There are 50 owner-reported steering complaints for the 2012 Chevrolet Traversein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
White smoke was coming out the car and my car eventually sat on fire. I had to call the fire department.. fire department stated that it was a electrical issue
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 even before it starts to officially rain.. very dangerous plus I had to replace the two back tires because they seemed like they were being forced and drug that all u seen was wires coming out of the tread
crus traction control problem raking pinion. problems
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 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.
I was driving down the freeway at about 67 MPH when the message "Traction Control Disabled" came on my display & the car immediately went into "limp mode"! By some miracle I was able to muscle the car out of the slow lane, onto the shoulder as I lost my power steering once in limp mode. I waited a few minutes, car started up just fine, so I shrugged it off. Fast forward 1 week later & the same thing happened to me on my way home on a curvy mountain road. The power steering was again non-existent & luckily, there was no one behind me, nor did anyone come around the corner & hit my disabled car. Once again, it started up, no problem; however, this is when the harsh forward thrust started happening, & the transmission seemed to be slipping gears. The RPM's would rev to the 6000 range & immediately fall down to 1500. I took it to the dealer & sadly paid $3,400 for a new tranny on a 5-year-old car. (No warranty, of course). I started having the same issues about 2 years later, only this time the driver was not so lucky as they were mid-curve on the mountain road. Right as the roadway came out of the bend, the car went into limp mode, power steering lost & wheels stuck in a right turn position, car went off the roadway & into a telephone pole, broke that in half due to the angle of the pole in the mountainside & down the steep embankment about 40-50 feet. All airbags deployed & driver was able to walk away (hike away) but the car was a total loss. Driver was traveling 40-45 mph. There was no indication, no warning, just from travel to nothing.
WHILE DRIVING ABS LIGHT,TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT,AND SERVICE STABITRACK CAME BRAKES STARTED ACTING FUNNY AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PUTTERED AND FINALLY SETTLED OUT SHUT OFF AT HOUSE AND THE TRUCK STARTED UP AND DID THE SAME THING
I PURCHASED THIS TRAVERSE BACK IN OCTOBER OF 2019. I HAD IT 2 MONTHS AND IT STARTED WINDING AND THE POWER STEERING WAS MAKING AN AWFUL NOISE I CALLED THE DEALER I PURCHASED IT FROM CASH FOR CARS I'M GRAHAM, NORTH CAROLINA AND THEY TOLD ME THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO. ALSO THE REAR SEAT BELTS IN THE BACK SEAT FELL APART WITHIN A WEEK OF HAVING IT. I PAID 13,000 DOLLARS FOR THE SUV AND I JUST WANT IT SAFE FOR MY CHILDREN.
THE RACK AND PINION SEALS ARE LEAKING BADLY. THE COST TO TEPAIR IS VERY EXPENSIVE. MY MECHANIC SAYS IT SHOULD BE A RECALL.
THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE ONCE WITH OUR KIDS IN THE CAR ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE AIRPORT AND ONCE TO MY WIFE ON HER WAY HOME FROM WORK. BOTH ON THE FREEWAY AT 65+ MPH. DRIVING FINE THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN VIOLENT SHAKING, AND LOSS OF POWER. CANNOT STEER AT 65 MPH THAT IS LITERALLY DEADLY. SERVICE STABILITRAK LIGHT COMES ON, TRACTION CONTROL OFF LIGHT COMES ON, AND REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT COMES ON. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND HAD A 6,4,AND 2 YEAR OLD IN THE VEHICLE. THE FACT THAT THIS HASN'T BEEN ADDRESSED AS A RECALL IS ABSOLUTELY ABSURD. I WENT THROUGH 16 PAGES OF COMPLAINTS ON A CHEVROLET FORUM ABOUT THIS ISSUE. HOW MANY DOES IT TAKE BEFORE THE PROBLEM IS ADDRESSED? DOES SOMEONE NEED TO DIE? FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IT MAY NOT BE WORTH TAKING INTO A MECHANIC AS THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO NAIL DOWN THE ISSUE AND I DON'T HAVE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO POUR INTO A PROBLEM THAT DOESNT HAVE A SURE CURE. ABAOLUTELY RIDICULOUS TO BE DOING FREEWAY SPEEDS AND THEN NOT BE ABLE TO STEER. DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.
I WAS DRIVING ON A FLAT ROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON, SHORTLY AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND STEERING WHEEL TIGHTENED. I PULLED OVER, SHUT THE CAR OFF, WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND THEN RESTARTED. NO LIGHTS. WHEN I BRAKE CAR, SEEMS TO TAKE LONGER AND THEN JERKS TO ENGAGE BRAKES. SHOP RAN CODES AND NOTHING CAME BACK.
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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS AND FAILED TO RESPOND. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO MOVE LEFT OR RIGHT AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A BUS TERMINAL WALL. ADDITIONALLY, THE KEY FAILED TO RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT, PASSENGER, AND REAR PASSENGER OCCUPANT SUSTAINED CHEST INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000. **TR *TR
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!
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.
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 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.
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.
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026