repaired · 2023 Q1
Air bags: critical fasteners
Risk. Unsecured side curtain air bags may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
2011 Chevrolet TraverseProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 608 owner complaints about the 2011 Chevrolet Traverse, most often about the engine. It is covered by 5 safety recalls, and for recall 21V-246 the manufacturer reports only 40% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 6, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: Cutlass, CC0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2011 Chevrolet Traverse has problems
608 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
204Engine5 crash/fire/injury
165Steering2 crash/fire/injury
103Electronic stability control (ESC)3 crash/fire/injury
79Power train2 crash/fire/injury
67Electrical system3 crash/fire/injury
58Vehicle speed control2 crash/fire/injury
43Air bags
28Service brakes
21Traction control system
13915 other systems12 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 204 | 5 |
| Steering | 165 | 2 |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 103 | 3 |
| Power train | 79 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 67 | 3 |
| Vehicle speed control | 58 | 2 |
| Air bags | 43 | 9 |
| Service brakes | 28 | 2 |
| Traction control system | 21 | 0 |
| 15 other systems | 139 | 12 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
5 recalls
2011 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 · 2018 Q2
Body: hatchback/liftgate
Risk. If the open liftgate unexpectedly falls, it may strike a person, increasing their risk of injury.
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.
Show 1 more recall
no report yet
Windshield wiper/washer: linkages
Risk. IF THIS OCCURS, DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
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 engine problems start?
86kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 175 engine complaints. 63% were reported before 100,000 miles.
16under 30k miles111under 100k miles64100k 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
26 owners mentioned a cost$1,600median
Middle half: $1,325 – $1,800
Engine
16 owners mentioned a cost$2,425median
Middle half: $580 – $3,525
Electronic stability control (ESC)
11 owners mentioned a cost$600median
Middle half: $520 – $850
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
2011 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
2011 Chevrolet Traverse safety ratings
2011 Chevrolet Traverse SUV AWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (15.5% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2011 Chevrolet Traverse, and the recalls they led to.
- 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 engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
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…
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
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…
Own a 2011 Traverse?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.