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
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system22
  2. Power train16
  3. Engine11
  4. Service brakes10
  5. Engine and engine cooling7
  6. Steering4
  7. Forward collision avoidance4
  8. Carry handle, shell, base3
  9. Air bags3
  10. Vehicle speed control3
  11. Other/i am not sure2
  12. Suspension2
  13. Fuel/propulsion system2
  14. 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
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20217
20225
202311
202418
202529
202624

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.

03 —Owner reports

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 4, 2025Electrical systemODI 11697456

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 13, 2026Power trainODI 11770889

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 18, 2026EngineODI 11757809

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 26, 2026Service brakesODI 11773753

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 8, 2026Engine and engine coolingODI 11749147

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 1, 2026SteeringODI 11735181
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.