2012 Chevrolet Traverse Powertrain & Transmission Problems

Traveling at 70 MPH on a highway Traction control/stabilitrac and engine turn on and acceleration stopped, car wont accelerate causing to cars behind me to start swirling around due to my car lost of acceleration, then pulled over to the shoulder thankfully with no accidents, then turn off car and turn on again and car worked normally for about 100 miles and it did it again.

First I already had to rebuild the transmission which is showing the beginning signs of failing again. Then around the same time I started having another issue that I find a lot scarier as the driver. It started giving me severely Reduced engine power, traction control off and stabilitrak messages with the ABS warning light lit up like a Christmas tree. This is by far the most dangerous of any issue I've ever experienced with all of my vehicles I've ever owned. It starts with a huge jump I cant stop or control to a car behind me it seems like I'm really getting on it and speeding up. But in a split second too quick for any human to process what is happening it just drops out big time. It then wont go above roughly 30 mph and the engine is revving very high to even get it to that. All the while it is heavily shuddering and jumping back and forth at a very fast rate and it does this with a high force to it. I have no control over it either. Before I could hit traction control off and it would all stop. However today it did this again for the first time in a long time and man was it 20 times worse than anything I had ever seen before. By the time I decided to turn back and go home (which I wasn't any further than a half mile into my drive to begin with) I made it maybe another quarter block and that is when the bottom fell out. It stopped moving at all at that point. Nothing we did to correct it that had totally controlled it in the past would help for the first time. In the end my husband hooked an o2 sensor to it and reset the codes and now it's back to driving beautifully. The reason I feel this needs recalled is it's a huge danger to myself and anyone else around me. When this starts you have no prior warning what so ever and then bam your all the sudden in a car that is jumping back and forth and its visible to other drivers then its starting like it's going to really go but it malfunctions so fast no one behind you would have time to react to such a sudden drop.

2012 chevy traverse. Feb 20 2020. Milage 127691 My valve cover gaskets failed causing the cabin to fill with smoke. Sept 11 2020 right front axel seal failed causing ptu to lose all the transfer case fluid and bearings. Transfer case replaced. Feb 22 2021 milage 141464 transmission slipping had new one installed. Jan 5 2022 milage 153350 had timing chains replaced. Check engine light came on. Back on june 29 2012 Chevrolet issued a bulletin No. 11340B special coverage adjustment timing chain wear. It is for 2007-2009 traverse acadia outlook enclave equipped with the same 3.6L Engine as my 2012 and other years. they extended warranty coverage for 10 years 120k miles. seeing this problem existed in 07-09 models this should be looked at and to include other years as well. I am a member of 2 facebook traverse groups and there are a lot of others with the same issue. The owners manual says to change engine oil every 5000 miles I have done that. Please look into adding additional years to this recall. Timing chains should not fail stretch or need replacing as much as I have seen others needing to. A vehicle should go well over 200k miles before needing replacing.

THE TRACTION CONTROL GOES ON AND OFF. STABILITY TRAK ERROR MESSAGE. ENGINE POWER REDUCED. THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELLERATE WHICH COULDVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS THE 4TH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE JANUARY 23, 2021. THIS ISSUE ON THE TRUCK NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND RESOLVED.

P0019, P0018 STABILITY TRACK ISSUES AND REDUCE ENGIN POWER AND I WAS DRIVING WHEN HAPPEN AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT WON'T GO OFF

The air conditioning stopped working after working amazing, Traction Control Disabled light keeps coming on, The RPM's would rev up seems like it gets stuck then drops to normal. stabilitrak messages with the ABS warning light lit up, Power steering (or power control) goes limp (at the worse times pulling out in traffic) It’s on issue after the other. Once I get one fixed another goes, then we’re back to the first one that was replaced that is now not working again. I still have a car payment so I’m without my car more than I’m driving it. I have to save up to get it fixed, and I won’t drive it until I know for sure it’s good. I was almost killed way to many times in it so to all the issues that GM knows about.

UNKNOWN, I first bought my Chevy Traverse Ltz in April of 2020, and about 2 weeks of driving it, I noticed that all(4)of my wheels/brakes instantly locked up while driving in traffic, almost causing a pile-up collision. The rotors and brakes releases alot of smoke as the wheels scrub and the suv doesn't move forward nor backward. I reported it to the car lot/dealership where i purchased it from and was told to take it to a certain auto shop. I arrived there, just to be told that he doesn't fix those type of problems. The dealership where i bought it from didn't look at it either. So, from that time til now in 2021, I have been dealing with the same exact problems being terrified with my children in the car, not knowing if/when the next time the wheels lock up for no reason, if it will be fatal for me and my children or other drivers. I've contacted GM about it, taken it to Chevy dealership a few times, even a couple of auto shops, and no one seems to know what the problem is. I recently had the transmission serviced to see if that was the issue and turns out, it wasn't. I don't know what to do, I am still financing it and the warranty only covers the transmission and engine, half the cost of the repair and the other half is my responsibility it states. I've been trying to prevent any fatal accidents best I can, sometimes by not driving it at all and having to ride with family members and friends. I was recently told by my warranty company that there is pretty much nothing they can do about it.

THE VEHICLE AT 125,000 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON AND THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TIMING CHAIN STRETCHING. IT IS THE CRANK SHAFT/CAM SHAFT. IT IS OVER A $2,000.00 REPAIR AND THE MECHANIC SAID THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH CHEVY TRAVERSE'S.

MY VEHICLE HAS 99,000 MILES ON IT AND IS OUTSIDE OF THE 5 YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD. MY TIMING CHAIN AND ACTUATORS ARE BEING REPLACED. I HAVE READ THAT THIS IS AN ON GOING ISSUE WITH MY SPECIFIC MOTOR. I HAVE ALWAYS HAD THE OIL CHANGED AT THE DEALERSHIP IN THE TIME AND MILEAGE THAT IS RECOMMENDED. THE TIMING CHAIN PROBLEM CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO NOT DRIVE CORRECTLY AND BOG DOWN AND NOT GET POWER WHEN APPLYING THE GAS. WHEN DRIVING HOME ON THE HIGHWAY I APPLIED THE GAS AND THE TRAVERSE SPUTTERED AND WOULD NOT GET UP TO SPEED TO KEEP UP WITH TRAFFIC.

THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH CHEVROLET EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE NOT DONE A RECALL. EATS OIL, TICKS AND MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. MY MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT AND SAID IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN. I DON'T HAVE 3K TO FIX MY CAR.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. THE CONTACT STATED THE WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE STALL LASTED FOR A FEW SECONDS BEFORE THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STALL WAS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. THE CONTACT THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED HIM THAT HIS VEHICLE HAD A DEFECTIVE BATTERY. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE BATTERY HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT NOTIFIED A DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000.

WAS BRINGING MY CHILDREN HOME FROM SCHOOL AND ENGINE LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON, REDUCED MY SPEED AND I COULDN'T KEEP UP WITH TRAFFIC SO QUICKLY GOT OFF THE ROAD. LOOKED AT THE DASH AND SAW IT SAID ENGINE POWER REDUCED. TURNED OFF THE CAR FEW SECONDS AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME LUCKILY I WASN'T TO FAR.

WHINING AND WINDING SOUND ON ACCELERATION AT ALL SPEEDS..RUMBLING NOISE FROM ENGINE. STRUT LEAKING AND FRONT SUSPENSION ISSUES. THIS TURNED OUT TO BE TRANSMISSION AND TORQUE CONVERTER. ALONG WITH PTO PINION SEAL, CRANKSHAFT SEAL, WATER PUMP, HARMONIC BALANCER, STRUTS, SWAY BAR LINKS, AND DRIVE BELT.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WILL SHUDDER AND LOSE POWER, OCCASIONALLY THE VEHICLE WILL STALL ALMOST LIKE IT IS ATTEMPTING TO GRAB GEARS WHILE DOWN SHIFTING AND IT WILL CAUSE THE WHOLE VEHICLE TO SHAKE, IT HAS HAPPENED SO HARD I HAVE HAD TO EXIT THE INTERSTATE FOR WORRY OF MINE AND MY PASSENGERS SAFETY. THE VEHICLE UPON ENTERING WILL SLAM INTO GEAR AND WHEN DRIVING IN RURAL AREAS THE TRANSMISSION EVEN FEELS LIKE IT IS SLIPPING AND THE CAR WILL JERK BACK AND FOURTH UNTIL IT GRABS A HIGHER GEAR. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2018 WITH JUST OVER 100,000 MILES AND EVEN NOW THE VEHICLE IS ONLY SITTING AT ROUGHLY 132,000 MILES AND HAS HAS REGULAR SERVICES TO MAINTAIN THE VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE TRAVERSE HAS SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF THIS SAME ISSUE INCLUDING OLDER AND NEWER VEHICLES, AND MOST HAVE RESULTED IN TORQUE CONVERTER/TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED COMPLETELY IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTIONS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DOWNSHIFT FOR TAKE OFF AND HAS ALSO DONE SO WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MERGE ONTO THE INTERSTATE. THE ISSUE WAS ORIGINALLY NOTICED TOWARDS THE END OF 2019- TO EARLY 2020 AND HAS PROCEEDED TO GET SO BAD WE NO LONGER TRUST THE INTEGRITY OF THE VEHICLE FOR FAMILY TRIPS OR EVEN TO ROUTINE DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS FOR FEAR OF THE VEHICLE STALLING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC.

FOR NO REASON THE SERVICE STABILTRAK LIGHT COMES ON. THE GAGES START GOING ON THEIR OWN. THE VEHICLE GOES INTO LIMP MODE WHILE DRIVING. IT HAS HAPPENED ON HIGHWAYS, CITY ROADS. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A DEALERSHIP "WHO SAID I CANT MAKE IT RECIPROCATE SO I JUST REPROGRAMMED THE TCM, AND IF THAT DOESNT WORK I WILL RECOMMEND ANEW TCM." IN SHORT THEY HAVE NO IDEA. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS ABLE TO TROUBLE SHOOT IT BACK TO THE FUEL CONTROL SYSTEM MODULE VS COMM MODULE. HOWEVER. I THINK THERE IS MORE TO IT THAN THAT. CHEVY NEEDS TO FIX THIS ISSUE IT'S A VERY COMMON ISSUE ON TRAVERSE FORUMS. NHSTA PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. WHEN THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT AN UNKNOWN PART RELATED TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

WITHOUT ANY WARNING GOT THE FOLLOWING MESSAGES: TRACTION CONTROL OFF, SERVICE STABILITY TRAK,SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED. THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE CAMSHAFT CORRELATION. I'VE LOOKED ON LINE AND HAVE NOTICED MANY TRAVERSE OWNERS ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM WHERE THE CAR SLOWS DOWN TO A HALT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD OR REFUSES TO GO FASTER THAN 25 MILES PER HOUR. WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AS A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED 4 YEARS AGO AND IT DOES'NT EVEN HAVE 100,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS ON THE ROAD WHEN THE MESSAGES CAME ON AND I HAD TO QUICKLY PULL IN TO A GAS STATION BECAUSE I WAS DRIVING ON A 55 MILE AN HOUR ROAD AND THE CAR QUICKLY SLOWED DOWN TO AROUND 25MPH.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KNOEPFLER CHEVROLET (100 JACKSON ST, SIOUX CITY, IA 51101, (866) 520-9856) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE 35R PLATE FRACTURED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,500. *TT CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE WAS FIXED.*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY DECELERATED TO 20 MPH. ALSO, THE TRACTION CONTROL AND REDUCE POWER CHECK ENGINE INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURES WERE EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS TIMES. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, IT REGAINED NORMAL ACCELERATION; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED MORE FREQUENTLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE ACCELERATOR SENSOR. THE REPAIRS DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO LOSE ACCELERATION. THE SPEED WOULD NOT EXCEED 20 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR FAILED AND THE ENGINE TIMING CHAIN STRETCHED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE WARRANTED REPAIR FOR THE TIMING CHAIN REPLACEMENT, WHICH ENDED IN 2017. THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED THE CONTACT WITH CASE NUMBER: [XXX]. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,300. PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

MY FUEL LIGHT CAME ON SO I WENT TO THE NEAREST STATION TO FILL UP. I ALWAYS TURN MY CAR OFF WHILE PUMPING. WHEN I WENT TO START THE CAR AFTERWARDS, IT ACTED LIKE IT DIDN'T WANT TO START. I PROCEEDED TO LEAVE THE STATION. AS I GOT ON THE ROAD MY LIGHTS STARTED COMING ON WARNING ME THAT THE TRACTION CONTROL IS OFF, THAT THE STABILITY SOMETHING NEEDS SERVICED, THEN SOMETHING ABOUT POWER REDUCED. I QUICKLY WENT FROM 45 MPH TO LESS THAN 20 ON A FLAT ROAD. SCARED ME BC I HAD MY FAMILY IN MY CAR AND ON A ONE LANE ROAD TRYING TO GET TO THE SIDE SO OTHERS COULD PASS ME.