YearToAvoid

2012 Chevrolet Traverse Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 144 engine complaints for the 2012 Chevrolet Traverse, 41% of its 354 total complaints. Owners reported 3 crashes, 2 fires, and 5 injuries tied to engine problems, with a median failure mileage of 95,000. No related recall exists.

Engine complaints
144
41% of 354
Crashes reported
3
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
5
Median mileage
95,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Engine suddenly loses power while driving, often with traction control, stabilitrak, and 'engine power reduced' warnings appearing together, sometimes on highways or hills.
  • Engine catches fire, in one case while the vehicle sat parked at a store and burned the front end, and in another with white smoke followed by fire while driving.
  • Engine stalls or completely stops running while the vehicle is in motion, with dealers unable to resolve the issue after inspection.
  • Check engine, traction control, and stabilitrak lights flash together while the engine misfires, with no lasting fix reported.
  • Vehicle behaves erratically after shifting into drive, in one instance leading to a crash and injuries.

When 2012 Chevrolet Traverse engine complaints were filed

First complaint Sep 19, 2012, latest Nov 11, 2025.

2012 Chevrolet Traverse engine complaints: complaints filed per quarter152012 Q32015 Q12016 Q42018 Q12019 Q22020 Q32022 Q12025 Q1
144 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2012 Q3 to 2025 Q4; peak 2019 Q2 (15).

Engine recalls for the 2012 Chevrolet Traverse

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Traverse model year

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

  1. 2010211 (32%)
  2. 2011253 (42%)
  3. 2012144 (41%)
  4. 201357 (35%)
  5. 2014149 (27%)
  6. 201554 (17%)
  7. 201643 (15%)
  8. 201733 (9%)
  9. 2018105 (23%)
  10. 201968 (17%)
  11. 202095 (42%)
  12. 202118 (20%)
  13. 202218 (18%)
  14. 202320 (22%)
  15. 202436 (26%)
  16. 202520 (11%)

Frequently asked questions

How many engine complaints does the 2012 Chevrolet Traverse have?
NHTSA lists 144 engine complaints for the 2012 Chevrolet Traverse, which makes up 41% of the 354 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2012 Chevrolet Traverse engine?
No. NHTSA's data for this model year shows no related recall tied to the engine complaints.
At what mileage do engine problems usually occur on the 2012 Chevrolet Traverse?
The median mileage at failure for engine-related complaints is 95,000 miles, based on NHTSA complaint data.
Did the 2012 Chevrolet Traverse engine problems lead to crashes or fires?
Owners reported 3 crashes, 2 fires, and 5 injuries connected to engine complaints for this model year, according to NHTSA.

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.