2021 Chevrolet Traverse: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse
On the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse, the failure owners report most often is alternator or charging system failure, with 12 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 60,000 miles. Overall it scores 75 out of 100, severe risk for a 2021.
Severe risk for a 2021 — 103rd riskiest of the 231 2021 vehicles we can rate. 114 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What owners report breaking
Owners have reported 39 named failure modes on the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse, and the three most-reported carry 25% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Alternator or charging system failure leads with 12 reports and about 75 per 1,000 vehicles.
Cruise control failure follows with 8 reports.
Other electrical problem follows with 8 reports, median 190,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into electrical (26), adas (13) and engine (10).
At what mileage it happens
15 of the reports on the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 60,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 40% by 50,000 miles, 73% by 100,000 miles and 93% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed.
The busiest stretch is between 0 and 10,000 miles, which alone holds 13% of the dated reports.
27% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 39. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
Severity, and what it costs
Across the named modes, 5 mention a crash and 5 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.35, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: alternator or charging system failure at $450–$1,600, cruise control failure at $200–$1,400, other electrical problem at $250–$2,000 and other engine problem at $300–$4,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
18% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alternator or charging system failure | electrical | 12 | 1 | — | 43k | — | 75.5 | $450–$1,600 | High |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | 50.3 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 8 | 1 | — | 191k | — | 50.3 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other engine problem | engine | 7 | 4 | — | 53k | — | 44.0 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 6 | 2 | — | 1k | — | 37.7 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 31.4 | $200–$900 | High |
| Catalytic converter failure | emissions | 5 | 3 | — | 61k | — | 31.4 | $900–$3,500 | Moderate |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 31.4 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Infotainment screen failure | infotainment | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 18.9 | $400–$2,600 | Low |
| Exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin | emissions | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 18.9 | $250–$2,000 | High |
| Head gasket failure | engine | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 12.6 | $1,400–$4,000 | Critical |
| Radiator or coolant leak | cooling | 2 | 1 | — | 123k | — | 12.6 | $350–$1,900 | High |
| Parasitic battery drain | electrical | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 12.6 | $200–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Wiring harness or short circuit | electrical | 2 | 1 | — | 82k | — | 12.6 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 12.6 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 12.6 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 2 | 1 | — | 109k | — | 12.6 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Stalling while driving | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 6.3 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Overheating | cooling | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 6.3 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| CVT failure | transmission | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 6.3 | $3,000–$8,500 | Critical |
| Torque converter failure | transmission | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 6.3 | $1,100–$3,200 | High |
| Fuel leak or fuel odor | fuel | 1 | 1 | — | 70k | — | 6.3 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Fuel gauge or level sensor failure | fuel | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 6.3 | $300–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure | fuel | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 6.3 | $250–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 6.3 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure | electrical | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 6.3 | $250–$1,500 | High |
| Instrument cluster or gauge failure | infotainment | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 6.3 | $350–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Master cylinder or brake booster failure | brakes | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 6.3 | $450–$2,200 | Critical |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 6.3 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 6.3 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Lane keep or steering assist fault | adas | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 6.3 | $200–$1,600 | High |
| Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure | suspension | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 6.3 | $400–$2,200 | High |
| Sunroof failure or glass breakage | body | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 6.3 | $700–$4,500 | High |
| Liftgate, tailgate or trunk failure | body | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 6.3 | $250–$1,500 | Moderate |
| Headlight failure or clouding | lighting | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 6.3 | $150–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 6.3 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Other steering problem | steering | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 6.3 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 6.3 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 6.3 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 16 | 0 | — | — | — | 100.6 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse draws about 717 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 99th percentile of complaint rates among 2021 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 159 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2021 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
Recalls on the 2021 model year
NHTSA has issued 3 recall campaigns covering the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse, affecting an estimated 172 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover air bags:side/window:curtain, power train:automatic transmission and air bags:sensor:frontal impact. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN
89 vehicles 2022-03-31- Defect
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Traverse and 2021-2022 Buick Enclave vehicles. The harness connector to the left or right side roof rail air bag may have incompatible electrical terminals, which could prevent the air bags from deploying in a crash.
- Consequence
- Roof rail air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the harness connector to the roof rail air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 29, 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 N212352140.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
639 vehicles 2021-10-18- Defect
- Braun Corporation (Braun) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Chevrolet Traverse wheelchair accessible vehicles with Power In-floor Ramp conversion. The screw and clip that hold the inner wheel-well plastic shroud in place may chafe against the transmission case, possibly resulting in a transmission fluid leak.
- Consequence
- A transmission fluid leak can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, a leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the screw and clip, and inspect for signs of contact with the transmission, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 29, 2021. Owners may contact Braun customer service at 1-800-488-0359.
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:FRONTAL IMPACT
6 vehicles 2021-06-24- Defect
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave vehicles. During service by dealers, certain vehicles may have received incorrect air bag calibration software that may affect frontal airbag deployment.
- Consequence
- Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will update the air bag calibration software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 29, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is N212340220.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2021 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
How 2021 compares with the other years
Severe risk for a 2021 — 103rd riskiest of the 231 2021 vehicles we can rate. Every score on this site is a rank inside its own model year, which is what makes a 2004 and a 2019 comparable at all.
Across the 18 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2017 comes out best at 68 and 2020 worst at 81, with 2021 itself at 75.
If the model year is negotiable, 2017, 2015, 2016, 2013, 2014, 2012, 2025 and 2024 score lower than 2021 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2018–2021 generation specifically, 2021 is the strongest year at 75 and 2020 the weakest at 81.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2018-2021 generation, 2021 Chevrolet Traverse scores best at 75 and 2020 Chevrolet Traverse worst at 81.
What this page cannot tell you
114 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 114 reports, 15 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 13% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse?
The most-reported failures are alternator or charging system failure (12 reports, median 45,000 miles), cruise control failure (8 reports) and other electrical problem (8 reports, median 190,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
Is the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse reliable?
It scores 75 out of 100 on our risk index, which is severe — 103rd riskiest of the 231 2021 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2021 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Chevrolet Traverse is best?
Within the 2018–2021 generation, 2021 scores best at 75 out of 100 and 2020 worst at 81. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed