The Lemon IndexC0545 is a chassis code from the standard list, but carmakers often use these codes their own way, so its exact meaning depends on the make. Full C0545 page
19 owner complaints · the #1 code Chevrolet Colorado owners name · 26% of Chevrolet Colorado complaints that name a code (every car: 0.4%)
Middle of 68,000 miles · most between 52,000 and 84,000 (7 owners gave it)
Chevrolet Colorado owners named C0545 in 19 complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA), most often on the 2016 and 2015 model years, at a middle of 68,000 miles. The part they name most is the power steering part (7 complaints). Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Chevrolet Colorado model years that report C0545
Owner complaints naming C0545, by model year. Raw counts: years that sold more get more complaints, so this is each model year's record, not a failure rate.
Mileage when it happened
68,000 miles is the middle of what 7 owners entered. Half were between 52,000 and 84,000 miles.
The mileage on the complaint form, when the owner gave one.
What owners say caused it or fixed it
The most-named part is the power steering part, in 7 of the 19 complaints (37%). 5 of those mention it being replaced or repaired, and 1 say the problem came back afterwards. Next: wiring or a connector (3) and engine software (a reflash) (2).
- Power steering part7 complaints5 mention a repair or replacement, 1 of them says the problem came back
- Wiring or a connector3 complaints1 mentions a repair or replacement
- Software update (reflash)2 complaints1 mentions a repair or replacement
12 complaints mention a recall.
Counted from the owners' own words: a part counts when a sentence names it with a cause or repair word. What owners wrote, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause before replacing parts.
Symptoms owners describe with C0545
- Loses power or goes into limp mode42%8 of 19 complaints
- Warning lights and electrical faults26%5 of 19 complaints
- Transmission slips or shifts hard11%2 of 19 complaints
Share of the complaints naming C0545 whose text also describes each problem. A complaint can describe more than one.
Codes owners report with it
U0420 5 C0460 2
Other codes named in the same Chevrolet Colorado complaints, and in how many.
Recalls on these Chevrolet Colorado years
- Steering · 2015 · issued 2021
The power steering assist may be lost due to a poor electrical connection within the steering gear assembly. NHTSA 21V213000 - Steering · 2015 · issued 2016
A poor electrical connection within the steering gear connector may cause a loss of power steering assist. NHTSA 16V054000
2 recalls for the same systems (steering) on the Chevrolet Colorado model years above. A recall for the same system isn't proof it's behind C0545. Recall work is free at any dealer: check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with our VIN check.
Keep going
- C0545: meaning, causes and every car that reports it
- Chevrolet Colorado reliability by year
- 2016 Chevrolet Colorado problems and recalls
Other codes Chevrolet Colorado owners report
C0545 on other cars
Chevrolet Malibu (19) · GMC Canyon (11)
The details
How we count
We read every owner complaint in the NHTSA file whose text names this trouble code, and count the ones filed about this model (matched by the make, model and model year on the complaint). Mileage is what the owner entered on the form.
Parts: a complaint counts for a part when one of the owner's own sentences names that part together with a cause word (failed, bad, diagnosed, caused by, leaking ...) or a repair word (replaced, repaired, new, reprogrammed ...). "Came back" means the same complaint also says the problem returned or the repair didn't fix it. These are counts of what owners wrote, not a diagnosis, and one complaint can name several parts.
Complaints are reports, not proof of a defect, and most owners never file one. Popular models get more complaints, so the counts are not a failure rate. The code meaning is the standard SAE J2012 definition in our own words, or the carmaker's meaning where we verified it for that make.
What C0545 means
C0545 is in the standard chassis code range, but carmakers often define chassis codes their own way, so the same code can point to different problems on different brands. We haven't verified its meaning for Chevrolet yet. A dealer or a scanner with the maker's software can tell you exactly.
Check the complaints yourself
NHTSA complaint numbers (search them at nhtsa.gov): 11774128, 11764177, 11758971, 11732750, 11730149, 11707692, 11673769, 11665250, 11654438, 11619279, 11612075, 11608574 and 7 more.
Quick answers
Which Chevrolet Colorado years have the most C0545 complaints?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners of the 2016 (11), 2015 (8) Chevrolet Colorado named C0545 most (19 complaints in all, 2015–2016). Raw counts, not a failure rate.
What fixes C0545 on a Chevrolet Colorado?
Owners most often name the power steering part (7 of 19 complaints), then wiring or a connector and engine software (a reflash). That's what owners wrote, not a diagnosis: have a shop confirm the cause with a scan and tests before replacing parts.
At what mileage does C0545 show up on a Chevrolet Colorado?
Owners who gave their mileage reported a middle of 68,000 miles; half were between 52,000 and 84,000 (7 owners).
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints that name C0545 on the Chevrolet Colorado, counted by The Lemon Index; NHTSA recalls; repair bills owners named. Meanings: SAE J2012 in our own words. Owner reports, not a diagnosis or repair advice for your car.