2011 Chevrolet Traverse Steering Problems

Components related to timing chain failed, and vehicle is currently available with plans to sell to a salvage yard by 10/25/24. My 9 year old and I were at risk of collision when the vehicle failed. I was driving approximately 70-75 mph when we started to lose power. At 65 mph, I managed to cross 2 lanes of highway traffic and stopped on the shoulder. I turned off my vehicle and waited several minutes, hoping it would help reset or cool off a component or something. I had to try a couple of times before it started, and I attempted to drive as safely as I could, made it to 60 mph before it stopped running completely. I had to pull hard on the steering wheel to get to the shoulder again, only this time, the shoulder was pinched off in front of us and around a small blind spot behind us. I had my daughter move to the side closer to the cement barrier while waiting for a tow truck. She became very nervous about how close some of the other vehicles got. Afterwards, the error codes indicated several components pointing to a timing chain problem. I had the timing chain repaired around April or May of 2023 by a certified mechanic. I watched the oil life percentage and oil temperature gauge consistently. Everything indicated as normal, but I had difficulty pulling out the dipstick to check the oil level. Since it was hard to get a good reading, I tried to add some oil and recheck. The oil cap was nearly impossible to open, so I decided to wait for an oil tech to do it. Around 40-50% oil life, I had planned to have the oil changed. In spite of my efforts to maintain proper oil quality, the oil cap had to be opened with a wrench. Smoke rose out and dried out oil residue lined the inner walls. It was about a quart low. I don’t drive hard on it and it had only been around 3,000 miles between oil changes. It had been one year since the timing chain was replaced. Error codes remain and the vehicle runs rough if it stays on long enough after much effort to start it.

NHTSA ID

11618746

Incident

Apr 27, 2023

As i am driving down the road the service stable trak light and abs lights pop on and the brakes sieze up so bad you cant get the car to stop and brake pedal to unlock as well as when you try to turn the steering wheel locks

NHTSA ID

11615149

Incident

Sep 4, 2024

Care loses connection shuts off while driving and unable to accelerate. Loses steering control

NHTSA ID

11526066

Incident

Jun 1, 2023

THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLITON ON THIS VEHICLE SB-10056456-3388 IT HAS TO DO WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND SOME RACK AND PINON STEERING PARTS. IT IS HARD TO TURN WHEN YOU ARE FIRST STARTING OUT GETS EASIER AS YOU ARE DRIVING THOUGH BUT IS STILL A MAJOR CONCERN AND PROBLEM AS IT COULD HAPPEN TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AT SOME POINT WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS PROBLEM GET A RECALL ON IT

NHTSA ID

11423092

Incident

Jul 1, 2021

I'VE OWNED MY TRAVERSE FOR SLIGHTLY LONGER THAN 1 YEAR. I CAN HEAR A WHINY SOUND COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AREA AND IT IS BECOMING HARDER AND HARDER TO TURN THE WHEEL WHILE I'M GOING SLOW...AS IN I CAN'T GET IT INTO OR OUT OF TIGHT AREAS SUCH AS PARKING SPOTS. PUT IN HALF BOTTLE OF FLUID....DIDN'T HELP. IS THERE A RECALL?

NHTSA ID

11399196

Incident

Mar 3, 2021

I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY STEERING WHEN I DRIVE AT A SLOW SPEED. WHEN I GO TO TURN THE WHEEL YOU HAVE TO USE A LOT OF FORCE TO TURN, IF NOT YOU HAVE TO BE ON THE GAS TO GET THE STEERING TO WORK. I HATE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR. I HAVE ALMOST WREAKED IT A FEW TIMES. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON. WHEN IT STARTED HAPPENING LAST MONTH I GOT MY POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED AND THEN A WEEK AFTER I GOT IT PUT IN, IT'S NOT WORKING PROPERLY AGAIN. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. I HOPE THIS ISSUE GETS FIXED. I AM GOING TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP ONE MORE TIME IF IT DOES IT AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

11396487

Incident

Jan 10, 2021

Mileage

140,000 mi

IT BECAME VERY HARD TO STEER AS WE SLOWED DOWN TO TURN INTO A PARKING SPACE. IT FELT LIKE MANUAL STEERING AND NOT POWER. THE DEALERSHIP SAID WE NEED A STEERING RACK AND STEERING PUMP. IS THERE A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE?

NHTSA ID

11387191

Incident

Dec 18, 2020

Mileage

175,000 mi

SO FAR I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT ISSUES WITH MY SUV, BOUGHT A 2009 FOR 6,000 AND HAD TO PT 7,200 IN IT TO GET IT RUNNING RIGHT. I TRADED IT IN AT THE DEALERSHIP IT WAS BEING DIAGNOSED AT THANKFULLY. NOW I HAVE A 2011 AND STARTING TO HAVE MANY ISSUES UNFORTUNATELY. FIRST IT STARTED 3700 MILES AFTER I GOT MY 2011 BY LEAVING ME WITH NO POWER STEERING WHILE TRYING TO MAKE A TURN AND ALMOST WRECKED 3 TIMES GOING TO THE HOSPITAL. I WAS ABLE TO PUT POWER STEERING FLUID IN AND GOT MY POWER STEERING BACK BUT IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER. THEY SAID IF I CAME IN AT 3500 MILES THEY WOULD HAVE REPLACED THE PUMP AND WHOLE RACK UNDER WARRENTY, BUT THEY DIDNT. SO I GOTTA TOP IT OFF EVERY FEW MONTHS, NO BIG DEAL. SUSPENSION HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, ROUGH IDLE, TUNED UP 3 TIMES IN 42,373 MILES. A/C ONLY BLOWS COLD ON DRIVER SIDE NOW, IT MAKES A DIFFERENT NOISE EVERY DAY AND THE DEALERSHIP SAYS I NEED TO HAVE THE ENGINE DROPPED AND TIMING CHAIN REPLACED. I CANT DROP 2400 BUCKS ON SOMETHING THAT DOESNT FIX THE PROBLEM! WAY TOO MANY NEGATIVE OUTCOMES THAT I'VE READ ON THE TIMING CHAIN ISSUE. PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THE ENGINE REPLACED HAD BETTER LUCK THAN A REBUILD. THIS IS ABSURD BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT FAMILY VEHICLE BUT WITH THESE ISSUES I REALLY DONT WANT TO BUY AMERICAN MADE CARS ANYMORE.

NHTSA ID

11320228

Incident

Apr 21, 2018

Mileage

77,000 mi

CAR WAS POWERING DOWN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. NOW NEEDS TIMING CHAINS REPLACED. ALSO STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH THE STEERING NOT WORKING AND THE STEERING RACK IS BAD AND NEEDS REPLACES. SUSPENSION IS NO GOOD AND ALL HAS TO BE REDONE. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 70,000 MILES ON IT FOR BEING A 2011.

NHTSA ID

11279395

Incident

Nov 4, 2019

Mileage

70,000 mi

THE STEERING ON MY TRAVERSE INTERMITTENTLY STOPS WORKING, THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE ANY PATTERN AND WHEN IT STOPS WORKING THE CAR IS PRACTICALLY UNDRIVEABLE AND I'VE ALMOST GOTTEN INTO ACCIDENTS THREE DIFFERENT TIMES. MOST OF THE TIME IT HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING, HOWEVER, WHEN STOPPED IT HAPPENS AS WELL.

NHTSA ID

11278457

Incident

Nov 4, 2019

Mileage

92,000 mi

POWER STEERING SEEMS TO FAIL AT LOW SPEEDS AFFECTING TURNING, AS INTO PARKING SPOTS, GARAGE, ETC. WHEEL ALMOST SEEMS TO FREEZE IN PLACE BECOMING ALL BUT IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN. NOT NOTICABLE AT DRIVING SPEEDS. HAS BEEN HAPPENING ON AND OFF FOR OVER A YEAR. MY LOCAL MECHANIC MENTIONED A RECALL BUT MY VIN NUMBER DID NOT COME UP ON THE LIST.

NHTSA ID

11277624

Incident

Oct 31, 2019

Mileage

140,000 mi

ON REPEATED OCCASIONS FOR SEVERAL YEARS, WHEN TRAVELING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED, DURING A TURN, THE STEERING WILL FREEZE. VEHICLE WILL BECOME DIFFICULT TO TURN AND CAR EMITS HIGH LOUD SOUNDS. IF CAR IS STOPPED AND ENGINE TURNED OFF, WHEN RESTARTED IT WILL OFTEN CONTINUE TO EMIT THE SOUND AND CONTINUE TO BE NON-RESPONSIVE.

NHTSA ID

11271627

Incident

Oct 27, 2019

Mileage

110,000 mi

THE VEHICLE IS MAKING A NOISE WHEN STARTING, PRESSING ON THE GAS AND WHEN TURNING TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. AFTER CHECKING THE SPECIFIC CODE P0017, AND DIAGNOSTICS FROM DEALER ITS WAS THE TIMING CHAIN, STEERING GEAR AND PUMP ASSEMBLIES ARE THE ISSUE WITH MY 2011 CHEVY TRAVERSE. LOOKED UP THE WARRANTIES STILL APPLICABLE FOR THIS VEHICLE, SPECIAL COVERAGE 14582 (THROTTLE, TIMING CHAIN ETC.), 14329 (POWER STEERING) AND SPECIAL COVERAGE N192219480 (SEATBELT PRETENSIONER)

NHTSA ID

11242023

Incident

Aug 2, 2019

Mileage

114,932 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT SLOW SPEEDS 20 MPH OR LESS THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT WHEN YOU APPLY THE BRAKES. WHEN THE PROBLEM FIRST HAPPENED WE CHECKED THE POWER STEERING FLUID AND MADE SURE IT WAS FULL. THEN IT STARTED HAPPENING AGAIN. IT HAPPENS RANDOMLY AND IT IS VERY HARD TO MUSCLE THE WHEEL IT BECOMES SO STIFF. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AS THESE ARE TYPICALLY FAMILY VEHICLES CARRYING CHILDREN. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE IT APPEARS THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF TRAVERSE OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ID

11221094

Incident

Jun 18, 2019

Mileage

150,000 mi

**POWER STEERING RECALL*** I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE AND IN THE MIST OF DRIVING MY VEHICLE STEERING BECAME HARD. AS I WENT TO MAKE A TURN MY STEERING LOCKED UP AND I COULD NOT MAKE A TURN WITHOUT THE USE OF FORCE. WHEN I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE MECHANIC I WAS TOLD THE POWER STEERING PUMP WENT OUT AND POWER STEERING RACKET PINON NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

11184299

Incident

Dec 15, 2018

Mileage

113,000 mi

**TIMING BELT RECALL** I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON THE LOCAL PARKWAY AND IT LOST POWER WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT THEN STARTED RIDING ROUGH AS IF THE TIRES WERE WOBBLING THEN I WENT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AND IT STARTED MAKING A REEVING NOISE DURING THE TURN. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE AUTO SHOP AND I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO OIL LEAKS BUT THE OIL WAS LOW AND ALSO I HAD TO REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN ON MY VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11184295

Incident

Feb 27, 2019

Mileage

130,000 mi

OUT OF NO WHERE MY AIR BAG LIGHTS CAME ON. THE SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT ISNT DETECTING WEIGHT AND STAYS OFF ALL THE TIME NOW, ALSO MY SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON FOR THE DRIVER AS WELL. I AM ALSO HAVING POWER STEERING ISSUES AS WELL. MY POWER STEERING FLUID IS FULL, NO LEAKS BUT THE STEERING IS HARD TO TURN. HAD THE STEERING PUMP CHECKED AND WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. MY LAST ISSUE IS WITH THE SPEAKERS THEY CUT IN AND CUT OUT ALL THE TIME AND NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN I ONLY HAVE MY TWEETERS FOR SOUND. VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH CHEVY RIGHT NOW.

NHTSA ID

11180377

Incident

Jan 9, 2019

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN JANUARY 2017 WITH ONE OWNER HAVING HAD IT. HERE IT IS NOW 2 YEARS LATER AND I HAVE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH MY VEHICLE. SOME OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD BUT IT STILL ISN'T PART OF A RECALL. THE PAST YEAR I HAVE ALREADY SPENT OVER $1000 TO FIX IT. ITEMS ALREADY REPLACED INCLUDE SEVERAL SENSORS, WHEEL BEARING, POWER STEERIG PUMP AND A BATTERY. WHAT STILL NEEDS REPLACING: RACK AND PINYON, SHOCKS AND STRUTS, AND I HAVE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. CURRENTLY, MY WINDOWS GO DOWN BUT WON'T GO UP BECAUSE THERE IS AN INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND MY RADIO CUTS IN AND OUT. I AM STILL PAYING FOR THE CAR AND NO ONE IS HELPING. OTHER USERS HAVE REPORTED SOME OF THE SAME THING. IF I GO TO MY MECHANIC HE TELLS ME THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS. BUT WHEN I LOOK AT MY MAKE AND MODEL THERE IS ONLY 4 RECALLS AND IF I GO BY VIN SPECIFICALLY THERE IS NONE. THIS IS RIDICULOUS ! SOMEONE SHOULD HELP. WITH A CAR THAT ISN'T 'THAT OLD' I SHOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS MANY ISSUES. I HAVE 154,039 MILES ON IT. IT ISN'T SAFE. MY WINDOW IS STUCK RIGHT NOW I'M THE DOWN POSITION. I CAN MOVE IT DOWN MORE BUT NOT UP. I HAVE 3 KIDS. MY CAR SEEMS TO NOT WORK MORE THAN IT DOES. NOTHING LIKE SCREWING OVER THE LITTLE GUY...CHEVY NUMBER ONE ON SAFETY YA RIGHT

NHTSA ID

11164948

Incident

Jan 7, 2019

BOUGHT THE SUV USED & I LOVE IT UNTILL A COUPLE WKS AGO TRYED TURNING OUT OF MY PARKING SPACE & NOTICED MY POWER STEERING WAS GONE IT WAS REALLY HARD TO TURN! IF I CAN PUSH ON THE GAS BE PEDAL AT ALL THE POWER STEERING WILL FREE UP & I CAN TURN! BUT IT GOES IN AND OUT WITHOUT ANY KNOWING! REALLY DISAPPOINTED! IT'S DIFFICULT TO TURN INTO A PARKING SPOT OR SOMETIMES TO MAKE A SHARP TURN ONTO ANOTHER STREET OR INTO PARKING LOTS WITH ON COMING TRAFFIC, I HAVE TO ALWAYS PREPARE MYSELF FOR IT TO GO OUT!!!

NHTSA ID

11155138

Incident

Nov 20, 2018

Mileage

104,583 mi

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP DURING NORMAL DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AS I STARTED A TURN, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER LEAVING ME STRANDED IN TRAFFIC. HAD TO STOP, TURN OFF CAR, RESTART AND STEERING WHEEL BECAME FUNCTIONAL.

NHTSA ID

11151271

Incident

Oct 20, 2018

Mileage

145,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT 70 MPH. LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES OUT OF NO WHERE WHICH IS WHEN I NOTICED THE RPMS WAS AT 0. AFTER WE, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, MADE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY, WE HAD IT TOWED TO A GARAGE WHERE THE SAID THE TIMING CHAIN CAME OFF AND RUINED THE ENGINE AND THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND COULD BE FIXED FOR AROUND $5600. THE VEHICLE HAS 65K MILES AND BLEW UP? ITS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR A VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF ON THE HIGHWAY AND I WASN'T WARNED THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS THIS KIND OF HISTORY AND GM DON'T RECOGNIZE THIS IS A PROBLEM!

NHTSA ID

11133609

Incident

Sep 29, 2018

Mileage

65,000 mi

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS CROSSING A THE I-395 BRIDGE INTO WASHINGTON DC AT 45 MPH, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY FAILED TAKING OUT THE POWER STEERING WITH A JERK TO THE LEFT. THIS FAILURE WAS NOT PRECIPITATED BY AN ENGINE WARNING LIGHT OR A CHANGE TO THE RIDE AND FEEL OF THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11132205

Incident

Aug 31, 2018

Mileage

107,000 mi

THE STEERING IS WHINING WHILE TURNING, I HAVE SEEN MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS OF STEERING FAILURE. MOVING AND STATIONARY.

NHTSA ID

11128072

Incident

Sep 1, 2018

INTERMITTENTLY LOSING POWER STEERING ASSIST. COMES AND GOES UNEXPECTEDLY AND CAUSING YOU TO NOT BE ABLE TO STEER VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11120599

Incident

Aug 1, 2018

Mileage

162,000 mi

WHEN I WAS TURNING INTO THE GAS STATION MY WHEELS LOCKED UP MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND I COULD NOT TURN MY STEERING WHEEL AT ALL TO THE LEFT OR TO THE RIGHT . I PUT MY CAR IN PARK WENT AROUND THE CAR TO LOOK AND SEE IF ANYTHING WAS WRONG AROUND THE TIRES NOTHING LOOKED UNUSUAL GOT BACK IN MY CAR PUT IT IN DRIVE AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS ABLE TO UNLOCK VERY SCARY NOT HAVING CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE . WHEN THIS OCCURRED MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION DRIVING INTO THE GAS STATION COMING TOWARD THE PUMP WHEN THE STEERING LOCKED UP.

NHTSA ID

11104444

Incident

Jun 26, 2018

Mileage

95,723 mi