10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
5 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
73,043 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2009 Chevrolet Traverse:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #189

Feb 192016

Traverse

  • 11,900 miles
Had my steering pump replaced at the dealership on a recall told me to watch my steering the rack and pinion did not get replaced on February 19th 2016 picking up my boys front and start shaking check power steering fluid it's on the low side been told it's my rack and pinion. Also my tire monitoring system like you can I coming on and off has been check codes are not saving when off same thing when I had my transmission redone codes are not saving on the computer.

- Flint, MI, USA

problem #188

Mar 032015

Traverse

  • 90,000 miles
The steering wheel catches and I cant turn. I got the pump replaced and I am still having the same problem. Some people have had recall sent to them for this problem but I have not received anything.

- Atmore, AL, USA

problem #187

Dec 012015

Traverse

  • miles
I've been reading numerous complaints about the steering problem with the 2009 Chevy Traverse and I don't understand why GM has yet to issue a recall on the steering issues. There have been times when I try to turn either left or right where the steering starts to stiffen up making it difficult to turn. Or if I'm pulling out of a parking space, trying to turn is an issue. This is a serious fatality waiting to happen. Are they going to wait until the lawsuits start coming in before they do something?

- Lowell, MA, USA

problem #186

Nov 192015

Traverse

  • 78,000 miles
While making a left hand U turn the power steering quit, nearly causing a serious accident

- Boynton Beach, FL, USA

problem #185

Oct 242015

Traverse

  • 82,000 miles
My power steering stopped working. The dealership replaced the pump, but said it stopped working becasue the rack and pinion steering was leaking. The rack and pinion steering replacement cost is $2100, which I need to pay. I do not understand why the rack and pinion steering is not part of this special coverage adjustment, when it is the cause of the part replaced as a result of the special coverage adjustment. I am also concerned that this is not a recall. When the power steering stops working, it is very dangerous. If there has not been an accident or death as a result of this problem, there soon wlill be, in the past year I havee spent $6,000 on repairs for this car, which has 82,000 miles. I have replaced the brake line for $1500, $2000 for replacement of 3 ignition coils and 3 spark plugs and a gasket. This is the second time I have had to replace a spark plug. Now, I have been asked to spend $2100 to replace the rack and pinion steering. Enough is enough, I am trading in this car before another very expensive problem develops. The labor cost for repairs is very expensive because the engine needs to be removed to reach the section that needs to be replaced. I was told that these problems happen as cars get older, but the number of problems the Traverse has versus the number of problems cars of similr mileagr has seems to be lopsided. This experience has soured me on ever purchasing a Chevrolet again.

- Columbia, MD, USA

problem #184

Oct 122015

Traverse

  • 58,900 miles
We had a power steering noise. Took to our Chevy dealership. Recommended power steering pump replacement under special coverage 14329(bulletin/extended warranty) they found fluid leaking out of the front rack power steering boots. Recommended replacing rack & pinion & proforming a front end alignment at a cost of $1119.05 to me. We feel that this repair should be covered by GM since it is also all part of the power steering system. We discovered thru the internet that there is a class action lawsuit on the 2009 Traverse steering system.

- Cape May, NJ, USA

problem #183

Oct 162015

Traverse

  • 92,000 miles
The wife complained about brakes sounding odd, a week after having new brakes installed. Took it in, they said they looked fine. Then all of a sudden her anti-lock break light and stabilitrak light go off while driving to work on a major surface street (50mph). Take it in to have it checked out, they find a sensor in the brake cylinder is bad, and the cylinder is gushing brake fluid. $800+ to fix. Plus our power steering is going bad. There is an internal leak in some boots that are not working properly. $1200 to fix. It's like they had a bunch of parts lying around, and they slapped them together to build a vehicle, even though none of the parts work together. The government should never have wasted the money to prop up a horribly inefficient company.

- Cliniton Twp., MI, USA

problem #182

Sep 082015

Traverse

  • 49,780 miles
Took my car into dealership martin Chevrolet because check engine light came on. Since my car was new in 2009 my steering on my car has always been hard to turn. I asked them within a year of getting car but said nothing was wrong. Well the power steering water pump and steering gear assembly was leaking. Also my timing chain was defected. There was an extended warranty for the timing chain and pump but not the steering gear assembly. My car has less than 50,000 miles on it. Chevy knows that the steering has been defected but would not cover the gear assembly so it cost me $934.19 to fix. Chevy should cover the cost for everything!!

- Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, USA

problem #181

Feb 262015

Traverse

  • 42,697 miles
While driving at low speed steering becomes difficult. It squealed often when turning corners and was very hard to turn. Took it to the dealer for repair and GM covered the water pump but needed a new steering rack which is unusual at 40K miles. Had to pay about $1400 out of pocket to cover the repair so I could safely drive the vehicle.

- Omaha, NE, USA

problem #180

Aug 012015

Traverse

  • miles
Good morning, I have been having problems with my steering when it comes to making turns, one time I nearly hit the curb trying to pull into my driveway. The power steering fluid was recently filled but the problem still remains. I've researched this issue and noticed this problem has occurred with other consumers. I know there was a safety bag and seat belt recall a few months back which was taken care of and now I would like to know how long will it take to issue the power steering recall. GM has had a lot of problems, and it's time for them to step up correct their errors. It's a reliable car, and I love it, but with safety issues like this something has to change.

- Lowell, MA, USA

problem #179

Aug 012015

Traverse 6-cyl

  • 120,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Traverse. While reversing, the steering wheel seized and required excessive force. The failure recurred on several occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000. Updated 11/18/15 the consumer stated the dealer found that both of the front struts needed to be replaced and have the vehicle alignment done. The Traverse could not be driven after the replacement of the failed power steering pump. Updated 2/3/2016

- Ceres, CA, USA

problem #178

Aug 012015

Traverse

  • 120,510 miles
On Saturday August 1, 2015 around 7 pm I was driving back from a family theme park with my 5 children. I had to drive 2 hours to get back home. I couldn't even get out of the parking lot because I couldn't turn the wheel it was very hard both right and left. I got scared because I am pregnant and I wanted to get back home safely. I manage to get out but on our way home every time I stopped and had to make a turn it got really hard and had to put my emergency lights on because I had to make slower and wide turns and sometimes back up and try again to turn. I manage to get home around 10 pm. This is my only car, I just bought it 8 months ago and still have 3 more years to pay it off. This is the second time it does this. When I first got it out of the dealer I took it back the next day because it was doing the same problem but only when turning to one side not both. They fixed it but it is not even a year and I have the problem again but worst because I cant' turn either way. If there is a problem with the steering wheel why haven't you recall it? it is dangerous to drive like this. I just fixed a few months ago some transmission parts because the transmission broke. I know that the transmission is a issue in this car also. These are seriously safety issues. Please help me out.

- Ceres, CA, USA

problem #177

Jul 282015

Traverse

  • 120,000 miles
When attempting to turn at low speeds the power steering suddenly fails and vehicle crosses into traffic.

- W Terre Haute, IN, USA

problem #176

Mar 022015

Traverse

  • miles
Back in September 2014, GM sent a letter regarding a defect in the steering column that causes steering to be very difficult when attempting to maneuver the car at low speeds. The letter states that GM would cover this malfunction without charge. When my car started having the identical symptoms that are listed in the letter, we called GM and took the car to the dealership. Per the dealership and GM although the symptoms are identical the origin of the problem is different; therefore, they refused to cover the $1,200 repair. It is unclear what the difference is and we have approach GM and the dealership several times considering the repair. I do still have the letter.

- Caledonia, MI, USA

problem #175

Sep 302009

Traverse

  • 4,000 miles
Steering made noise within first year of purchase. Was told nothing was wrong with vehicle after each scheduled service. Steering became stiffer and noisier over time. Paid $1,100 to replace the steering housing and other related parts in July, 2015.

- Charleston, SC, USA

problem #174

May 182011

Traverse

  • miles
For several years I have been having ongoing problems with the power steering on my Traverse. I have seen countless other similar claims on Chevy forums. I have had dealer replace parts, but problems return. Chevy offered some owners a repair for vehicles under 150000 miles or 10 years, but now I have gone past that they refuse to cover repair. This loss of steering control is unsafe and a more permanent remedy should be taken care of on this material defect from GM.

- Latrobe , PA, USA

problem #173

Jun 012015

Traverse

  • 75,000 miles
At low speeds, especially while braking, the power steering fails. This has caused several close accidents. The loss of steering only occurs at low speeds; for example while turning into a driveway, driving a store parking lot, or making a turn at a traffic light.

- Savona, NY, USA

problem #172

Mar 252015

Traverse

  • 66,000 miles
Steering is loud. Hard to turn. April 09, 2015 dealership stated my steering gears were leaking and needed rack and pinion replaced. Quoted $1785. It's difficult to steer, locks up and is quite unsafe. Chevy should repair this issue at no cost due to the safety concerns and the thousands and thousands of complaints.

- Plainfield, IL, USA

problem #171

Jan 012015

Traverse

  • 55,000 miles
During the winter season, I periodically started hearing a clunking sound as I was making directional turns in my vehicle (a 2009 Chevy Traverse). Therefore, during my previous oil change, I asked my mechanic to take it for a test drive, but he did not hear anything at that time. Yesterday, I was in for another oil change and again I asked my mechanic to test drive it, but this time he did hear the clunking sound and ultimately found that the rack & pinion steering unit needed to be replaced. Both professionally and on computer "on-line" web sites, there are numerous complaints of early failures of the rack & pinion steering, on the GMC acadia, Buick enclave and Chevy Traverse, SUV type vehicles. I have owned several vehicles over the last 30 years and never had to replace the entire rack & pinion steering unit on a vehicle that was less than ten years old (only six, in this instance) and had such low mileage (recently passed 60,000 miles). Obviously, there is a flaw in the design or in the production of this steering mechanism. There are too many premature failures on these series of vehicles. GM should own up to their mistakes, but as with their ignition switch problems, they would rather ignore the problem. I have owned several GM vehicles and have mostly been satisfied with their products. If I have to spend almost $2000 to fix their mistake, this will be the last new (or used) GM car I purchase. My previous SUV was a 2002 Toyota highlander. I purchased it "new" and kept it for over ten years and drove over 100,000 miles on it. Other than wear and tear items (brakes, tires, battery, etc.), I did not experience any "abnormal" failures, in any of the vehicles major components.

- East Islip, NY, USA

problem #170

Jul 212014

Traverse

  • 45,000 miles
Power steering malfunctions at low to moderate speeds of 5 to 25 mph. The vehicle goes into manual steering and it is almost impossible to turn the wheel in order to go in to a turn. This has begun happening while driving at speeds of 45 to 55mph as well. I noticed the problem when I first brought my vehicle and reported it to the dealer. The said there was no issue. Now the problem is getting worse. I must remain in my lane and not attempt to make any quick turns. Or the steering wheel will lockup on me. I am afraid that I will not be able to control my vehicle and do injury to others as well as, myself,

- Havre De Grace, MD, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »