Our 2019 traverse transmission around 130,000 miles started shuddering when slowly accelerating or driving. Not sure what causes this but I do know that it should be doing this as well as getting the Shift to Park message. I looked online and found that it's supposed to be the torque converter. I then contacted a transmission repair specialist and he stated that changing the fluid may make it worse or make it possibly fail altogether. Then I found a video about Shudder Fix and I added one of those packets to the transmission and it stopped the shudder but it now seems to be trying to creep back. This is a known issue with most people not being able to afford the $9000+ repair costs. The Shift to park issue is another issue that shouldn't be happening and the dealership will charge an arm and a leg for the repairs on this as well. Pressing the gear shift button about 5 to 10 times after shifting to park is a short term solution because that issue is tied to a spring action underneath the shifter to tell the car I'm in park. I found a bypass piece that is required to resolve the issue but I shouldn't have to do that to get this vehicle to work properly. Chevy needs to do a recall on this or they run the risk of having a bunch of them on the market where we all got rid of them and won't buy anymore Chevrolet vehicles. This is the second newer model vehicle I had from them. The first one was an Impala and the dealership didn't know why the screen would go black and cause the car to start hesitating horribly. So I left it with the dealership, they can have it back.
2019 Chevrolet Traverse: hesitation when accelerating
6 of the 412 complaints about the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse describe hesitation when accelerating.
- owner complaints
- 6
- of this car's complaints
- 1%
- recalls
- 1
Hesitation when accelerating by model year
What owners say
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while driving from a complete stop, the vehicle hesitated, jerked, and failed to respond on some occasions, requiring the vehicle to be turned off and restarted. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked significantly and almost stalled while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was intermittently illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle had failed to respond upon shifting to reverse(R). The vehicle was taken to O'Reilly’s Auto Parts; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The contact was informed that the diagnostic test confirmed that the vehicle was in drive(D), even though the gear shifter was in reverse(R). The dealer was notified of the failure and recommended a diagnostic test. The vehicle was taken to Kenny Wilson Transmission, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the transmission throttle had failed and needed to be replaced; however, the part was not available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000.
To the federal safety agency, I am submitting this letter as a **formal safety complaint** regarding repeated transmission failure in my **2019 Chevrolet Traverse**, which poses a potential risk to vehicle safety. In **December 2024**, while the vehicle was still covered under General Motors’ factory powertrain warranty, an authorized GM dealership diagnosed a serious transmission defect. Due to parts being on national backorder, the repair was delayed. When the repair was eventually performed, only partial components (torque converter and valve body) were replaced rather than the full transmission. Despite this repair, the transmission **failed again less than one year later**. In **November 2025**, a second authorized GM dealership confirmed that the transmission now requires **full replacement** and that the prior repair did not correct the underlying defect. The transmission failure has resulted in **slipping, hesitation, and loss of proper power delivery**, which creates a **potential safety hazard**, particularly during acceleration, merging, and highway driving. A loss of propulsion or delayed response in traffic significantly increases the risk of an accident. This issue was identified while the vehicle was under warranty and was not properly resolved. The repeat failure suggests a **systemic defect** rather than normal wear. General Motors has declined further assistance. I am requesting that the federal safety agency review this complaint as part of its monitoring of potential **powertrain defects** affecting vehicle safety. Vehicle Information: * Make/Model: 2019 Chevrolet Traverse * Manufacturer: General Motors * Component: Transmission / Powertrain Thank you for your attention
After fueling car the starting continue turning over after you release button. Now while drivering it hesitate sometime loose power steering. And when stopped and the car dies when it does it’s stop /start now there a delay in continuing on and now brake light come on when it start back. Sometimes lose power and if you disconnect cable to let car reset light goes off until the start/stop and repeats process with park light back on ect.
On [XXX], my 2019 Chevrolet Traverse (VIN [XXX] ) experienced a complete transmission failure. The vehicle began to hesitate, jerk during acceleration, and then completely lost the ability to shift or drive. It had to be towed, and the dealership confirmed that the transmission must be replaced. This is extremely concerning because GM previously issued Recall 20V668000 involving missing bolts in the start-stop accumulator of the transmission, which can cause fluid leaks and loss of propulsion—a potential safety hazard. Although my VIN does not show this recall as active, the symptoms and failure seem directly related to this known defect. I am requesting the federal safety agency investigate whether this recall should be expanded or reopened to include more affected vehicles. In addition to the transmission failure, I have had to replace the purge solenoid valve three times due to persistent check engine lights and fuel system issues, which suggests deeper reliability issues with emissions and vapor management. Lastly, there is now a hole in the exhaust pipe, which is affecting performance and may pose a safety or environmental concern due to potential carbon monoxide exposure. These multiple powertrain and emissions-related failures within the same vehicle raise serious concerns about the long-term safety, reliability, and manufacturing quality of the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse. I respectfully request that the federal safety agency investigate this model year and VIN range further. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Tl* the contact owns a 2019 chevrolet traverse. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled while waiting at a stop light. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated and failed to respond in a timely manner. The vehicle was taken to sawyer chevrolet (351 w bridge st, catskill, ny 12414) to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the dealer drained the transmission and found issues with the gears. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 64,000. The VIN was not available.
Service bulletins that may apply
- This service bulletin provides information on the harmful effects of ethylene glycol in transmission fluid.
- This service bulletin provides a procedure to correct a customer concern of Shudders or Shakes at Low Speeds.
- This service bulletin provides information on some vehicles that may rock or move slightly forward or...
- GM is receiving damaged (cracked or broken) transmission cores returned to the reman facilities
- This service bulletin provides information on Driveline Clunk Noise and what is acceptable and what is...
- This bulletin provides information on the harmful effects of water or ethylene glycol in transmission fluid.
- This service bulletin provides repair information to correct a customer concern of seeing an intermittent...
- This Warranty Admin service bulletin provides guidelines for Dealers Not Required and for Dealers Required...
Related recalls
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
- Risk
- Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1‑888‑988‑7267, Buick Customer service at 1‑866‑608‑8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1‑800‑458‑8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.
Recall number 20V668000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse hesitation
Is hesitation when accelerating a common problem on the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse?
6 of 412 owner complaints about the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse (1%) mention hesitation when accelerating. The model year with the most reports is 2018.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse?
There is 1 recall and 71 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse
Check engine light 29Shudder 15Jerking 14Stalling 13Transmission failure 12Battery drain 10Seat belt 8Ball joint 7
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