2012 Chevrolet Traverse Steering Problems

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

NHTSA ID

11698713

Incident

Jun 10, 2025

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

NHTSA ID

11682785

Incident

Aug 12, 2025

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.

NHTSA ID

11484533

Incident

May 29, 2020

crus traction control problem raking pinion. problems

NHTSA ID

11467460

Incident

Jun 3, 2022

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.

NHTSA ID

11419645

Incident

Mar 15, 2021

Mileage

127,305 mi

Power steering intermittently fails at low speed we have had near collisions and as a result my wife cannot drive the car she’s not strong enough to turn the wheel at low speeds I’m afraid somebody’s gonna get in a wreck with this or another car like it I’ve heard other complaints from traverse owners about the same thing

NHTSA ID

11419250

Incident

Jun 20, 2017

KNOCKING ENGINE, RUNNING LIKE A OLD TRACTOR. ENGINE STALLED!! HAD TO REPLACE MOTOR. NO POWER FOUND TRANNY WENT BAD ON THE MIDDLE OF BUSY INTERSECTION. HAD TO REPLACE TRANNY. NOW POWER STEERING PUMP WENT COULDN'T TURN THE WHEELS ON THE HIGHWAY. HAD TO REPLACE. ALL REPAIRS PAID OUT OF MY POCKET. WHERES THE RECALLS?? SO MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME YEAR VEHICLE SAME PROBLEMS. ALL OF THESE HAVE COSTED ME SEVERAL THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OUT OF MY POCKET. ALSO HAD TO PAY DEALERSHIP FOR THE BRAKES THAT WERE BAD. 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020 ALL THE YEARS HAPPENED. WIPERS WERE THE 1ST TO FALL OFF GOT REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

11395440

Incident

Apr 15, 2016

Mileage

80,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11382888

Incident

Dec 8, 2020

Mileage

60,454 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11315342

Incident

Nov 11, 2019

Mileage

75,000 mi

THE RACK AND PINION SEALS ARE LEAKING BADLY. THE COST TO TEPAIR IS VERY EXPENSIVE. MY MECHANIC SAYS IT SHOULD BE A RECALL.

NHTSA ID

11297141

Incident

Oct 9, 2019

Mileage

160,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

11281228

Incident

Nov 17, 2019

Mileage

138,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11196573

Incident

Apr 2, 2019

Mileage

130,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11153411

Incident

May 1, 2018

Mileage

70,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11141737

Incident

Oct 22, 2018

Mileage

3 mi

POWER STEERING HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES (NOW MAY HAVE TO BE A FOURTH), ONCE PRIOR TO MY OWNERSHIP (WAS DEEMED CERTIFIED BY A CHEVY DEALER AT TIME OF PURCHASE HOWEVER I BELIEVE THIS WAS FRAUDULENT). MECHANIC SAID (AT FIRST REPLACEMENT) POWER STEERING FROM MY PURCHASE WAS AFTER MANUFACTURERED PARTS. THIS MEANS WHEN I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WITH 27,000 MILES IN 2012, POWER STEERING PUMP HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED. POWER STEERING HAS GONE OUT ON I-70 ONCE GO 75 MPH. THE VEHICLE MAKES NOISES WHEN TURNING. NOW AGAIN, LEAKING STEERING FLUID AND ENGINE FLUID. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL, ETC... I CALLED GM AND THEY CLAIM THEY HAVEN'T HAD ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE STEERING HOWEVER IT'S ALL OVER THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS YEAR AND MODEL HAVING POWER STEERING PUMP, RACK AND PINION COMPLAINTS. I HAD ALSO BEEN TOLD BY A LEXUS DEALER/SERVICE IN 2014 THAT IT NEEDED A RACK AND PINION OR POWER STEERING PUMP. GM DEALERSHIP LATER DETERMINED IT WAS POWER STEERING PUMP. HOW MANY POWER STEERING PUMPS DO I HAVE TO PUT ON THIS CAR? I CONTACTED GM, THEY CLAIM NO RESPONSIBILITY DESPITE OTHER VINS/YEARS HAVING THESE EXACT ISSUES. CLEARLY, THERE IS SOMETHING DEFECTIVE IN THESE SUBS THAT WOULD CAUSE SO MANY POWER STEERING PUMPS TO FAIL. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE ANYONE TAKES THIS SAFETY ISSUE AND DEFECTIVE CAR SERIOUS?

NHTSA ID

11130656

Incident

Aug 13, 2017

Mileage

120,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11129451

Incident

Sep 12, 2018

Mileage

75,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11123194

Incident

Aug 29, 2018

Mileage

88,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

11121743

Incident

Aug 18, 2018

Mileage

92,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11118509

Incident

Aug 2, 2018

Mileage

96,723 mi

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!

NHTSA ID

11112983

Incident

Jul 20, 2018

Mileage

60,000 mi

POWER STEERING FLUID STARTED LEAKING

NHTSA ID

11105247

Incident

Apr 1, 2018

Mileage

82,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11097106

Incident

May 21, 2018

Mileage

50,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11093871

Incident

May 1, 2018

Mileage

122,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11083672

Incident

Apr 6, 2018

MY STEERING LOCKS UP GOING AT SLOWER SPEEDS AND TURNING. MY VEHICLE HAS THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE STEERING AS THE OTHER 2009-2013 CHEVY TRAVERSE STEERING . IT'S THE SAME PART, ISSUE AND VEHICLE AS THE WARRANTY WAS EXTENDED TO FIX THE STEERING UP TO 10 YEARS AND 150,000 MILES AND I AM BEING TOLD YOU HAVE NOT INCLUDED MY VIN # UNDER THIS WARENTY AND I NEED A VALID EXPLANATION WHY MY VIN ISN'T COVERED. IT'S THE SAME ISSUE, THE SAME PART AND THE CORRECT YEAR.

NHTSA ID

11081370

Incident

Mar 26, 2018

Mileage

75,000 mi