NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 42 owner complaints for the 2012 Chevrolet Colorado.
Recalled components: latches, locks and linkages and seat belts. Most-described problem: the airbag warning light or an airbag fault (7 complaints, 17%). Most-reported area: air bags (9 complaints, 21%).
Fewer complaints than a typical Colorado year
The 2012 drew 14 owner complaints in its first three years, against about 66 for a typical Colorado year. Best years are picked only from 2016 on, since counts for older years say less: owners filed fewer complaints in the early 2010s.
No Colorado year stands out enough to avoid; best years: 2021 and 2022. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
Risk: If the primary hood latch is not engaged, the hood could open unexpectedly. During vehicle operation, this could obstruct the view of the driver and increase the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: General Motors will notify owners and instruct them to inspect their vehicle for the presence of a secondary hood latch. Dealers will replace the hood on any affected vehicles, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on January 17, 2013. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or GMC at 1-866-996-9463.
GM's number for this campaign is 12319.
General Motors is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon vehicles manufactured from November 9, 2009, through August 28, 2012, for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 113, "Hood Latch System."
NHTSA listing: COLORADO. Chevrolet campaign 12319.
Seat belts
Nov 17, 2011
front
Fails federal standard 208 (occupant crash protection)
These vehicles may have been produced with driver safety belt buckle electrical connector terminals that do not fit snugly with the connector pins, causing the connection to be intermittent.
Risk: The loose connections may cause the driver to not receive a visual or audible warning that the driver seat belt is not fastened, thereby increasing the risk of personal injury in the event of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Gm will notify owners and dealers will replace the seat belt buckle electrical connector terminals free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before december 7, 2011. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and gmc at 1-866-996-9463.
Gm's safety recall campaign number is 11322. or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .
General motors (gm) is recalling certain model year 2012 chevrolet colorado and gmc canyon vehicles, manufactured from september 9, 2011, through october 19, 2011, for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard number 208, "occupant crash protection."
NHTSA listing: COLORADO. Chevrolet campaign 11322.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA's investigations file, dated Oct 2, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2012 Chevrolet Colorado.
What owners report
Owners have filed 42 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Colorado. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Chevrolet Colorado recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2012 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2023 Colorado drew the most (105) and the 2012 drew 14.
Owner complaints
2012: 42 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Chevrolet Colorado
Model year
Complaints
2010
29
2011
42
2012
42
2015
491
2016
708
2017
216
2018
183
2019
150
2020
84
2021
75
2022
56
2023
135
2024
123
2025
27
2026
14
Safety recalls
2012: 2 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Chevrolet Colorado
Model year
Recalls
2010
2
2011
5
2012
2
2015
7
2016
4
2017
1
2018
1
2019
0
2020
0
2021
1
2022
1
2023
3
2024
3
2025
1
2026
1
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
In the 42 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Chevrolet Colorado, the problem described most is the airbag warning light or an airbag fault (7). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2012 Chevrolet Colorado?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Oct 2, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2012 Chevrolet Colorado.
How do I check if my Colorado has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Chevrolet dealers for vehicles up to 15 years old from first sale.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Oct 2, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Oct 2, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Oct 2, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: COLORADO.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.