Problems · by component
2009 Chevrolet Traverse steering problems
231 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2009 Chevrolet Traverse cite steering, 52% of all 448 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
231
52% of all complaints
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the steering
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I bought the car in August of last year and drove it for about 3 days before it started giving me problems. First incident I was driving my children home from the hairdresser and the car completely went out us on the highway, after repeated attempts for a half hour or so I was able to start it and drive it back home very slowly..this happened twice I went to get it diagnosed and codes came up for crank shaft sensor and o2 sensor, before I could even get that fixed more problems came up, the steering wheel began to become stiff and almost impossible to turn, while picking my son up from school I was trying to pull away from the curb in the drop off spot and almost hit another car and a child because the steering wheel stiffened up on me!!! I was told I would need an entire steering rack!!! ...also the key has gotten stuck in the ignition and wouldn't start and I had to have it towed to a mechanic for that as well. Driving up hill one day I lost power that made it seem like it was stuck in low, then we lost reverse altogether as well as the ability to climb hills. I got the transmission repaired, barely made it home before it started doing the exact same thing,…”
“A year a go the steering at low speed would act like the power steering just stop working, very hard to turn. but not all the time, but now it more often. when a kid ran out between two parked cars I went to turn and hit the brakes the steering went out. Luckily he stop in time, but after that I needed it repaired. Went to GM web site and was amazed of all the people with this, called chevy dealer about repairs and was told its my problem and it would be $ 2100.00 to replace a faulty power steering pump, how is this not a safety problem. Try turning in a parking space and the wheel locks up its hard not to hit the car beside you. WITH NO WARNING”
“WAS DRIVING FINE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WITH NO WARNING CAR WOULD NOT GO FASTER THAN 15 MPH. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THEN TRACTION CONTROL WENT OFF. ACROSS THE DASH IT SAID "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, SERVICE STABILITRACK AND REDUCED ENGINE POWER" THE CAR STARTED SHIFTING BETWEEN 2 DIFFERENT GEARS MAKING IT EXTREMELY SCARY TO TRY DRIVING TO A SAFE SPOT WITH 3 YOUNG KIDS.”
“MY WIFE AND I OWN A 09 CHEVY TRAVERSE AND HAVE HAD FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS. WHEN WE FIRST BOUGHT IT IT DROVE LIKE BRAND NEW BUT OVER THE PERIOD OF A YEAR OR SO WE STARTED TO FEEL A SIDE TO SIDE SWAYING (SUCH AS ROCKING IN A BOAT) WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 60 MPH. SINCE WE'VE GOT 4 KIDS AND MY WIFE USES IT AS A DAY TO DAY VEHICLE I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD THEM TELL ME IT WAS STRUTS (WHICH I HAD REPLACED) AND AFTER BEING REPLACED IT STILL HAD THE SIDE TO SIDE MOVEMENT. IT HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT I DON'T ALLOW HER TO DRIVE HER NOR THE KIDS BECAUSE OF THE DANGERS. I'VE HAD THE RACK N STEERING, FRONT UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS THE REAR UPPER CONTROL ARMS, STABILIZER BAR BUSHINGS ALONG WITH NUMEROUS OTHER BUSHINGS AND ALL 4 BRAND NEW TIRES. THE DEALERSHIP NOR OTHER INDEPENDENT SHOP KNOWS WHAT ELSE TO REPLACE.”
“WHEN TURNING AT LOW SPEED, THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER STEERING. AT FIRST THIS ONLY HAPPENED OCCASIONALLY AND NOT IT IS HAPPENING MORE. IT ALSO GETS WORSE IF VEHICLES HAS BEEN DROVE ALONG THAT DAY. CHECK POWER STEERING FLUID AND IT IS FULL. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN EVERY TIME I TURN BUT RANDOMLY WHEN TURNING AT LOW SPEED. TURNING ONTO A ROAD, AT STOPLIGHT OR INTO AND OUT OF PARKING SPOTS. HAPPENS WITH SPEEDS BETWEEN 5-20 MPH”
“I HAVE BEEN BATTLING MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALL 2018 AND NOW 2019. NOT TO MENTION THE STABILIZTRAK AND HARD TO TURN STEERING WHEEL. I HAVE BEEN GETTING A MISFIRE IN ALL MY COILS. THIS ISSUE HAS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STUTTER, DRINK HIGH VOLUMES OF GAS AND ALMOST SENT ME BROKE. I HAVE CHANGED EVERY COIL, EVERY PLUG, CHANGED THE STABILIZER, TENTIONER, BEARINGS, SWAYBAR LINKS AND MUCH MORE. I AM COMPLETELY DONE WITH CHEVY. THEY KNOW THIS MAKE AND MIDEL IS HORRIBLE AND WE AS CUSTOMERS NEED TO DO A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. THIS VEHICLE SOUNDS LIKE A TIN CAN WHEN IT STARTS. IT RATTLES AND STUTTERS WHILE DRIVING AND IT SHAKES WHEN STATIONARY.”
Showing 6 of 231 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.