Page 4 of 4 · complaints 151–162 of 162

2013 Chevrolet Traverse complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2013 record →

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Oct 14, 201425,000 milesOK

FUEL GAUGE REGISTERED FUEL BUT VEHICLE STALLED OUT DUE TO LACK OF FUEL. *TR

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Oct 14, 201425,000 milesOK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE LOW FUEL INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED THE INCORRECT AMOUNT OF FUEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

Electrical System
Filed Sep 21, 201418,949 milesCA

THE BATTERY FAILED TO RECHARGE, THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN (ELECTRICALLY SPEAKING). MY WIFE AND 2 KIDS WERE STUCK IN A CAR WITH NO AC, NO ABILITY TO RECHARGE HER CELL PHONE TO CALL FOR HELP, ON A HOT 100F DAY. THANKFULLY, SHE WAS ABLE TO CALL A TOW TRUCK. AFTER 2 DAYS IN THE SHOP AT RON BAKER CHEVY IN SAN DIEGO, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS FAULTY. BOTH THE ALTERNATOR AND THE BATTERY WERE REPLACED. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Sep 4, 201417,681 milesCA

THE REAR SEAT AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING MODULE CONTROLS GET EXTREMELY HOT WHENEVER THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON OR WHENEVER THE REAR UNIT IS IN USE. THE CONTROLS FOR THE AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING UNIT ON THE DASH NEVER GET HOT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER TODAY TO HAVE THEM CHECK THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THEY CHECKED ALL THE WIRING AND EVERYTHING WAS AS IT'S SUPPOSE TO BE. SO, THEY CHECKED THE SAME UNIT IN ANOTHER TRAVERSE AND FOUND THE CONTROLS IN THAT VEHICLE GOT HOT AS WELL. I WAS TOLD THAT IS JUST THE WAY THE VEHICLES ARE. THE FACT THAT THE CONTROLS GET HOT AT ALL, WOULD INDICATE EITHER IMPROPER GAUGE OF WIRING OR SWITCHES THAT CAN'T HANDLE THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT. IF WHAT I SUSPECT IS TRUE, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGE TO THE UNIT, FIRE OR INJURY TO OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

Electronic Stability Control (esc)
Filed Aug 25, 201434,800 milesOH

THIS HAS NOW OCCURRED TWICE WITHIN THE PAST 30 DAYS. WHILE IN MOTION, THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSIONS JERKS, AND SPEED IS IMMEDIATELY REDUCED TO 5MPH. THE STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON AS DOES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. A REMOTE DIAGNOSTICS SCAN FROM ON-STAR IDENTIFIED 3 ERROR CODES: C0561, P0700, P182E. THE FIRST TIME IT OCCURRED WHILE EXITING A HIGHWAY OFF-RAMP. THIS VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT THERE WERE NO KNOW ISSUES RELATED TO THIS, NO RECALLS, AND NO SERVICE BULLETINS EXISTED DESCRIBING THIS BEHAVIOR FOR THE 2013 MODEL YEAR. THEY WERE UNABLE TO RECREATE THE PROBLEM AND RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO ME. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN YESTERDAY WHILE APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION AND SLOWING FROM ~35MPH WITH TRAFFIC CLOSE BEHIND. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SYSTEM BEHAVIOR WHICH COULD HAVE EASILY RESULTED IN A SEVERE INCIDENT IN A DANGEROUS INTERSECTION. WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN THE STATE WHERE THE STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT IS ON WE OBSERVED HARD TRANSMISSION SHIFTING/JERKING INTO AND OUT OF PARK, REVERSE, NEUTRAL, AND DRIVE. WE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF FOR 15 MINUTES. UPON RESTARTING, NORMAL OPERATIONS WERE RESTORED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED OFF AFTER ~25-30 MILES OF DRIVING. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Aug 17, 201415,000 milesNY

I WENT TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF EAST HILLS CHEVROLET TO RESPOND TO THE 2 RECALLS THEY HAD ON MY CAR. THEY FOUND SOMETHING ELSE WITH THE CAR AND PROCEEDED TO FIX THAT. AFTER GETTING THE CAR BACK, IT HAS A NEW ISSUE....IT PERIODICALLY SHORTS OUT WHILE I AM DRIVING IT. I SEEMS LIKE IT STALLS, ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD COME ON, BUT THEN IT RECOVERS AND CONTINUES DRIVING. I HAVE THREE CHILDREN AND AM NERVOUS ABOUT DRIVING THIS CAR. IN ADDITION, THE RADIO WILL TURN OFF AND ON FOR NO REASON AND THE DOORS WILL LOCK AND UNLOCK BY THEMSELVES. MY CAR DID NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE BEFORE SERVICE. I RESPONDED TO THE DEALER SURVEY AND EMAILED THEM ABOUT THIS NEW PROBLEM -- NO RESPONSE. *TR

Structure
Filed Aug 7, 20142,447 milesFL

RECALL WAS PERFORMED, BUT THE PART WAS REPLACED WITH A NON COLOR MATCHING INTERIOR BLACK HOSE OVER THE CABLE. THIS HOSE, WHICH IS NOT PROTECTED, WILL GET BRITTLE AND CRACK OVER TIME TO EXPOSE THE CABLES, WHICH WILL CAUSE THE CABLE TO RUST. ALSO, CHILDREN WILL BE ABLE TO PLAY WITH IT CAUSING DAMAGE. PETS WILL BE ABLE TO CHEW, SCRATCH OR TEAR IT. I CAN FORESEE ANOTHER RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. *TR

Engine
Filed Mar 14, 20147,895 milesNJ

AS I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY I STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE CAR DID NOT RESPOND AND CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. I HAD NO WARNING AND NO ABILITY TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I COULD NOT RESTART THE CAR AND I HAD NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO THE LOCAL GM DEALERSHIP AND THEY FOUND THAT A PIECE IN THE ENGINE HAD FALLEN OR BROKEN AND DAMAGED THE PISTON, THE CYLINDER AND THE HEAD OF THE ENGINE. AS THE MECHANIC SAID, IT WAS A "CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE." THEY REPLACED THE ENGINE IN THE CAR AND THEN ONE DAY LATER, AFTER HAVING THE CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR 32 DAYS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY FOUND THAT THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS NOT WORKING AND THEY REPLACED IT. GM TOLD ME THAT THE PIECE THAT FELL HAD NOT BEEN TIGHTENED PROPERLY AND THIS WAS MISSED ON THE FINAL INSPECTION. NOT ONLY AM I CONCERNED BY HAVING HAD THIS FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY, MOREOVER IN A NEW CAR, BUT THE SUDDEN STOPPING OF THE CAR WHILE DRIVING IS THE SAME THING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE CARS THAT HAVE RECENTLY BEEN RECALLED BY GM. I GOT THIS CAR BECAUSE OF ITS GOOD SAFETY PROFILE HOWEVER NOW I DO NOT FEEL SAFE AND SECURE DRIVING THIS CAR. *TR

Power Train
Filed Feb 7, 20141,500 milesMI

IN SNOW OF ALMOST ANY DEPTH, THE VEHICLE WILL SHAKE VIOLENTLY ON ACCELERATION FROM 35 MPH UP. THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT ACCELERATE AND FEELS LIKE ITS BOGGING DOWN. IT WILL STAY LIKE THIS FOR SOMETIME HOURS THEN IT WILL CEASE. FENDER WELLS ARE CLEAR OF DEBRIS. THE PROBLEM IS IT WILL DO THIS SOMETIMES AT WILL ON THE ROADWAY WHERE I HAVE BEEN ALMOST REAR ENDED TRYING TO GET UP TO SPEED, THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ON THE CHEVY TRAVERSE FORUM WEBSITE. SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET SERIOUSLY HURT OR DIE. *TR

Power Train
Filed Aug 22, 20133,000 milesMA

TRANSMISSION WAS SURGING AND ABRUPTLY SHIFTING FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR AND AGAIN FROM FIFTH TO SIXTH GEAR. THE MORE IT WAS DRIVEN THE WORSE IT WAS GETTING. BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. WAVE PLATE AND PISTONS AND SEALS GEARS 3, 5 AND REVERSE WERE ALL REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION TECH AT THE DEALERSHIP SAID WHEN HE OPENED IT UP THERE WAS METAL PARTS FALLING OUT. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM I FOUND 5 OTHERS THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THE WAVE PLATE IS BREAKING APART INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION. I EXPECT TO SEE A RECALL ON THIS TRANSMISSION AS MORE PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *TR

Electrical System
Filed May 6, 2013500 milesFL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GLOBAL POSITIONING NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM WAS DIFFICULT TO READ BECAUSE THE FONT WAS ENTIRELY TOO SMALL. THE NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM ALSO EXHIBITED WHITE LETTERING ON A LIGHT GREEN BACKGROUND, WHICH DID NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH CONTRAST. THE LOCATION OF THE SCREEN WAS ABNORMALLY LOW ON THE DASHBOARD AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO REMOVE SIGHT FROM THE ROADWAY FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER THEY STATED THAT THE NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1500. UPDATED 06/07/13*LJ

Steering
Filed Apr 3, 201360,504 milesKY

WITHOUT WARNING, NO LEAKS, NO NOISES.... AT 55 MPH WHEN I STARTED TO DECREASE MY SPEED TO TAKE A CURVE I LOST MY POWER STEERING. THIS COMES AND GOES WITHOUT WARNING AND IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR ANYONE DRIVING A TRAVERSE!! I JUST BOUGHT THIS USED VEHICLE ON MAR 6, 2013 AND NO SIGNS OF ANY PROBLEMS AND THEN THE POWER STEERING FAILS. WHEN YOU TRY TO TURN INTO PARKING LOTS OR ONTO A SIDE STREET IT JUST HITS AND YOU LOSE ALL POWER STEERING MAKING IT VERY DANGEROUS FOR ALL PERSON(S) IN OR NEAR THE VEHICLE. WE WERE TOLD BY VARIOUS MECHANICS IN THE SURROUNDING AREA THAT THIS IS A "KNOWN" DESIGN FLAW AND PROBLEM IN THESE VEHICLES AND YET GM HAS YET TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS!! THERE IS A MULTITUDE OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE THE IS SCATTERED ALL OVER THE INTERNET WITH POWER STEERING ISSUES!! GM SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO ISSUE A RECALL IMMEDIATELY BEFORE ITS TOO LATE AND SOMEONE GETS KILLED AND CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS ARE FILED!! *TR

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

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