2011 Chevrolet Traverse Problems and Recalls (605 Complaints)
The most-reported problem on the 2011 Chevrolet Traverse is Steering (24% of 605 owner reports). There are 5 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Steering — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 605 complaints · 5 recalls
What problems show up on the 2011 Chevrolet Traverse?
145 of 605 filings named Steering (24% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
Second is Engine (132 reports).
There are 5 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Glass / wipers / cameras, Airbags, and Body / frame. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.
The 2010 has 667 reports on file; this year has 605. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.
What owners reported
System named most often: Steering 145 complaints · 24.0% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
- Crashes 16
- Fires 4
- Injuries 30
- Deaths 1
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Which systems owners named
Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.
“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.
View component data as a table
| System / Component | Complaints | Share of Reports | Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering (STEERING) | 145 | 24.0% | 2 crashes · 0 fires |
| Engine (ENGINE) | 132 | 21.8% | 0 crashes · 2 fires |
| Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) | 57 | 9.4% | 2 crashes · 0 fires |
| Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) | 36 | 6.0% | 2 crashes · 0 fires |
| Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) | 29 | 4.8% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Airbags (AIR BAGS) | 28 | 4.6% | 7 crashes · 0 fires |
| Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) | 17 | 2.8% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) | 15 | 2.5% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) | 14 | 2.3% | 0 crashes · 1 fires |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 109 | 18.0% | 0 crashes · 1 fires |
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
When reports and recalls showed up
When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.
- Campaign 12V151000 was reported 299 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 14V118000 was reported 539 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 15V415000 was reported 1,756 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 21V246000 was reported 3,118 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-Q3 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2011-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2011-Q2 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2011-Q3 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2011-Q4 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2012-Q1 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2012-Q2 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2012-Q3 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2012-Q4 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2013-Q1 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2013-Q2 | Owner reports | 14 | |
| 2013-Q3 | Owner reports | 7 | |
| 2013-Q4 | Owner reports | 8 | |
| 2014-Q1 | Owner reports | 16 | |
| 2014-Q2 | Owner reports | 36 | |
| 2014-Q3 | Owner reports | 22 | |
| 2014-Q4 | Owner reports | 31 | |
| 2015-Q1 | Owner reports | 55 | |
| 2015-Q2 | Owner reports | 28 | |
| 2015-Q3 | Owner reports | 10 | |
| 2015-Q4 | Owner reports | 28 | |
| 2016-Q1 | Owner reports | 27 | |
| 2016-Q2 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2016-Q3 | Owner reports | 16 | |
| 2016-Q4 | Owner reports | 15 | |
| 2017-Q1 | Owner reports | 18 | |
| 2017-Q2 | Owner reports | 10 | |
| 2017-Q3 | Owner reports | 14 | |
| 2017-Q4 | Owner reports | 17 | |
| 2018-Q1 | Owner reports | 20 | |
| 2018-Q2 | Owner reports | 12 | |
| 2018-Q3 | Owner reports | 17 | |
| 2018-Q4 | Owner reports | 17 | |
| 2019-Q1 | Owner reports | 27 | |
| 2019-Q2 | Owner reports | 11 | |
| 2019-Q3 | Owner reports | 12 | |
| 2019-Q4 | Owner reports | 16 | |
| 2020-Q1 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2020-Q2 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| 2020-Q3 | Owner reports | 5 | |
| 2020-Q4 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2021-Q1 | Owner reports | 14 | |
| 2021-Q2 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2021-Q3 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2022-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2022-Q2 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2022-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2023-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2023-Q2 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2023-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2024-Q1 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2024-Q2 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2024-Q3 | Owner reports | 2 | |
| 2024-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 12V151000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 14V118000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 14V266000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 15V415000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V246000 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | RQ19003 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | EA20002 |
Safety Recalls (5)
Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.
In short, these campaigns were filed about Glass / wipers / cameras, Airbags, and Body / frame.
-
Recall campaign 12V151000
Glass / wipers / cameras
- Report date
- Component:
- Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY)
- Consequence:
- IF THIS OCCURS, DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
- Remedy:
- GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE WIPER ARM NUTS, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 20, 2012.
-
Recall campaign 14V118000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- 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.
- Remedy:
- 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 at 1-866-996-9463. GM's number for this recall is 14030. Note: Vehicles repaired as part of Customer Satisfaction Campaign 10085 and special coverage 10335 have already had the subject condition repaired and therefore are not included in the safety recall.
-
Recall campaign 14V266000
Safety recall 14V266000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- 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.
- Remedy:
- 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. The recall for the 2009-2010 model years began on July 11, 2014. The interim letter for the 2011-2014 model years were distributed on July 11, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-462-8782 (GMC), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). General Motors recall number for this campaign is 14187.
-
Recall campaign 15V415000
Body / frame
- Report date
- Component:
- Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
- Consequence:
- If the open liftgate unexpectedly falls, it may strike a person, increasing their risk of injury.
- Remedy:
- 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, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Saturn customer service at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 15240.
-
Recall campaign 21V246000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- Unsecured side curtain air bags may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy:
- 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 service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N202321200.
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
What owners actually wrote
Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Showing 8 of 605 complaints · page 1 of 25
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Components related to timing chain failed, and vehicle is currently available with plans to sell to a salvage yard by 10/25/24. My 9 year old and I were at risk of collision when the vehicle failed. I was driving approximately 70-75 mph when we started to lose power. At 65 mph, I managed to cross 2 lanes of highway traffic and stopped on the shoulder. I turned off my vehicle and waited several minutes, hoping it would help reset or cool off a component or something. I had to try a couple of times before it started, and I attempted to drive as safely as I could, made it to 60 mph before it stopped running completely. I had to pull hard on the steering wheel to get to the shoulder again, only this time, the shoulder was pinched off in front of us and around a small blind spot behind us. I had my daughter move to the side closer to the cement barrier while waiting for a tow truck. She became very nervous about how close some of the other vehicles got. Afterwards, the error codes indicated several components pointing to a timing chain problem. I had the timing chain repaired around April or May of 2023 by a certified mechanic. I watched the oil life percentage and oil temperature gauge consistently. Everything indicated as normal, but I had difficulty pulling out the dipstick to check the oil level. Since it was hard to get a good reading, I tried to add some oil and recheck. The oil cap was nearly impossible to open, so I decided to wait for an oil tech to do it. Around 40-50% oil life, I had planned to have the oil changed. In spite of my efforts to maintain proper oil quality, the oil cap had to be opened with a wrench. Smoke rose out and dried out oil residue lined the inner walls. It was about a quart low. I don’t drive hard on it and it had only been around 3,000 miles between oil changes. It had been one year since the timing chain was replaced. Error codes remain and the vehicle runs rough if it stays on long enough after much effort to start it.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
As i am driving down the road the service stable trak light and abs lights pop on and the brakes sieze up so bad you cant get the car to stop and brake pedal to unlock as well as when you try to turn the steering wheel locks
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My timing and my energy is going bad..I don’t know the problem.Im new on having my own car..And when I got it everything was great at first but Two trips going too Chicago it started going bad
CrashFireInjuryDeath
This vehicle is notorious for multiple electrical failures. The alternator fried the battery fried, both of which were replaced. This vehicle still wouldn't start. The wiring harness to the PCM is notorious for having shorts. The pcm itself is notorious for going out really early. This vehicle is almost undrivable and it dies while you're in the middle of driving where you can't stop. I do not know how this vehicle has been kept on the market without being recalled. I do not know how more people haven't been in accidents because of it. And even worse, it's notorious for the airbags messing up. I think I would be more understanding if it weren't for the fact that this vehicle has been well maintained. It has regular maintenance. It's never overdue for an oil change or a fluid top up. I have children that ride in this vehicle and now I have to worry about their safety.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Unknown
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact's friend owns a 2011 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that the liftgate failed to function as designed. The contact stated that the liftgate would spontaneously slam shut. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V415000 (Structure). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
side curtain airbags deployed driving 70 mph on I94 outside of Monticello, MN after drifting onto the rumble strip. Upon turning back there was a loud bang from the side airbags deploying. The drivers side came down and hit my daughter in the side of the head, the passenger side didn't come down all the way missing my 86 year old Mom as she is 5 ft tall. My daugther by some miracle didn't panic and veer into other traffic lanes with other vehicles driving 70 mph. GM is denying a problem and insinuating that something other than defect caused the airbags to deploy, even though there is nothing but rumble strips on the section of road. They are blaming some minor scraps on the side of the vehicle that were existing on a 2011 Traverse.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 45 MPH, the RPM became elevated, and the check engine warning light illuminated before the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle could not be restarted. The vehicle was towed to the local mechanic. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 125,000.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems on the 2011 Chevrolet Traverse?
Owners named Steering most often — 145 of 605 reports (24%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.
Are there recalls for the 2011 Chevrolet Traverse?
NHTSA lists 5 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Glass / wipers / cameras, Airbags, and Body / frame. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.
What should I inspect before buying a 2011 Chevrolet Traverse?
Look up the VIN for open recalls. Check for play in the wheel, noises on lock and whether it tracks straight. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.
Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?
No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.
Estimated Ownership Cost
EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates
Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Adjacent Model Years
Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Methodology & Data Integrity
Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.