There are 48 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2011 Chevrolet Traversein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This vehicle is notorious for multiple electrical failures. The alternator fried the battery fried, both of which were replaced. This vehicle still wouldn't start. The wiring harness to the PCM is notorious for having shorts. The pcm itself is notorious for going out really early. This vehicle is almost undrivable and it dies while you're in the middle of driving where you can't stop. I do not know how this vehicle has been kept on the market without being recalled. I do not know how more people haven't been in accidents because of it. And even worse, it's notorious for the airbags messing up. I think I would be more understanding if it weren't for the fact that this vehicle has been well maintained. It has regular maintenance. It's never overdue for an oil change or a fluid top up. I have children that ride in this vehicle and now I have to worry about their safety.
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that after turning off the vehicle, the engine was still running independently. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that water was entering the hood of the vehicle causing the vehicle to have electrical issues and the fuse box needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 132,000.
MAIN WINDOW SWITCHES HAVE FAILED AND THE WIPERS DO NOT WORK ON THE HIGHEST SETTING.
MY SERVICE AIRBAGS FRONT DRIVER WIRE HARNESS AND CONNECTOR NO RADIO NO BLUE TOOTH
SITTING IN THE PARKING LOT WAITING FOR MY DAUGHTER TO GET OUT OF SCHOOL ALL OF A SUDDEN IT SMELLS HOT THEN START TO DRIVE OFF AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS AND ABS GO WILD THEN I PULL OVER TURN OFF THE ENGINE OPEN THE HOOD AND THERE'S SMOKE LETTING IT COOL THE KEY WON'T REVERSE OUT OF THE IGNITION AND THERE'S NO POWER AT ALL
THE SPEAKERS WILL QUIT WORKING WHEN IT IS EITHER WET OR COLD OUTSIDE. ASIDE FROM THE STEREO NOT WORKING THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS ALL WARNINGS DO NOT SOUND AS THEY COME THROUGH THE SPEAKERS. WARNINGS INCLUDE BACKUP SENSOR SEAT BELT AND MUCH MORE.
MY MECHANIC SAID MY TIMING CHAIN IS LOOSE & THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. ALSO MY RADIO GOES REAL LOW IN A HIGH PITCH TONE & I CAN'T HEAR IT SO THAT MEANS MY TURN SINGNALS ARE LOW & EVERYTHING ELSE THAT MAKES A SOUND IS VERY LOW. ALSO MY WINDOW CONTROLS ARE ALL STARTING TO NOT WORK ONE BY ONE. I ONLY HAVE 89000 MILES ON MY CAR. MY MECHANIC IS TELLING ME I SHOULD GET RID OF MY CAR BUT I ALWAYS THOUGHT CHEVY WAS A GOOD CAR.
TAKATA RECALL, I WAS DRIVING MY CAR DOWN AN INTERSTATE AND THE COOLANT HAD LEAKED OUT AND OVERHEATED MY CAR I HAVE DONE HAD EACH HOSE AND HOUSING AND THE THERMOSTAT AND THE RESERVOIR TAKE REPLACED IN IT ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO. IT'S IS NOW DOING THE SAME THING AGAIN IT STARTED AGAIN WHILE I WAS ON A HIGHWAY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE SAFELY TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.
THIS IS TOWARD CHEVROLET AND ANY OTHER VEHICLE MAKERS THAT REQUIRE EXCESSIVE USE OF DEALERSHIPS FOR MINOR MAINTENANCE. I HAVE COMMUTED 40 MILES DAILY FOR 18 YEARS, I HAVE PREVIOUSLY OWNED FORD VEHICLES AND HAD NO ISSUES WITH DOING MINOR REPAIRS MYSELF. WITH MY CHEVY VEHICLE I HAVE TO TAKE IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP OR REPAIR SHOP TO CHANGE A SIMPLE HEADLIGHT BECAUSE OF THE GREEDY DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE. THEY DID THIS ON PURPOSE SO THEY COULD MAKE MORE MONEY AT THE DEALERSHIP AFTER SALES. IN THE PAST WHEN I DROVE FORDS IF MY HEADLIGHT WENT HOME I WOULD STOP A COUPLE BLOCKS FROM MY WORK AND POP ONE IN. I STOPPED ON EXIT RAMPS AND ADDED A NEW ONE MANY TIMED, KEEPING A EXTRA IN MY GLOVE BOX LIKE A PREPARED DRIVER. WITH MY TRAVERSE I HAVE GO IN AND HAVE THE TIRE TAKEN OFF AND THE WHEEL WHEEL PLASTIC OFF TO CHANGE THE HEADLIGHT. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE AND RIDICULOUS. I'VE COMPLAINED TO CHEVY WITHOUT A RESPONSE. THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE TO SAVE LIVES. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR LONG COMMUTERS. IMAGINE BEING ON VACATION AND HAVING TO SPEND A DAY OF IT AT A DEALERSHIP GETTING YOUR HEADLIGHT CHANGED FOR $125.00. WE LIVE IN MN AND FREQUENTLY HAVE TO CHANGE BULBS DUE TO --60 DEGREE WIND CHILLS. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP UP WITH, AND SHOULD BE ILLEGAL. WHEN YOU SPEND $30K-50K ON A VEHICLE IT SHOULD BE SAFE AND EASY TO MAINTAIN SAFETY. DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON HAVING TO PULL OUT THE FLOORING OF THE 2ND ROW TO CHANGE A BATTERY.
WHILE DRIVING MY 2011 CHEVY TRAVERSE LT ON HIGHWAY WITH 130,000 MILES ON IT WHEN MY TRAVERSE LOST ACCELERATION AND STALLED OUT WITH CARS FLYING UP ON ME AT 65-70 MPH,I FINALLY COSTED OVER TO THE EMERGENCY LANE, HAD IT TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND TECHS COULDN'T FIGURE THIS OUT , AFTER A WEEK OF SERVICE TECHS COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM, I WAS FINALLY NOTIFIED BY DEALERSHIP THAT THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH MOTOR AND ELECTRICAL AND IT'S NOT WORTH FIXING. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT I CAN DO WITH THIS .
MY TRAVERSE HAS BEEN LOOSING POWER TRACK CONTROL CUTS OFF AND WILL NOT COME BACK ON. AT TIMES IT DOESN'T SHIFT GEARS. WHEN THE TEMP GETS DOWN IN THE 30'S IT MESSES UP. CAN'T GO VERT FAR WITHOUT IT STOPPING. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE I'VE HAD THIS CAR.
DRIVERS INFORMATION CENTER DOES NOT WORK IN DAYLIGHT. I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING AND NOTHING IS WORKING. SO IF SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH MY CAR I WON'T KNOW TILL AT NIGHT.
STABILITY TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM PROBLEMS. I HAVE A 2011 CHEVY TRAVERSE. PROBLEMS ERUPTED AFTER I FINISHED PAYING IT OFF. I HAD THIS CAR FOR 7 YEARS NOW AND 100K MILES NOW. FOR THE PAST YEAR THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM HAS FAILED MULTIPLE TIMES. AT FIRST I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND SPENT OVER $3500 TO FIX IT. A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE PROBLEM CAME BACK. THE DEALER WAS ASKING FOR ALMOST $4000 STATING THAT IT WAS SOMETHING ELSE NOT FIXED BEFORE. EVEN A MECHANIC FROM THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME TO GET RID OF IT BECAUSE LOTS OF PEOPLE WERE COMPLAINING WITH SAME ISSUES. AT FIRST THE "TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM OFF" COMES ON THE SCREEN EVERY TIME I DRIVE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. FOLLOWED BY "SERVICE STABILITY TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM". NOW AS SOON AS I TURN THE CAR ON THE SAME MESSAGES APPEAR. JUST A WEEK AGO I WAS IN THE HIGHWAY AND "POWER LOSS WARNING" CAME OUT IN THE SCREEN. I COULDN'T ACCELERATE, THANK GOD I WAS NEAR AN EXIT AND WAS ABLE TO GET OUT IN TIME BEFORE IT STOPPED COMPLETELY. TURNED OFF THE CAR AND WAITED A FEW MNTS. TURNED ON AGAIN AND DROVE OFF ON THE SERVICE ROAD. I WAS NOT ABLE TO GO FASTER THAN 10 MPH. NOW THE CAR IS IN MY DRIVEWAY AND I'M GETTING READY TO GET RID OF IT ASAP! BUT JUST NOTICED THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH SUCH A PROBLEM. WE NEED A RECALL FAST. I BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR 47K THINKING THAT IT WAS GOING TO LAST JUST LIKE THE OLD CHEVYS. BUT THIS NEW TECH IS KILLING IT! WE NEED A RECALL ON THIS FAST!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CHECK ENGINE, STABILITY CONTROL, AND SERVICE TRACTION WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
LESS THEN A YEAR AGO THE BATTERY GAUGE STARTED DIPPING BELOW 14V TO 12V PERIODICALLY WHILE DRIVING. WHEN GETTING OFF THE HIGHWAY ONE DAY(BATTER GAGUE DID NOT DIP) AND COMING TO A LIGHT ON A 2 LANE SMALLER MAJOR ROAD THE LIGHTS ALL CAME ON CHECK ENGINE, STABILITRAK, BATTERY, ETC AND THE CAR SHUT DOWN. FORTUNATELY, MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO CRUISE THROUGH THE LIGHT AND SOMEHOW EVERYONE WAS OUT OF HIS WAY SO HE COULD COME TO A STOP O THE SIDE OF A ROAD THAT THE SPEED LIMIT IS 50 ON. THE WINDOWS WERE OPEN COULDN'T DO ANYTHING. TOW CAME OUT AND HIS JUMPERS WERE ZAPPED. TRIED AGAIN AND WAS ABLE TO GET INTO N SO COULD BE FLAT-BEDDED TO THE MECHANIC. THE ALTERNATOR WAS FRIED, AND FRIED BATTERY AND MESSED UP AC. REPLACED ALT AND BATTERY AND OTHER PARTS THAT WERE FRIED. LESS THAN 6 MONTHS LATER BATTERY STARTED DIPPING REALLY LOW AND SO WE HAD THE CAR CHECKED SEVERAL TIMES AND NOTHING SEEMED WRONG. NOW WE'RE 10 MONTHS IN AND HAD TO REPLACE ALT. AGAIN AND WITHIN A WEEK (TODAY) BATTERY STARTED DIPPING TO 12V AGAIN. THIS IS WHILE DRIVING AND HAPPENS ABOUT 20 MINUTES OR SO INTO DRIVE. I DRIVE ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS AND HAVE MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND SEEMS TO BE A RECURRENT PROBLEM ON TONS OF THESE CARS. IF THE CAR DIES AGAIN, THANKFULLY THE STARS ALIGNED AND MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO AT LEAST PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WE MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY. OF COURSE, THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY NOW TOO SO HOW IS IT THAT ALL THESE PEOPLE, INCLUDING US, WILL BE ASKED TO SHELL OUT TONS OF MONEY TO FIX A COMMON ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF SO PEOPLE DON'T DIE! THIS IS NOT SIMPLY A MAINTENANCE ISSUE.
TAKATE RECALL AFTER TURNING CAR ON IT DRIVING THE GAGES GO DEAD NOT WORKING AND AC BUTTONS WILL NOT WORK, THEN AFTER A FEW SECONDS IT WILL GO BACK TO WORKING. AND IT TELLS ME TO SERVICE AIR BAG, SERVICE AWD.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. WHILE OPENING THE LIFTGATE WITH THE KEY FOB, THE LIFTGATE UNEXPECTEDLY CLOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.
WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WHEN I WAS ON THE ROAD. STILL CONTINUE NOT TO WORK. WHICH IS NOT FUN TO DRIVE. HOPING FOR NO RAIN. NOT SURE WHY MINE DOESN'T HAVE A RECALL BEING ITS IN THE SNOW STATE AND THEY ARE REPLACING A PART. SO I AM SUPPOSE TO PAY FOR IT MYSELF? ANOTHER ISSUE, OUR WINDOWS DON'T WANT TO ROLL UP BACK UP. OUR BACK RIGHT WINDOW HAS GOTTEN STUCK DOWN. THE BUTTON BACK THERE AND IN FRONT WON'T BRING IT BACK UP. WE HAVE TO TRY IT FOR LIKE AN HOUR, TURNING THE VEHICLE ON AND OFF, REAMING ON THE BUTTONS TO GET IT UP. IF THERE IS A SHORT CIRCUIT SOMEWHERE? WE CAN'T ADJUST OUR MIRRORS. ASSUMING AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH ALL OF THIS.
WHILE DRIVING AT LEAST 45 MPH MY CAR WAS RUNNING FINE WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY LOCKS STARTED LOCKING AND UNLOCKED AND THE CAR SHIFTED SO HARD I AM SURPRISED I DID NOT WRECK MY VEHICLE WITH MY SON AND INFANT DAUGHTER. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO DO THE LOCK SWITCHING AND NUMEROUS LIGHTS WERE FLASHING ON MY DASH. I WAS SCARED TO DEATH NONETHELESS. I HAVE HAD MORE SENSORS, WATER PUMP ETC. THAT YOU CAN EVEN BEGIN TO IMAGINE ON THIS VEHICLE. IT IS BY FAR THE WORST VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED. I WILL NEVER AGAIN BY A CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. JUST HAD MY CAR SERVICES TWO DAYS AGO AND NOW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME BACK ON. I AM NOT EVEN SHOCKED AT THIS POINT. I AM SCARED TO EVEN DRIVE MY VEHICLE WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR BECAUSE OF THE TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE THAT WE ENCOUNTERED. I HAD THE SO CALLED ISSUE FIXED WHICH WAS A SENSOR.
Showing 1–20 of 48 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026