2016 Chevrolet Traverse Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 163 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, 56% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 89,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “air bags contacted” (29% of reports).
- 163air bags complaints
- 89,000median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 3related recalls
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Air bags contacted: mentioned in 48 of 163 complaints (29%)
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 9 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 163 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 3 an injury.
Chevrolet Traverse air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Traverse | 1 | 4% | — |
| 2025 Traverse | 2 | 1% | 13,000 |
| 2023 Traverse | 2 | 2% | 12,000 |
| 2022 Traverse | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2021 Traverse | 3 | 3% | — |
| 2020 Traverse | 6 | 3% | 44,100 |
| 2019 Traverse | 10 | 2% | 34,000 |
| 2018 Traverse | 5 | 1% | 30,462 |
| 2017 Traverse | 263 | 73% | 38,038 |
| 2016 Traverse | 163 | 56% | 89,000 |
| 2015 Traverse | 162 | 52% | 70,000 |
| 2014 Traverse | 258 | 47% | 66,000 |
| 2013 Traverse | 27 | 17% | 80,250 |
| 2012 Traverse | 48 | 14% | 86,552 |
| 2011 Traverse | 43 | 7% | 40,510 |
| 2010 Traverse | 30 | 4% | 72,500 |
| 2009 Traverse | 26 | 6% | 69,122 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (3)
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
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.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2016 Chevrolet Traverses have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 163 owner complaints about air bags for the 2016 Chevrolet Traverse (56% of the 292 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2016 Chevrolet Traverse air bags?
Yes: 3 safety recalls list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do air bags problems start?
The median reported mileage is 89,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 2016 Chevrolet Traverse?
The most frequent phrase is “air bags contacted”, in 48 of 163 complaints.
See all 2016 Chevrolet Traverse problems or air bags problems across all Traverse years.