2012 Chevrolet Traverse: Reliability Data
Source: NHTSA — 587 complaints
587
Total Complaints
88,000mi
Median Mileage
Engine
Top Issue
16
Crash Reports
When Do Complaints Happen?
Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.
56,900
25th Percentile
88,000
Median Mileage
115,000
75th Percentile
What Fails?
Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.
Engine
115
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)
84
Steering
62
Air Bags
47
Electrical System
47
Power Train
46
Vehicle Speed Control
37
Unknown Or Other
35
Visibility/Wiper
17
Service Brakes
15
Severity Assessment
16
Crashes
4
Fires
20
Injuries
0
Deaths
Sample Complaint Reports
"2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. CONSUMER STATES SEVERAL ISSUES WITH VEHICLE TO INCLUDE WINDOWS AND SEAT ISSUES *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED IF THE MIDDLE ROW PASSENGER WINDOWS WERE PARTIALLY ROLLED DOWN, THEY WOULD VIBRATE AND MAKE A HORRIBLE NOISE ASH SHE ACCELERATED AND EXCEEDED 30 MPH. THE PANEL BETWEEN EA..."
"2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. CONSUMER STATES SEVERAL ISSUES WITH VEHICLE TO INCLUDE WINDOWS AND SEAT ISSUES *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED IF THE MIDDLE ROW PASSENGER WINDOWS WERE PARTIALLY ROLLED DOWN, THEY WOULD VIBRATE AND MAKE A HORRIBLE NOISE ASH SHE ACCELERATED AND EXCEEDED 30 MPH. THE PANEL BETWEEN EA..."
"2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. CONSUMER STATES SEVERAL ISSUES WITH VEHICLE TO INCLUDE WINDOWS AND SEAT ISSUES *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED IF THE MIDDLE ROW PASSENGER WINDOWS WERE PARTIALLY ROLLED DOWN, THEY WOULD VIBRATE AND MAKE A HORRIBLE NOISE ASH SHE ACCELERATED AND EXCEEDED 30 MPH. THE PANEL BETWEEN EA..."
Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.
When Were Complaints Filed?
Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.
When Does Each Component Fail?
Median mileage at complaint for top components.
Engine
115 complaints
25th: 71,103 mi
Median: 96,000 mi
75th: 115,084 mi
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)
84 complaints
25th: 70,000 mi
Median: 96,000 mi
75th: 120,000 mi
Steering
62 complaints
25th: 55,796 mi
Median: 70,000 mi
75th: 89,500 mi
Air Bags
47 complaints
25th: 42,500 mi
Median: 86,552 mi
75th: 103,675 mi
Electrical System
47 complaints
25th: 55,450 mi
Median: 99,800 mi
75th: 124,500 mi
Where Are Complaints Coming From?
Top states by complaint count.
FL: 42
OH: 40
IL: 39
CA: 36
MI: 34
WI: 33
PA: 31
NY: 25
NC: 23
IA: 21
Chevrolet Traverse — Other Years
See how this model compares across different model years.
Active Recalls (5)
Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.
Hatchback/Liftgate
Campaign 15V415000 | 30/06/2015
If the open liftgate unexpectedly falls, it may strike a person, increasing their risk of injury.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the power liftgate actuator motor control unit so that the motor will prevent the rapid closing of the lift gate, free of charge. The recall began on November 15, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chev
Seat Belts
Campaign 14V266000 | 20/05/2014
If the steel cable becomes fatigued and separates, the seatbelt may not properly restrain the seat occupant increasing the risk of an injury in a crash.
General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, repair and replace the lap pretensioner, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. An interim notice will be mailed to owners in July 2014. A second notice will be mailed to owners once parts become available.
Side/Window
Campaign 14V118000 | 17/03/2014
Failure of the side impact air bags and seat belt pretensioners to deploy in a crash increase the risk of injury to the driver and front seat occupant.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected harness connections with soldered connections, free of charge. The recall began on June 16, 2014. Buick owners may contact the owner center at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet owners at 1-866-694-6546, Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, and GMC owners a
Linkages
Campaign 12V151000 | 09/04/2012
IF THIS OCCURS, DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE WIPER ARM NUTS, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 20, 2012.
Critical Fasteners
Campaign 21V246000 | 08/04/2021
Unsecured side curtain air bags may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, realign or replace the weld nuts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2021. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer s
Extend Your Engine Life
Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.
- Change oil on schedule — this is the single most important thing you can do
- Use the manufacturer-recommended oil weight and type
- Replace the air filter every 15,000-30,000 miles
- Don't ignore the check engine light — small issues become expensive fast
- Let the engine warm up for 30 seconds before driving hard in cold weather
- Address coolant leaks immediately to prevent overheating damage
Vehicle Rankings
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Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.
Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.
Data through: 2026-03-28