2010 Chevrolet Traverse Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe the power steering becoming very hard to turn or cutting out at low speed, typically while parking or turning at intersections, with repairs quoted for the pump and rack and pinion. A second frequent theme is the check engine light coming on with a stretched timing chain diagnosis, often followed by stalling or a no-start. Several complaints also describe the Stabilitrak and reduced engine power messages appearing while driving.

1. 1
   Steering

   Power steering hard to turn or lost at low speed

   • 274 complaints (41%)
   • median 70,000 mi at 4.4 yrs old (254 state mileage)
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,500 (median of 47 quotes)
   • filed 2010–2024

   Owners describe the steering wheel becoming very stiff or requiring heavy effort at low speeds, especially while parking, making U-turns, or pulling out of intersections, while it usually feels normal above roughly 15-35 mph. Some say the condition is intermittent, sometimes accompanied by a whining or zipper-like noise and low fluid. Dealers commonly diagnosed a failed power steering pump or a leaking steering rack and pinion and quoted repairs in the several-hundred to $2,000 range; some owners mention a special warranty coverage letter on the pump while the rack was quoted as customer pay. Most reports fall between roughly 40,000 and 100,000 miles, with several owners noting it started within a few years of purchase.

   What to check: During a test drive, turn the wheel at near-zero speed in a parking lot and listen for whine or feel for stiffness; check power steering fluid level and look for leaks at the pump and rack. Ask whether the pump or rack and pinion has been replaced and whether any special coverage was applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Was pulling into my driveway, at very low speed(less than 5mph) and the steering became very hard to turn. I stopped and had to pull very hard on the steering wheel to continue into my carport. This happened several times after that and the next day also. Today I had a doctors appointment and it was back to normal. My wife is afraid to drive it because it may happen again. What are we supposed to do? Is there a recall on this?”

   NHTSA complaint #10543865, filed 2013-09, 70,101 miles

   “Since october of 2013 I have been having issues with my power steering locking up or becoming so tight while trying to turn at slow speeds that I have to force a turn. I have take it to my dealership to have it looked at after reading the numerous complaints for the same issues. I was told that I would need a new pump and rack pinion steering, which was told it would cost me $1300 and is not covered under the power terrain!!!! …”

   NHTSA complaint #10557603, filed 2013-12, 90,000 miles
2. 2
   Engine

   Stretched timing chain, check engine light, stalling

   • 132 complaints (20%)
   • median 92,500 mi at 7.2 yrs old (108 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,870 (median of 29 quotes)
   • filed 2012–2022

   Complaints describe the check engine light coming on, sometimes with codes pointing to camshaft and crankshaft correlation, and a diagnosis of a stretched timing chain. Owners report rough running, poor acceleration, stalling at low speed or on the highway, and in some cases a no-start or seized engine. Several note that the same chain issue was covered by extended coverage on the 2009 model but that their 2010 was not included, and dealers quoted repair costs in the low thousands. Reports range widely, from under 50,000 miles to well past 150,000 miles, with many in the 80,000-140,000 mile range.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for service records showing whether the timing chain has been replaced, and have a pre-purchase scan done for stored or pending correlation codes. Listen for a cold-start rattle and check that the engine idles and accelerates smoothly.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “At roughly 130000 miles, I took my vehicle to a mechanic because of a check engine light that was on. I was told that it was due to my timing chains. I have known of another case of the same problem in a vehicle with the same engine as mine that had the exact same thing happen. The mechanic told me that he fixed at lease 12 vehicles with this problem in the last year.”

   NHTSA complaint #11058524, filed 2018-01, 130,000 miles

   “We had a check engine light come on and when tested we received several different codes. The vehicle did not accelerate and ran rough. The dealership informed us that the timing chain had stretched and needed to be replaced. This appears to be a common issue with several different GM cars including the acadia and enclave. Gm provides a special coverage adjustment for several makes and models for this issue under special coverage adjustment #11340c , but not the 2010 Traverse.”

   NHTSA complaint #11100564, filed 2018-06, 107,000 miles
3. 3
   Electronic stability control

   Stabilitrak and reduced engine power messages

   • 92 complaints (14%)
   • median 80,761 mi at 5.8 yrs old (82 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $1,200 (median of 9 quotes)
   • filed 2010–2023

   Owners describe chimes and dash messages for service traction control, service Stabilitrak and engine power reduced, often followed by the vehicle slowing sharply or dropping to a limited speed. Some report the engine cutting off and requiring a restart, sometimes after cleaning or replacing the throttle body. Complaints note that the warning appears without much notice, often at highway speed or in cold weather. Typically reported between roughly 60,000 and 140,000 miles, with several owners noting it in cold weather.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the throttle body has been cleaned or replaced and whether any stored codes were diagnosed. During a test drive, watch for chimes or dash messages and confirm the vehicle accelerates normally from a stop.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Wife was driving the kids to school this morning on the highway and all of a sudden the displayed showed traction control off, service stabilitrac, engine power reduced. The car suddenly dropped to 25mph. I see these problems all over and it seems as if my VIN isn't covered. This could have caused serious harm to my family and others. This is not the only issue, I also have a complaint about the steering problems.”

   NHTSA complaint #10670865, filed 2015-01, 78,000 miles

   “Every time when it's real cold out and I'm driving my stabilitrak come on and my engine reduced power clean throttle body already don't know what the problem is here's a recall on throttle body for a 2010 chevy Traverse need to call chevy dealer and see what the problem is”

   NHTSA complaint #11062699, filed 2018-01, 140,115 miles
4. 4
   Engine

   Engine stalls or cuts off while driving

   • 56 complaints (8%)
   • median 98,500 mi at 7.5 yrs old (44 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,200 (median of 11 quotes)
   • filed 2010–2023

   Complaints describe the engine shutting off without warning while driving at highway or city speeds, sometimes restarting after a short wait and sometimes not restarting at all. A few owners mention a fuel smell or stalling after refueling, and one describes smoke or a small fire at the air filter area. Diagnosis in these reports varied, from fuel system and ignition switch issues to the timing chain. Reported from about 54,000 to 200,000 miles, at both city and highway speeds.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for any history of stalling or no-start repairs, including fuel pump, fuel pump control module and ignition switch work. Check for a fuel smell around the engine bay and after refueling, and have fault codes scanned.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “As I was driving the engine cut off in the middle of the road and the car wouldn't start. This happened without warning. No engine lights, temperature gauge, etc. I was traveling at about 35 MPH and had just let off the accelerator to make a turn when I noticed the powering steering was out and realized the engine had cut off unexpectedly. Thank god I had just got off the expressway. This is very dangerous and after searching the internet saw a lot of other people have had the same issue. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11389081, filed 2021-01, 135,000 miles

   “I was driving my 2010 Chevrolet Traverse lt on the freeway, when with no warnings at all. The engine shut off at 67 MPH in mid heavy traffic. I pointed her to the center divider since I was in the fast lane. We came to a halt and I wasn't all the way out of traffic. I got it home to my mechanic and he said he had no idea what happened at all to her, since I had just had her serviced and was told she was ready to travel. My mechanic was dumb founded and showed me just in the last year this has happened to many driver's with my same car. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11408518, filed 2021-04, 200,000 miles

Buying note. Factor in a steering system inspection and a timing chain history check before purchase, since these are the two most frequently described repairs on this model year. A pre-purchase scan for stored codes and a cold-start drive will show much of what owners report.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.