2012 chevrolet traverse. Consumer writes in regards to defective catalytic converter. The consumer stated the vehicle shut down while it was being driven with no warning. The consumer requested to be reimbursed for the repair costs.
2012 Chevrolet Traverse engine complaints
Page 2 of 5: complaints 11 to 40 of 117, newest first, as owners wrote them.
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to three different independent mechanics and on all three occasions, it was diagnosed that the timing chain failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 95,000.
Dash is throwing different codes such as service and check traction control, stabilitrack, air bag, and at times while driving it will say reduced engine power and my foot would be on gas not wanting to barely move. One time I almost got hit. Other several times I was able to pull over and we would have to disconnect battery wait a little and car would be ok again. I have been experiencing problems with this car that it makes me not want to drive it and thank god we have another car. I am also experiencing catalytic converter issues for the 4th time. Car feels at times like it is bogging when on gas peddle as if something had a clog in it and starts pulsating. Check engine light is also on.
My mechanic replaced my A/C refrigerant hose due to a leak and my A/C conditioning compressor. He said that he has replaced the same parts on a number of other vehicles similar to my 2012 chevy traverse. He said the damage to the A/C refrigerant hose was due to a bad design where a bracket is located too close to the A/C refrigerant hose.
Check engine light came on had the codes checked and I had the engine taken apart twice because the timing chain had jumped causing it to run rough and light came back had to do again and it was fine for a few months but mechanic said the engine is the same as the enclave and acadia which both have had recalls on this issue. This happened the first time while car was in motion.
The traction control goes on and off. Stability trak error message. Engine power reduced. The car would not accellerate which couldve resulted in an accident. This is the 4th time this has happened since january 23, 2021. This issue on the truck needs to be recalled and resolved.
I was driving on st [xxx] and it was raining I almost hydroplane and my traction light came on and my car started accelerating on it's own I had to pass two cars so I wouldn't hit them and luckily no one was coming towards me my car kept accelerating faster up to 100 MPH I slammed on my brakes but my car wouldn't slow down it took 5mins to slow.down to 20 MPH I had smoke all around me my car was revving up the rpms and my temperature gauge was hoti seen a road [xxx] and I turned and I put my vehicle in park and tried to shut it off and it wouldn't so I threw it back into drive and then park and shut my ignition off and tried to restart the engine and it wouldn't start after 10 mins of it off I tried the ignition and it started but my brakes had a air sound when I pushed on brake pads and my bf drove my car back home this car is dangerous I looked online and seen it happened to other vehicles and I'm scared to drive my car now I'm lucky I didnt die or kill someone else please assist me bc I dont know what to do the vehicle it's not safe for me to drive since that happened parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Knocking engine, running like a old tractor. Engine stalled!! Had to replace motor. No power found tranny went bad on the middle of busy intersection. Had to replace tranny. Now power steering pump went couldn't turn the wheels on the highway. Had to replace. All repairs paid out of my pocket. Wheres the recalls?? So many people with this same year vehicle same problems. All of these have costed me several thousands of dollars out of my pocket. Also had to pay dealership for the brakes that were bad. 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020 all the years happened. Wipers were the 1st to fall off got replaced.
I was driving 65 miles per hour down the freeway. Oil pressure warning light flashed, heard knocking in engine compartment, warning shut off momentarily, then, oil pressure warning light appeared again, along with knocking in the engine compartment. At that point the engine shut down on its own, and I had to pull off the road immediately, to avoid a collision. I had the vehicle towed to a repair shop, or they informed me that it was a skipped timing chain and I would need to replace the motor. Total cost estimated at $8,800
We purchased a 2012 chevrolet traverse from ray chevrolet in fox lake, illinois in late february. We recently experienced a very high repair cost that we inquired about getting reimbursed for on case number [xxx]. We asked for reimbursement due to the fact that the repair is common to this vehicle make, model and year and there is a service bulletin # sb-10052863-8590 (12-06-01-009d dated aug/2013) substantiating this. We were denied coverage from gmc stating that our vehicle VIN number was not included on the bulletin. Our vehicle has the same timing chain problem as those vehicles that are covered, yet our VIN was excluded. We believe that either your containment of the issue was conducted in error leaving some vehicles like ours out of the scope of containment or that vehicles are purposely left out of the scope of the problem to create a false reporting and avoid recall of all affected vehicles. Our claim was escalated to a senior advisor at gmc who after a short investigation stated that our vehicle is not covered under the extended warranty that all other vehicles with the same problem are covered with. This is outrageous and is not acceptable! We have been gmc customers for over 40 years. We are asking again for a refund of the repair costs as our vehicle has the same timing chain problem. If we do not receive an equitable solution for this, we will be sure to publicize the actual happenings to the public for all to know and be aware of how gmc treats long term customer loyalty.*dt sincerely, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).'
While returning from work the engine just shut down. It would not start. I thought it may have been the battery. It would barely turn over purchased a new battery and installed it .this all took about a hour and a half. Started the car and it knocked rattled and and squealed. I shut it down and had it towed home. I have no warning lights or codes on the dash what soever the motor sounds like trash
P0019, p0018 stability track issues and reduce engin power and I was driving when happen and the air bag light won't go off
2012 chevy traverse had complete engine failure with no warning signs while driving. The car repair shop said it needs a complete new engine. They said it looks as if something in the engine failed and stoped pumping the oil through.
At approximately 99,000 miles, the engine warning light came on while on an out of state trip. An auto store read the code as timing chain stretched. And stated that we should have the vehicle repaired soon. We returned home from our trip and shortly after received a warning "engine power reduced." the car would not accelerate quickly. In attempting to take the vehicle in for repair the traction control function quit operating. We were informed that there was a technical service bulletin from gm stating that this problem would be repaired by gm under warranty. We took the vehicle to our chevy dealer who stated that this VIN is not part of that recall. The vehicle has 100,243 miles.
We purchased our 2012 chevy traverse brand new in april of 2013. I had the extended pip warranty 6 years, 60,000 miles. The mileage is 65,674. On 9/12/2020 while driving rural state road at 55mph the engine stalled losing power steering and brakes. We safely pulled to the side. The engine started back up with the check engine light on and an obvious knock. Towed the traverse to the dealership for service monday when they opened. Drivers village dealership cicero ny checked vehicle and confirmed 'very bad knocking when vehicle is running, noise changes with rpms. Scanned and found p0016 crank cam.' diagnostic repair fee of $250 determined the #1 bank rod broken- need engine replacement. They also reported oil level full and clean with 57% life remaining. The oil has always been changed at the 3,000. I was presented with two quotes to install a gm new engine or a rebuilt engine. Both options are over $8,500 to repair.
The vehicle at 125,000 the check engine light turned on and there is a problem with the timing chain stretching. It is the crank shaft/cam shaft. It is over a $2,000.00 repair and the mechanic said this is a common problem with chevy traverse's.
I have been having issues with this car cutting out/stalling for 2 years now. I keep taking it in to mechanics to get it fixed and it seems to work then randomly leaves me and my daughter stranded. Sometimes it will stall once and keep going... Other times it has taken me 3-4 hours to get home. I've had a major tune up done, replaced the fule pump, fuel pressure sensor, map sensor, purge valve canister, cleaned the throttle body, and replaced relays. It has stalled on freeways, and middle of rush hour traffic leaving me stuck in unsafe locations. Similar models have recalls but not mine. Guessing they pick and choose how many of their vehicles they are willing to fix.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 chevrolet traverse. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the traction control warning light illuminated and the vehicle stalled. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic however, the mechanic was unable to provide a cause for the failure. The vehicle was then taken to videon chevrolet of phoenixville located at (600 nutt rd, phoenixville, pa 19460) where the vehicle was diagnosed and the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.
My vehicle has 99,000 miles on it and is outside of the 5 year warranty period. My timing chain and actuators are being replaced. I have read that this is an on going issue with my specific motor. I have always had the oil changed at the dealership in the time and mileage that is recommended. The timing chain problem caused my vehicle to not drive correctly and bog down and not get power when applying the gas. When driving home on the highway I applied the gas and the traverse sputtered and would not get up to speed to keep up with traffic.
While driving the car, the traction control turns off. When this message comes on the driver information panel, the following messages appear: the check engine light comes on, engine power reduced, and service stabilitytrac system. At the same time, when you press the gas pedal, the car does not accelerate. Also, the cruise control does not work. This happens whether you're driving 5 miles an hour or 55+ miles per hour. This is a problem that occurs every time I drive the car. I have noticed that if the temperature is under 40 degrees, it happens more times than when the temperature is greater than 40 degrees. I live in pennsylvania and the temperature dips very low. I drive a minimum of 300 miles a day m-f and this is a very dangerous flaw. I am reporting this because I have exhausted all of my resources. The only way I have found to reset the traction control, is to pull over, turn the car off, and wait for 3-5 minutes. This will reset the traction control but it does not turn off the check engine light.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 chevrolet traverse. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was also experienced at various speeds. The contact was able to restart the vehicle from a jump start. The vehicle was taken to several unknown mechanics to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the diagnostic trouble code determined a failure with the crankshaft sensor. The contact was also informed that the timing chain needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the warranty extension for the timing chain replacement. The approximate failure mileage was 116,200.
When driving car forward on roads and when backing up the car/engine stutters. When in reverse the car has cut off, when driving forward the engine rattles with a 'tin like' sound. When the car is in park and idling, it will cut off at times. Upon restarting the check engine light will come on. The check engine light will go off and come on intermittently. When I took the car in to determine what was going on, the check engine light had gone off and the dealership was not able to determine the problem initially and had to keep the car overnight to determine the diagnosis that the timing chain kit needed to be replaced. I was told that this repair would no longer fall under the gm warranty. Upon searching online and having my car looked at by an independent repair shop, I have found that this has been a recurring problem with the chevrolet traverse and gm has not issued a recall.
While driving at normal traffic and highway speeds, the vehicle will sometimes reduce speeds on its own and the transmission will drop to 2nd gear. The sevice engine light will flash and the dash will read traction control off. Sometimes the engine will also misfire. The vehicle will sometimes correct itself and return to normal driving or it has to be turned off to reset. Some forum users suggest replacing the throttle due to carbon buildup. This is can cause confusion with a driver which may result in a collision.
The timing chain needs to be replaced and is a known problem with chevrolet even though they have not done a recall. Eats oil, ticks and my check engine light is on. My mechanic looked at it and said it was the timing chain. I don't have 3k to fix my car.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 chevrolet traverse. The contact stated that while the vehicle was driven at an undisclosed speed there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to (mike savoie chevrolet located at 1900 w maple rd, troy, mi 48084 phone number 248‑566‑6523) where the timing chain was replaced. The contact stated that after two years the failure recurred. The contact returned the vehicle to the same dealer who diagnosed that the same repair was needed. The vehicle was not repaired a second time. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.
Whining and winding sound on acceleration at all speeds..rumbling noise from engine. Strut leaking and front suspension issues. This turned out to be transmission and torque converter. Along with pto pinion seal, crankshaft seal, water pump, harmonic balancer, struts, sway bar links, and drive belt.
My wife was driving on the highway when it lost significant power and started rattling violently. She was able to pull into a business parking lot. Stabilitrak system, traction control, check engine lights all came on. After sitting for about 10 minutes, it started back up with less violent shaking but still with reduced power, she was able to 'limp' to the pellegrino dealership in williamstown, nj. It had fault codes p0300 and p0303 for random engine misfire and cylinder 3 misfire. They diagnosed as "minimally needing cylinder #3 fuel injector plus additional diagnostics afterwards to determine full extent of issue" first threshold would be $1500 and possibly several thousand possibly including an engine replacement. They offered $2000 trade-in toward another vehicle there. With hardly any diagnostics, I was surprised of 'possible engine replacement' diagnosis, so I took the vehicle to another shop to do the fuel injector replacement plus check plugs, coils (all good), clean remaining fuel injectors and intake manifold for a fraction of what the dealership quoted. Cylinder compression was good, but the same random misfire p0300 code and p0303 codes still come up and idles very rough with engine noise and significant reduced power. Clearly, the injector was not the root cause of the problem. If fuel is given more aggressively, all the stabilitrak lights come back up. In doing additional research online, it appears to be a common issue. Oil changes were performed routinely at the dealership since we had a "lube for life" contract. Mileage is 116,640.
My husband and I went to the store with our two kids just to grab some groceries. We live less than 5 miles from the grocery store. On our way home the car started shaking while idling and acted like it was going to stall out on us. We were in the middle of the intersection when the car decided to start sputtering, shaking violently and then shut off. Thankfully enough we were able to pull into a parking lot to try and figure out what happened. After multiple attempts the car finally started back up. We were not able to go above 20 MPH. We found out that the fuel pump went out so we spent the $300 to replace that. Once that was replaced we thought we were in the clear. About two days later the same thing happened again except I was on the expressway doing about 70-80 MPH. Same thing, was able to start it up again after multiple attempts, couldn't go above 40 MPH this time. About two months ago we started having p0017, p0018, p0019 trouble codes pop up. We tried to replace the sensors and they were still popping up. We cleared them, about 5-10 minutes later they would pop back up again. Thursday the car was working fine. It was running great, no shaking, wasn't acting like it was going to stall out. The engine light was still on but we are now to the point that there is some sort of electrical issue going on. This is our only vehicle, and we have two kids and jobs to get to. We are tired of putting money into this trying to figure out what's wrong with it. My parents owned this car before we did. We are the second owners. I find it pretty convenient that everything starts to go downhill after warranty dates are up or after you hit a certain mileage. And with the strike that just happened, gm isn't wanting to take any responsibility for the fear of losing money yet again. Issue a recall or you will end up with lawsuits. Either way you will lose money. Save some lives.
I was driving down the road going 45 miles an hour when the engine of the traverse just shut off while driving. I was extremely lucky that I was able to coast to a safe spot but there was no power steering. I was on a 2 lane road that gets a lot of fast traffic and was barely able to get to safety.car would not start up again but electrical was still on.traction control light lit up briefly a week before the incident. At the time of engine shut off-there were no warning lights or any indication. This is a manufacturing defect that has been well documented-so many people have complained about the exact same thing happening. I can't believe that no one is taking these vehicles off of the road! This is so crazy dangerous-someone has to do something to get these vehicles off of the road. Someone is going to get killed.
Tl* the contact's husband owns a 2012 chevrolet traverse. While driving 25 MPH, the check engine warning indicator illuminated and the vehicle lost power. The contact managed to veer to the shoulder of the road and placed the gear in neutral. The vehicle would not restart. The insurance company towed the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the timing belt was fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was towed to harpel brothers (2305 east 10th st, glencoe, minnesota 55336, 320‑864‑5181) where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000. The VIN was unknown.
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