Why it can be a good truck
The 2016 Colorado (second generation) is a right-sized, capable mid-size pickup — easy to live with, genuinely handy, and available with a 2.5-liter four, a 3.6-liter V6, or a 2.8-liter turbo-diesel. It helped bring the mid-size truck back and is well-regarded overall. The caveats are a handful of specific complaints that make the individual truck's condition worth verifying.
The things to check
- Power steering Some owners report a sudden loss of power steering (an electric-power-steering module fault) that can also flag StabiliTrak, traction control, and ABS. On a test drive, confirm consistent steering with no warning lights.
- Brakes There are brake-booster complaints; confirm firm, consistent braking with no warning lights.
- Infotainment The screen can freeze or lose navigation; test it thoroughly.
- 3.6-liter V6 GM's 3.6-liter V6 rewards on-time oil changes; look for a documented service history.
Open recalls — check the VIN
The 2016 Colorado had recalls, including a fuel-line item (a damaged line can leak and raise fire risk), an air-bag item, and a center-console-door item. All are VIN-specific — look up the exact truck's open recalls free by VIN at NHTSA; a Chevrolet dealer completes any open recall at no charge.
What a history report tells you — and what it doesn't
On a car like this, the individual car's history is most of the decision. A history report is a record of what got reported — title brands, reported accidents and damage, odometer readings over time, and service records where they exist. That is what separates a clean, maintained example from a salvage-title or flood car wearing the same badge.
What a history report is not is a forecast, and an absence of records is not proof of a clean past — plenty happens to a car that never gets reported. That is why the honest answer is always the pair: the documented history and an in-person inspection by a mechanic you trust, on the specific car.
On a truck, add one question a history report helps with: how hard it worked. A one-owner truck that towed within its limits and was serviced is a different animal from a neglected work or fleet rig, even at the same mileage.
The things to check before you buy
- Power steering Confirm consistent steering with no StabiliTrak/traction/ABS warnings.
- Brakes Firm, consistent braking with no warning lights.
- Infotainment Test the screen and navigation for freezing.
- Recall status Confirm the fuel-line, air-bag, and console recalls are completed on this VIN.
- Maintenance and hard use Documented oil-change history and no signs of tow/work abuse.
What would make you walk
- A power-steering fault the seller won't resolve Loss of assist with related warning lights.
- Persistent brake problems Booster faults that recur after repair.
- An uncompleted fuel-line recall This one is a fire-risk item.
- Frame rust or a neglected work rig On a truck, the frame and hard use are not the place to compromise.