Chevrolet Traverse Engine Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Some, but not unusually many. 1,206 of the 5,497 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2009–2025 Chevrolet Traverse (21.9%) name the engine, near the 19.4% median share across the 152 models we track. We have no published sales figures for this model, so there is no per-1,000 rate. The worst years are 2011, 2010 and 2014.
Engine complaints
1,206
Filed with NHTSA, 2009–2025 models
Per 1,000 sold
No sales data
Not computed without a published sales figure
Share of all complaints
21.9%
of 5,497 complaints for this model
Engine recalls
0
NHTSA campaigns, all years
Chevrolet Traverse engine complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Engine and Engine Cooling. Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Engine recalls | Engine TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 62 | 13.8% | 2 | — | 255 |
| 2010WORST | 186 | 27.8% | 3 | — | 320 |
| 2011WORST | 213 | 35% | 5 | — | 319 |
| 2012 | 117 | 33.1% | 4 | — | 327 |
| 2013 | 46 | 28.4% | 2 | — | 330 |
| 2014WORST | 120 | 21.9% | 2 | — | 318 |
| 2015 | 38 | 12.1% | 2 | — | 304 |
| 2016 | 31 | 10.6% | 1 | — | 271 |
| 2017 | 25 | 6.9% | 1 | — | 240 |
| 2018 | 101 | 21.7% | 1 | — | 257 |
| 2019 | 65 | 15.8% | 3 | — | 206 |
| 2020 | 95 | 40.4% | 1 | — | 171 |
| 2021 | 18 | 18.9% | 1 | — | 156 |
| 2022 | 19 | 18.4% | 1 | — | 131 |
| 2023 | 21 | 22.1% | 2 | — | 113 |
| 2024 | 34 | 23% | 1 | — | 132 |
| 2025 | 15 | 8.1% | 2 | — | 56 |
- Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
- Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
- *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the engine.
Common Chevrolet Traverse engine problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 1,206 engine complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
Chevrolet Traverse years to avoid for the engine
2011 Chevrolet Traverse
213 engine complaints (35% of the year's 608). Most often described: timing chain or belt.
2010 Chevrolet Traverse
186 engine complaints (27.8% of the year's 669). Most often described: timing chain or belt.
2014 Chevrolet Traverse
120 engine complaints (21.9% of the year's 549). Most often described: misfire or check-engine light.
Worst years are those with at least 10 engine complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Chevrolet Traverse years to avoid.
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2011 Chevrolet Traverse have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 213 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2011 Chevrolet Traverse, 35% of all 608 complaints for that year. The most common description is "timing chain or belt" (58 complaints). 5 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2010 Chevrolet Traverse have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 186 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2010 Chevrolet Traverse, 27.8% of all 669 complaints for that year. The most common description is "timing chain or belt" (96 complaints). 3 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2014 Chevrolet Traverse have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 120 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2014 Chevrolet Traverse, 21.9% of all 549 complaints for that year. The most common description is "misfire or check-engine light" (56 complaints). 2 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Which Chevrolet Traverse years have the most engine complaints?
2011 (213), 2010 (186) and 2014 (120), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the engine. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so treat them as a signal, not a rate.
What are the most common Chevrolet Traverse engine problems?
In the 1,206 engine complaints, owners most often describe misfire or check-engine light (32.5%), stalling or shutting off while driving (17.8%) and timing chain or belt (17.5%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a engine failure rate?
No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Without sales figures, a high count can simply mean a high-selling model.
How we count
Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Chevrolet Traverse model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a engine complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Engine and Engine Cooling.
Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 engine complaints that clears those floors.
These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Sources
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration