2012 Chevrolet Traverse Recalls, Complaints & Specs
5 safety recalls list the 2012 Chevrolet Traverse, and owners have filed 354 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
5 safety recalls for the 2012 Chevrolet Traverse
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Critical fasteners (air bags)
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.
Remedy: 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…
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Hatchback/liftgate (structure)
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…
Remedy: 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…
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Seat belts
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…
Remedy: 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…
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Air bags: side/window
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…
Remedy: 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…
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Linkages (visibility)
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…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will tighten the wiper arm nuts, free of charge. The safety recall began on april 20, 2012.
354 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2012 Chevrolet Traverse have filed 354 complaints with NHTSA; 10 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 14 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 84,622 miles. Complaints peaked in 2019 with 67 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“It sways left to right really bad.. but when it rains or even even the car detected that it's going to rain.. as soon as the car senses it is going to rain u can't even drive it.. it like hydro plains”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, November 11, 2025 · Vehicle speed control
“The car feels like it’s bouncing everywhere on any kind of surface and now there is a loud very loud rattling noise coming from underneath the car and the car starts shaking excessively if you try to”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 9, 2025 · Suspension
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2012 Chevrolet Traverse (Traverse AWD, Traverse FWD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 19 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 16–17 / 23–24 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD |
| Engine | 6 cyl, 3.6 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 6-spd |
Compare Chevrolet Traverse model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Chevrolet Traverse model year in NHTSA's database.
Checking a specific 2012 Chevrolet Traverse
How do I know if my 2012 Chevrolet Traverse has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 5 campaigns currently list the 2012 Chevrolet Traverse; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Chevrolet dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 12V151000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Chevrolet models
- Malibu19,364 complaints
- Silverado 150018,029 complaints
- Impala10,434 complaints
- Tahoe10,032 complaints
- Equinox9,161 complaints
- Silverado8,799 complaints
- Blazer8,192 complaints
- Suburban8,164 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.