MY AUTO MECHANIC TOLD ME MY POWER CHAIN IS LOOSE & THAT IT'S COMMON IN MY CAR & I SHOULD REPORT IT. MY CAR FEELS LIKE IT'S DRAGGING WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE.
2011 Chevrolet Traverse
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Traverse years
Owner complaints for the 2011 Chevrolet Traverse are substantially higher than the model-year median of 302.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Traverse years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
497 reports with mileage · 111 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine. Review the 204 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 165 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 103 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Engine complaints
204 reportsA MECHANIC TOLD ME MY POWER TRAIN CHAIN IS LOOSE AND THAT THIS IS COMMON IN 2011 6 ENGINES AND TO REPORT IT CAUSE IT SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. MY CAR WILL BARELY MAKE IT UP A HILL AND THE FUEL MILEAGE HAS GONE DOWN.
DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 75 MPH, THE MOTOR SIEZED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE MOTOR LOCKED AND THE TECHNICIAN SAID THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. HE COMMENTED SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINEERING OF THE ENGINE SPECIFIC TO OIL. HE IS CONCERN THAT CHANGING THE ENGINE MAY RESULT IN THE SAME SITUATION GIVEN THE MOTOR'S DESIGN.
I DROVE DOWN TO MY DAUGHTERS ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 1ST 2019 WHICH IS IN FREASTERVILLE PA AND WE LIVE IN MECHANICSBURG PA. SO I DRIVE THE TURNPIKE AND I HAVE DONE THIS TRIP A LOT, HAVING NO ISSUES AT ALL WITH MY TRAVERSE 2011. ON MONDAY WE BOTH GOT INTO MY CAR AS ND DROVE BACK TO MECHANICSBURG BECAUSE SHE HAD TO PICK UP HER VEHI…
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I DROVE DOWN TO MY DAUGHTERS ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 1ST 2019 WHICH IS IN FREASTERVILLE PA AND WE LIVE IN MECHANICSBURG PA. SO I DRIVE THE TURNPIKE AND I HAVE DONE THIS TRIP A LOT, HAVING NO ISSUES AT ALL WITH MY TRAVERSE 2011. ON MONDAY WE BOTH GOT INTO MY CAR AS ND DROVE BACK TO MECHANICSBURG BECAUSE SHE HAD TO PICK UP HER VEHICLE FOR WORK THE NEXT DAY, WE GET HOME MONDAY NIGHT 12/2/2019 NO PROBLEMS STILL PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND EVERYTHING IS GOOD . NEXT MORNING 12/3/2019 I GO TO TAKE HER TO GET HER WORK CAR WE GET IN MY SUV STILL IN MY DRIVEWAY AND IT MADE THIS GOD AWFUL NOISE AND I TURNED IT OFF IMMEDIATELY AND YELLED TO MY HUSBAND SOMETHING IS WRONG. HE GOES TO TRY IT AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THE CAR WANTS TO START AND NOTHING IT WON'T. WE HAVE IT FLAT BEDDED TO CRALLS GARAGE IN HARRISBURG AND HE CALLED SAID THAT WE NEED A NEW ENGINE HE SAID IT WAS MAKING A NOISE IN THE LOWER BACK END OF MOTOR AND WE NEED A NEW MOTOR. WE OWE 13000.00 ON THIS CAR AND I LOVE IT HIW CAN THIS HAPPEN. HE SAID IT WILL COST 5000.00 FOR A NEW MOTOR AND I CAN NOT AFFORD IT. .I HAVE READ SO MANY REVIEWS THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TO 2011 TRAVERSES HOW CAN THE MANUFACTURER NOT FIX THIS . I HAD NO WARNINGS AT ALL NO ENGINE LIGHTS NOTHING. PLEASE HELP
BAD TIMING CHAIN AND HAD TO GET IT REPAIRED AT JUST OVER 100,000 WHEN WARANTEE EXPIRED
CAR WAS POWERING DOWN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. NOW NEEDS TIMING CHAINS REPLACED. ALSO STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH THE STEERING NOT WORKING AND THE STEERING RACK IS BAD AND NEEDS REPLACES. SUSPENSION IS NO GOOD AND ALL HAS TO BE REDONE. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 70,000 MILES ON IT FOR BEING A 2011.
THE ENGINE TIME CHAIN IS BAD. IF THE TIME CHAIN FINISHES BRAKING IT WILL KILL OFF ALL THE ENGINE MAKING THE REPAIR OVER $5,000 IT SEEMS LIKE IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON THESE CARS WITH THE 3.6 VVT V6 ENGINE, AS I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE GO THRU THIS ALSO ONLINE MANY PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW UNRELAIBLE THESE CARS ARE ON THAT WAY. I…
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THE ENGINE TIME CHAIN IS BAD. IF THE TIME CHAIN FINISHES BRAKING IT WILL KILL OFF ALL THE ENGINE MAKING THE REPAIR OVER $5,000 IT SEEMS LIKE IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON THESE CARS WITH THE 3.6 VVT V6 ENGINE, AS I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE GO THRU THIS ALSO ONLINE MANY PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW UNRELAIBLE THESE CARS ARE ON THAT WAY. I HAVE DIFFERENT QUOTES FROM DIFFERENT MECHANIC SHOPS THE LOWEST BEEN $2,500.
2011 CHEVY TRAVERSE IN GREAT CONDITION. ENGINE STARED MISSING AND ROUGHLY IDLING OCCASIONALLY.CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON JUST SHORT OF 119000 MILES. AUTO PARTS STORE REPORTED DIAGNOSTIC CODE: P008. GOOGLED P008 AND MESSAGE BOARDS STATED GM HAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY PROGRAM FOR THIS PROBLEM. WENT TO THE LOCAL CHEVY DEALER, ASKED …
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2011 CHEVY TRAVERSE IN GREAT CONDITION. ENGINE STARED MISSING AND ROUGHLY IDLING OCCASIONALLY.CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON JUST SHORT OF 119000 MILES. AUTO PARTS STORE REPORTED DIAGNOSTIC CODE: P008. GOOGLED P008 AND MESSAGE BOARDS STATED GM HAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY PROGRAM FOR THIS PROBLEM. WENT TO THE LOCAL CHEVY DEALER, ASKED ABOUT THE COVERAGE UP TO 120,000 MILES SINCE I WAS ALMOST UP TO 120,000 MILES. PROVIDED THE VIN & THE DEALER SAID THAT MY VEHICLE DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR REPAIRS UNDER THE PROGRAM & RECOMMENDED SCHEDULING SERVICE TO HAVE IT FIXED AT MY EXPENSE. ANOTHER OPTION WAS TO TAKE MY CHANCES. HE ADVISED KEEPING OIL LEVEL HIGH & CLEAN TO EXTEND POSSIBLE LIFE OF THE ENGINE & TIMING CHAIN. SERVICE REP SAID THAT HE SEES THIS PROBLEM ON A FAIRLY-REGULAR BASIS, ABOUT 2-4 TIMES PER MONTH. A CRITICAL FAILURE RATE OF THAT FOR JUST ONE DEALER IS WAY TOO HIGH! GM SHOULD EXTEND THE COVERAGE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE! DAYS LATER I DECIDED I DIDN'T WANT TO RE-EXPERIENCE MY 2001 SATURN TIMING CHAIN FAILED AT 67,000 MILES WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT ON THE FREEWAY. HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A RE-MANUFACTURED ENGINE FOR APPROXIMATELY $3,000.00. DUE TO FATALITIES RESULTING FROM THE TIMING CHAIN FAILURES, SATURN/GM FINALLY DECIDED TO RECALL THE AFFECTED VEHICLES OR REIMBURSE FOR REPLACEMENT ENGINES. I HAD REPLACED THE ENGINE AT MY OWN EXPENSE, SO I WAS LATER REIMBURSED ~$2,500.00 BY SATURN (GM). WITH THIS IN MIND, I SCHEDULED SERVICE FOR MY 2011 TRAVERSE ABOUT A WEEK LATER AT THE GM DEALER. IT REQUIRED PULLING THE ENGINE, METAL SHAVINGS CLEANED OUT OF ENGINE, GUIDES, TENSIONERS, AND TIMING CHAIN REPLACED. COST 2 DAYS LABOR AND PARTS $2924.87. GM SHOULD EXTEND COVERING DIAGNOSED P008 FAULT REPAIRS, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, OFFER AN AFTER-FAILURE REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIRS/REPLACEMENT DUE TO FAULTY/STRETCHED TIMING CHAINS ON THEIR ENGINES.
SITTING IN THE PARKING LOT WAITING FOR MY DAUGHTER TO GET OUT OF SCHOOL ALL OF A SUDDEN IT SMELLS HOT THEN START TO DRIVE OFF AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS AND ABS GO WILD THEN I PULL OVER TURN OFF THE ENGINE OPEN THE HOOD AND THERE'S SMOKE LETTING IT COOL THE KEY WON'T REVERSE OUT OF THE IGNITION AND THERE'S NO POWER AT ALL
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS GOING ON AND OFF FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO LOSE SOME POWER WHILE DRIVING. TOOK TO MECHANIC TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED. CODE P0008 APPEARS TO BE WORN TIMING CHAINING. I HAVE SPOKEN TO TWO INDEPENDENT MECHANICS AS WELL AS A CHEVY DEALERSHIP - ALL HAVE TOLD ME THAT THE TIMING CHAIN SHOU…
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THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS GOING ON AND OFF FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO LOSE SOME POWER WHILE DRIVING. TOOK TO MECHANIC TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED. CODE P0008 APPEARS TO BE WORN TIMING CHAINING. I HAVE SPOKEN TO TWO INDEPENDENT MECHANICS AS WELL AS A CHEVY DEALERSHIP - ALL HAVE TOLD ME THAT THE TIMING CHAIN SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. A GOOGLE SEARCH INFORMED ME THAT THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH THE CHEVY TRAVERSE. IN FACT, EARLY MODELS RECEIVED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS ISSUE. THIS WARRANTY NEEDS TO BE EXTENDED TO OTHER YEARS AS WELL.
Official recalls
521V246000 · Air Bags:critical Fasteners
Apr 8, 2021
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
15V415000 · Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate
Jun 30, 2015
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured January 3, 2007, to February 29, 2012, 2009-2012 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured July 6, 2008, to March 9, 2012, 2007-2012 GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured September 15, 2006, to February 29, 2012, and 2007-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles manufactured August 17, 2006, to March 18, 2010. The affected vehicles, equipped with the power liftgate option, have gas struts that hold the power liftgate up when open. These struts may prematurely wear and the open liftgate may suddenly fall.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the open liftgate unexpectedly falls, it may strike a person, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the power liftgate actuator motor control unit so that the motor will prevent the rapid closing of the lift gate, free of charge. The recall began on November 15, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Saturn customer service at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 15240.
14V266000 · Seat Belts
May 20, 2014
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
14V118000 · Air Bags:side/window
Mar 17, 2014
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
12V151000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:linkages
Apr 9, 2012
GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, BUICK ENCLAVE, AND GMC ACADIA VEHICLES CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN ALASKA, COLORADO, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IDAHO, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, SOUTH DAKOTA, UTAH, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, WYOMING AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. SNOW OR ICE BUILDUP ON THE WINDSHIELD OR ON THE WIPER MAY RESTRICT THE MOVEMENT OF THE WIPER ARM, CAUSING THE WIPER ARM TO LOOSEN AND CAUSE THE WIPER TO BECOME INOPERATIVE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS, DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE WIPER ARM NUTS, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 20, 2012.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2EA20002 · Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
Opened Aug 31, 2020 · Closed Aug 30, 2024
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts; Seat Belts:front; Seat Belts:front:anchorage
On August 31, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Engineering Analysis (EA) EA20002, as an upgrade of Recall Query (RQ) RQ19003. This investigation, related to recall 14V-266, was opened to investigate instances of detachment of the flexible steel seat belt anchor cable attached to the outboard side of the front seats in vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM). The subject vehicles included model year (MY) 2009 through 2014 GMC Acadia, Buick Enclave, and Chevrolet Traverse SUVs as well as MY 2009 through 2010 Saturn Outlook SUVs. These vehicles were previously repaired for this defect under recall 14V-266. The subject vehicle population is approximately 1.3 million vehicles. Special Coverage N192219480, issued in June 2019, addressed the subject defect in vehicles that previously received the recall remedy repair for subject recall 14V-266. The Special Coverage allows for component replacement for 12 years or 180,000 miles from the initial sale date, whichever comes first. Special Coverage N192219480 instructed service technicians to inspect the driver’s seat belt anchor cable for any damage to the protective sleeve and if damage was observed, the cable was replaced with a new sleeve as well as a new closeout piece that relocated the cable to mitigate the subject condition. In view of the Special Coverage conducted by General Motors, the high detectability of the subject failure, and the low rate of occurrence, this Engineering Analysis is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov. Please see the attached document “EA20-002 Detailed Closing Summary” for more a detailed closing resume summary.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Seat Belts:front:anchorage
On August 31, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Engineering Analysis (EA) EA20002, as an upgrade of Recall Query (RQ) RQ19003. This investigation, related to recall 14V-266, was opened to investigate instances of detachment of the flexible steel seat belt anchor cable attached to the outboard side of the front seats in vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM). The subject vehicles included model year (MY) 2009 through 2014 GMC Acadia, Buick Enclave, and Chevrolet Traverse SUVs as well as MY 2009 through 2010 Saturn Outlook SUVs. These vehicles were previously repaired for this defect under recall 14V-266. The subject vehicle population is approximately 1.3 million vehicles. Special Coverage N192219480, issued in June 2019, addressed the subject defect in vehicles that previously received the recall remedy repair for subject recall 14V-266. The Special Coverage allows for component replacement for 12 years or 180,000 miles from the initial sale date, whichever comes first. Special Coverage N192219480 instructed service technicians to inspect the driver’s seat belt anchor cable for any damage to the protective sleeve and if damage was observed, the cable was replaced with a new sleeve as well as a new closeout piece that relocated the cable to mitigate the subject condition. In view of the Special Coverage conducted by General Motors, the high detectability of the subject failure, and the low rate of occurrence, this Engineering Analysis is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov. Please see the attached document “EA20-002 Detailed Closing Summary” for more a detailed closing resume summary.
Seat Belts:front
On August 31, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Engineering Analysis (EA) EA20002, as an upgrade of Recall Query (RQ) RQ19003. This investigation, related to recall 14V-266, was opened to investigate instances of detachment of the flexible steel seat belt anchor cable attached to the outboard side of the front seats in vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM). The subject vehicles included model year (MY) 2009 through 2014 GMC Acadia, Buick Enclave, and Chevrolet Traverse SUVs as well as MY 2009 through 2010 Saturn Outlook SUVs. These vehicles were previously repaired for this defect under recall 14V-266. The subject vehicle population is approximately 1.3 million vehicles. Special Coverage N192219480, issued in June 2019, addressed the subject defect in vehicles that previously received the recall remedy repair for subject recall 14V-266. The Special Coverage allows for component replacement for 12 years or 180,000 miles from the initial sale date, whichever comes first. Special Coverage N192219480 instructed service technicians to inspect the driver’s seat belt anchor cable for any damage to the protective sleeve and if damage was observed, the cable was replaced with a new sleeve as well as a new closeout piece that relocated the cable to mitigate the subject condition. In view of the Special Coverage conducted by General Motors, the high detectability of the subject failure, and the low rate of occurrence, this Engineering Analysis is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov. Please see the attached document “EA20-002 Detailed Closing Summary” for more a detailed closing resume summary.
Seat Belts
On August 31, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Engineering Analysis (EA) EA20002, as an upgrade of Recall Query (RQ) RQ19003. This investigation, related to recall 14V-266, was opened to investigate instances of detachment of the flexible steel seat belt anchor cable attached to the outboard side of the front seats in vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM). The subject vehicles included model year (MY) 2009 through 2014 GMC Acadia, Buick Enclave, and Chevrolet Traverse SUVs as well as MY 2009 through 2010 Saturn Outlook SUVs. These vehicles were previously repaired for this defect under recall 14V-266. The subject vehicle population is approximately 1.3 million vehicles. Special Coverage N192219480, issued in June 2019, addressed the subject defect in vehicles that previously received the recall remedy repair for subject recall 14V-266. The Special Coverage allows for component replacement for 12 years or 180,000 miles from the initial sale date, whichever comes first. Special Coverage N192219480 instructed service technicians to inspect the driver’s seat belt anchor cable for any damage to the protective sleeve and if damage was observed, the cable was replaced with a new sleeve as well as a new closeout piece that relocated the cable to mitigate the subject condition. In view of the Special Coverage conducted by General Motors, the high detectability of the subject failure, and the low rate of occurrence, this Engineering Analysis is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov. Please see the attached document “EA20-002 Detailed Closing Summary” for more a detailed closing resume summary.
RQ19003 · Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
Opened May 28, 2019 · Closed Aug 31, 2020
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front; Seat Belts:front:anchorage; Seat Belts:pretensioner
On May 19, 2014, General Motors LLC (GM) notified the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) that it would conduct Safety Recall 14V266 to address fatigue and separation of the flexible steel cable that connects the front outboard seat belts to the seat-mounted belt pre-tensioner in 1.4 million model year (MY) 2009-2010 Saturn Outlook, 2009-2014 Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse (Lambda Platform) vehicles.The remedy was to inspect for signs of damage and replace pre-tensioner anchor cables as needed. Re-work was conducted to relocate the pre-tensioner anchor cable out of the occupant entry path. ODI has subsequently received four (4) Vehicle Owners Questionnaires (VOQ) reporting anchor cable separations with no apparent warning in covered vehicles after the Recall 14V266 remedy had been applied.ODI opened RQ19-003 to assess the effectiveness of the actions GM took in Recall 14V266 and review the full warranty and complaint data related to seat belt anchor cable separations and replacements. ODI continues to receive occasional cable failure complaints both for the subject vehicles and other GM models and model years that have also been previously recalled addressing this condition.Although the cable separation complaint rate is very low, over the past three years ODI has received two (2) additional VOQ?s citing belt cable separations for Lambda platform vehicles outside the scope of recall 14V266, (11217092, 11118075) and complaints for other GM models covered in a number of similar Safety Recalls:* 15V269, 2011-12 Chevrolet Malibu (11181115, 11288168); * 16V209, 2014-15 Silverado 1500, Sierra 1500 (11254364, 10935183, 10953851, 11025376, 11282043, 11288701, 11309884); and * 16V518 2014-16 Caprice Police Pursuit, SS (10905644, 10990669, 11340893).ODI's review of GM's data confirms the low potential failure rate for the vehicles covered by recall 14V266. However, ODI believes that complainants may not recognize accumulating cable fatigue damage from the visual cues available in routine vehicle use.ODI is upgrading RQ19-003 to an Engineering Analysis to more closely assess seat belt conditions and strength levels in the field. This work will include the collection of seat belt samples from a wider range of recalled and peer vehicles for detailed analysis and testing.The ODI reports (VOQs) associated with this RQ19-003 can be viewed at NHTSA.gov under the following reference numbers: 11144704, 11076704, 11185619, 11151922, 11164011, 10967518, 11113486, 11115648
Additional source detail variants (3)
Seat Belts:front:anchorage
On May 19, 2014, General Motors LLC (GM) notified the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) that it would conduct Safety Recall 14V266 to address fatigue and separation of the flexible steel cable that connects the front outboard seat belts to the seat-mounted belt pre-tensioner in 1.4 million model year (MY) 2009-2010 Saturn Outlook, 2009-2014 Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse (Lambda Platform) vehicles.The remedy was to inspect for signs of damage and replace pre-tensioner anchor cables as needed. Re-work was conducted to relocate the pre-tensioner anchor cable out of the occupant entry path. ODI has subsequently received four (4) Vehicle Owners Questionnaires (VOQ) reporting anchor cable separations with no apparent warning in covered vehicles after the Recall 14V266 remedy had been applied.ODI opened RQ19-003 to assess the effectiveness of the actions GM took in Recall 14V266 and review the full warranty and complaint data related to seat belt anchor cable separations and replacements. ODI continues to receive occasional cable failure complaints both for the subject vehicles and other GM models and model years that have also been previously recalled addressing this condition.Although the cable separation complaint rate is very low, over the past three years ODI has received two (2) additional VOQ?s citing belt cable separations for Lambda platform vehicles outside the scope of recall 14V266, (11217092, 11118075) and complaints for other GM models covered in a number of similar Safety Recalls:* 15V269, 2011-12 Chevrolet Malibu (11181115, 11288168); * 16V209, 2014-15 Silverado 1500, Sierra 1500 (11254364, 10935183, 10953851, 11025376, 11282043, 11288701, 11309884); and * 16V518 2014-16 Caprice Police Pursuit, SS (10905644, 10990669, 11340893).ODI's review of GM's data confirms the low potential failure rate for the vehicles covered by recall 14V266. However, ODI believes that complainants may not recognize accumulating cable fatigue damage from the visual cues available in routine vehicle use.ODI is upgrading RQ19-003 to an Engineering Analysis to more closely assess seat belt conditions and strength levels in the field. This work will include the collection of seat belt samples from a wider range of recalled and peer vehicles for detailed analysis and testing.The ODI reports (VOQs) associated with this RQ19-003 can be viewed at NHTSA.gov under the following reference numbers: 11144704, 11076704, 11185619, 11151922, 11164011, 10967518, 11113486, 11115648
Seat Belts:front
On May 19, 2014, General Motors LLC (GM) notified the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) that it would conduct Safety Recall 14V266 to address fatigue and separation of the flexible steel cable that connects the front outboard seat belts to the seat-mounted belt pre-tensioner in 1.4 million model year (MY) 2009-2010 Saturn Outlook, 2009-2014 Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse (Lambda Platform) vehicles.The remedy was to inspect for signs of damage and replace pre-tensioner anchor cables as needed. Re-work was conducted to relocate the pre-tensioner anchor cable out of the occupant entry path. ODI has subsequently received four (4) Vehicle Owners Questionnaires (VOQ) reporting anchor cable separations with no apparent warning in covered vehicles after the Recall 14V266 remedy had been applied.ODI opened RQ19-003 to assess the effectiveness of the actions GM took in Recall 14V266 and review the full warranty and complaint data related to seat belt anchor cable separations and replacements. ODI continues to receive occasional cable failure complaints both for the subject vehicles and other GM models and model years that have also been previously recalled addressing this condition.Although the cable separation complaint rate is very low, over the past three years ODI has received two (2) additional VOQ?s citing belt cable separations for Lambda platform vehicles outside the scope of recall 14V266, (11217092, 11118075) and complaints for other GM models covered in a number of similar Safety Recalls:* 15V269, 2011-12 Chevrolet Malibu (11181115, 11288168); * 16V209, 2014-15 Silverado 1500, Sierra 1500 (11254364, 10935183, 10953851, 11025376, 11282043, 11288701, 11309884); and * 16V518 2014-16 Caprice Police Pursuit, SS (10905644, 10990669, 11340893).ODI's review of GM's data confirms the low potential failure rate for the vehicles covered by recall 14V266. However, ODI believes that complainants may not recognize accumulating cable fatigue damage from the visual cues available in routine vehicle use.ODI is upgrading RQ19-003 to an Engineering Analysis to more closely assess seat belt conditions and strength levels in the field. This work will include the collection of seat belt samples from a wider range of recalled and peer vehicles for detailed analysis and testing.The ODI reports (VOQs) associated with this RQ19-003 can be viewed at NHTSA.gov under the following reference numbers: 11144704, 11076704, 11185619, 11151922, 11164011, 10967518, 11113486, 11115648
Seat Belts:pretensioner
On May 19, 2014, General Motors LLC (GM) notified the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) that it would conduct Safety Recall 14V266 to address fatigue and separation of the flexible steel cable that connects the front outboard seat belts to the seat-mounted belt pre-tensioner in 1.4 million model year (MY) 2009-2010 Saturn Outlook, 2009-2014 Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse (Lambda Platform) vehicles.The remedy was to inspect for signs of damage and replace pre-tensioner anchor cables as needed. Re-work was conducted to relocate the pre-tensioner anchor cable out of the occupant entry path. ODI has subsequently received four (4) Vehicle Owners Questionnaires (VOQ) reporting anchor cable separations with no apparent warning in covered vehicles after the Recall 14V266 remedy had been applied.ODI opened RQ19-003 to assess the effectiveness of the actions GM took in Recall 14V266 and review the full warranty and complaint data related to seat belt anchor cable separations and replacements. ODI continues to receive occasional cable failure complaints both for the subject vehicles and other GM models and model years that have also been previously recalled addressing this condition.Although the cable separation complaint rate is very low, over the past three years ODI has received two (2) additional VOQ?s citing belt cable separations for Lambda platform vehicles outside the scope of recall 14V266, (11217092, 11118075) and complaints for other GM models covered in a number of similar Safety Recalls:* 15V269, 2011-12 Chevrolet Malibu (11181115, 11288168); * 16V209, 2014-15 Silverado 1500, Sierra 1500 (11254364, 10935183, 10953851, 11025376, 11282043, 11288701, 11309884); and * 16V518 2014-16 Caprice Police Pursuit, SS (10905644, 10990669, 11340893).ODI's review of GM's data confirms the low potential failure rate for the vehicles covered by recall 14V266. However, ODI believes that complainants may not recognize accumulating cable fatigue damage from the visual cues available in routine vehicle use.ODI is upgrading RQ19-003 to an Engineering Analysis to more closely assess seat belt conditions and strength levels in the field. This work will include the collection of seat belt samples from a wider range of recalled and peer vehicles for detailed analysis and testing.The ODI reports (VOQs) associated with this RQ19-003 can be viewed at NHTSA.gov under the following reference numbers: 11144704, 11076704, 11185619, 11151922, 11164011, 10967518, 11113486, 11115648
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