Problems · by component

2009 Chevrolet Traverse engine problems

50 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2009 Chevrolet Traverse cite engine, 11% of all 448 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
50
11% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“Limp mode. It doesn't have speed only goes about 10-20 mph, doesn't give any gas it'll stall act as if it wants to shut down. Transmission Shift Cable. Stalls want let me get gas or nothing slowing down in traffic, it just gives up. No. yes. others Check engine light, Stabilitrak/traction control system, ABS sensor Whenever the check engine light came early part of December.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 18, 2026Vehicle speed control, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11711721
“I just bought the car from sb auto . The car I had for 4 days wasn't making funny nosies nothing. The timing went when I was driving the car it came to a dead stop lost power steering . Had me and my son in the car thankfully I was Turning into a complex when it happened. It's got 159163 miles”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 25, 2024Unknown or other, EngineODI 11567801
“I bought my car and not even a month later I was driving off the interstate and it shut down on me. I had it towed to my house and it won’t start anymore. The car makes a funny clickin noise. It could have killed me if I would have wrecked.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 11, 2022EngineODI 11473430
“MY CAR HAS A RECALL FOR THE TIMING CHAIN, I NEVER KNEW ABOUT IT, AS I AM NOT THE FIRST OWNER OF THE CAR, AND I NEVER RECEIVED A NOTICE, WHEN MY CAR ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, I NEVER KNEW WHAT EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS I ENDED UP CHANGING PARTS ON MY CAR BASED ON A MECHANIC THAT DIDN'T KNOW BETTER AND DIDN'T CHANGE WHAT I NEED TO BE CHANGE AND BROUGHT IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN, AFTER SEEING HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST I DIDN'T HAVE THE MEANS AT THE TIME, THIS IS ABOUT YEAR INTO GETTING THE CAR BACK IN 2018, I BELIEVE 2020, I KNOW ENDED UP BRING IT BACK TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHERE THEY NOTIFIED ME THAT CAR HAD A RECALL ON THE TIMING CHAIN KIT, WHICH CHEVY NEVER INFORMED BE ABOUT WHEN I WENT THERE LOOKING TO BUY THE PARTS FOR MY CAR, ALSO MY DEALER WHO I GOT THE CAR FORM NEVER INFORM ME OF THIS RECALL AS WELL AS ANOTHER ONE I HAVE ON THE CAR THAT I FOUND OUT WHEN I WENT RECENTLY TO SEE MY RECALLS AT CHEVY DEALER, THEY ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE RECALL EXPIRED IN 2019 AND THEY CAN'T FIXED IT, WHICH I DON'T AGREE WITH, RECALLS SHOULDN'T EXPIRE ITS A SAFETY MEASURE. I WOULD REALLY LIKE YOU HELP IN GETTING MY CAR FIXED AND SAFE TO OPERATE WITH ALL THE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 21, 2021Seat belts, EngineODI 11389203
“I KEEP GETTING MULTIPLE RANDOM ENGINE MISFIRES THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE NO SOLUTION TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES. RUNS FOR A WHILE AND STARTS ACTING UP AGAIN. STALLS OUT WHEN ATTEMPT TO TAKE OFF AFTER COMING TO A STOP OR JUST STARTS TO MOVE AND GOES REAL SLOW, ALSO HAS TROUBLE GETTING UP HILLS DUE TO LOSS OF POWER. KEEP GETTING TOLD IT'S CATILOC CONVERTERS AND HAVE REPLACED 3 TIMES IN LAST YEAR. HAVE ALSO REPLACED SPARK PLUGS AND COIL OVERS AS WELL AS FUEL PUMP, MAS AIRFLOW SENSOR, MAP SENSOR, OXYGEN SENSORS, AND A FEW OTHER THINGS. SEEMS THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUES BUT NO FIX....”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 22, 2020Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11340934
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE AND SERVICE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN AND CRANKSHAFT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. O'REILLY CHEVROLET (6160 E BROADWAY BLVD, TUCSON, AZ 85711, (520) 829-3876) WAS CONTACTED, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURES. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V073000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 170,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 22, 2019Air bags, EngineODI 11281841

Showing 6 of 50 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.