YearToAvoid

2011 Chevrolet Traverse Airbags Problems

NHTSA lists 43 airbag complaints for the 2011 Chevrolet Traverse, 7% of its 608 total complaints that year. Eight crashes and 21 injuries are tied to this area, with a median failure mileage of 40,510. Two related airbag recalls exist for this model.

Airbags complaints
43
7% of 608
Crashes reported
8
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
21
Median mileage
40,510 mi
Related recalls
2

Typical airbag symptoms owners report

  • Frontal or side airbags failed to deploy during moderate-to-severe crashes, including T-bone, rear-end, and head-on collisions.
  • In some crashes only some airbags deployed (for example the driver side but not the passenger side, or side curtain but not front airbags), leaving occupants unprotected.
  • Airbag warning lights illuminated or the system displayed 'service airbag' or 'service passenger airbag' messages without a crash occurring.
  • Some owners reported airbags deploying unexpectedly at low speed with no collision, recurring across multiple incidents.
  • Owners tied to the side impact airbag wiring harness recall reported delays getting replacement parts from dealers.

When 2011 Chevrolet Traverse airbag complaints were filed

First complaint Sep 24, 2012, latest Apr 10, 2024.

2011 Chevrolet Traverse airbags complaints: complaints filed per month3Sep 2012Jul 2014Mar 2015Mar 2016Feb 2018Feb 2019Apr 2021
43 complaints filed with NHTSA from Sep 2012 to Apr 2024; peak Nov 2015 (3).

Airbags recalls for the 2011 Chevrolet Traverse

  1. NHTSA 21V246000Apr 8, 2021Airbags108 vehicles

    Air bags:critical fasteners

    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.

    Remedy: 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.

  2. NHTSA 14V118000Mar 17, 2014Airbags1,176,407 vehicles

    Air bags:side/window

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia and 2009-2013 Chevrolet Traverse and 2008-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the driver and passenger seat mounted side impact air bag (SIAB) wiring harnesses may result in the SIAB and seat belt pretensioners not deploying in the event of a crash.

    Risk: Failure of the side impact air bags and seat belt pretensioners to deploy in a crash increase the risk of injury to the driver and front seat occupant.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected harness connections with soldered connections, free of charge. The recall began on June 16, 2014. Buick owners may contact the owner center at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet owners at 1-866-694-6546, Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, and GMC owners at 1-866-996-9463. GM's number for this recall is 14030. Note: Vehicles repaired as part of Customer Satisfaction Campaign 10085 and special coverage 10335 have already had the subject condition repaired and therefore are not included in the safety recall.

Airbags complaints by Traverse model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201030 (4%)
  2. 201143 (7%)
  3. 201248 (14%)
  4. 201327 (17%)
  5. 2014258 (47%)
  6. 2015162 (52%)
  7. 2016163 (56%)
  8. 2017263 (73%)
  9. 20185 (1%)
  10. 20199 (2%)
  11. 20206 (3%)
  12. 20213 (3%)
  13. 20222 (2%)
  14. 20232 (2%)
  15. 20240 (0%)
  16. 20252 (1%)

Frequently asked questions

How many airbag complaints does NHTSA have for the 2011 Chevrolet Traverse?
NHTSA lists 43 airbag complaints for the 2011 Traverse, making up 7% of the 608 total complaints filed for that model year.
Are there airbag recalls for the 2011 Chevrolet Traverse?
Yes, two related recalls exist: campaign 21V246000 covering side curtain airbags that may not be properly attached, and campaign 14V118000 covering increased resistance in the airbag wiring harness connections.
Did the 2011 Traverse airbag problems cause injuries or crashes?
NHTSA data links this problem area to 8 crashes and 21 injuries, with owners reporting a median failure mileage of 40,510.
What do owners describe as the main airbag issue on the 2011 Traverse?
Owners most often describe airbags failing to deploy in a crash, only some airbags deploying, or warning lights indicating a system fault without a collision.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.