IllustrationBOUGHT THE CAR OCTOBER OF 2010 AND NOW THETIMING CHAIN NEEDS REPLACING. I READ ALL 2009 MODELS TIMEING CHAINS WERE REPLACE BY CHEVROLET UNDER A SPECIAL WARRANTY AND I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR
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
650–25K
7125–50K
13250–75K
9675–100K
116100–150K
17150K+
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.
16 crash reports4 fire reports15 injury reports
What owners actually said
608 reportsI HAD CONTACTED CHEVY CORPORATE ON THE STEERING ISSUE ON MY CAR WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. NEEDLESS TO SAY THERE WERE NO HELP. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP MANY TIMES BECAUSE OF THE STEERING ALONE. SINCE THEN I HAVE OTHER ISSUES WITH MY 2011 TRAVERSE. NOW THE CAR SHUTS WHILE DRIVING. IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF GM OWNERS OF DIFF…
Read full complaint
I HAD CONTACTED CHEVY CORPORATE ON THE STEERING ISSUE ON MY CAR WHILE IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. NEEDLESS TO SAY THERE WERE NO HELP. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP MANY TIMES BECAUSE OF THE STEERING ALONE. SINCE THEN I HAVE OTHER ISSUES WITH MY 2011 TRAVERSE. NOW THE CAR SHUTS WHILE DRIVING. IT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF GM OWNERS OF DIFFERENT VEHICLES ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. I GUESS THERE WILL NOT BE A RECALL UNTIL SOMEONE DIES OVER THIS. SOME OF THE ISSUES INCLUDED ALL 4 STRUTS WERE BAD UNDER 100,000 MILES, RACK AND PINION GOING UP, STEERING ISSUES, LEAKING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN, 3 TIMES THE AC ACTUATOR HAS GONE UP, ISSUES WITH THE LIFT GATE FAILING, LIFE GATE ONE TIME INJURED MY FATHER-IN-LAW, TIMING CHAIN FAILING PREMATURELY, AND NOW THE STABILITRAK AND TRACTION CONTROL IS GOING OFF. THE VEHICLE SHUTS UP WHILE DRIVING! MY WIFE GOT STUCK ON A BRIDGE AND WAS PUT IN DANGER DUE TO THIS. NOW THE TRAVERSE SITS IN THE DRIVEWAY. MY WIFE SAID A WARNING WAS DISPLAYED ABOUT REDUCING ENGINE POWER. THE TRAVERSE WENT DOWN TO 20MPG AND THEN SHUT OFF ON A BRIDGE. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE AND NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND ATTEMPTING TO TURN LEFT, THE STEERING COLUMN MADE AN ABNORMAL WHINING SOUND. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE TURN WOULD BE EXTREMELY HARD TO EXECUTE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING GEAR AND PUMP NEEDED …
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND ATTEMPTING TO TURN LEFT, THE STEERING COLUMN MADE AN ABNORMAL WHINING SOUND. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE TURN WOULD BE EXTREMELY HARD TO EXECUTE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING GEAR AND PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,522.
TRACTION CONTROL COMES ON STATING TRACTION CONTROL IS OFF AND ENGINE POWER REDUCES TO 20 MPH AND WILL NOT ACCELERATE PASS 20MPH I WAS ON THE EXPRESSWAY TRAVELING ABOUT 50 MPH WHEN THE TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON AND REDUCED POWER TO 20MPH NO THROTTLE.
WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN (NO MORE THAN 30 MPH), A BEEP OCCURS AND AN ERROR - NO TRACTION CONTROL - SERVICE STABILITRACK - ENGINE POWER REDUCED. I AM THEN UNABLE TO GO OVER 10 MPH. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO COMES ON AT THE END OF THIS. I HAVE TO PULL OVER, STOP MY CAR AND RESTART IN ORDER TO ASSUME REGULAR SPEED, HOWEVER, IT DI…
Read full complaint
WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN (NO MORE THAN 30 MPH), A BEEP OCCURS AND AN ERROR - NO TRACTION CONTROL - SERVICE STABILITRACK - ENGINE POWER REDUCED. I AM THEN UNABLE TO GO OVER 10 MPH. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO COMES ON AT THE END OF THIS. I HAVE TO PULL OVER, STOP MY CAR AND RESTART IN ORDER TO ASSUME REGULAR SPEED, HOWEVER, IT DID HAPPEN TWICE IN A DRIVE THAT WAS ONLY 10 MILES LONG.
WHILE DRIVING APPROX 20 MPH OUT OF A PARKING LOT ONTO THE MAIN ROAD AND TURNING LEFT, I HEARD A LOUD WHINING SOUND AND FELT A "THUMP" WITH SOME VIBRATION IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CAR CONTINUES TO MAKE THE SAME SOUND WHEN MAKING SHARPER TURNS, LIKE GOING INTO A PARKING SPACE. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT I HAVE A POWER …
Read full complaint
WHILE DRIVING APPROX 20 MPH OUT OF A PARKING LOT ONTO THE MAIN ROAD AND TURNING LEFT, I HEARD A LOUD WHINING SOUND AND FELT A "THUMP" WITH SOME VIBRATION IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CAR CONTINUES TO MAKE THE SAME SOUND WHEN MAKING SHARPER TURNS, LIKE GOING INTO A PARKING SPACE. I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT I HAVE A POWER STEERING LEAK AND NEED A NEW STEERING RACK TO THE TUNE OF $1300-1600 REPAIR! THIS CAR ONLY HAS 33,146 MILES. *TR
MY CAR HAD STARTED MAKING A NOISE IN THE FRONT BEFORE I COULD GET IT TO THE SHOP THAT I TAKE IT TO I WAS GOING TO GET MY DAUGHTER HAD MY SON NEICE AND NEPHEW WAS GOING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE DASH FLASHED LOW ENGINE POWER LOST THE BREAKS AND COULD NOT STEER THE CAR. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS THE TIMING CHAINS. AFTER RESEARCH A…
Read full complaint
MY CAR HAD STARTED MAKING A NOISE IN THE FRONT BEFORE I COULD GET IT TO THE SHOP THAT I TAKE IT TO I WAS GOING TO GET MY DAUGHTER HAD MY SON NEICE AND NEPHEW WAS GOING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE DASH FLASHED LOW ENGINE POWER LOST THE BREAKS AND COULD NOT STEER THE CAR. I LATER FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS THE TIMING CHAINS. AFTER RESEARCH AND TALKING WITH CHEVY THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS PUTTING PEOPLE IN DANGER AND THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING. THEY SAID WITH ME GOING TO A 3RD PARTY TO HAVE THE CAR WORKED ON THAT THEY WOULDN'T TOUCH MINE. MY CAR HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED I HAD JUST HAD THIS CAR OVER A YEAR WHEN IT STARTED THIS. I OWE 17K STILL ON THIS CAR AND NOT ABLE TO DRIVE IT. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM IN SEVERAL MODELS AND CHEVY IS NOT WANTING TO PAY FOR THEIR MISTAKE, I HAVE ALSO HAD THIS LOOKED AT BY CHEVY THEY TRIED SAYING THAT THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE CAR BUT IT WAS CHANGED AND HAD BEEN SITTING FOR ABOUT 4 MONTHS. A SINGLE MOM PAYING 400 A MONTH ON A VEHICLE THAT IS NOT MY FAULT THAT IT IS MESSED UP. I WILL NEVER HAVE ANOTHER CHEVY AGAIN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING PUMP FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE WARNING IN…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING PUMP FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.
HAD A SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN APPLYING BRAKE PEDAL. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO SAID THE THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND MASTER CYLINDER HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS LEAKING AND CAUSING THE PROBLEM. COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO BRAKING ISSUES. THEY ALSO STATING THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE CHEVROLET TRAVERSE MAKE AND MODEL. SHOULD BE A …
Read full complaint
HAD A SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN APPLYING BRAKE PEDAL. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO SAID THE THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND MASTER CYLINDER HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS LEAKING AND CAUSING THE PROBLEM. COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO BRAKING ISSUES. THEY ALSO STATING THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE CHEVROLET TRAVERSE MAKE AND MODEL. SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE AND NOT A $600 FIX FOR ME.
WHEN RAINING WATER ENTERS INTO AC/HEATING BLOWER ACCESS PANEL AND ACCUMULATES THERE ULTIMATELY CAUSING THE BLOWER MOTOR TO FAIL. ALSO WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN WATER RUNS OUT FROM PANEL ONTO PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR. HAD TO HAVE BLOWER MOTOR REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH NEW ONE. A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM IS NEEDED AS IT IS A COMMON PROBL…
Read full complaint
WHEN RAINING WATER ENTERS INTO AC/HEATING BLOWER ACCESS PANEL AND ACCUMULATES THERE ULTIMATELY CAUSING THE BLOWER MOTOR TO FAIL. ALSO WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN WATER RUNS OUT FROM PANEL ONTO PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR. HAD TO HAVE BLOWER MOTOR REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH NEW ONE. A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM IS NEEDED AS IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES.
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