Print this page

2.1

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
76,778 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2012 Chevrolet Traverse electrical problems

electrical problem

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2012 Chevrolet Traverse:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

2012 Chevrolet Traverse Owner Comments (Page 2 of 3)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #23

Jan 232019

Traverse

  • 100,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

In December of 2018 I took my car to diane sauer in Warren Ohio because the stabilizer traction control light came on and the car was driving very rough. I took it to diane sauer and service manager keith said nothing was wrong with it and didn't charge me for the diagnostic report. I took my car back in January 2019 with same problem but worse. So bad I got off the by-pass and had it towed. Diane sauer had my car for two weeks and never called about the car. I had to repeatedly call them. After two weeks they say the engine was gone. Keith told GM it was due to lack of maintenance. I provided GM and diane sauer with all receipts of my oil change. I bought that car from diane sauer brand new!!! I took care of the car and after seven years they say the engine is gone!!!! no way!!! I took great care of that car!!! diane sauer needs to stand behind their products!!!! diane sauer would not be in business without your customers who support your business!!!! stand behind your products!!!! be honest!!! the trust is gone!!!!!!

- Warren, OH, USA

problem #22

Dec 122018

Traverse

  • 94,000 miles
Service air bag light is intermittent as an icon also in text of drivers display. I have only owned this car for four months and have had it to a GM service dealer twice. First trip costed $254.15 for an impact sensor and diagnosis. Two days later lights one again this time tensioner kit was replaced. It's been about four weeks and the lights are back on again. It happens anytime, driving or being started, no rough terrain just cruising and lights will come on.

- Oshkosh, WI, USA

problem #21

Nov 162018

Traverse

  • 148,030 miles
The first night when the temperature dropped below 40 degrees my car wouldn't start so I replaced my battery spending $188 for a brand new battery. The very next morning the car still wouldn't start so I got someone to jump me off. It cranked with no issue. When I put the car in drive it would not accelerate beyond 35mph. I then attempted to turn around and go home and my car would only reverse and would no longer move in the drive selection. In neutral the car locked up and wouldn't drive. I eventually drove in reverse illegally down the highway in morning rush hour traffic. I enventuallt made it home and let my car sit for an hour while calling for assistance. When I went back to restart the car is acting as if the battery is dead. This was not only dangerous with 4 children inside but unsafe to be stuck in traffic will no way to accelerate in drive. My car will no longer crank without a jump I took it to a mechanic who stated that he couldn't see the issue and recommended that I simply trade it in which isn't an option currently.

- Birmingham, AL, USA

problem #20

Nov 092018

Traverse

  • 180,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The service traction control light comes on and then it will give you a misfire in one of the cylinders. Also the vehicle appears to almost shut down. The braking system on the car also feels funny. My mechanic has checked everything and cant find anything wrong. The stuff that I describe before is the latest things to occur.. I have complained for a long time now about the illegal tracking of this vehicle and all of my vehicles. I have made complaints to the department of justice, the media and to the internal affairs here where I live in gwinnett county Georgia. This illegal tracking is being done for the purpose of gang stalking.....the tracking information on this vehicle and all my other vehicles has been shared with a large number of people.

- Loganville, GA, USA

problem #19

Nov 262014

Traverse

  • 33,000 miles
I have had many ongoing issues since car purchase. Electrical, air conditioning and injector issues. Car does not seem safe. Lights go out every few months whilde driving when it is dark. This is very dangerous. 1st replacement on light was done while under warrant, however, Chevy dealer failed to address the issues causing the light to burn out and simply changed light out. It has been continuous with us changing lights, brake lights and headlights. Car would lose power and jerk as well as had gears problems while traveling on a fwy with cars going an average og 60 mph. Car would not auto shift above 20-30 mph. Gas smell upon start of vehicle and the list goes on. Stuck open evap purge solenoid setting ses light cac case 8-2106770252 dalila lopez--- scanned ECM found code P0300 P0496.performed diagnosis. Performed injector balance test found bank 1 injector out of specs.replaced 1 3 5 injectors. It seems that there is a possibility that the injector issues may have caused other problem with the vehicle which cannot be denied nor confirmed. An oil pan gasket has been leaking as well when less than 90,000 miles. Safety has been an ongoing concern. I am requesting that the electrical issues that have not been resolved since the 1st light went out in 2014 to be resolved at gms cost. In addition I am asking that the oil pan gasket replacement be done at GM cost. In addition, I am requesting reimbursement of my down payment of $10,000 on my vehicle.

- Corona, CA, USA

problem #18

Nov 302017

Traverse

  • 89,000 miles
This incident occurred twice. Driving down the freeway at freeway speeds, a loud clunk was heard, the vehicle jerked, check engine light appeared, check stabilitrax and traction control messages appeared and stabilitrax disabled, speedometer remained frozen at speed this incident occurred. While driving to safe location to stop, vehicle appeared to be stuck in a specific gear that is lower than normal for freeway driving, rpms were much higher than normal. When attempting to accelerate from a standstill, vehicle appears to have no power (probably due to accelerating from 0 mph in a higher gear). I took vehicle to bowman Chevrolet service center for attention and they were unable to duplicate the incident though they did state that they see error codes in the system for loss of communication. After testing and troubleshooting for up to 2 weeks, service department stated that they are unable to determine the cause of the error but during their testing they found the battery needs to be replaced. Assistant manager of the service center states that a battery replacement may or may not fix the problem. I made a case (#[xxx]) with Chevrolet but the adviser received information from the dealership that was false and stated there was nothing further he could do. The information he received from the dealer is that they were waiting for me to authorize charges for additional diagnosis. I did authorize bowman Chevrolet to replace the battery. My concern is that I am now taking back a car that is a safety hazard and allowing my wife to drive, and daughter to ride in, this vehicle that has a known issue. Luckily for us the issue occurred at night when there was no one on the roads but if it occurred during rush hour it could cause an accident. Parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Pontiac, MI, USA

problem #17

Sep 212017

Traverse

  • 106,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

"takata recall" I have had this car for a few years and every year I have had to replace the alternator and or battery. This morning I was driving my son to daycare and my son to work the check battery systems light came on. I know from previous experience that the car is about to completely shut down. As expected a few miles up the road the traction light, ABS light and other lights appeared on the dashboard. The car shut down completely, the hazard lights will not even turn on. As I stated before this is the third time that I have as this problem in the same amount of years. I have taken it to the dealer to be checked but the are not sure what to look for due to the fact that there is not a recall. This needs to be investigated. These cars are built to hold families. The car shutting down for no reason and without much warning is putting lives at risk. The Chevy Traverse is a popular car for families because of the space. There are hundreds of complaints from other families having this same exact problem. Please don't wait until it becomes deadly to take action.

- Middleburg, FL, USA

problem #16

Sep 082017

Traverse

  • 100,000 miles
After pulling onto a highway and accelerating to 60 mph, all of the lights on the dashboard of my 2012 Chevy Traverse came on including traction control, battery, engine light etc came on and my vehicle lost power when pushing the accelerator. I pulled to the side of the road and turned off my engine and waited 5-10 minutes, when I restarted my engine, the dashboard lights were still on. I pulled onto the highway and the vehicle still would not accelerate faster than 30 mph so I made a U-turn in the highway, returned to my home, and the vehicle would not go up my driveway. I rolled back down the driveway and again waited on the side of the road, turned off the vehicle, and when I restarted the vehicle, made a loop in the highway and finally was able to go up my driveway to return home. Fyi - I called www.safecars.gov and was told there are no recalls on the 2012 Chevy Traverse, and I would have to pay for it's repair even though there were 196 complaints online of other people experiencing the same issues. I have five grandkids and a disabled husband who I have to drive 80 miles to the dr 2-3 days a week. I cannot afford to pay to fix this vehicle and I received absolutely zero sympathy from the lady who answered the phone. I get that she does not do the recalls but as a person who needs my car and who is experiencing a very dangerous situation, she could offer no advice and did not complete a complaint on my behalf. It was obvious it was not her problem because she kept repeating that I would have to pay.... poor training and poor customer service skills. I have worked in government for 20+ years and I know how to speak to customers who are upset for good reason, even if I cannot give them the response they are seeking, they hang up the phone feeling like they were heard.

- Hornsby, TN, USA

problem #15

Jul 312017

Traverse

  • 87,000 miles
I was driving my car on I-75. The door locks started locking and unlocking, the vehicle lost power and went from 65 mph down too 25 mph, and the traction control off and on kept switching. The vehicle would not gain speed, even while depressing the accelerator. No check engine lights or any other lights were on except for the traction control off/on lights. I was almost hit by a semi. I pulled over, shut the vehicle off for 5-10 minutes, and restarted it. No lights were on, and I attempted to drive home. While in a slow speed on a side road, approximately 35 mph, the vehicle suddenly started locking and unlocking, and this time suddenly accelerated. I put the car in neutral. Again the traction control off and on kept displaying on the dcim. Each time the vehicle randomly accelerates or decelerates the doors will unlock then lock and unlock and lock, the warning chime goes off rapidly and the car will then either decelerate or accelerate. The traction control off then on then off then on comes on, and then the car is fine.

- Sylvania, OH, USA

problem #14

Jun 162017

Traverse

  • 98,700 miles
I started my car and drove out my driveway as soon as I get to the corner to turn my sterling wheel locked up and then I had to hurry up to brake in order to not hit the sign and curb. Finally when it released I got to the main road and was driving about 20-25 mph my vehicle radio started to switch from fm to cd on its on and then I couldn't acellrate to a higher speed. The vehicle display showed service traction control, service stabilitrak and traction control turned off. There was some kind of engine loss but it stalled out too. This happened two times now! I see it has been a problem with the Traverse since 2011 models. The Chevy dealership does nothing to fix this. I am terrified to drive this car with my family and have us get in an accident. I have owned this car for 1.5 years. Someone could get hurt or killed while driving one. They are not finding out the issues or recalling these vehicles!!

- Columbus, OH, USA

problem #13

Apr 272017

Traverse

  • 73,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was putting groceries away in the back of my parked Traverse whenthe lift gate suddenly slammed down and hit me on the back of the head. Lift gate opens then slams shut, won't remain open.

- Edmond, OK, USA

problem #12

Oct 102015

Traverse

  • miles
2012 Chevy Traverse engine light and traction control light come on. Engine loses power and requires the vehicle to. E restarted to regain power. We have had the vehicle checked by the dealership 3 times for the same reason. The dealership has reset the computer each time. The last time the diagnostic computer the dealer has stated low fuel volume. The traction control and engine light come on the same day usually within an hour or two. The service advisor told us to try hi test ethanol free gas. We did as told with a fuel treatment they put in the tank. The lights still came on. When the Traverse is started in the morning(cold start) the engine runs rough. This vehicle only has 47000 miles on it and was purchased new. We have alway kept the vehicle maintained. Last year the Traverse started using oil a quart or more in 1000 miles when driven on long trips.

- Potsdam, NY, USA

problem #11

Apr 112016

Traverse

  • 99,800 miles
I bought this car used in April 2016, within 72 hours I noticed it was making some horrible noises. My family mechanic said the idler belt tensioner was bad, multi motor issues, 2 fuses were blown, 2 bad window motors, ac was not super cold and the airbag recalls were all still present. I took it back to the dealer to get serviced and one of the employees wrecked it in service and no one told me so I found it when I got home, they kept my car for close to 5 weeks to repair it and then take it to an autobody shop since the dent was bad enough were the rear quarter panel needed to be replaced. Now that I have it back, I have experienced multi times where the power steering goes out in the rain. And today the ac stopped working. I am not saying this is the case for everyone but after researching it, it does appear I am not the only one with negative comments about these cheaply made "american" SUV's. I am a single mother and although I make good money- I do not have enough saved up to take it back to the shop for repairs. I am extremely disappointed in the dealership and Chevy.

- Dundalk, MD, USA

problem #10

Jun 032015

Traverse

  • 92,739 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Traverse. While driving 45 mph, the traction and electronic stability control warning lights illuminated. The instrument panel failed and the vehicle failed to accelerate when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed, but the cause of the failure was not found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 92,739.

- Dawson Springs, KY, USA

problem #9

May 022016

Traverse

  • 56,900 miles
Major saftey risk: My Traverse was well maintained was often filled with soccer kids. The safety failure could have been deadly! while driving, the auto began displaying the following messages in rapid succession: Battery saver active, service battery charging system, service traction control, service stabilitrak. I parked the car to drop of my kids, the car would not start again. After a jump, I headed for the dealer which was 4 miles away. Operations appeared ok initially. On the expressway, the car electronics went out. Not just radio and A/C, but all electrical. I realized that the engine was no longer running while in rush hour traffice on a Chicago expressway. No hazards, no way to lower windows, I was extremely lucky to find a gap in the traffic to get to the side of the road and park. From the shoulder of the expressway, cars continued to fly past me at high speed. This was absolutely chaotic and dangerous. I waited for aaa to arrive. Aaa was forced to tow (my Traverse is front wheel drive) rather than flatbed because without electricity we the car was stuck in park. At the Chevy dealer, they quickly read the error codes and presented me with a $1,400 estimate to replace the alternator. Sharing my frustration and pointing out that this type of catastrophic failure was well beyond any reasonable expectation of a presumably safe vehicle, they found a way to lower the cost to $607. (I do respect and appreciate the service department at the dealership.) this clearly should be a recall issue and Chevy should correct these issues on their dime. I bought the Traverse with the expecatation of safety and reliability. I am now very skeptical and am hessitant to fill this 8 seater with kids the way I used too. Many others have experienced similar failures. This is a potential mortal danger to drivers, passengers and other innocent bystanders!

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #8

Mar 252016

Traverse

  • 54,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Traverse. While driving 40 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to control. The contact stated that the vehicle began to sway to the left and right without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering gear box needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 54,000.

- Lancaster, CA, USA

problem #7

Dec 302015

Traverse 6-cyl

  • 20 miles
Car lost engine power while driving over 60mph on the expressway.

- Skokie, IL, USA

problem #6

Dec 052014

Traverse

  • 70,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Traverse. While driving 55 mph, the vehicle stalled and several unknown indicators illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart after several attempts. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.

- Bronx, NY, USA

problem #5

Feb 062015

Traverse 6-cyl

  • 38,200 miles
While driving on a residential street a warning message of "service battery charging system" came on. I immediately moved to the shoulder, turned the car off, restarted it, and got the same message. Not knowing if it would be safe to drive any further and not have any loss of control in traffic I called a friend who said the battery might have sufficient power to allow me to limp in to a dealer for service. After a "white knuckle" drive I got to the dealer and about $1150 worth of repairs later things seem to be back in order. I was told the charging system failed. Hard to believe this could happen in less than three years and less than 40,000 miles. I can't imagine what would have happened if the engine had lost power because of this premature and sudden failure.

- Monticello, IL, USA

problem #4

Oct 032014

Traverse

  • 24,000 miles
While driving in our Traverse the ignition fell out if the on position killing the engine and locking the steering wheel.

- Rochester, NY, USA

Read the next 3 complaints »

Not what you are looking for?