2021 Chevrolet Traverse

Routine

Owners filed 94 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system. It has been recalled 3 times.

Not among the Chevrolet Traverse years to avoid. Which Chevrolet Traverse years to avoid →

Most common 2021 Chevrolet Traverse problems

20 of the 94 complaints (21%) are about the electrical system.

ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Electrical System19
000
Unknown or Other15
000
Power Train · transmission14
000
Service Brakes · brakes10
101
Engine7
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System · engine5
000
Steering3
000
Carry Handle, Shell, Base3
000
Vehicle Speed Control · throttle and acceleration2
102
Seat Belts2
000

3 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Air Bags › Side/Window › Curtain22V210000
Filed Mar 31, 202289 vehiclesGeneral Motors, LLC

Defect. General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Traverse and 2021-2022 Buick Enclave vehicles. The harness connector to the left or right side roof rail air bag may have incompatible electrical terminals, which could prevent the air bags from deploying in a crash.

Risk. Roof rail air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy. Dealers will replace the harness connector to the roof rail air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 29, 2022. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N212352140.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission21V817000
Filed Oct 18, 2021639 vehiclesBraun Corporation

Defect. Braun Corporation (Braun) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Chevrolet Traverse wheelchair accessible vehicles with Power In-floor Ramp conversion. The screw and clip that hold the inner wheel-well plastic shroud in place may chafe against the transmission case, possibly resulting in a transmission fluid leak.

Risk. A transmission fluid leak can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, a leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy. Dealers will replace the screw and clip, and inspect for signs of contact with the transmission, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 29, 2021. Owners may contact Braun customer service at 1-800-488-0359.

Air Bags › Sensor › Frontal Impact21V472000
Filed Jun 24, 20216 vehiclesGeneral Motors, LLC

Defect. General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave vehicles. During service by dealers, certain vehicles may have received incorrect air bag calibration software that may affect frontal airbag deployment.

Risk. Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy. Dealers will update the air bag calibration software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 29, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is N212340220.

All 3 campaigns on file, newest first.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Carry Handle, Shell, Base
Filed Oct 29, 2026IN

In the upper right hand corner the plastic is starting to pull away. The seat belt is routed through this area.

Service Brakes
Filed Oct 26, 202696,000 milesCO

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse out of the driveway and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that after several attempts, the vehicle finally stopped at the end of the driveway. The brake assist warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the brake booster pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact was awaiting the parts to repair the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The approximate failure mileage was 96,000.

Tires
Filed Oct 13, 2026OH

I bought 4 new General Grabber HT tires 255/65 R 18 I have only driven on them for 13,000 miles and the tires shake and have wear on them. The shaking through my car out of alignment, caused my rear suspension Toe links to need replaced and my passenger front tie rod to fail. I had to pay Johns Tires of Eaton Ohio wanted to charge me over $500 to have my SUV aligned, replace rear suspension toe links and balance the tires. This is absurd after I paid 1000 for these tires at Johns tires. They wanted me to wait another 3 weeks because they did not have an opening, yet they claim to do Walkins. For my safety, I had to contact another dealer who had to replace the suspension toe links, right front tie rod end, balance my tires and perform a certified alignment. Due to tire vibration of the General Grabber HT Tires 255/65 R 18's my tires already have signs of excessive wear, and I had to pay another $725 for parts and labor. If I had not gone to another service center, I could have been driving, and my suspension toe links given way or my tie rod could have broken due to the tire vibration. The car dealer confirmed the tire vibration and wear on the suspension toe links and tie rod as well as the tires due to tire vibration.

Power Train
Filed Oct 13, 2026CO

When I accelerate at a stoplight the car shuddered and slammed into gear then it shop the rpms up to 8000 and back down i was barely able to make it home and when I arrived at home I tried to park and it would not go into reverse tostraighten my vehicle. I had it towed to a shop the next morning and they informed me I needed a new transmission that would cost $12400.00 to repair. This is a car that is only 5 years old and this is a catastrophic failure that I can't afford to fix and in a car that is 5 years old.

FirerelatedFire
Filed Oct 5, 2026105,000 milesAL

The contact owned a 2021 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked on the driveway, the contact's sister-in-law became aware of a burning odor. The contact stated that while walking towards the vehicle, the contact became aware of smoke coming from underneath the hood. The contact unlatched the hood and became aware of the fire underneath the hood. The contact's husband attempted to extinguish the fire with a water hose. The Fire Department arrived and extinguished the fire. The vehicle was consumed by the fire. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

Power Train
Filed Sep 8, 2026NY

I went in for service at Chey 112 in Medford, NY they advised me that my computer needed to be replaced they replaced the computer and I started having transmission issues.

Power Train
Filed Aug 21, 2026WV

Transmission shutters at lower gear going from 20-30 mph approximately and at the speed of 60-70 mph. When this happens it causes a delay in acceleration and for the whole car to shake. This was also noted by my mechanic even after changing transmission fluid and had concerns for the safety if it was to completely disrupt the transmission causing an accident. I was advised to check for recall since a lot of these makes and models have been having this issue. The SUV only has about 64,000 miles on it and has had all of its routine maintenance done regularly. I have only had it in my possession for 6 moths. No engine lights on. I do a lot of highway driving and I am concerned that this issue will possibly cause an accident. Ameritech Tire and Auto at 304-229-8924, Inwood, WV. August 12, 2026 was date of service.

Engine
Filed Aug 18, 2026GA

The welding that holds the exhaust together has failed. They offer a Special Warranty to cover only the passenger side, however it has failed and exhaust is super loud. Also reading 4 codes from check engine alert. All are P0420 (cat convertor). The smell of exhaust and cat convertor is super disgusting

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Oil/Lubrication
Filed Jul 8, 202672,400 milesTX

The contact owned a 2021 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for an inspection, where a leaking oil pan gasket was diagnosed. The contact stated that the failure had also occurred on a 2019 Chevrolet Traverse he owned. Although the vehicle had been taken to the dealer two months prior, the dealer did not find the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 72,400.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jun 25, 2026CA

On [XXX] I purchased the vehicle from Bakersfield Hyundai within days I reported break failure and notified them about a noise that was coming from the SUV that sounded like a mini motorcycle, they first said (Xavier) that the noise would go away because it had just gotten serviced but they kept me there for four plus hours and said I had to take it back which I did and again I took it for break replacement and I told them the noise would get louder and sometimes it would smell inside the vehicle like vinegar again they did nothing they falsely said I declined to stay because of time Which I didn't I asked if they were able to provide me with a vehicle while mine could get serve since I have children that attend school to who they said no, so I couldn't stay longer I had to pick up my children from school this is my only vehicle so Hyundai would not do anything about the breaks nor that sound the vehicle started making beeming noises from across the dashboard the main screen freezes and not to mention the vehicle stalls I have to jump start it, also when I sent Hyundai a video of the exhaust pipe ruptured they automatically contact Chevy and vehicle has to be towed to them there was a very strong oder of vinegar and rotten eggs coming into the cabin to which I had let Hyundai dealership know but they didn't document they said I had to take it to Chevy now they replaced the pipe but the vehicle still has issues starting up the screen still freezes and once in a while I still g

Engine
Filed May 13, 2026KS

Check engine light came on and I noticed that the cooling fan would continue running for several minutes even after turning vehicle off. Had a mechanic run the diagnostics and the code came back as a thermostat/cooling issue. Although when I called to make an appointment and told him the issue and that it was a 2021 Traverse, he knew exactly what the issue was. He said that is a very common issue in all 2021 Chevy/GM engines. Online research provided a couple special coverages for repairs on 7 different GM vehicles from that same time period. Of course, the Traverse is one that is not included. Seems fairly obvious this was a GM engine issue from all vehicles in the 2021-2023 timeframe. Not sure how they can only pick out 7 models, but I am hoping an update can be made to add the Traverse and any other GM models that have that same 2021 engine.

Power Train
Filed May 9, 2026KY

I am filing a safety complaint regarding two vehicles provided through Bob Hook Chevrolet in [XXX] . My Chevrolet Traverse has been at the dealership for approximately one month due to a transmission failure. The vehicle has remained unrepaired during that time. The transmission issue has made the vehicle unreliable and unsafe to operate. While my Traverse was in the shop, the dealership provided me with a Buick Enclave loaner vehicle. On Thursday, while driving the Enclave, the vehicle repeatedly stalled. The entire electrical system shut down, and the power steering failed and locked up. This created a very dangerous situation and made it difficult to safely control the vehicle in traffic. After reporting the breakdown and safety concerns, the dealership’s only solution was to return my Chevrolet Traverse to me even though it had not been repaired. I am concerned about the serious safety risks involving sudden stalling, electrical failure, loss of steering assist, and unresolved transmission problems. I request that these issues be investigated to determine whether defects exist that could endanger other drivers. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Electrical System
Filed May 6, 2026MA

Alternator fail before 60,000 miles. Had the car almost 3 years and children in it. Apparently a known common issue yet no recall it’s not a reliable car

Steering
Filed May 1, 2026NM

While driving, the steering wheel became very hard to control. A system warning came up on the dashboard screen stating that the steering wheel was not working. With an 18-wheeler coming up behind me the decision to pull over was made. The left hand turn into an auto part store was made with much difficulty and so was trying to park. Gentleman inside inspected the vehicle and highly recommended NOT driving the vehicle since it was a safety issue not only for myself but others as well.

Power Train
Filed Apr 23, 2026RI

The car sometimes will not accelerate in the 25-35 mph range and will begin to shudder and shake. This can be very dangerous when attempting to merge on a highway. This also happens when completely stopped and and then accelerating. It will shake and shudders until or not accelerate at all forcing you to take your foot off the gas and reapplying pressure slowly or slower than what should be. This shuddering can also happen at higher speeds as well. This will likely cause an accident at some point if this continues.

Air BagsCrash2 injured
Filed Apr 15, 2026NH

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? My wife and daughter were both involved in a car accident. My wife was driving the speed limit (30-35 mph) when a car traveling in the opposite direction turned left into her lane, cutting her off, and causing a collision of the two vehicles. The front driver side of the Traverse contacted the other driver's passenger side. Upon collision, none of the airbags deployed. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? My wife hit her face on the steering wheel and suffered a fractured nose, excessive bleeding, and head/neck pain. My daughter has bruising on her legs. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Police and paramedics responded to the scene and a police report was generated. My insurance company is currently assessing the damage, and the vehicle is being held in a lot. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No

Unknown or Other
Filed Apr 11, 2026VT

Rear camera failed; worked intermittently then failed completely. Dealer took two hours to supposedly diagnose it; did what they called a "reboot"; camera failed again immediately. Ordered component, $699.00, plus another two hours to install. $1,339 total to repair.

Power Train
Filed Mar 18, 2026OK

I was driving and without any type of warning the car stopped shifting so I was barely touching the gas but my tac was all the way up.

Power Train
Filed Mar 9, 202654,000 milesGA

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH and stopping at a red light, the vehicle accelerated but failed to exceed 20 MPH. The vehicle was taken to a dealer; however, the failure could not be replicated. The contact stated that on another occasion, while stopped and attempting to make a left turn onto a highway at 75 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate above 20 MPH. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.

Engine
Filed Mar 3, 2026TX

Both exhaust pipes before the catalytic converter are cracked and leaking at the same welded mounting bracket. One of them GM is coving under the extended warranty but the other one also needs replaced the turn off the engine warning light. It is allowing exhaust gas to leak under the car and is preventing the emissions from operating properly.

Power Train
Filed Feb 24, 2026137,000 milesNC

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to respond intermittently upon depression of the accelerator pedal. Additionally, the contact stated that the gear shifter failed to respond or responded slowly when releasing the gear shifter button intermittently. The gear shifter was easily moved to a different gear from unintended contact. While accelerating from a complete stop, the vehicle hesitated to respond, jerked, and made an abnormal sound while the RPMs were significantly elevated. The vehicle failed to respond upon shifting to reverse(R), and the gear shifter was sticky. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the contact was informed that there were fault codes found that were related to the transmission. An appointment was scheduled with the dealer for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 137,000.

Power Train
Filed Feb 18, 2026TX

I AM HAVING A LOT OF TRANSMISSION SHUDDER ESPECALLY WHEN ACCELERATING. NOTICED THAT CONSUMER REPORTS STATED IN THEIR MAGAZINE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A BIG PROBLEM FOR AT LEAST 5 YEARS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY NHTSA HAS NOT MADE CHEVROLET DO SOMETHING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM WITH THE TORQUE CONVERTER.

Power Train
Filed Jan 9, 2026OH

I was driving 45 mph on a state route when all of a sudden my drive shaft bolt came completely out and split my drive shaft in two causing me to lose control. No damage at all or rust or anything is visible on the drive shaft. Could have caused a serious injury or worse. I just had a Multi Point Inspection done the day before the incident occurred

Steering
Filed Jan 7, 2026LA

UNKNOWN Steering assist reduced has been issued to the vehicle. Upon inspection we are being told that the steering rack needs to be replaced to resolve the issue.

Unknown or Other
Filed Dec 25, 2025FL

Shift to park message comes on 50% of the time when shutting down the engine, Tapping the shift lever forward sometimes Removes the message, other times restarting the engine and shifting to drive and back to park several times will remove the message

Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System
Filed Dec 1, 202574,000 milesOH

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the front exhaust pipe made an abnormally loud sound, and there was an odor inside the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.

Steering
Filed Nov 10, 2025NE

The electronic stability control (ESC) system and power steering system malfunctioned. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The power steering warning indicated a potential loss or reduction of steering assist, which could have made it difficult to steer and control the vehicle—especially at higher speeds or in traffic. This posed a potential safety risk to me and others on the road. Yes. The issue was confirmed by my local Chevrolet dealership. They determined that a software update was required to correct the malfunction. The vehicle was inspected and serviced by my local Chevrolet dealership. It has not been inspected by police, insurance representatives, or others. Yes. Immediately after shifting from reverse into drive while backing down a driveway (at approximately 5–10 mph), two warning messages appeared: “Service ESC” and “Service Power Steering, Drive with Care.” There were no prior warning lights or symptoms before this occurred.

Electrical System › Instrument Panel › Speedometer/Odometer
Filed Nov 4, 202575,000 milesKY

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2021 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 49,000. It was later discovered, after checking the Carfax report, that the mileage was 75,000.

Unknown or Other
Filed Oct 30, 2025PA

In the first 51,000 on my vehicle I have had 3 issues with the emissions system which has a negative impact on the environment and would prevent my vehicle from passing state inspection. GM covered the first 2 under warranty, but I now have a leak in my muffler which seems that it could be related to other issues involving brackets on the exhaust pipes breaking. This is widely reported by other Traverse owners yet GM has not extended the warranty to cover this.

Service Brakes
Filed Oct 29, 2025NY

Right Rear upper and lower toe links broke nearly causing a serious accident when brakes were applied, vehicle pulled severely to the right causing it to swerve and narrowly missing another vehicle. The toe link failure on my vehicle which has only 29702 miles put my life and the life of my family members at risk. The vehicle was brought to our local licensed repair shop in Massapequa, NY where the prblem was diagnosed and repaired. No warning lights or symptoms occurred prior to this first incident. I researched this safety item for any recalls on this issue, however there are none currenlty on file for my vehicle but several for other Cheverolet vehicle with same toe link issue.

Carry Handle, Shell, Base
Filed Oct 28, 2025MN

The base does not look in place. The buttons do not look to put in position. The entire car seat slides back and forth on its base.

Unknown or Other
Filed Oct 17, 2025IL

Front exhaust pipe is seperating

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Oct 10, 202541,000 milesKY

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine and oil warning lights illuminated. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact observed that the engine oil was abnormally low and required 2-quarts of oil to top off the oil level even though the vehicle had recently been serviced. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 41,000.

Electrical System
Filed Oct 5, 2025OH

Received a "Service Battery Charging System" dash warning message driving down the highway. Made it home and changed the battery but the issue persists and I can't drive the car. Reading online many complaints/problems with alternator and electrical premature failures. Car is a little more than 4 years old and has only 23,600 miles. Getting the car to the Chevy dealer tomorrow to diagnose problem and fix. If car were to stall out at highway speeds it could be very dangerous. This problem should receive further investigation by NHTSA. Shouldn't have electrical failures on cars with 23,000 miles.

Service BrakesCrash1 injured
Filed Oct 2, 2025MS

While going around 40mph I approached a stopped vehicle and tried to come to a stop. At this time my braking system failed, speeding the car up instead of slowing it down, this resulted in my car rear ending another vehicle. When the car accident occurred my steering wheel air bag came out but did not inflate. There were no warning lamps or messages at the time of the crash. Due to the laws in Mississippi it was declared I was at fault and the insurance company will not inspect or cover the damages.

Unknown or Other
Filed Sep 27, 2025MD

Radio went blank unable to access screen. Not sure reason. Upon start up couldn’t access any parts of radio. Couldn’t reset and issue still current as of today.

Power Train
Filed Sep 21, 2025AL

Shift to park warning comes on every time I put my car into park. I can give the gear shift a hard tap so it can go into park and my car will turn off. I feel like after a period of tapping the great shift it will turn into a bigger problem.

Engine
Filed Sep 21, 2025AL

I was driving to work and my car made a loud noise. I was able to drive back home. I took my car to the Chevrolet repair shop. They said my front exhaust and catalytic converter are broken. They replaced my exhaust pipe and not the converter.

Back Over Prevention
Filed Sep 10, 2025WA

See attached document for complaint.

Electrical System
Filed Sep 3, 2025OK

MY ALTERNATOR WENT OUT AT 40K MILES IT WAS REPLACED AND NOW WENT OUT AGAIN AT 75K. I HAVE GONE THRU 7 BATTERIES SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW. THE CAR DIED ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF IN INTERSECTION AFTER GETTING THE NEW ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY REPLACED 3 WEEKS AGO. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE!!!!!

Electrical System
Filed Aug 25, 202520,000 milesPA

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while driving at 20 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power and stalled. The contact lost power steering functionality and was unable to move over to the side of the road. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, and the alternator was replaced. The contact stated that it was the second time that the alternator was replaced. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was jump-started, and the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the battery. Most recently, the vehicle failed to start, and the contact was unable to open the doors. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who replaced the battery again. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

Electrical System
Filed Aug 6, 2025NY

On [XXX], Onstar did an Auto Unlock on my car. After the car was opened, the entire radio panel didn’t work. On June 13th, Bob Johnson replaced the Onstar telecommunications module. Only the radio worked with the screen black for a couple of minutes. Then it stopped working. They stated that they ordered the part, but every time I call, they haven’t. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Engine
Filed Jul 23, 2025LA

The dealership car because the engine lingt Come the fun out the Cadillac converter have to be replaced. Is a 2021 traverse. Come to find out I'm not the only person that has the same problem I need to check the Cadillac converters on these Traverse

Unknown or Other
Filed Jun 17, 2025IL

HAD RECALL DONE (N222385510 ) EXHAUST LEAKING FROM ROTTING AWAY PIPE, REPAIRED WITH NEW PIPE, BUT PIPE ON OTHER SIDE WAS ALSO LEAKING EXHAUST WOULD NOT FIX BECAUSE IT WASN'T PART OF THE ORIGINAL RECALL, THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, FOR THE COMPLETE EXHAUST SYSTEM, JUNK METAL ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK

Unknown or Other
Filed Jun 15, 2025IL

I had my car on the shop I was never told that there was a recall on the exhaust system in these type of cars I have had my car a little over a year they fix one side of the exhaust but stated the other side was not covered they told me I would have to pay I dont have the money to pay for this had they told me when this was under warranty I could have done something different but they never said anything about this being a problem in this SUV I have talk to several persons at the dealership as well as GM now they are telling me it’s nothing they could do because my car is not under warranty but it was when I was taking my car to the shop if there’s a recall on certain items in a car I should have been aware about any issues before I purchased this vehicle they tell me when the problem occurs this is what happens in these vehicles.

Unknown or Other
Filed May 7, 2025TX

Vehicle with less than 50000 miles has 2 broken flex pipes on the exhaust system that is going to cost me $1,932.66. This should be a warranty recall and GM should allow you to take it to a mechanic of your choice for repairs as the dealerships cannot give you a fair time frame to repair.

Electrical System
Filed Apr 29, 2025FL

Vehicle: 2021 Chevrolet Traverse Problem: Persistent “Shift to Park” message when vehicle is in Park I own a 2021 Chevy Traverse and have experienced repeated incidents where the dashboard displays “Shift to Park” even though the gear shifter is securely in the Park position. This prevents me from turning the vehicle off and has caused battery drain and confusion about whether the car is fully secured. This issue is clearly known by GM, as evidenced by a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB #19-NA-206 and others). It affects multiple model years and has prompted a class action lawsuit. Despite the widespread nature of this defect, GM has not issued a recall. I believe this issue presents a safety concern, particularly for drivers unaware that the car may not fully power down, and due to the potential for battery drain and immobilization. I urge NHTSA to investigate whether a recall is warranted

Power Train
Filed Apr 24, 2025TX

Car was late shifting into gear. Taken to dealership and replaced tourque cpnverters for 3800. Car gets fluids checked 4,000 miles later transmition is shot fue to leak from gasket on transmition...

Electrical System
Filed Apr 8, 2025IL

The vehicle does not recognize when the vehicle is shifted to park. It states “shift to park” when the vehicle is already shifted to park. When this happens and the push to start button is pressed to shut the vehicle off, the vehicle will not shut off which becomes a major issue as the car continues to run and the vehicle’s battery will die since the vehicle will not fully shut off. This is a safety hazard because the vehicle can end up with a dead battery when this happens. I’ve looked this issue up online and it is a common issue that Chevy has failed to address.

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Mar 10, 2025GA

1. DRIVER SIDE EXHAUST FLEX PIPE BRAKET 2. Exhaust leak 3. Yes. It has been replicated and diagnosed. 4. No engine light. There was a rattling and increased exhaust noise. A hole in the exhaust pipe at the bracket location was found. 5. This condition seems to be a common problem with this year and make which I am now having to pay $600 to repair.

Complaints 1-50 of 94, newest first, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2010
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20271000Routine
202627200Routine
2025185000Routine
2024144010Routine
202395200Routine
2022101100Routine
2021 — this page94310Routine
2020235810Above average
2019412320Above average
2018465220Above average
2017361321Fatalities reported
2016292511Fatalities reported
2015314530Above average
2014548710Above average
2013162420Routine
2012354520Above average
2011608541Fatalities reported
2010669560Above average
2009448820Above average

Compare every Traverse year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Mar 31, 2022. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.