YearToAvoid

2014 Chevrolet Traverse Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

73/100

#5 most-complained of 16 Traverse years

The 2014 Chevrolet Traverse has 547 NHTSA complaints, 7 recalls, and a Complaint Index of 73, ranking 5th worst of 16 model years. It earns a Caution verdict, driven mainly by airbag deployment failures.

Complaints
547
Recalls
7
Crashes / fires
8 / 1
Injuries / deaths
15 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
19
16.5 city / 23.5 hwy

Top 2014 Chevrolet Traverse problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags258 (47%)
  2. Engine149 (27%)
  3. Brakes134 (24%)
  4. Electrical System128 (23%)
  5. Other46 (8%)
  6. Transmission & Powertrain36 (7%)
  7. Steering27 (5%)
  8. Fuel System24 (4%)
  9. Seat Belts18 (3%)
  10. Suspension, Wheels & Tires11 (2%)

What owners report

  • Airbags fail to deploy in moderate-to-high speed collisions, including side impacts and rear-end crashes.
  • Side curtain airbags may not be properly attached due to a weld nut defect covered by recall.
  • The engine has stalled or shut off unexpectedly at low speeds, in one case leading to a low-speed crash.
  • One vehicle caught fire in the engine area while parked and idling, unrelated to any recent repair work.
  • Brake pedals have gone soft or released air pressure, with owners reporting repeated dealer visits for the same brake issue.
  • Steering has reportedly lost response suddenly at highway speed, causing loss of control.
2014 Chevrolet Traverse complaints: complaints filed per quarter482013 Q42015 Q32017 Q22019 Q12020 Q42022 Q32024 Q32026 Q2
843 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2013 Q4 to 2026 Q2; peak 2023 Q4 (48).

2014 Chevrolet Traverse recalls

7 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 23V334000May 10, 2023Airbags995,085 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    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.

    Remedy: 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

See all 7 recalls for the 2014 Chevrolet Traverse →

2014 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.

2014 compared with other Traverse years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2012Good47354519
2013Best7162419
2014Caution73547719
2015Good33313519
2016Good27292517.5

All Chevrolet Traverse years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2014 Chevrolet Traverse reliable?
NHTSA data gives the 2014 Traverse a Complaint Index of 73 and 547 complaints, ranking 5th worst among 16 model years. It carries a Caution verdict relative to other Traverse years.
What are the main problems with the 2014 Chevrolet Traverse?
Airbags are the top problem area, making up 47% of complaints, followed by the engine (27%) and brakes (24%). Median mileage at failure for airbag issues is 66,000 miles.
Does the 2014 Chevrolet Traverse have a recall?
Yes, NHTSA lists 7 recalls for the 2014 Traverse, including three airbag inflator/attachment recalls, plus electrical, seat belt, and transmission shift cable recalls.
Which Traverse model years should I avoid instead?
NHTSA complaint data ranks 2010, 2011, 2019, and 2025 as Avoid years for the Traverse, with Complaint Index values of 87, 93, 80, and 100 respectively, all worse than 2014's 73.
What is the fuel economy of the 2014 Chevrolet Traverse?
EPA rates the 2014 Traverse at 19 mpg combined (16.5 city / 23.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,400.

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.