colorado 4WD, 3.5L 5-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive: 17 city / 22 highway / 19 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,550. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Colorado Crew Cab 4WD, 2.8L 4-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive: 15 city / 21 highway / 17 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,950. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Colorado Crew Cab 4WD, 2.8L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive: 17 city / 22 highway / 19 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,550. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Colorado Crew Cab 4WD, 3.5L 5-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive: 16 city / 21 highway / 18 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,700. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, EXTENDED CAB None: rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 17.9%. NHTSA vehicle records
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR None: rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 17.9%. NHTSA vehicle records
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, REGULAR CAB None: rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 17.9%. NHTSA vehicle records

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2005 Chevrolet Colorado: problems, recalls and fuel economy