Chevrolet Traverse 2018–2023
2nd generation · GM C1XX
NHTSA data through 12 August 20261,899 complaints, 525 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 10,000 and 58,000 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 1 complaints (0.2%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 2,990
- 25%
- 10,000
- Median
- 30,000
- 75%
- 58,000
- 90%
- 92,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 130 | 24.8% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 69 | 13.1% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 59 | 11.2% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 42 | 8.0% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 56 | 10.7% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 41 | 7.8% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 24 | 4.6% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 17 | 3.2% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 29 | 5.5% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 16 | 3.0% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 10 | 1.9% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 10 | 1.9% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 8 | 1.5% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 4 | 0.8% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 4 | 0.8% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 4 | 0.8% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 1 | 0.2% |
| 200,000+ | 1 | 0.2% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 1,899 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018–2023 Chevrolet Traverse, and 525 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 10,000 and 58,000 miles. The median is 30,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the transmission and driveline (25.0% of complaints, typically around 42,000 miles), problems owners could not categorise (15.8% of complaints, typically around 15,000 miles), the electrical system (15.6% of complaints, typically around 26,000 miles).
13 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Transmission and driveline42,000median 42,000 miles, middle half 20,000 to 69,000
- Problems owners could not categorise15,000median 15,000 miles, middle half 6,000 to 40,000
- Electrical system26,000median 26,300 miles, middle half 11,000 to 46,000
- Engine20,000median 19,500 miles, middle half 8,000 to 46,000
- Brakes20,000median 20,165 miles, middle half 2,000 to 39,000
- Fuel and propulsion system22,000median 22,295 miles, middle half 12,000 to 31,000
- Engine and its cooling system74,000median 74,000 miles, middle half 55,000 to 95,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and driveline | 475 | 25.0% | 42,000 | 20,000–69,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 300 | 15.8% | 15,000 | 6,000–40,000 |
| Electrical system | 296 | 15.6% | 26,000 | 11,000–46,000 |
| Engine | 256 | 13.5% | 20,000 | 8,000–46,000 |
| Brakes | 93 | 4.9% | 20,000 | 2,000–39,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 80 | 4.2% | 22,000 | 12,000–31,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 59 | 3.1% | 74,000 | 55,000–95,000 |
| Steering | 45 | 2.4% | 3,000 | 480–17,000 |
| Seat belts | 39 | 2.1% | — | — |
| Suspension | 32 | 1.7% | 45,000 | 12,000–58,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 30,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 25.0% of complaints (475 reports, 145 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 42,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 19,900 and 69,300 miles.
A single system taking 25.0% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 15.8% of complaints (300 reports, 32 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 15,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 6,000 and 40,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 15.6% of complaints (296 reports, 68 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 26,300 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 11,000 and 46,434 miles.
The engine accounts for 13.5% of complaints (256 reports, 74 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 19,500 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 7,800 and 45,700 miles.
The brakes account for 4.9% of complaints (93 reports, 29 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 20,165 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 1,800 and 39,000 miles.
The fuel and propulsion system accounts for 4.2% of complaints (80 reports, 12 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 22,295 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 12,000 and 30,738 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2018 model year drew the most — 673 complaints — while 2021 drew the fewest at 111. The median year sits at 214.
That makes 2018 an outlier: roughly 3.1 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 13 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the airbag system (5), the transmission and driveline (4), the tyres (2). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 1,899 complaints filed against this generation, 76 reported a crash; 8 reported a fire; 77 reported an injury. Crash-involved reports represent 4.0% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 10,000 and 58,000 miles, with a median of 30,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the transmission and driveline and problems owners could not categorise are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Problems owners could not categorise in particular shows a median failure mileage of 15,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Transmission 2018–2023
9T65 9-speed automatic hesitation, harsh 1-2 engagement and shift-quality complaints, plus 'shift to park' message faults from the electronic shifter/park interlock.
Engine 2018–2024
3.6L LFY direct-injection intake valve carbon buildup and, at higher mileage, timing chain wear inherited from the LLT/LFX family.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 673 | 270 |
| 2019 | 570 | 126 |
| 2020 | 292 | 67 |
| 2021 | 111 | 17 |
| 2022 | 136 | 19 |
| 2023 | 117 | 26 |
Recalls (13)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 23V172000 | 2023-07-27 | Power Train:automatic Transmission |
| 23V042000 | 2023-02-23 | Power Train:driveline:driveshaft |
| 22V210000 | 2022-04-29 | Air Bags:side/Window:curtain |
| 21V817000 | 2021-11-29 | Power Train:automatic Transmission |
| 21V472000 | 2021-07-29 | Air Bags:sensor:frontal Impact |
| 21V246000 | 2021-05-24 | Air Bags:critical Fasteners |
| 21V115000 | 2021-03-22 | Tires |
| 20V684000 | 2020-12-17 | Tires |
| 20V668000 | 2020-12-15 | Power Train:automatic Transmission |
| 20V639000 | 2020-11-16 | Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump |
| 20V446000 | 2020-09-03 | Air Bags:side/Window:curtain:inflator |
| 19V643000 | 2019-10-04 | Structure:frame and Members |
| 18V774000 | 2018-11-06 | Air Bags: Air Bag/Restraint Control Module |
What owners reported
Car had about 10000 miles and in two separate occasions has stalled, steering wheel had stop working, couldn't steer, car turns off when stopped at traffic lights, alrms go off and dealer just says they can only reprogram the computer, no repairs available. On a third time braking system alarms went off and dealer had…
2018 · 5 miles · Brakes
Tl* the contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. While attempting to park the vehicle, the gear shifter failed to shift into gear and the "shift to park" message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to camino real Chevrolet (2401 s atlantic blvd, monterey park, ca 91754, (323) 264-3050) where it was diagnosed that the…
2018 · 9 miles · Transmission and driveline
I purchased a 2018 Traverse/redline on 6 feb 2018, drove it less than 100 miles, and the transmission stopped working two (2) days later. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer. The service section advised they don't have the equipment needed to diagnose the problem, and that the equipment is expected sometime next…
2018 · 100 miles · Transmission and driveline
Many issues from the day that i bought the vehicle. 1) Noticed front windshield and or driver side window having lots of air noise coming in and wind can be heard as im driving. 2) The auto start does not function correctly when going turns off and about to drive off it tumbles/shakes. 3) Hearing a noise on the…
2018 · 250 miles · Electronic stability control (esc)
Built from 525 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page