2013 Chevrolet Traverse Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
BestComplaint Index
7/100
#15 most-complained of 16 Traverse years
The 2013 Chevrolet Traverse ranks 15th of 16 model years with a complaint index of 7, earning a Best verdict among Traverse years. NHTSA lists 162 complaints, 4 recalls, and 0 deaths, with Engine (35%) and Electrical System (33%) as the top problem areas.
- Complaints
- 162
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes / fires
- 7 / 2
- Injuries / deaths
- 6 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 19
- 16.5 city / 23.5 hwy
Top 2013 Chevrolet Traverse problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine57 (35%)
- Electrical System53 (33%)
- Brakes48 (30%)
- Transmission & Powertrain28 (17%)
- Airbags27 (17%)
- Other19 (12%)
- Fuel System18 (11%)
- Steering18 (11%)
- Seat Belts4 (2%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires4 (2%)
What owners report
- Owners report sudden stalling and loss of power at low speed, sometimes while swerving to avoid an obstacle.
- Traction control and check engine warnings appear together with a sudden, unexpected drop in speed from highway speeds down to around 15-20 mph, in some cases causing a crash.
- Some drivers describe the engine revving on its own while stopped with a foot on the brake, causing the vehicle to lurch forward into an object.
- Power steering has been reported to cut out abruptly at highway speed with no prior noise or leak, then return on its own.
- Airbags have failed to deploy in reported collisions despite visible impact and an illuminated airbag warning light.
- Radio, gauges, and sensors have flickered or malfunctioned intermittently, described alongside stalling incidents.
2013 Chevrolet Traverse recalls
4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 21V782000Oct 7, 2021Airbags555 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
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.
Remedy: 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.
- 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.
- NHTSA 14V266000May 20, 2014Seat Belts1,339,355 vehicles
Seat belts
General Motors is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured April 14, 2008, through May 14, 2014, Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured June 6, 2008, through May 14, 2014, and GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured April 9, 2008, through May 14, 2014, and 2009-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles manufactured April 14, 2008, through March 18, 2010. In the affected vehicles, the flexible steel cable that connects the seatbelt to the front outboard seating positions may fatigue and separate over time.
Risk: If the steel cable becomes fatigued and separates, the seatbelt may not properly restrain the seat occupant increasing the risk of an injury in a crash.
Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, repair and replace the lap pretensioner, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. An interim notice will be mailed to owners in July 2014. A second notice will be mailed to owners once parts become available. The recall for the 2009-2010 model years began on July 11, 2014. The interim letter for the 2011-2014 model years were distributed on July 11, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-462-8782 (GMC), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). General Motors recall number for this campaign is 14187.
2013 Chevrolet Traverse fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 16.5 MPG
- Highway
- 23.5 MPG
- Combined
- 19 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,400
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2013 compared with other Traverse years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2013 Chevrolet Traverse reliable?
- Among Traverse model years, 2013 ranks 15th of 16 with a complaint index of 7 and a Best verdict, meaning it has fewer reported problems than most other Traverse years.
- What problems does the 2013 Chevrolet Traverse have?
- NHTSA data shows 162 complaints for the 2013 Traverse, with Engine (57 complaints, 35%) and Electrical System (53 complaints, 33%) as the leading problem areas, followed by Brakes at 30%.
- Does the 2013 Chevrolet Traverse have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2013 Traverse, covering airbag issues, a seat belt pretensioner defect, and a wiring harness connection problem, none of which are do-not-drive recalls.
- How does the 2013 Traverse compare to other years like 2010 or 2011?
- The 2013 model performs much better than the 2010 and 2011 Traverse, which have complaint indexes of 87 and 93 and are rated Avoid, versus 7 for 2013.
- What is the median mileage for reported failures on the 2013 Traverse?
- Across all problem areas, the median mileage at failure for the 2013 Traverse is 71,000 miles, with Engine and Transmission issues both reported around 90,000 miles.