2012 Chevrolet Traverse recalls and problems
The 2012 Chevrolet Traverse has 5 safety recalls and 354 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Chevrolet dealer.
Recalls may cover only some 2012 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.
2012 Chevrolet Traverse recalls
Recall 21V-246: Air Bags
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2015, 2017 Buick Enclave, 2010-2019 Chevrolet Traverse, and 2011-2016 GMC Acadia vehicles. The side curtain air bags may not be properly attached.
Risk: Unsecured side curtain air bags may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, realign or replace the weld nuts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2021. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N202321200.
Recall 15V-415: Structure
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured January 3, 2007, to February 29, 2012, 2009-2012 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured July 6, 2008, to March 9, 2012, 2007-2012 GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured September 15, 2006, to February 29, 2012, and 2007-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles manufactured August 17, 2006, to March 18, 2010. The affected vehicles, equipped with the power liftgate option, have gas struts that hold the power liftgate up when open. These struts may prematurely wear and the open liftgate may suddenly fall.
Risk: If the open liftgate unexpectedly falls, it may strike a person, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the power liftgate actuator motor control unit so that the motor will prevent the rapid closing of the lift gate, free of charge. The recall began on November 15, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Saturn customer service at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 15240.
Recall 14V-266: Seat Belts
Problem: General Motors is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured April 14, 2008, through May 14, 2014, Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured June 6, 2008, through May 14, 2014, and GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured April 9, 2008, through May 14, 2014, and 2009-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles manufactured April 14, 2008, through March 18, 2010. In the affected vehicles, the flexible steel cable that connects the seatbelt to the front outboard seating positions may fatigue and separate over time.
Risk: If the steel cable becomes fatigued and separates, the seatbelt may not properly restrain the seat occupant increasing the risk of an injury in a crash.
Fix: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, repair and replace the lap pretensioner, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. An interim notice will be mailed to owners in July 2014. A second notice will be mailed to owners once parts become available. The recall for the 2009-2010 model years began on July 11, 2014. The interim letter for the 2011-2014 model years were distributed on July 11, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-462-8782 (GMC), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). General Motors recall number for this campaign is 14187.
Recall 14V-118: Air Bags
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia and 2009-2013 Chevrolet Traverse and 2008-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the driver and passenger seat mounted side impact air bag (SIAB) wiring harnesses may result in the SIAB and seat belt pretensioners not deploying in the event of a crash.
Risk: Failure of the side impact air bags and seat belt pretensioners to deploy in a crash increase the risk of injury to the driver and front seat occupant.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected harness connections with soldered connections, free of charge. The recall began on June 16, 2014. Buick owners may contact the owner center at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet owners at 1-866-694-6546, Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, and GMC owners at 1-866-996-9463. GM's number for this recall is 14030. Note: Vehicles repaired as part of Customer Satisfaction Campaign 10085 and special coverage 10335 have already had the subject condition repaired and therefore are not included in the safety recall.
Recall 12V-151: Visibility
Problem: General motors (Gm) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 chevrolet traverse, buick enclave, and gmc acadia vehicles currently registered in alaska, colorado, connecticut, delaware, idaho, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, montana, nebraska, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, north dakota, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, south dakota, utah, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, wyoming and the district of columbia. Snow or ice buildup on the windshield or on the wiper may restrict the movement of the wiper arm, causing the wiper arm to loosen and cause the wiper to become inoperative.
Risk: If this occurs, driver visibility could be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Gm will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the wiper arm nuts, free of charge. The safety recall began on april 20, 2012.
2012 Chevrolet Traverse problems reported by owners
| Problem area | Reports | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 115 | |
| Electronic Stability Control (ESC) | 84 | |
| Steering | 62 | |
| Air Bags | 48 | |
| Electrical System | 48 | |
| Power Train | 46 | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 37 | |
| Unknown or Other | 35 | |
| Visibility/Wiper | 17 | |
| Seat Belts | 15 | |
| Service Brakes | 15 | |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 15 |
Most reported parts
- Structure › Body — 7
- Structure › Body › Hatchback/Liftgate — 2
- Back Over Prevention › Warnings — 2
- Structure › Body › Hatchback/Liftgate › Hinge and Attachments — 1
- Equipment › Electrical › Navigational System(Global Positioning System) — 1
- Tires › Temporary/Emergency Spare Tire — 1
- Equipment › Mechanical › Accessory Scissor/Screw/Bottle Jack/Lift — 1
- Seat Belts › Front — 1
Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 85,000 miles (median of owner reports).
Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.
Recent 2012 Chevrolet Traverse complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.
Other Chevrolet Traverse years
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2012 Chevrolet Traverse have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2012 Chevrolet Traverse: 21V-246 (air bags), 15V-415 (structure), 14V-266 (seat belts), 14V-118 (air bags), 12V-151 (visibility). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Chevrolet Traverse?
Owners report engine problems most often (115 reports), followed by electronic stability control (esc) (84). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 85,000 miles.
Are Chevrolet recall repairs free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Chevrolet dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.