Most common 2011 Chevrolet Traverse problems
Share of the 608 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Traverse complaints by model year
Best Traverse years: 2013, 2021, 2020. Years to avoid: 2025, 2024, 2011, 2023, 2010. Compare all years →
2011 Chevrolet Traverse recalls (5)
Air bags › Critical fasteners
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2015, 2017 Buick Enclave, 2010-2019 Chevrolet Traverse, and 2011-2016 GMC Acadia vehicles. The side curtain air bags may not be properly attached.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, realign or replace the weld nuts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2021.
Structure › Body › Hatchback/liftgate
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured January 3, 2007, to February 29, 2012, 2009-2012 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured July 6, 2008, to March 9, 2012, 2007-2012 GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured September 15, 2006, to February 29, 2012, and 2007-2010 Saturn…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the power liftgate actuator motor control unit so that the motor will prevent the rapid closing of the lift gate, free of charge.
Seat belts
General Motors is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured April 14, 2008, through May 14, 2014, Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured June 6, 2008, through May 14, 2014, and GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured April 9, 2008, through May 14, 2014, and 2009-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles…
Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, repair and replace the lap pretensioner, free of charge. Parts are not currently available.
Air bags › Side/window
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia and 2009-2013 Chevrolet Traverse and 2008-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the driver and passenger seat mounted side impact air bag (SIAB) wiring harnesses may result in the SIAB and…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected harness connections with soldered connections, free of charge. The recall began on June 16, 2014.
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Linkages
General motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Chevrolet traverse, Buick enclave, and GMC acadia vehicles currently registered in alaska, colorado, connecticut, delaware, idaho, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, montana, nebraska, new hampshire, new jersey, new york,…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the wiper arm nuts, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 20, 2012.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2011 Chevrolet Traverse:
Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
On May 19, 2014, General Motors LLC (GM) notified the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) that it would conduct Safety Recall 14V266 to address fatigue and separation of the flexible steel cable that connects the front outboard seat belts to the seat-mounted belt pre-tensioner in 1.4 million model year (MY) 2009-2010 Saturn Outlook, 2009-2014 Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse (Lambda Platform)…
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
On August 31, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Engineering Analysis (EA) EA20002, as an upgrade of Recall Query (RQ) RQ19003. This investigation, related to recall 14V-266, was opened to investigate instances of detachment of the flexible steel seat belt anchor cable attached to the outboard side of the front seats in vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM).
What 2011 Chevrolet Traverse owners say
Engine & cooling all 213 →
The contact's wife owns a 2011 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, an abnormal knocking noise would emit from the vehicle without warning. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic where they replaced the idler pulley however, the vehicle was not repaired, and the vehicle would not start. The contact called his son and towed the vehicle to his home. The contact then called the dealer where he arranged to have the vehicle towed to a local dealer. The dealer informed him that the failure was due to a defective timing chain; however, while repairing the vehicle, the dealer informed him that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact also mentioned that the middle rear seat belt would become stuck and would not unlatch as needed. The manufacturer was notified of the failures and informed him that there were no recalls on the vehicle. …
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a loud banging sound coming from the front of the vehicle. The front of the vehicle started shaking and vibrating before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine was damaged and needed to be replaced, due to a faulty oil pump seal which caused the engine rod to malfunction. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 139,000.
Steering all 165 →
As i am driving down the road the service stable trak light and abs lights pop on and the brakes sieze up so bad you cant get the car to stop and brake pedal to unlock as well as when you try to turn the steering wheel locks
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 lanes of highway traffic and stopped on the shoulder. I turned off my vehicle and waited several minutes, hoping it would help reset or cool off a component or something. I had to try a couple of times before it started, and I attempted to drive as safely as I could, made it to 60 mph before it stopped running completely. I had to pull hard on the steering wheel to get to the shoulder again, only this time, the shoulder was pinched off in front of us and around a small blind spot behind us. I had my daughter move to the side closer to the cement barrier while waiting for a tow truck. …
Stability & traction control all 114 →
In January 2016, my vehicle started having stability track issues. It got so bad I had the car sit up for a month then called a mechanic out to diagnosis the car. They sent me to the Chevy dealership and they fixed something within the steering, but that did not stop my stabilitrak from malfunctioning. While driving the stabilitrak light turns on and says it needs servicing. Then it makes the engine slow down and it starts stalling so we have to pull over and turn the car off and turn it back on for it to do the same thing again within minutes. If the cruise control is on it turns it off starts to stall and puts my family and I in danger, I just thank god we've been able to alleviate major accidents. It's been one minor accident but because we were already going slow it didn't affect either car, so we let it go especially because our vehicle was at fault not the people behind us.
While driving to work early January 18,2016 my check engine light and stability control light came on, not a minute later my steering went out and I hit a road sign. I had turned off the traction control before leaving my house as instructed by my service advisor at the Chevy dealership. I believe GM is responsible for the damage to my vehicle. Took my 2011 Traverse to the dealership that same day. Lights still on, and by the time I got it there the vehicle was shaking terribly, they diagnose it as throttle body codes po221-po121 & po300. They fixed that problem, but took no responsibility GM to take responsibility for this problem. I wanted a safe vehicle for myself and my family, now I am not sure if it is safe even with the repairs that were done.
2011 Chevrolet Traverse engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 24 / 19 |
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2011 Chevrolet Traverse a good car?
Based on 608 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2011 Traverse rates use caution: 1.7× as many complaints as a typical year of the Traverse at the same age. It is one of the Traverse years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2011 Chevrolet Traverse?
The engine & cooling — 213 complaints, 35% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the steering (165) and stability & traction control (114).
How many recalls does the 2011 Chevrolet Traverse have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2011 Chevrolet Traverse, the most recent from April 8, 2021 (critical fasteners). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Traverse?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2013, 2021 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2025, 2024, 2011, 2023 and 2010. See the full Chevrolet Traverse years comparison.
At what mileage do 2011 Chevrolet Traverse problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 71,000 miles; 27% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.