2019 Chevrolet Traverse Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse most often describe transmission-related problems — shuddering, jerking, harsh or delayed shifting, and occasional loss of acceleration or reverse — typically appearing in the 40,000-90,000 mile range. A second large group of complaints concerns a "Shift to Park" message that appears even when the shifter is in Park, which can keep the vehicle from shutting off and drain the battery. A smaller set of reports covers exhaust rattles and fractures, suspension clunks, and air bags that did not deploy in crashes.

1. 1
   Electrical system

   "Shift to Park" message / vehicle won't shut off

   • 221 complaints (54%)
   • median 46,434 mi at 5.2 yrs old (35 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $500 (median of 19 quotes)
   • filed 2020–2026

   Owners describe shutting the vehicle off in Park and seeing a "Shift to Park" or "Action Required Shift to Park" message, sometimes with a chime that won't stop. The vehicle may refuse to power down fully, leaving interior lights, radio or the instrument panel on, and in some cases the battery drains overnight. Complaints describe owners rocking the shifter between gears or restarting several times to clear the message; dealers who looked at it commonly replaced the shifter switch, wiring harness, or related components, and some owners report the message returning after repair. Reported across a wide mileage span, from under 20,000 to about 88,000 miles, at any temperature and on both flat and sloped ground.

   What to check: With the engine running, shift into Park and try to switch the vehicle off; confirm the message clears and all electronics power down. Ask whether the shifter switch or harness has been replaced, and check that the battery holds charge after sitting.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Shift to park message appears after putting the vehicle in park and trying to turn the engine off. Vehicle is clearly in park, but vehicle does not seem to recognize it is in park. Happens intermittenly. To be able to turn off the car, I will need to put the car in drive and then back to park. Sometimes it fixes on the first time, other times I need to do it multiple times.”

   NHTSA complaint #11395077, filed 2021-02, 20,000 miles

   “When I put the stick shift in park, it signals the vehicle is not in park. The dealership said this is a common problem with the Traverse. They put in a bra to help it stay in park, the bra failed and they adjusted it again. I can start and stop the car but can't turn the car off. This happens in any environment, on a hill, flat land in/out of garage. Is tis dangerous to drive”

   NHTSA complaint #11384478, filed 2020-12, 17,000 miles
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission shudder, jerking and harsh shifting

   • 152 complaints (37%)
   • median 61,000 mi at 5.8 yrs old (39 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $501 (median of 11 quotes)
   • filed 2019–2026

   Complaints describe the vehicle shuddering or jerking at steady speeds, hesitating or failing to respond when accelerating from a stop, and shifting with a hard thud or clunk into reverse or between gears. Some owners report the transmission failing to engage drive or reverse intermittently, and a check engine light coming on. Dealers and independent shops commonly diagnosed internal transmission or valve body failure; some vehicles were repaired with a fluid change first, and others were told a replacement transmission was needed. Mostly reported between roughly 40,000 and 90,000 miles, with some reports up to about 140,000 miles.

   Recall 20V6680001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Test drive at steady highway speed and from a stop, watching for shudder, hesitation or hard shifts into reverse. Ask whether transmission fluid was serviced, whether the start/stop accumulator recall work (20V668000) was completed, and whether any transmission repair has already been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was parked at a store doing grocery pick up. The car was running, and when the clerk finished loading my trunk, I closed the trunk door, and the car would not shift into reverse for me to leave the parking spot. I ended up having to turn the car off and on again for it to work.”

   NHTSA complaint #11349905, filed 2020-08, 18,500 miles

   “I was slowing down to make a turn and as I turned the steering wheel the vehicle get like it either locked up or went into neutral. I had no control over acceleration.”

   NHTSA complaint #11349901, filed 2020-08, 18,500 miles

Buying note. A pre-purchase inspection that focuses on the transmission and the shifter/Park sensor is worthwhile on this model year, since those two areas dominate owner reports. Confirm outstanding recall work was completed and ask for service records showing any transmission fluid or shifter repairs.

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.