2012 Chevrolet Traverse Steering
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the power steering assist failed and the vehicle became difficult to steer. The contact stated that the power steering pump was leaking. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with the power steering pump and the rack and pinion needing to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 127,305.
Power steering intermittently fails at low speed we have had near collisions and as a result my wife cannot drive the car she’s not strong enough to turn the wheel at low speeds I’m afraid somebody’s gonna get in a wreck with this or another car like it I’ve heard other complaints from traverse owners about the same thing
POWER STEERING DOES NOT WORK AT LOW SPEEDS 90% OF THE TIME, MY WIFE CAN'T DRIVE THE CAR ( VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION ). PARKING HAS NO POWER STEERING AT ALL, AT 10 MPH STEERING CONTROL COMES BACK.
THE RACK AND PINION SEALS ARE LEAKING BADLY. THE COST TO TEPAIR IS VERY EXPENSIVE. MY MECHANIC SAYS IT SHOULD BE A RECALL.
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. A HIGH PITCHED SQUEALING NOISE CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD WHEN TURNING. THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAD THE PROPER AMOUNT OF FLUID AND THE THE NOISE GOT LOUDER. THE RACK AND PINION HAD TOTAL FAILURE WHILE TRAVELING AT 55 MILES PER HOUR ON THE HIGHWAY AT AROUND 70,000 MILES. WE HAD THE PUMP REPLACED ONCE BEFORE AT AROUND 40,000 MILES. ON THE 2ND REPLACEMENT, THE DEALER CHANGED THE PUMP NUMBER TO THE 'UPGRADED PART' THEY ALSO SAID, 'GM KNOWS ABOUT THE FAULTY PUMPS AND ARE REPLACING THEM WITH THIS NEWER PART.' THE DEALER REPORTED TO US THAT THE PUMP NEEDED REPLACED BECAUSE IF IT WASN'T, THE PUMP WOULD GO OUT DUE TO THE DAMAGE IT SUSTAINED. SO, WE DID THAT WITH THE RECOMMENDATION FROM GM AS WELL IN A PHONE CALL.
POWER STEERING HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES (NOW MAY HAVE TO BE A FOURTH), ONCE PRIOR TO MY OWNERSHIP (WAS DEEMED CERTIFIED BY A CHEVY DEALER AT TIME OF PURCHASE HOWEVER I BELIEVE THIS WAS FRAUDULENT). MECHANIC SAID (AT FIRST REPLACEMENT) POWER STEERING FROM MY PURCHASE WAS AFTER MANUFACTURERED PARTS. THIS MEANS WHEN I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WITH 27,000 MILES IN 2012, POWER STEERING PUMP HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED. POWER STEERING HAS GONE OUT ON I-70 ONCE GO 75 MPH. THE VEHICLE MAKES NOISES WHEN TURNING. NOW AGAIN, LEAKING STEERING FLUID AND ENGINE FLUID. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL, ETC... I CALLED GM AND THEY CLAIM THEY HAVEN'T HAD ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE STEERING HOWEVER IT'S ALL OVER THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS YEAR AND MODEL HAVING POWER STEERING PUMP, RACK AND PINION COMPLAINTS. I HAD ALSO BEEN TOLD BY A LEXUS DEALER/SERVICE IN 2014 THAT IT NEEDED A RACK AND PINION OR POWER STEERING PUMP. GM DEALERSHIP LATER DETERMINED IT WAS POWER STEERING PUMP. HOW MANY POWER STEERING PUMPS DO I HAVE TO PUT ON THIS CAR? I CONTACTED GM, THEY CLAIM NO RESPONSIBILITY DESPITE OTHER VINS/YEARS HAVING THESE EXACT ISSUES. CLEARLY, THERE IS SOMETHING DEFECTIVE IN THESE SUBS THAT WOULD CAUSE SO MANY POWER STEERING PUMPS TO FAIL. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE ANYONE TAKES THIS SAFETY ISSUE AND DEFECTIVE CAR SERIOUS?
WHILE BRAKING AT LOW SPEEDS DURING A TURN, I EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING THAT IS REGAINED WITHIN MOMENTS. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES WITHIN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. NO ACCIDENT HAS OCCURRED AS OF YET. IN MAY OF 2017 I HAD MY POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED DUE TO AN ISSUE WITH INCONSISTENT POWER STEERING PRESSURE DURING TURNS. THIS WAS A SIMILAR, YET SEPERATE, ISSUE THAN WHAT IS CURRENTLY BEING EXPERIENCED NOW.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE STEERING SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY OR RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 88,000.
I HAVE A 2012 CHEVY TRAVERSE THAT I PURCHASED USED IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR. A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE PURCHASE IT STARTED TO DEVELOP A WHINING NOISE AND THE STEERING WAS HARD TO TURN AT LOW SPEEDS. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS TIMES WHERE I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE WHEN TRYING TO PARK DUE TO THE STEERING SEIZING UP. I'VE ALSO HAD A FEW TIMES THAT I WAS VERY CLOSE TO GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT WHILE MAKING A U-TURN DUE TO THE STEERING BEING NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN AND HAVING TO PRESS HEAVILY ON THE ACCELERATOR IN ORDER FOR THE STEERING PUMP TO PROVIDE ENOUGH POWER TO COMPLETE THE TURN. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR THAT WAS THIS UNSAFE BEFORE. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A FEW DIFFERENT MECHANICS FOR AN INSPECTION AND THEY ALL TOLD ME THE SAME THING, THE STEERING WAS DEFECTIVE AND EVERYTHING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. MY QUOTES WERE ANYWHERE FROM $2550 TO $3200. SO I BROUGHT IT TO THE CHEVY DEALER TO HAVE THE REPAIR DONE HOPING THAT THEY WOULD COVER SOME OF THE CHARGES TO REPLACE THE STEERING MECHANISM. THEY COMPLETED THE WORK, BUT GM REFUSED TO COVER ANY OF THE NEARLY $2700 IN CHARGES.
MY TRAVERSE SUDDENLY STARTED HAVING ISSUES WHILE I WAS DRIVING. TURNING AT INTERSECTIONS AND AT STOP SIGNS MAKES ME SO NERVOUS. MY TRAVERSE HESITATES WHEN TURNING CAUSING THE CAR TO MOVE SLOWER. IT IS ALSO MAKING NOISES OUT OF NOWHERE. I MAINTAIN MY VEHICLE AND HAVE HAD NO ISSUES WITH IT UNTIL NOW. WHEN I DROPPED MY CHILDREN OFF AT DAYCARE AND CAME BACK OUT TO THE CAR I NOTICED THAT MY CAR WAS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID. THIS WAS VERY UNEXPECTED AND SO DANGEROUS! I HAVE TWO YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEY SHOULD NOT BE IN A VEHICLE THAT HAS ANY MAJOR ISSUES ESPECIALLY THIS. I'M DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THAT A RECALL FOR POWER STEERING DOES NOT INCLUDE MY YEAR! THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE AND THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS FROM OTHERS FOR MY YEAR FOR THIS. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL. THIS IS UNSAFE AND DANGEROUS!
A 2012 TRAVERSE IN PRISTINE CONDITION THAT HAS UP TO DATE MAINTENANCE THROUGH THE DEALER WITH ONLY 41,000 MILES, NOW NEEDS REPLACEMENT OF STEERING RACK AND PINION AS WELL AS PRESSURE HOSE.
MY STEERING LOCKS UP WHEN TRYING TO TURN RIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER GETTING IN THE CAR. IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME TWICE, AND BOTH TIMES IT WAS RAINING. IT HAPPENS OUT OF NOWHERE. NO WARNINGS/LIGHTS COME ON. IT'S SCARY TO BE DRIVING WITH MY KIDS AND SLIDE PAST MY TURN BECAUSE MY STEERING WHEN WON'T TURN.
POWER STEERING DOES NOT WORK AT LOW RPM. IT IS VERY HARD TO PARK CAR IN PARKING SPACES, AND ALSO VERY HARD TO MAKE TIGHT TURNS AT LOW SPEEDS. IT SEEMS AS IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THIS HAS BEEN A CONSTANT PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.
MY STEERING LOCKS UP GOING AT SLOWER SPEEDS AND TURNING. MY VEHICLE HAS THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE STEERING AS THE OTHER 2009-2013 CHEVY TRAVERSE STEERING . IT'S THE SAME PART, ISSUE AND VEHICLE AS THE WARRANTY WAS EXTENDED TO FIX THE STEERING UP TO 10 YEARS AND 150,000 MILES AND I AM BEING TOLD YOU HAVE NOT INCLUDED MY VIN # UNDER THIS WARENTY AND I NEED A VALID EXPLANATION WHY MY VIN ISN'T COVERED. IT'S THE SAME ISSUE, THE SAME PART AND THE CORRECT YEAR.
WHEN TURNING ONTO A ROAD, FROM A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLES STEERING COMPLETELY LOCKED, REQUIRING IMMEDIATE REVERSE TO AVOID COLLISION OR NOT END UP OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IF A VEHICLE WAS BEHIND US PREVENTING REVERSE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT.
POWER STEERING FLUID STARTED LEAKING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE BEING OPERATED AT A LOW SPEED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FREEMONT CHEVROLET DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING RACK AND PUMP WERE DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 79,000...... .UPDATED 11/16/17 *BF *JS
I TOOK MY 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE IN FOR A STANDARD OIL CHANGE TODAY AND THEY TELL ME THAT I HAVE A STEERING GEAR LEAK AT 34,000 MILES. I AM READING THAT MANY OTHERS ALSO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THE COST TO FIX IS $1,375. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND GM SHOULD BE DOING A RECALL AND PAYING FOR THE REPAIR. I WAS GOING TO GO ON A FAMILY VACATION AND NOW NEED TO GET THIS FIXED FIRST.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (JOSEPH CHEVROLET IN CINCINNATI, OHIO) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LEAK WAS DUE TO A FAULTY POWER STEERING PUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000. UPDATED 08/31/17*LJ *CN
WHILE DRIVING THRU A PARKING LOT THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE IN THE FRONT END FOLLOWED BY THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP. I HAD TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND TURN IT BACK ON TO BE ABLE TO GET THE STEERING WHEEL TO MOVE.
TAKATA RECALL MY STEERING WHEEL MAKES NOISES WHEN I TURN RIGHT OR LEFT. IT'S REALLY BAD WHEN I'M PARKING MY CAR IN A PARKING LOT AND NEED TO TURN TO GET IN THE SPOT OR BACK OUT. IT'S ALSO LEAKING FLUID UNDER MY CAR, POSSIBLY THE STEERING WHEEL FLUID.
MY CHEVY TRAVERSE STARTED MAKING RUBBING NOISES WHEN MAKING HARD TURNS JUST AFTER IT HIT 60,000 MILES (AND HAD ITS BIG MAINTENANCE WHICH FLUSHED THE POWER STEERING FLUID). WHEN I TOOK IT INTO THE SHOP I WAS TOLD THAT ALL OF THE STEERING COMPONENTS NEEDED REPLACED (POWER STEERING PUMP AND RACK, GEAR, NEW FLUID) AND THEN THE CAR WOULD NEED AN ALIGNMENT (ALSO JUST HAD ONE WITH THE LAST SERVICE). WITH A "DISCOUNT" AT THE DEALERSHIP, THIS COST ME $2,428!!! I READ THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN RECALLED, SO IT COMES OUT OF MY POCKET TO REPLACE FAULTY PARTS THAT WERE USED IN MY VEHICLE. I CONTACTED GM AND THEY OFFERED ME TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY ON THE PARTS (USED THE SAME FAULTY PARTS?) THAT WITH MY MILEAGE WILL LAST MAYBE THREE YEARS.
POWER STEERING FAILURE. LOUD WHINING FROM THE "STEERING GEAR" AND "POWER STEERING PUMP" FULL FAILURE. I WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED. IT HAS APPROX 60,000 MILES ON IT. SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE WITH THAT MANY MILES UNLESS IT'S A FACTORY OEM DEFECT !!!
OUR 2012 TRAVERSE WITH ~57,000 MILES ON IT HAD A POWER STEERING PUMP AND RACK AND PINION FAILURE. THE VEHICLE BECAME HARD TO TURN AND THE TWO COMPONENTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I AM TOLD THERE IS A RECALL ON SOME OF THE MODEL/YEARS FOR THIS ISSUE BUT NOT OURS. I WOULD LIKE GM TO INVESTIGATE AND INCLUDE OUR YEAR/MODEL IN THE RECALL AS WELL.
POWER STEERING IS HARD TO TURN AFTER DRIVING. GO TO PULL IN A PARKING SPOT AND THE STEERING IS HARD.IN MOTION WHILE TURNING INTO PARKING SPACE ALMOST RAN INTO PARKED CAR. *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2012 Chevrolet Traverse has 44 Steering complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.