Problems · NHTSA complaints
2021 Chevrolet Traverse problems
Owners filed 94 complaints about the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse with NHTSA between May 2021 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is electrical system (22).
Complaints
94
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
6
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Electrical system22
- Power train16
- Engine11
- Service brakes10
- Engine and engine cooling7
- Steering4
- Forward collision avoidance4
- Carry handle, shell, base3
- Air bags3
- Vehicle speed control3
- Other/i am not sure2
- Suspension2
- Fuel/propulsion system2
- Seat belts2
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 4, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
7
5
11
18
29
24
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 11 |
| 2024 | 18 |
| 2025 | 29 |
| 2026 | 24 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Electrical system
22 reports
“Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2021 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 49,000. It was later discovered, after checking the Carfax report, that the mileage was 75,000.”
Power train
16 reports1 related recall
“When I accelerate at a stoplight the car shuddered and slammed into gear then it shop the rpms up to 8000 and back down i was barely able to make it home and when I arrived at home I tried to park and it would not go into reverse tostraighten my vehicle. I had it towed to a shop the next morning and they informed me I needed a new transmission that would cost $12400.00 to repair. This is a car that is only 5 years old and this is a catastrophic failure that I can't afford to fix and in a car that is 5 years old.”
Engine
11 reports1 crash
“The welding that holds the exhaust together has failed. They offer a Special Warranty to cover only the passenger side, however it has failed and exhaust is super loud. Also reading 4 codes from check engine alert. All are P0420 (cat convertor). The smell of exhaust and cat convertor is super disgusting”
Service brakes
10 reports1 crash
“The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse out of the driveway and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that after several attempts, the vehicle finally stopped at the end of the driveway. The brake assist warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the brake booster pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact was awaiting the parts to repair the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The approximate failure mileage was 96,000.”
Engine and engine cooling
7 reports
“The contact owned a 2021 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for an inspection, where a leaking oil pan gasket was diagnosed. The contact stated that the failure had also occurred on a 2019 Chevrolet Traverse he owned. Although the vehicle had been taken to the dealer two months prior, the dealer did not find the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 72,400.”
Steering
4 reports
“While driving, the steering wheel became very hard to control. A system warning came up on the dashboard screen stating that the steering wheel was not working. With an 18-wheeler coming up behind me the decision to pull over was made. The left hand turn into an auto part store was made with much difficulty and so was trying to park. Gentleman inside inspected the vehicle and highly recommended NOT driving the vehicle since it was a safety issue not only for myself but others as well.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 4, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.