2016 Chevrolet Traverse problems
NHTSA has received 385 complaints about the 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, and 42% of them involve air bags. Next are drivetrain & axles (10%) and engine (8%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 385 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Air bags 42% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 16 and 1
- Injuries and deaths
- 17 and 1
- Typical mileage
- 47,000 miles 144 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 36 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 18 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 53 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 18 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 10 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 3 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 2 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 3 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 1 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 144 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 47,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 16 complaints mention a crash; 1 complaint mentions a fire; 17 injuries reported; 1 death reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2016 ranks 12th most-complained-about out of 18 model years of the Chevrolet Traverse with enough data (165 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 5 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Tl* the contact owned a 2016 chevrolet traverse. While driving at various speeds, the contact's vehicle was rear ended by another motorist. As a result, the front and third row seats became detached. The contact was not sure whether or not the air bags deployed or if a police report was filed. All five occupants were injured and required medical attention. The passenger in the third row seat was injured severely with cervical and rib fractures and brain hemorrhaging.
I was driving my 2016 traverse after a cancer treatment home when all of a sudden msgs on my dash started appearibg. Service stabilitrak, traction control off. The car started shuttering and the guy behind me rear ended me with my children in the car. Since then I have put 2 power steering pumps in, and had it st the shop for several times that it had said about servicib srabilitrak. I have read over 300 hrs of complaints gaving the same issue with the stabilitrsk. I have also replaced speed sensors and modules.
The car was broadsided on Interstate 40 Westbound outside of Knoxville, TN on 3-12-22 by a Tractor Trailer and totaled. The airbags did not deploy allowing the driver to hit her head on the window of the vehicle causing her head trauma. In Oct of 2021 The same vehicle hit a 200 pound dear head on at 65mph and destroyed the front end and the air bags did not deploy then either.
I purchased this traverse brand new in 2016. I now have 51xxx miles. I have had to refill the transmission 3 times since I've had it. But absolutey no leaks. Prior to that I was experiencing weird transmission slippage at ocwerd times. Another quirk is that sometimes when I put gas in my var, the hand does not move at all until I drive maybe 20 miles but it has me wondering. Keep in mind all this weird behavior with no check engine light. The vehicle rattles at 1000 RPM. Like it might be a timing chain.
Battery keeps dying installed new battery same thing chevy fourm says cable from batter to engine defective came out vehie been stationary to start dead same thing again had to have chevy service jump start us first time an engine has loud ticking and sluggish at low heat vehicle was purchased certified pre owned have put 3500 mike's in it since purchase.