Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2010 Chevrolet Traverse owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The steering on vehicle is intermittently nearly impossible to turn. GM has a service bulletin that addresses problem and extends warranty. My vehicle is beyond the warranty time but still under the mileage. I called GM and the will not offer any assistance of warranty or cost share. This should be a recall as it's a serious safety issue!! There's likely been injuries and deaths because of this very problem. You never know when it may act up and when it does it's extremely dangerous. GM customer service reference # 9-6768504646. Let me know if there's something you can do to help and/or if not. Thanks
I was driving at approximately 30mph on a road the traction control/stability track light came on and my car lost almost all power. it went from 30 to about 5mph. thankfully i was on a slower road and close to my house so I was able to get home. If I would have been on a highway I could have been killed. i quick google search showed thousands of other complaints with the same problem, my question is why is nothing being done. are they waiting for a certain number of deaths??
I have now been told that my rack and pinion is leaking by 3-4 different mechanics. In doing a google search, I see that through various years of the chevy traverse, the rack and pinion leaking and needing to be replaced at a high cost (and also being a big safety risk to not replace) is a very common issue in the traverse.
No power steering at low speed . Makes it dangerous to turn sharp corners. Almost impossible to park in a parking spot if there's other vehicles.so I park way out away from vehicles . I have had two power steering pumps and lines replaced . And still have the same issue. .
Two items: Item 1. Transmission switched to neutral by itself traveling at 65 mph. At about 5-6 seconds after the incident, transmission resumed with no further problem. This has happened 3 times. First time was mid 2022. Second and third times happened in late 2022. Appeared to be an intermittent problem. Took to dealership. It happened to a mechanic who drove the vehicle. Dealership thought they fixed the problem. A dealership mechanic, while addressing item number 2 below in 3rd week of April 2023, experienced the motor going into neutral. They had replaced the ignition switch to possibly fix item #2, and were test driving the car, when during the test drives, the motor went into neutral by itself two separate test drives. Item 2. While driving at highway speeds on a freeway in mid February 2023, the engine stopped (speedometer and RPM gauges went to zero). …
This vehicle is dangerous. Looks great on the outside but horrible on the inside under the hood! Since my son bought one for me it's had problems with engine revving and not shifting gears, and air conditioner continually going out even after repairs, and power steering leaks. I kept taking it to repair and oddly no technician anywhere could help! Read the reviews and watch the youtubes! This vehicle (all years) should be stripped from the market and considered under lemon law no matter the age! The culmination of my problems happened when leaving town, entering highway and accelerating and clicking cruise control! Immediately the car revved past 7 rpms and out of control! I had all I could do to stop it - then it died completely! The tow truck driver was also in an unsafe situation with many cars passing at high speed when he had to put special lifts on the back wheels! Scary! …
Power steering fails without warning when making turns, particularly at low speeds. Then as quickly as it fails, it will return again. The car now has 120,000 miles on it, but this issue started when it only had 50,000 miles on it, and was just out of warrantee. 3 different mechanics including the dealership and they have said they have no idea what the problem is as the power steering pump is working properly and the power steering reservoir is properly filled. The dealer actually told us 'it's just time for a new car guys.' we have spoken in person to two other owners of traverses and they describe the exact same problem.
I was pulling into a parking place when the car just would not turn. The power steering went completely out. I almost hit the car already parked and the gentleman getting out of the passenger side of the car. I profusely apologized and backed the car out of the general area. I then moved to the back of the parking lot to try to figure out what had happened. When the car operated at normal speed, there was no issue with the steering. When the car operated at the speed of approximately 5 MPH, the power steering went completely out. When I looked on the internet, I saw the many people who were experiencing the same hazard. I am extremely happy that my wife was not driving our four children in the car. At the time, I was driving with three of the children and I was extremely shaken by the entire situation. …
June 2016, approx. 114,000 mi - felt a lurch in stop & go traffic; flashed "service stabilitrak," "service traction control," "backup alerts = off". The check engine light appeared. A few miles down the road when traffic sped up, I realized I only had one gear and could not accelerate above 60mph. A serious problem on the interstate! Several hours later, the check engine light remained on, but the car drove normally -- straight to the repair shop, where it was deemed to need $2400 in transmission repair due to the following fault codes: p182e & c0561. They will replace the transmission mode shift sensor and the transmission control module. The mechanic also informed us that we will eventually need a $700 repair for the control arms in the rear suspension -- ge has corrected a known fault in the parts. All this is on top of a $3000 repair done in April 2015 at 92,500 mi. …
2010 Chevrolet Traverse 130K miles(told it is in kil.) 2nd owner. All oil changes and services done. 2 major issues. SUV made loud noise and lost all control of steering and other functions and car shut down while on a freeway, going high speeds, while traveling with 3 children. Almost hit from behind by 2 cars. Was told by GM service center that the timing chain fell off/mechanical failure due to skipping. Other components damaged and all needs to be replaced. Does not seem right for the timing chain to fall off. Seems to be a mechanical defect, not normal wear and tear. Called GM cs several times to explain recent issues and worry of safety and reliability due to multiple repeated timing chain failures on same vehicals with same owners on 2010 and newer Traverse. Told by cs no warranty no recall so can't help. Service manager requested assistance from GM for repairs and it was denied. …
Steering complaints in other Traverse years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2010 Chevrolet Traverse?
NHTSA has 331 complaints about the steering of the 2010 Chevrolet Traverse, 49% of the model year's 669 complaints. The component named most often is hydraulic power assist › pump (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2010 Chevrolet Traverse steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2010 Chevrolet Traverse, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2010 Chevrolet Traverse steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 6 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.