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2009 Chevrolet Traverse

The Verdict

30 Check Engine

The 2009 Chevrolet Traverse has 446 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (284 complaints) and engine (65 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 30/100, it earns a "Check Engine" rating. If you're shopping for a Chevrolet Traverse, consider the 2023 model year which has 81% fewer complaints.

Safe Bet

The 2023 has 81% fewer complaints

View the 2023 Chevrolet Traverse dashboard →

30

Klunk Score: Check Engine

More complaints than most vehicles. Known issues exist — budget for potential repairs.

How is this calculated?

The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.

Recalls 1

Active safety recalls from NHTSA for this vehicle year.

09V153000 PARKING BRAKE

GM IS RECALLING 15,393 MY 2009 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 135, "PASSENGER CAR BRAKE SYSTEMS." THESE VEHICL...

Risk

IF THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER IS IN THE PARK POSITION, THERE WILL BE NO UNINTENDED VEHICLE MOVEMENT. HOWEVER, IF THE KEYS ARE LEFT IN THE IGNITION, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER IS IN ANY POSITION...

Remedy

DEALERS ARE TO REPLACE THE PARK BRAKE CABLE LINK (CONNECTOR) FREE OF CHARGE. GM ANTICIPATES THAT THE DEALER BULLETIN WILL BE SENT MAY 5, 2009 AND OWNER LETTERS WILL BE MAILED IN JUNE 2009. OWNER...

Reported Jun 5, 2009

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
20092849446544
2010364145619638
2011239197722845
201212996512823
2013332476019
2014771425613521
20156761454716
20165231333723
20173881793312
2018902752123158
201998136284140
2020557229830
2021249222011
2022226111735
2023148162222
2024333753216
202523107161110

By Category

Body
284
Engine
65
Electrical
44
Transmission
44
Brakes
9

By Severity

1
213
2
210
3
5
4
18

Worst Problems

Compare Against

See how the 2009 Chevrolet Traverse stacks up against rivals.

Complaints

Engine 1

Limp mode. It doesn't have speed only goes about 10-20 mph, doesn't give any gas it'll stall act as if it wants to shut down. Transmission Shift Cable. Stalls want let me get gas or nothing slowing down in traffic, it just gives up. No. yes. others Check engine light, Stabilitrak/traction control system, ABS sensor Whenever the check engine light came early part of December.

6mo ago
Engine 1

I just bought the car from sb auto . The car I had for 4 days wasn't making funny nosies nothing. The timing went when I was driving the car it came to a dead stop lost power steering . Had me and my son in the car thankfully I was Turning into a complex when it happened. It's got 159163 miles

30mo ago
Transmission 1

The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that when she started her vehicle and shifted into drive (D) and depressed the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that she attempted to drive the vehicle however, the vehicle failed to exceed 20 MPH. The contact stated that the check engine and TPMS warning lights were illuminated. The contact parked the vehicle nearby her residence. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been diagnosed and had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

35mo ago
Transmission 2

I bought the car in August of last year and drove it for about 3 days before it started giving me problems. First incident I was driving my children home from the hairdresser and the car completely went out us on the highway, after repeated attempts for a half hour or so I was able to start it and drive it back home very slowly..this happened twice I went to get it diagnosed and codes came up for crank shaft sensor and o2 sensor, before I could even get that fixed more problems came up, the steering wheel began to become stiff and almost impossible to turn, while picking my son up from school I was trying to pull away from the curb in the drop off spot and almost hit another car and a child because the steering wheel stiffened up on me!!! I was told I would need an entire steering rack!!! ...also the key has gotten stuck in the ignition and wouldn't start and I had to have it towed to a mechanic for that as well. Driving up hill one day I lost power that made it seem like it was stuck in low, then we lost reverse altogether as well as the ability to climb hills. I got the transmission repaired, barely made it home before it started doing the exact same thing, no reverse and won't go up hills, so I had to get it towed back to the shop to fix it once again, now I find out that the computer went bad as well and was causing the car to perform in neutral. This car has given me nothing but problems since I bought it! It is very dangerous to be on the road! I don't understand how they're even still in circulation!! This is by far the worst experience I've ever had with a vehicle! Upon doing research online I seen that there were HUNDREDS of people with these cars experiencing the same problems. Something has to be done!! I had the car almost a year and only got about a week's worth of use!!

39mo ago
Engine 2

I bought my car and not even a month later I was driving off the interstate and it shut down on me. I had it towed to my house and it won’t start anymore. The car makes a funny clickin noise. It could have killed me if I would have wrecked.

48mo ago
Transmission 1

Wiring failing, abs won't work, track control not working, reverse camera, stable track,

52mo ago
Body 4

The car appeared to have lost power, not while entering the freeway. I pressed on the gas, but it made a loud sound and barely moved. I then saw smoke, pulled over and the car cut off. The car continued to smoke. I opened the hood, and it was a fire under it. Prior to driving, the check engine light was on.

56mo ago
Electrical 2

Airbag “Service Airbag” light appears on dash intermittently.

56mo ago
Body 1

I bought a used car and maybe it’s just wear and tear but I’ve seen it in lots of forums on the internet also. My back end sways going around curves almost like I am fishtailing and then my traction control dings and it says service traction control and also my car jumps when in idle the rpm needle moves with it. It acts like it doesn’t want to get up and go at about 60. I’ve seen a lot of people talk about the engine and transmission going out in vehicles. I didn’t know this when I bought the vehicle. I have 2 kids and I need this car to take them to school and errands. I don’t know if this is normal wear and tear or if it’s something wrong with the car from the beginning

61mo ago
Engine 1

Both catalytic converters are bad and the vehicle only has 89k miles

61mo ago
Electrical 2

A year a go the steering at low speed would act like the power steering just stop working, very hard to turn. but not all the time, but now it more often. when a kid ran out between two parked cars I went to turn and hit the brakes the steering went out. Luckily he stop in time, but after that I needed it repaired. Went to GM web site and was amazed of all the people with this, called chevy dealer about repairs and was told its my problem and it would be $ 2100.00 to replace a faulty power steering pump, how is this not a safety problem. Try turning in a parking space and the wheel locks up its hard not to hit the car beside you. WITH NO WARNING

61mo ago
Body 2

VEHICLE IS HARD TO TURN AT LOW SPEEDS. (POWER STEERING) HIGHER SPEEDS IT STEERS NORMALLY. THEY APPARENTLY KNOW ABOUT THE ISSUE.

65mo ago
Transmission 1

I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY IN REVERSE AND CONTROL OF THE CAR WAS LOST. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. I JUST BOUGHT THE CAR AND I WAS NEVER TOLD OF ANY ISSUES OR RECALLS WITH THE CAR AS IT SHOULD HAVE WENT THROUGH A SAFETY INSPECTION. EVEN WHEN I LOOKED ONLINE THE VEHICLE WAS CLEARED FOR RECALL REPAIRS. NO SERVICE ENGINE LIGHTS ALERTED ME OF ANY PROBLEMS. THIS HAPPENED INSTANTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION BACKING INTO A CITY STREET.

65mo ago
Body 1

WAS DRIVING FINE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WITH NO WARNING CAR WOULD NOT GO FASTER THAN 15 MPH. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THEN TRACTION CONTROL WENT OFF. ACROSS THE DASH IT SAID "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, SERVICE STABILITRACK AND REDUCED ENGINE POWER" THE CAR STARTED SHIFTING BETWEEN 2 DIFFERENT GEARS MAKING IT EXTREMELY SCARY TO TRY DRIVING TO A SAFE SPOT WITH 3 YOUNG KIDS.

65mo ago
Electrical 1

AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON

66mo ago
Engine 2

MY CAR HAS A RECALL FOR THE TIMING CHAIN, I NEVER KNEW ABOUT IT, AS I AM NOT THE FIRST OWNER OF THE CAR, AND I NEVER RECEIVED A NOTICE, WHEN MY CAR ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, I NEVER KNEW WHAT EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS I ENDED UP CHANGING PARTS ON MY CAR BASED ON A MECHANIC THAT DIDN'T KNOW BETTER AND DIDN'T CHANGE WHAT I NEED TO BE CHANGE AND BROUGHT IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN, AFTER SEEING HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST I DIDN'T HAVE THE MEANS AT THE TIME, THIS IS ABOUT YEAR INTO GETTING THE CAR BACK IN 2018, I BELIEVE 2020, I KNOW ENDED UP BRING IT BACK TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHERE THEY NOTIFIED ME THAT CAR HAD A RECALL ON THE TIMING CHAIN KIT, WHICH CHEVY NEVER INFORMED BE ABOUT WHEN I WENT THERE LOOKING TO BUY THE PARTS FOR MY CAR, ALSO MY DEALER WHO I GOT THE CAR FORM NEVER INFORM ME OF THIS RECALL AS WELL AS ANOTHER ONE I HAVE ON THE CAR THAT I FOUND OUT WHEN I WENT RECENTLY TO SEE MY RECALLS AT CHEVY DEALER, THEY ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE RECALL EXPIRED IN 2019 AND THEY CAN'T FIXED IT, WHICH I DON'T AGREE WITH, RECALLS SHOULDN'T EXPIRE ITS A SAFETY MEASURE. I WOULD REALLY LIKE YOU HELP IN GETTING MY CAR FIXED AND SAFE TO OPERATE WITH ALL THE RECALLS . THANK YOU. ALSO WHEN I LOOK UP MY VIN IT DOESN'T SHOW MY RECALLS WHICH IS A PROBLEM.

66mo ago
Body 2

MY WIFE AND I OWN A 09 CHEVY TRAVERSE AND HAVE HAD FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS. WHEN WE FIRST BOUGHT IT IT DROVE LIKE BRAND NEW BUT OVER THE PERIOD OF A YEAR OR SO WE STARTED TO FEEL A SIDE TO SIDE SWAYING (SUCH AS ROCKING IN A BOAT) WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 60 MPH. SINCE WE'VE GOT 4 KIDS AND MY WIFE USES IT AS A DAY TO DAY VEHICLE I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD THEM TELL ME IT WAS STRUTS (WHICH I HAD REPLACED) AND AFTER BEING REPLACED IT STILL HAD THE SIDE TO SIDE MOVEMENT. IT HAS GOTTEN TO THE POINT I DON'T ALLOW HER TO DRIVE HER NOR THE KIDS BECAUSE OF THE DANGERS. I'VE HAD THE RACK N STEERING, FRONT UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS THE REAR UPPER CONTROL ARMS, STABILIZER BAR BUSHINGS ALONG WITH NUMEROUS OTHER BUSHINGS AND ALL 4 BRAND NEW TIRES. THE DEALERSHIP NOR OTHER INDEPENDENT SHOP KNOWS WHAT ELSE TO REPLACE.

66mo ago
Body 2

COUPLE MONTHS AGO I WAS OUT WITH MY FAMILY AND NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS ALMOST STUTTERING WHEN I PLACED IT IN REVERSE. A LITTLE LIKE WHEN YOU DRIVE A CAR WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND YOU DEPRESS THE CLUTCH BUT DON'T GIVE THE CAR ENOUGH GAS AND IS STARTS TO JERK BACKWARDS INSTEAD OF ROLL SMOOTHLY. THEN AS I TRAVELED HOME I NOTICED A SORT OF SHUTTER WHEN THE CAR SHIFTS AT 25 MPH- I'M GUESSING AROUND 3RD GEAR. NO SHUTTERING AT A HIGHER GEAR. IT HAS BEEN IN MY GARAGE SINCE THAT DAY AND I HAVE NOT DRIVEN IT. FROM WHAT I BEEN READING & LEARNING IT HAS TO DO WITH THE WAVE PLATES ON THE INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION. PLEASE HELP.

68mo ago
Electrical 1

WARNING CHIMES / SPEAKERS NOT WORKING DUE TO WATER SHORTING THE PLUGS FOR THE DOOR ATTACHMENTS. BACKUP SAFETY CHIMES AND ALL CHIMES ARE INSTALL WITH PURPOSE AND SAFETY IN MIND.

70mo ago
Body 2

POWER STEERING HAS FAILED AGAIN. POWER STEERING WAS FIXED UNDER A PREVIOUS RECALL, BUT THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAS FAILED AGAIN MAY 2020.

71mo ago

446 total

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