93 of the
7,917 complaints filed about the Chevrolet Traverse
are about the suspension —
1% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2011.
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, she felt an imbalance in her rear driver side tire. The vehicle was taken to both a dealer and an independent mechanic where they inspected the vehicle and discovered that the toe links were defective on both the rear driver side and rear passenger side tires. The contact was given an estimate for the repair at the dealer. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
NHTSA complaint #11737576 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While operating the vehicle, the steering column became detached, creating an immediate and severe safety hazard. Upon inspection, the column appeared to be improperly secured using hose clamps instead of proper manufacturer components.
NHTSA complaint #11731990 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds over a bumpy road, the vehicle made an abnormal clunking sound. The contact stated that the sound became louder over time. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed. The dealer determined that the front lower control arms and the front suspension sway bar links needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.
NHTSA complaint #11731457 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving going home to Deming,NM together with my daughter and son on [XXX] . I was driving over a bridge over path on [XXX] and without warning my electrical power steering gave out on the traverse I could not turn my steering wheel left or right I thought I was going to be in an accident because there was semi trucks going 80 miles an hour behind me we almost got hit by semi’s. Thank God I forced my steering wheel to the right with all my strength. I had to call the towing company we waited 3 hours until he got there even he said we could of had an accident. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11721577 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Right Rear upper and lower toe links broke nearly causing a serious accident when brakes were applied, vehicle pulled severely to the right causing it to swerve and narrowly missing another vehicle. The toe link failure on my vehicle which has only 29702 miles put my life and the life of my family members at risk. The vehicle was brought to our local licensed repair shop in Massapequa, NY where the prblem was diagnosed and repaired. No warning lights or symptoms occurred prior to this first incident. I researched this safety item for any recalls on this issue, however there are none currenlty on file for my vehicle but several for other Cheverolet vehicle with same toe link issue.
NHTSA complaint #11696435 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
For the past few months now my 2018 Chevy Traverse has had a weird shimmy when changing lower gears. Got it looked at and they said one of the 9 clutches are going out and needs to be replaced for a total of $6664.63. After doing my own research, this is a common problem with the 2018 Chevy Traverse after reading all the complaints on Social Media and a few Chevy enthusiasts websites. I’ve called the dealership and they refuse to help out at all with the pricing or do anything without a recall issued. If I’d had to calculate the amount of cars effected that already had work done and cars that haven’t had work done yet due to the insane cost, I’d say at least 30-40% of these vehicles have these issues right now that people know about or have already had fixed. The transmission place I sent our vehicle to said he does work on all these Chevys constantly with the same issue. I tried to call corporate and they gave me this site to go ahead and log a safety concern about this problem because it truly is a safety concern. The constant shim and rough feel when switching between lower gears makes it difficult when needing to pull out into traffic unless your lucky enough to get no traffic in your lane. I’ve also noted the start stop problem when it starts back up at a red light it sometimes has issues shifting in between 2nd, 3rd, & 4th gear like it doesn’t want to do it in that order. Feels more like it wants to skip 2nd and 3rd gear which may be fine but it definitely has a shimmy/ grinding feeling. Not sure if the transmission clutch can cause all these problems but after witnessing these issues, I’m definitely rethinking purchasing Silverado 2500’s for my family owned plumbing business. Thank you and hopefully this helps.
NHTSA complaint #11694922 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The car feels like it’s bouncing everywhere on any kind of surface and now there is a loud very loud rattling noise coming from underneath the car and the car starts shaking excessively if you try to accelerate
NHTSA complaint #11692458 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The vehicle stalls while driving at any speed. It has left me on the highway or the middle of an intersection with myself & my kids in danger. The check engine light comes on before the vehicle shuts off completely & loses power & steering. The traction control & stability warning also come on. The vehicle has rolled backwards while in park numerous times so I have to use the parking brake on a regular basis as a safety precaution. The power steering is also an issue. The driver seat belt & air bags make this car a rolling death TRAP. There are past recalls or safety concerns for the traverse that are the exact same issue that I’m having but they are not specific to my vin number so the dealership refuses to address them! Is 7 recalls & they all apply to this vehicle! I’ve attempted to have the vehicle repaired multiple times & they have failed & the same problem returns. I just want my vehicle to be safe & not put myself or my family in danger of being injured or killed.
NHTSA complaint #11685461 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
To the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), I am writing to inquire about an issue recently encountered with my 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. On July 21, 2025, my vehicle was at Riverview Chevy for its state inspection, during which the rear toe links were identified as failed and required replacement. This service, including the necessary alignment, resulted in an out-of-pocket expense of approximately $750. I recall previous discussions regarding a potential recall concerning failing rear toe links on 2018-2020 Chevrolet Traverse models. While my vehicle is a 2018 model and experienced this exact issue, the dealership indicated that no recall was pending for my specific VIN. I find this discrepancy concerning, particularly given the known history of this component in similarly years and the fact that my vehicle indeed suffered this failure. I will be submitting the relevant documentation from the dealership outlining the repairs performed. I kindly request that you review this matter and provide clarification regarding the recall status for my vehicle's VIN. I am seeking a resolution regarding the costs incurred for this repair, as it appears to be a known issue for which a recall may have been appropriate. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. I look forward to your prompt response.
NHTSA complaint #11675303 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Purchased the 2020 traverse on [XXX] from Basswood in Ft. Payne Alabama. Under the guise of the salesman I was assured that the vehicle was in great shape, with no issues at all, and a very clean Carfax. Well I'm new to purchasing a car via financing with a co-signer in which he was assured the vehicle was in great shape. Well unbeknownst to us my household the car was nothing of the sort. Within a few days the Start/Stop malfunctioned to the point it would not restart 98% of the time without sounding like a Demo Saw, it's a dangerous problem and there's times we smelled fuel once we were able to restart the vehicle. The front right wheel assembly looks as if it were on fire and if that's brake dust and it has a grinding whomp whomp sound when in motion,that's really not good no wonder it's hard to stop at times. The front end sounds like drums when going over bumps, speed bumps, road imperfections etc.. on morning start-up there's an absurd amount of exhaust coming into the cabin area, the codes [P3055 and P3056] are registered from the computer of vehicle. Now the smell of fuel is blowing through all vents whenever the defrost is running or all vents are used front and rear, with the truck in motion. It was so bad today that my entire family had to pull over to a gas station and get fresh air our eyes were burning and my [XXX] son nose started to bleed., so that's two parents and 6 children scrambling for safety. This is our only reliable vehicle other than an old 99 suburban that is hardly even road worthy anymore. I spoke with several people that have purchased vehicles and all agreed that the salesman and mostly the sales managers knew that the vehicle came from an auction and was never serviced nor inspected at the basswood dealership, which equates to them actively concealing major effects and problems with the vehicle in question. Just to make a one time commission on a fraudulent deal! They didn't provide any inspection papers to me! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA
NHTSA complaint #11635767 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1)Both rear TOW LINKS were found to fail state inspection and were replaced. The vehicle only has 22,000 miles on it Dealer said this a common issue with this model vehicle (2019 Chevy Traverse). 2) Shift to Park. Vehicle displays this error message and does not allow the vehicle to completely shut down, aux mode, which the radio stays on and doors will not lock. Have to start and shut off vehicle until the “Shift to Park” error message goes away. Dealer said wiring harness is on back order snd could not be repaired until parts are available. Dealer charged $178.00 for diagnostics and agreed there is an open and intermittent circuit causing this issue.
NHTSA complaint #11623263 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Incident Description: On 10/2/2024, I discovered a critical failure in the rear suspension of my 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The rear left control arm had completely rusted through and detached from the vehicle frame. This occurred unexpectedly while my family was backing the vehicle into the driveway from my garage. Had this failure happened while driving, it could have resulted in a catastrophic loss of control, leading to a severe accident with potential for serious injury or fatality to my family and others. This incident raises serious concerns about the safety of 2018 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles. The premature and sudden failure of a critical suspension component due to rust suggests a potential defect in the materials, anti-corrosion treatment, or design of the control arm. This could pose a significant safety risk to all owners of this vehicle model. I have taken detailed photographs of the failed control arm and the affected area of the vehicle frame, clearly showing the extent of the rust and corrosion. General Motors has issued a safety recall (N212346640) for certain vehicles due to a defect in the rear suspension toe links. These vehicles may have received improper electrocoating corrosion protection, making the toe links susceptible to premature rust and fracture. This could lead to a loss of vehicle control and increase the risk of a crash. The similarity of this recall to the failure I experienced with the rear left control arm onmy 2018 Chevrolet Traverse suggests a potential pattern of corrosion-related suspension component failures in General Motors vehicles. This recall demonstrates that General Motors has acknowledged and addressed similar corrosion-related defects in other vehicles. It supports my concern that the control arm failure on my Traverse may also stem from a manufacturing defect and warrants a thorough investigation by the NHTSA.
NHTSA complaint #11617954 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I can't stand having to drive a car with that risk to life any longer. I have to drive with my family inside, there are two small children and I'm scared, and Chevy just tells me that they still don't have the part for the airbag. I've been dealing with this for years and I still don't have an answer. My car's price has dropped a lot because of this problem and Chevy isn't taking responsibility for the problem. I need to know what I can do.
NHTSA complaint #11613244 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? transmission problems. loss power while driving vehicle How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? vehicle stopped driving while on road with traffic. Major accident could of happened Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, Joh Hall Chevy dealer is aware of issue Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Being inspected by Chevy dealership Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? no prior messages. During incident warning appeared on dash stating reduced acceleration drive with care.
NHTSA complaint #11612239 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at undisclosed speeds and making a left or right turn, the vehicle was not stable and was moving unintendedly. On another occasion, while having maintenance service performed on the vehicle, the mechanic advised the contact that the rear toe links had rotted out due to corrosion and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the rear toe links needed to be replaced due to the corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 44,036.
NHTSA complaint #11609714 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The rear sway bar linkage broke which lead to unsafe handling/ control of vehicle. I was driving and anytime I made a right turn there was a loud clunk in rear of vehicle. Concerned it will wear other parts out by this specific part not working/broke
NHTSA complaint #11582608 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My car has 61,000 miles. I've been noticing that the rear suspension seems off. During a dealership oil change, they told me my rear adjustment links were loose. I took it to a Tuffy auto service place for a 2nd opinion (looking for cheaper cost) and they said it was actually my rear toe links. They said it was very surprising that they would be bad already. I agree. It's a 2019 and shouldn't be having these issues. I've noticed other Chevy's have been recalled for the same thing and I'm wondering if it's wider spread.
NHTSA complaint #11581820 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This vehicle just recently failed inspection for the right rear toe link. I spoke with the dealers service department who stated that this is a known issue with this model but that there is not a current recall. From my research on Chevrolet forums, this is a very frequent issue. This is a very dangerous issue, and owners are being forced to pay for this known issue out of pocket. It is apparent that this is a manufacturing defect that should be recalled by Chevrolet.
NHTSA complaint #11570107 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.