repaired · 2018 Q2
Body: hatchback/liftgate
Risk. If the open liftgate unexpectedly falls, it may strike a person, increasing their risk of injury.
2009 Chevrolet TraverseProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 448 owner complaints about the 2009 Chevrolet Traverse, most often about the steering. It is covered by 8 safety recalls, and for recall 15V-415 the manufacturer reports only 77% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 18, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2009 Chevrolet Traverse has problems
448 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
231Steering5 crash/fire/injury
58Power train2 crash/fire/injury
50Engine1 crash/fire/injury
36Electrical system3 crash/fire/injury
26Air bags
21Electronic stability control (ESC)
18Vehicle speed control
17Seat belts
13Suspension
7616 other systems6 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 231 | 5 |
| Power train | 58 | 2 |
| Engine | 50 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 36 | 3 |
| Air bags | 26 | 6 |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 21 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 18 | 1 |
| Seat belts | 17 | 2 |
| Suspension | 13 | 2 |
| 16 other systems | 76 | 6 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
8 recalls
2009 Chevrolet Traverse recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2015 Q4
Seat belts
Risk. 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.
repaired · 2016 Q2
Air bags: side/window
Risk. 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.
no report yet
Seat belts
Risk. THE SAFETY BELT MAY NOT RESTRAIN THE OCCUPANT AS INTENDED DURING A CRASH, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT.
Show 4 more recalls
no report yet
Electrical system
Risk. IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE HEATED WASHER MODULE TO IGNITE AND A FIRE MAY OCCUR.
no report yet
Parking brake
Risk. IF THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER IS IN THE PARK POSITION, THERE WILL BE NO UNINTENDED VEHICLE MOVEMENT.
no report yet
Lever and linkage: column shift
Risk. THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE COULD ROLL AWAY AFTER THE DRIVER HAS EXITED THE VEHICLE, RESULTING IN A POSSIBLE CRASH…
no report yet
Rear/other: buckle assembly
Risk. IN A VEHICLE CRASH, IF THE RIVET IS MISSING, THE BUCKLE MAY SEPARATE FROM THE MOUNTING STRAP, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO THE PASSENGER.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Chevrolet.
Mileage at failure
When do steering problems start?
76kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 213 steering complaints. 81% were reported before 100,000 miles.
13under 30k miles172under 100k miles41100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Steering
42 owners mentioned a cost$1,206median
Middle half: $1,025 – $1,610
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2009 vs. every other Traverse year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Traverse median. How we score
'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26'27
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2009 Chevrolet Traverse safety ratings
2009 Chevrolet Traverse 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Rollover: 4 stars (15.5% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2009 Chevrolet Traverse, and the recalls they led to.
- Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion AuditNo recall
- Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable FailureLed to recall 21V-245
- Seat Belt Anchor Cable FailureNo recall
In owners' words
What Traverse owners report
Recent steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
I bought the car in August of last year and drove it for about 3 days before it started giving me problems. First incident I was driving my children home from the hairdresser and the car completely went out us on the highway, after repeated attempts for a half hour or so I was able to start it and…
A year a go the steering at low speed would act like the power steering just stop working, very hard to turn. but not all the time, but now it more often. when a kid ran out between two parked cars I went to turn and hit the brakes the steering went out. Luckily he stop in time, but after that I…
VEHICLE IS HARD TO TURN AT LOW SPEEDS. (POWER STEERING) HIGHER SPEEDS IT STEERS NORMALLY. THEY APPARENTLY KNOW ABOUT THE ISSUE.
Own a 2009 Traverse?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.