What breaks most · 2009 to 2019 model years
Chevrolet Traverse problems by year
Owners have filed 2,263 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Chevrolet Traverse across model years 2009 to 2019. Three years stand out: 2010 for steering complaints, 2011 for engine complaints and 2009 for steering complaints. The quietest years are 2017, 2016 and 2013.
- Years to check closely: 2010, 2011, 2009
- Fewest complaints: 2017, 2016, 2013
- Complaints on file
- 22632009 to 2019, all trims
- Worst year
- 2010594 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 7413 fires · 87 injuries · 1 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 67kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 52Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 401 | 15 | 8 | Steering (224) | |
| 594 | 12 | 5 | Steering (315) | |
| 513 | 15 | 5 | Engine (155) | |
| 235 | 6 | 5 | Stability control (63) | |
| 92 | 5 | 4 | Stability control (28) | |
| 193 | 3 | 7 | Stability control (70) | |
| 92 | 5 | 5 | Engine (19) | |
| 57 | 3 | 5 | Engine (13) | |
| 33 | 6 | 3 | Electrical system (7) | |
| 51 | 4 | 2 | Engine (16) | |
| 2 | 0 | 3 | Engine (1) |
What fails on the 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 53% |
315 | 6 | Shop steering parts for the 2010 Chevrolet Traverse |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 25% |
149 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2010 Chevrolet Traverse |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 10% |
58 | 1 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Stability controlABS and wheel speed sensors | 8% |
49 | 0 | Shop stability control parts for the 2010 Chevrolet Traverse |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 7% |
41 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2010 Chevrolet Traverse |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 6% |
36 | 1 | Shop speed control and throttle parts for the 2010 Chevrolet Traverse |
| Seat belts | 4% |
22 | 1 | Check recalls for seat belts on NHTSA.gov |
| Air bags | 3% |
20 | 5 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Power steering stop working while driving vehicle. After it started happening i read online that alot of customers been having same iasue.
-
My car doesn't even have 120000 miles and the crankshaft is out of it. I get regular oil changes and maintain my car. As i was driving my cheek everyone light came on and my engine made a loud noise
-
My 2009 chevrolet traverse won't go into reverse and also won't switch gears on time while driving with the steering so stiff
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Chevrolet Traverse years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2010, 2011, 2009 carry the most filings on the Chevrolet Traverse. The 2010 alone has 594 complaints, led by steering.
What is the most common Chevrolet Traverse problem?
On the 2010 model year, the most-reported component is steering with 315 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Chevrolet Traverse problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Chevrolet Traverse complaints that include mileage is about 67,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.