2016 Chevrolet Traverse Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Traverse years
- About as many complaints as other years 10th of 18 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 292 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Traverse. That ranks 10th out of 18 Traverse model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (163 complaints, 56%), typically at around 89,000 miles. Complaints mention 8 crashes, 1 fire, 15 injuries. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year.
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- 292owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 8complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2016 Chevrolet Traverse problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags problems | 163 | 56% | 89,000 | “air bags contacted” (29%) | — |
| Power Train | 37 | 13% | 42,357 | — | — |
| Engine | 31 | 11% | 46,900 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 26 | 9% | 48,500 | — | — |
| Steering | 24 | 8% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 19 | 7% | 45,750 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 18 | 6% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 15 | 5% | 50,500 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 8 | 3% | 39,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 7 | 2% | 19,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 5 | 2% | 13,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 5 | 2% | 31,673 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 4 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 1% | 47,500 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 4 | 1% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 1% | 356,500 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 1% | 28,266 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 0% | 73,846 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 0% | 37,188 | — | — |
| Other/i Am Not Sure | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 0% | 64,865 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 0% | 81,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2016 Chevrolet Traverse recalls (5)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2017 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver's air bag module, free of charge. GM began mailing final owner letters February 23, 2024 and will continue mailing through December 2025. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N232404980.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2008-2017 Buick Enclave and 2013-2017 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver's air bag module, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on November 3, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 10, 2022. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N212349040.
Air bags:critical fasteners
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2015, 2017 Buick Enclave, 2010-2019 Chevrolet Traverse, and 2011-2016 GMC Acadia vehicles. The side curtain air bags may not be properly attached.
Risk: Unsecured side curtain air bags may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, realign or replace the weld nuts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2021. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N202321200.
Seats
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured November 6, 2015, to November 12, 2015. The affected vehicles have a the third row left lower seat frame that may have welds that are not in the correction location.
Risk: If the seat frame is not welded in the correct places, the seat may not perform as intended, and in the event of a crash, the seat occupant could be at an increased risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third row left side lower seat frame, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on January 29, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is 21930.
Visibility:windshield wiper/washer:motor
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured August 18, 2015 to September 24, 2015. Due to a manufacturing defect, the windshield wiper motor may overheat when used.
Risk: A wiper motor that overheats increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: GM has notified owners, and dealers will replace the windshield wiper motor cover assembly, free of charge. Owners are advised not to use their front windshield wipers until the wiper cover has been replaced. If weather conditions prevent operation of the vehicle without using the windshield wipers, GM will make arrangements to pick up the vehicle for servicing. The recall began on September 30, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 15780.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
My 2016 Chevy Traverse LT with 108,750 miles had issues with the rear brake lights, and the Traction Control light would come on and the Traction Control turns off. A message appears on the dash that shows Service StabiliTrak. When I drive the vehicle to accelerate it shakes, jerks and shudders…
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (Air Bags). The contact stated that four local dealers were contacted. The contact was informed that parts were on back order. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact had not…
The vehicle only has 145,xxx miles and I experience a "shudder" which could be caused by torque converter issues, often felt at highway speeds (approx. 40-60 mph).
There is an open recall on my 2016 Chevrolet Traverse that I have been trying to get resolved for almost 2 years. I finally opened a case with GM (#{XXX]) back on February 15, 2026 in an effort to escalate the repair. I received a call from a GM rep who has been less than helpful telling me the…
The contact owned a 2016 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V334000 (AIR BAGS) and requested to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted.
Other Chevrolet Traverse years
← 2015 Traverse · 2017 Traverse →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Traverse | 25 | 1 |
| 2025 Traverse | 184 | 0 |
| 2024 Traverse | 141 | 0 |
| 2023 Traverse | 92 | 2 |
| 2022 Traverse | 99 | 1 |
| 2021 Traverse | 92 | 3 |
| 2020 Traverse | 233 | 8 |
| 2019 Traverse | 412 | 3 |
| 2018 Traverse | 464 | 2 |
| 2017 Traverse | 361 | 3 |
| 2016 | 292 | 5 |
| 2015 Traverse | 313 | 5 |
| 2014 Traverse | 548 | 7 |
| 2013 Traverse | 162 | 4 |
| 2012 Traverse | 354 | 5 |
| 2011 Traverse | 608 | 5 |
| 2010 Traverse | 669 | 5 |
| 2009 Traverse | 448 | 8 |
See all Chevrolet Traverse problems by year, every Chevrolet model, or the Chevrolet VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Chevrolet Traverse?
Owners most often report air bags, power train, engine problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 163 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Chevrolet Traverse?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2016 Chevrolet Traverse a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Traverse model years, the 2016 has about as many complaints as a typical year, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.