2005 Chevrolet Colorado Electrical System
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
I AM EXPERIENCING AN INTERMITTENT ISSUE WHERE THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM FAILS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE AND I HAVE TO WAIT 15 MINUTES FOR IT TO TIME OUT. THERE ARE FORUMS WITH THIS MODEL OF TRUCK THAT STATE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM BUT I HAVE FOUND NO RECALL ON IT. I HAVE FOUND THAT THE IGNITION AND BODY CONTROL MODULES WERE TO BLAME AND CURRENTLY DEALERS ARE CHARGING UPWARD OF $1100 TO REPAIR. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE DUE TO THE WIDESPREAD PROBLEM AND THAT IT IS A KNOWN DEFECT SPECIFIC TO THIS MODEL OF TRUCK.
IGNITINION SWITCH TRIGGERS ANTI-THEFT SECURE ON TRUCK SO IT WOULD NOT START I WAIT FOR 10 MINUTES THEN IT STARTS, DEALERSHIP COULD NOT TELL ME A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN I TOOK IT, AND MECHANICS TELL ME ITS A DEFECTED IGNITION SWITCH BUT ONLY DEALER CAN FIX IT, ITS A RECALL THING FROM WHAT MECHANICS ARE TELLING ME. ITS A SHAME MECHANICS OUTSIDE THE DEALERSHIP KNOW MORE THEN DEALERSHIP ON WHAT IT IS BEEN RECALL.
HELLO, I JUST PURCHASED A USED VEHICLE AND IT HAS THE SAME PASSCODE PROBLEM THAT MY 2000 EXPRESS VAN HAS. THIS IS A SUBSTANTIAL PROBLEM AND GM IS NOT OWNING UP TO THE PROBLEM AND SHOULD HAVE A FIX FOR IT. HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO IGNORE THAT ''TIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION HAVING TO WAIT 10 MIN. COULD BE LIFE THREATENING. ALL I WANT IS THE 05 COLORADO TO WORK, I'LL BE SELLING THE VAN AND PASSING THE PROBLEM TO SOMEONE ELSE. TIME TO STAND BEHIND YOUR VEHICLES, THIS WILL BE MY LAST GM VEHICLE IF YOU WON'T FIX IT. AFTER 30 YEARS OF LOYALTY YOU SHOULD HAVE MY BACK
THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR AND THE WIRING IS BROKEN FOR THE THIRD TIME. THIS TIME THERE WERE BURN MARKS ON THE WIRES WHICH WORRIES ME ABOUT A POSSIBLE FIRE IN MY DASHBOARD. THIS OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS ON. THIS OVERHEATING/BURNING OF THE RESISTOR AND WIRES CAUSES THE BLOWER MOTOR TO NOT BLOW AIR WHICH IN PHOENIX, AZ IS A MUST DUE TO SEVERE HOT WEATHER.
A/C & HEATER CONTROLS NOT WORKING. 1ST TIME TOOK PICK-UP IN AND WAS FIXED UNDER WARRANTY AT HUDIBURG CHEVEROLET IN OKLAHOMA CITY, OK. THE SAME THING WAS HAPPENING AGAIN AROUND 1 1/2 YEARS LATER TOOK BACK TO HUDIBURGS AGAIN AND THEY REFUSED TO FIX IT BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER IT BEGAN TO WORK FOR A LITTLE WHILE THEN STOPPED WORKING ALTOGETHER.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COLORADO. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, BURNING FUMES EMITTED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. AFTER AN INSPECTION, IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE BURNED WIRES IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE WIRE HARNESS AND A TEMPERATURE CONTROL REGULATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, ALL THE SUDDEN STARTED TO GET A BURN SMELL. HAD TO PULL OVER AND HAVE THE TRUCK BEING TOWED TO THE SHOP. THE PROBLEM IS THE HARNESS CONNECTOR TO THE A/C- HEATING BLOWER WAS BURNING. LUCKILY I HAD DISCOVER THE PROBLEM ON TIME. THIS PROBLEM COULD BE A DANGEROUS FIRE. WE NEED THIS PROBLEM TO BE ADDRESSED AND FIXED SINCE ALL THE OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE HAVE BEEN HAVING THE SAME ISSUE.
THE AC FAN ONLY WORKS ON HIGH (4). THE AC FAN SWITCH HAS A KNOWN DEFECT IN THE RESISTOR SWITCH FOR THE FAN. THIS CAN CAUSE THE WIRING TO OVERHEAT AND START A FIRE. GM HAS ALREADY RECALLED THE HUMMER H3 FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO THE 1ST GENERATION CHEVY COLORADO BECAUSE IT HAS THE SAME FAN SWITCH RESISTOR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COLORADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE WHICH RESUMED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,300 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 112,000. REMAILED 06/23/14. *LJ UPDATED 07/15/14 MA *TR UPDATED 07/17/2014 *JS
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. WAS ABLE TO RESTART BUT WOULD ONLY STAY RUNNING FOR A FEW SECONDS. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS IT RESTARTED AND STAYED RUNNING. SINCE THAT TIME THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLS IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTING AND REQUIRES SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART AND KEEP RUNNING. SECURITY SYSTEM LIGHT IS ON. DEALER SAID IT COULD BE THE KEY, OR THE KEY SWITCH, OR THE BODY CONTROL MODULE (BCM), OR ALL THREE. RESEARCH ONLINE INDICATES THAT NUMEROUS CHEVY COLORADO OWNERS HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AND HAVE BEEN TOLD SIMILAR THINGS BY DEALERS. IN FACT NUMEROUS OWNERS OF CHEVYS WITH THE PASSLOCK SECURITY SYSTEM HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. IT FEELS UNSAFE TO DRIVE A VEHICLE THAT STALLS AND WON'T RESTART. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COLORADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION MODULE FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL SPORADICALLY AND WITHOUT WARNING ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS OVER A PERIOD OF YEARS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND THEN RESTART THE VEHICLE CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES WHO WAS NOT ABLE TO NEITHER REPLICATE NOR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60000. UPDATED 06/05/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED A MECHANIC STATED THE BATTERY WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED BUT, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. UPDATED 06/09/2014 *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COLORADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS, WHO ADVISED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS ALERTED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COLORADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS FLICKERING. THE CONTACT HAD A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE THE SPEEDOMETER WAS NOT VISIBLE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE AFTER A COMPLETE STOP. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BODY CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COLORADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER HOWEVER, THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC ON THE INFORMATION THAT THE CONTACT PROVIDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 14V047000 (AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 82,000.
2005 CHEVROLET COLORADO 102,000 MILES. VEHICLE FLASHES "REDUCED POWER" ON INFORMATION DISPLAY THEN SHUTS DOWN ENGINE. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO COAST IN TO A PARKING LOT OUT OF TRAFFIC. ENGINE REFUSES TO START FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES THEN FIRES UP. HAS DONE THIS A NUMBER OF TIMES SINCE. ENGINE CODE GIVEN IS P0601 "CHECK SUM ERROR", IE COMPUTER GLITCH. THIS IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION, INSTEAD OF REDUCING THE ENGINE SO THAT ONE MIGHT GET OUT OF THRAFFIC, THE FACT THAT IT KILLS THE ENGINE IS A MAJOR SAFEYT RISK. POOR PROGRAMMING TO SAY THE LEAST.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COLORADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSE THAT THE EXTENDED CAB DRIVER SIDE REAR DOOR WIRING HARNESS THAT INCLUDED THE RADIO SPEAKER, SEAT BELT, AND AIR BAG WIRES WAS BROKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,300 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 79,400.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COLORADO. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT STARTED THAT THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THE STARTER KEPT RUNNING ONCE THE VEHICLE HAD STARTED. THE CONTACT SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND AFTER RESTARTING IT DID NOT EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE STARTER. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AFTER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE STARTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000.
BLOWER MOTOR FAN SPEEDS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. FAULT WAS FOUND IN BLOWER MOTOR WIRING HARNESS WHERE HARNESS RUNS ADJACENT TO GLOVE BOX. JOSTLE THE HARNESS MANUALLY BELOW THE GLOVE BOX AND THE BLOWER MOTOR SPEEDS WILL GO FROM OFF TO ONLY A FEW SPEEDS TO NORMAL. THIS COULD DEFINITELY BE A FIRE HAZARD. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET COLORADO. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE ANTI-THEFT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 89,000.
FIRE FIRE FIRE AN AIR CONDITIONING RESISTOR PACK OVERHEATS AND CATCHES FIRE IN THE AIR CONDITIONING PLENUM. THIS IS THE FAN SPEED CONTROL RESISTOR. I FOUND MINE TO BE MELTED DOWN AND THE SOCKET THAT IT PLUGS INTO WAS ALSO SEVERELY DAMAGED. THE ONLY RECOMMENDATION THAT THE DEALERSHIP OFFERED WAS THAT I PAY THEM TO REPLACE THOSE COMPONENTS. I PURCHASED THOSE COMPONENTS AND INSTALLED THEM MYSELF. THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. I DETERMINED THAT THE GROUND USED FOR SEVERAL COMPONENTS IN THE CABIN WAS INSUFFICIENT AND POORLY CONNECTED. I REPLACED THE FACTORY INSTALLED GROUND WITH A HEAVIER GAUGE WIRE AND ATTACHED IT TO THE TUBULAR FRAMING BEHIND THE STEREO . THIS WAS A SUFFICIENT FIX AND I BELIEVE IT IS IN GM'S BEST INTEREST TO REMEDY THIS ISSUE BEFORE A GM VEHICLE CATCHES ON FIRE IN A CARPORT OR WITH CHILDREN ON BOARD. *TR
ON SATURDAY MORNING MY TRUCK WOULD NOT START. I WENT TO JUMP IT, AND WITH NO KEYS IN THE IGNITION AND NOT JUMPED YET THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND INTERIOR LIGHT WENT ON. THIS WENT ON FOR OVER AN HOUR. I REPLACED BASICALLY A NEW BATTERY. THE RADIO DID NOT WORK AND DASH LIGHTS DID NOT EITHER. ON TUESDAY, APRIL 17 AFTER I PICKED UP MY SON FROM SCHOOL, THE CAR STARTED TO MAKE A LOUD SCRUNCH NOISE AND STARTED TO STALL OFF AND ON. WHEN I PULLED INTO MY DRIVE WAY AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. I WENT TO OPEN THE DOOR AND IT WOULD NOT OPEN. I TRIED TO OPEN THE WINDOWS AND THEY WOULD NOT GO DOWN. IT WAS SMELLING REALLY BAD LIKE SOMETHING WAS ON FIRE. ABOUT 25 SECONDS LATER, WITH NO KEY IN THE IGNITION THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WENT ON. I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION BUT DID NOT START IT AND TRIED THE WINDOWS AGAIN AND MY DRIVERS SIDE WENT DOWN AND I GOT MY SON OUT THROUGH THE WINDOW. IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID IT WAS MY ALTERNATOR WHICH IS GETTING FIXED. READING ALL THE COMPLAINTS I AGREE, WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN RECALLED. IT'S AROUND 50K MILES AND THE ELECTRICAL GOES. LUCKILY ME AND MY SON GOT OUT. *JS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 CHEVROLET COLORADO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THICK SMOKE ESCAPING FROM THE DASHBOARD. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED FLAMES UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE CONTACT DID NOT STATE IF THERE WERE ANY INJURIES. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000.
2005 CHEVY COLORADO WIRING HARNESS ON FAN CONTROL BURNT UP AT MOTOR PLUG. WIRES IN HARNESS STARTED SMOKING AND MELTED PLASTIC. HARNESS AND RESISTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TR
FAULTY WIRING HARNESS THAT BURNS UNDER THE DASHBOARD/GLOVEBOX ON THE PASSENGER SIDE (FEET AREA). THE HARNESS CONTROLS THE BLOWER MOTOR FAN SPEEDS 1,2,3 SETTING AND HAS A RESISTOR. THE WIRING HARNESS/LOOP BEGINS TO MELT AND SUBSEQUENTLY BURN. MY PASSENGER BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTENTION AFTER IT SINGED HIS SHIN; I UNPLUGGED THE WIRING LOOP PRIOR TO CATCHING ON FIRE. THERE ARE MANY ONLINE COMPLAINTS AT CHEVY COLORADO FORUMS I.E. EDMUNDS ETC. THANK YOU. *TR
MY TRUCK WONT START DO ALARM OR ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM IT CRANK BUT WONT START. *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2005 Chevrolet Colorado has 38 Electrical System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.