Used car guide · 2013–2014

Chevrolet Trax common problems and MOT failures

What goes wrong on a used Chevrolet Trax, year by year: known faults from UK buying guides, the parts flagged at MOT more than on other cars (from 4,375 MOTs done during 2023–2025), and what to check before you buy one.

4,375MOTs done in 2023–2025, all years of this model
1,474on the UK register
2014best year at its MOT

Pick the year

Most years have their own guide. The year is when the car was first registered (it’s on the logbook, or check the reg below).

20142013

What usually goes wrong with a Chevrolet Trax?

We haven’t found widely reported faults for the Chevrolet Trax in the UK buying guides we use yet. That doesn’t mean it has none, so check the car carefully and look at the MOT weak spots below.

Common Chevrolet Trax MOT failures to check

Parts flagged at MOT well above the usual rate for cars the same age, for each fuel on its own. From the DVSA’s results for every MOT done in Great Britain during 2023–2025.

Petrol

  • Ball joint dust cover

    up to 10.2× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2013 and 2014.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Engine oil leaks

    up to 5× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2013 and 2014.

    Rough price £80–£600 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and where the car is usually parked for fresh oil. Ask whether the leak has been looked at.

  • Exhaust system

    up to 3× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2013 and 2014.

    Rough price £100–£500 (pipe or section) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for blowing or rattling from underneath at idle, and look for black soot around joints.

  • Front strut mounts and bushes

    up to 6.8× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2013.

    Rough price £120–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Track rod ends

    up to 1.8× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2013.

    Rough price £50–£150 (one end, plus about £30–£50 if it needs a wheel alignment) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

Diesel

  • Ball joint dust cover

    up to 6.8× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2013.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

  • Steering swivel joints

    up to 5× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2013.

    Rough price £100–£450 our estimate

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

  • Track rod ends

    up to 3.1× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2013.

    Rough price £50–£150 (one end, plus about £30–£50 if it needs a wheel alignment) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: On a straight road the steering wheel should sit straight. Listen for knocks when turning, and check the steering feels even.

  • Engine oil leaks

    up to 2.8× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2013.

    Rough price £80–£600 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and where the car is usually parked for fresh oil. Ask whether the leak has been looked at.

  • Ball joint

    up to 1.8× usual

    Stands out on cars registered in 2013.

    Rough price £60–£150 (one joint) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for knocking over bumps and check the rubber boots behind the wheels aren't split.

Chevrolet Trax MOT pass rate by year

Of the years since 2005 with plenty of MOT tests, the 2014 Chevrolet Trax did best (70% passed first time, 0 points above all 2014 cars) and the 2013 did worst (63%, 4 points below all 2013 cars). Older cars fail more, so compare each year with all cars registered the same year.

YearPass first timeAll cars that yearMOT tests
201470%70% +01,462
201363%67% -42,913

Questions to ask the seller before buying a Chevrolet Trax

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the ball joint dust cover? (Flagged at MOT 8.8× as often on the Chevrolet Trax as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Any recent work on the front strut mounts and bushes? (Flagged at MOT 6.2× as often on the Chevrolet Trax as on other cars the same age.)
  3. Any recent work on the engine oil leaks? (Flagged at MOT 4.3× as often on the Chevrolet Trax as on other cars the same age.)
  4. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a Chevrolet Trax?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, whether it already shows these weak spots and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Where this comes from: MOT figures are the DVSA’s anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, grouped by the year each car was first registered. How many are on the road is from the Department for Transport’s vehicle licensing statistics. Known faults are from UK buying guides, in our own words, with links. How we score