44 complaints reported

2012 Chevrolet Traverse Steering

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
44
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Nov 2016

TAKATA RECALL- WHILE TURNING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED, THE STEERING WILL LOCKS UP AND YOU CAN NOT TURN. I HAVE TO PUT MY CAR IN PARK AND THEN SHUT IT OFF , THEN I RESTART IT, AND IT WILL TURN. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. MY 16 YEAR OLD, WHO JUST GOT HIS LICENSE DISCOVERED THIS. I THOUGHT HE WAS DOING SOMETHING WRONG, TIL I DROVE IT TODAY, AND IT HAPPENED TO ME. TALK ABOUT SCARY?!!! WHAT IF I WAS TURNING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, I WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT FOR SURE. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS INVOLVING THIS. WHY ARE THEY NOT FIXING THE ISSUE. ARE YOU WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO DIE? THEN YOU WILL FIX THE ISSUE? MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2016
Oct 2016

I WENT LOCAL CHEVY DEALER FOR TRASMITION WORK AND ENDING FIXING. TRANSMITION AND MOTOR ALSO A POWER STEERING HOUSE AND NOW STARED LIKING FROM THE POWER STEERING RACK IT COST ME 2300 DOLLS AND FM DON'T WANTED REMPLACE IT AND FM REPRESENTATIVE DONT WANT TO HELP ME.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Mar 2016
Sep 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MANEUVERED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2016
Aug 2016

63,000 MILES POWER STEERING RACK AND PINION REPLACED AS HAD LEAK. WAS TOLD BY CHEVY DEALER THIS WOULD BE $1700 TO REPAIR. WENT TO LOCAL AUTO SHOP AND HAD REPLACED FOR $1300. 2WKS LATER THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED WHILE DRIVING WITH DIFFICULTY TO STEER. LOCAL AUTO SHOP REFERRED US TO CHEVY DEALER AS THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE AND SUGGESTED WE ASK FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. CONTACTED CHEVY DEALER WAS TOLD POWER STEERING UP WOULD BE $1300 TO REPAIR, REQUESTED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE BEING THIS A KNOWN ISSUE. CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE FILED CLAIM, WAS ONLY ABLE TO GET 10% OFF COST OF REPLACEMENT OF POWER STEERING PUMP AT CHEVY DEALER. CHEVY DEALER DECLINED MY REQUEST TO CONTACT THE DISTRICT REP CONCERNING THIS MATTER AND ALSO CHEVY CUSTOMER SERVICE SAID THIS IS ALL THEY COULD DO FOR US. CONSIDERING THE CHEVY TRAVERSE MADE 2011 ARE PART OF A STEERING RECALL, I WOULD LIKE CHEVROLET TO ADD THE 2012 MODEL TO THIS RECALL FOR SAFETY REASONS AND ALL THE COMPLAINTS OF THIS ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR MODEL NOTED ON THE INTERNET. I WAS DRIVING IN THE VEHICLE WITH MY GRANDMOTHER WHO TURNED 94 YRS OLD THAT SAME DAY. I HAVE 3 YOUNG CHILDREN UNDER 5YEARS OLD WHO HAD DRIVEN IN THIS VEHICLE. MY CONCERN IS THAT CHEVROLET IS WAITING FOR A CATASTROPHIC EVENT WITH THIS SAFETY ISSUE BEFORE THEY RECALL THE STEERING ISSUES FOR 2012 CHEVY TRAVERSE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: May 2016
Jun 2016

MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A USED 2012 TRAVERSE WITH 56,000MI ON IT LAST SUMMER. WE NOW HAVE 76,000MI ON IT, AND JUST RECENTLY WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE POWER STEERING LOSS THAT MANY OTHER TRAVERSE OWNERS HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT ONLINE. I AM GLAD TO KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT THE ONLY PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE THIS ISSUE - AND I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN GM THAT THERE HAS BEEN AN ISSUE WITH THE POWER STEERING SYSTEMS ON THESE VEHICLES AND THERE HAS NOT BEEN A SAFETY RECALL ISSUED. THIS MOST RECENTLY HAPPENED TO MY WIFE WHILE PULLING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY ONTO A BUSY ROAD - POWER STEERING COMPLETELY WENT AWAY. UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE, SHE ENDED UP IN THE OPPOSITE LANE WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC - SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND QUICKLY PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE AND BACKED INTO THE FRONT YARD AND PARKED THE VEHICLE. AFTER ALL THE COMPLAINTS FOUND ONLINE WITH THIS ISSUE I AM SURPRISED NOBODY HAS GOTTEN KILLED YET BECAUSE OF THIS - OR MAYBE THEY HAVE AND THEY JUST AREN'T HERE TO TELL US WHY THEY PULLED OUT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC DUE TO THE FACT THE POWER STEERING QUIT WORKING AND THEY COULDN'T STEER THEIR VEHICLE. I HOPE GM WILL TAKE ACTION AGAINST THIS ISSUE BEFORE IT AFFECTS ME PERSONALLY. BEST REGARDS, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2016
Apr 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. WHILE HAVING THE VEHICLE SERVICED, THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND RACK AND PINION FAILED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2016
Mar 2016

POWER STEERING LEAK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Mar 2016
Jan 2016

AFTER ROUTINE INSPECTION AND AN ALIGNMENT IT WAS REPORTED TO US BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE STEERING SYSTEM WAS LEAKING, SPECIFICALLY FROM A VALVE ISSUE. THIS HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED ALREADY BY GM IN A SERVICE CALL REPORTED FROM ANOTHER USER: SERVICE #14329 FROM GM. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN GM MODELS, BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN APPLIED TO TRAVERSE RECALLS. REQUEST THAT THIS IS ELEVATED AND GM ISSUES A COMPLETE RECALL/REIMBURSEMENT FOR ALL VEHICLES WITH THIS STEERING LEAK TO SPECIFICALLY INCLUDE TRAVERSE/ACADIA MODELS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2016
Oct 2015

I HAVE A 2012 CHEVY TRAVERSE THAT MADE NOISE WITH TURNING, WAS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID AND BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER WHILE DRIVING. POWER STEERING FLUID WOULD PUDDLE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. I ONLY HAVE A LITTLE OVER 35,000 MILES ON IT. THE BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY EXPIRED IN 6/15. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I CALLED CHEVY AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WERE UNAWARE OF AN ISSUE OF THIS NATURE WITH MY TYPE OF VEHICLE AND THAT I HAD NO OUTSTANDING RECALLS. THEY STATED I NEEDED TO HAVE IT TOWED (THEY OFFERED TO PAY) TO A DEALERSHIP TO BE ACCURATELY ASSESSED AS IF MY VERY EXPERIENCED MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE THERE WAS AN ISSUE. I WAS TOLD THAT BASED ON MY VIN MY VEHICLE DOESN'T HAVE ANY ISSUES. I TOLD THEM THAT BASED ON MY VEHICLE THE VIN HAS PROBLEMS AND THAT THE VIN DOES NOT PREDICT WHETHER IT WILL HAVE ISSUES. THERE MIGHT NOT BE A RECALL HOWEVER THERE ARE COMPLAINTS TO THE NHTSA AND A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE TO MYSELF, OTHER VEHICLES DRIVING AROUND ME AS WELL AS PEDESTRIANS. I LIVE RIGHT BY AN ELEMETARY SCHOOL. MY STEERING MAKES A HORRIBLE SOUND AND BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER WHILE DRIVING.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2015
Jul 2015

THIS CAR HAS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING. THE STEERING RACK IS LEAKING WHICH WILL LEAD TO AN INABILITY TO STEER THE CAR EFFECTIVELY. CHEVROLET HAS AN SPECIAL SERVICE #14329 THAT COVERS THIS FOR A NUMBER OF MODEL YEARS INCLUDING 2012 BUT FOR SOME REASON THE VIN FOR MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED BUT IT EXHIBITS THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM. I NEED GM TO EXPAND IT'S SPECIAL SERVICE TO INCLUDE ALL CARS THAT EXHIBIT THE PROBLEM. THERE ARE MULTIPLE EXAMPLES HERE THAT ILLUSTRATE THE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ASPECTS OF THIS FAILURE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Apr 2015
May 2015

MY CHEVY TRAVERSE WAS HARD TO STEER, ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE. I HAD FLUID ON MY GARAGE FLOOR, LUCKILY I LIVE A MILE FROM THE DEALER. AFTER CHECKING THE VEHICLE THEY FOLLOWED THE LEAK AND STATED THAT I NEEDED A NEW RACK AND PINION, POWER STEERING PUMP AND THEN AN ALIGNMENT. TOTAL BILL $ 2,600 AND THEY WERE NOT SURE IF THIS FIX WOULD THE PROBLEM. THEY STATED THAT THEY NEVER SAW SUCH A PROBLEM IN A VEHICLE THAT HAD LESS THAN 70,000 MILES. OF COURSE THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AND THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED. THE DEALER GAVE ME THE OPTION OF JUST DOING THE RACK AND PINION AND TAKING MY CHANCES WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP. I DECLINED ALL WORK AND HAD MY MECHANIC DO THE RACK AND PINION AND IT WAS STILL NOT CHEAP. AND I HAD TO GO TO MIDAS TO GET THE ALIGNMENT. HOWEVER THE VEHICLE STILL WHINES AND TURNS ARE STILL HARD, YOU WOULD THINK THAT A VEHICLE THAT COST OVER $30K WOULD BE BUILT BETTER....I BELIEVE I HAVE HAD 3 RECALLS AND I AM WAITING ON PARTS FOR ANOTHER ONE. A CO-WORKER TOLD ME THE SAME EXACT ISSUE WITH HIS LATE MODEL TRAVERSE AND CLASS ACTION SUITS.....HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO HAVE THIS ISSUE OR DIE BEFORE A RECALL IS MADE. I AM CONCERNED THAT I WILL BE IN A SITUATION AND NOT ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Mar 2015
May 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL EMITTED AN UNUSUAL NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Aug 2015
Apr 2015 Crash

HARD TO STEER AT LOWER SPEED (WHEN PARKING OR COMING OUT OF PARKING, WHEN TURNING) IN ONE OCCASION I DID HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE WILE TURNING TO MY RIGHT, LUCKILY THERE WERE NOT SERIOUS DAMAGES AND NO INJURIES TO ANY OF THE PARTIES INVOLVED. I CAN BARELY TURN AT LOWER SPEED, I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND THE RACK AND PINION AS WELL. CANNOT AFFORD OVER $3,000.00 IN REPAIR COSTS. I DID A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF CHEVY OWNERS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2015
Feb 2015

VEHICLE VERY HARD TO STEER. LOUD NOISE WHEN SHIFT OUT OF PARK. HARD TO STEER AT LOW SPEED, TOOK TO DEALERSHIP THEY KEPT MY VEHICLE REFUSED TO PROVIDE LOANER CAR UNTIL DIAGNOSED TWO DAYS LATER. DROPPED OFF ON A FRIDAY DEALER SAYS REPAIR TO STEERING WON'T BE DONE UNTIL TUESDAY. RESEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND THIS PROBLEM ON MANY CHEVY TRAVERSE FORUMS. THIS CAR NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2015
Feb 2015

THE POWER STEERING LOCKS AND BECOMES ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLE IN WET CONDITIONS. IT APPEARS EARLIER MODEL YEARS HAVE BEEN RECALLED OR COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BUT NOT 2012. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2013
Feb 2015

WHILE DRIVING DURING WET CONDITIONS, THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING, NEARLY CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO IMPACT A CURB AND TREE. THE DEALER IS LOOKING INTO THE REASONING FOR THIS, THERE SEEM TO BE NUMEROUS COUNTS OF 2009-2013 GM CROSSOVER VEHICLES HAVING THE SAME ISSUE, WITHOUT RECALLS. I FEEL THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE, AS I WAS DRIVING WITH MY 4 YEAR OLD SON. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Feb 2015
Dec 2014

ON 24 DEC 2014 AT AROUND 11:45AM, I WAS PULLING OFF A MAIN ROAD (WITH MY YOUNG DAUGHTER) INTO THE PARKING LOT OF MY DOCTOR'S BUSINESS, WHEN MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED COMPLETELY WHILE I WAS STILL IN MOTION. AFTER BRAKING, I WAS ABLE TO JIGGLE THE STEERING WHEEL FREE AND PULLED THE CAR INTO A PARKING SPACE. I CONTACTED MY DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY TO REPORT THE INCIDENT. AS IT WAS CHRISTMAS EVE, THEY WERE CLOSING WITHIN MINUTES AND I WAS TOLD TO BRING IN THE CAR ON FRIDAY, DEC 26TH..WHICH I DID. AFTER AN ASSESSMENT WAS COMPLETED AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT "COULD NOT DUPLICATE CUSTOMER'S COMPLAINT OF LOSS OF POWER STEERING", I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO FOR ME UNTIL THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN AND WITH MORE REGULARITY. THE SERVICE REPS DID SHARE THAT THERE HAS BEEN REPORTED INCIDENTS WITH THE TRAVERSE REGARDING LOSS OF POWER STEERING, BUT NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS SHARED WITH ME. UPON DRIVING OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP, I PROMPTLY CONTACTED GM WHO OPENED UP A CASE REPORT. I HAVE REQUESTED THAT GM AND THE DEALERSHIP CONDUCT A MORE THOROUGH DIAGNOSIS OF THE STEERING SYSTEM AS I DEEM THIS INCIDENT MORE THAN JUST A "RANDOM" INCIDENT. THIS IS RATHER ALARMING AND I AND MY DAUGHTER ARE EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT THIS DID NOT HAPPEN MINUTES BEFORE WHEN WE WERE ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE DRIVING AT A HIGHER SPEED. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I FEEL VERY UNSAFE IN MY CAR NOW AND FEEL IT NECESSARY TO REPORT THE INCIDENT TO NHTSA IN THE EVENT OTHER 2012 TRAVERSE OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME. THANK YOU. *JS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2014
Nov 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND OPERATED AS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,100.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Aug 2014
Apr 2014

DRIVER BEGAN TO FEEL AND HEAR A RUBBING NOISE COMING FROM THE WHEEL WELL. WHEN TRYING TO MAKE A LOW SPEED LEFT TURN OFF OF A PRIMARY ROAD INTO THE ENTRANCE OF A BUSINESS, THE STEERING COMPLETELY LOCKED UP AND THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO TURN AND WAS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OPPOSING LANE OF TRAFFIC. FORTUNATELY FOR THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS, THERE WAS NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MANUALLY STEER (WITH DIFFICULTY AGAINST A LOT OF RESISTANCE FROM THE STEERING WHEEL) THE CAR BACK INTO THE CORRECT LANE AND CONTINUED ON UNTIL PULLING OVER IN A SAFE LOCATION ON THE SAME BLOCK. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2014

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

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.