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2016 Chevrolet Traverse

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2016 Chevrolet Traverse do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 302.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

89 reports with mileage · 202 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.

  • Air Bags. Review the 163 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports1 fire reports6 injury reports

Visibility/wiper complaints

4 reports
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27,000 miles · Feb 22, 2021
Visibility/wiperFire

ON FRIDAY JAN.15, 2021 I DROVE TO MY SON'S HOUSE AND PARKED MY 2016 CHEVY TRAVERSE SUV OUTSIDE MY SON'S HOUSE AT APPROX.12PM. NO ONE WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND THE ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING. AT ABOUT 6:45PM A CAR PASSING BY NOTICED A FIRE ON TOP OF THE HOOD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF MY SUV. THE PERSON KNOCKED ON THE HOUSE DOOR TO LET US…

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ON FRIDAY JAN.15, 2021 I DROVE TO MY SON'S HOUSE AND PARKED MY 2016 CHEVY TRAVERSE SUV OUTSIDE MY SON'S HOUSE AT APPROX.12PM. NO ONE WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND THE ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING. AT ABOUT 6:45PM A CAR PASSING BY NOTICED A FIRE ON TOP OF THE HOOD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF MY SUV. THE PERSON KNOCKED ON THE HOUSE DOOR TO LET US KNOW THAT THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. WE CALLED THE FIRE DEPT. THE FIRE DEPT. WAS ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THE FIREFIGHTER EXAMINED THE SCENE AND TOLD ME IT WAS CAUSED BY THE WIPER MOTOR. THE POLICE ALSO DID AN INVESTIGATION. EVIDENCE TECHNICIAN SAID HE DID NOT SEE ANYTHING SUSPICIOUS ABOUT THE FIRE. WE LOOKED ON LINE AND SAW THAT THE 2016 CHEVY TRAVERSE HAS A RECALL FOR WIPER MOTOR FIRES. WHEN I PUT IN MY VIN NUMBER THEY SAID MY CAR WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I CALLED CHEVY AND THEY TOLD ME I HAD TO GO THROUGH MY INSURANCE. MY CAR HAD $3600.00 WORTH OF DAMAGE AND WAS TOWED TO GERBER COLLISION WHERE MY CAR WAS REPAIRED.

NHTSA ODI #11397393

13,000 miles · Feb 24, 2016
StructureVisibility/wiper

PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW EXPLODED. WE WERE DRIVING ON AN OPEN RURAL HIGHWAY WITH NO VEHICLES NEAR US IN THE AFTERNOON. THE WEATHER WAS ABOUT 75 DEGREES AND SUNNY. ALL WINDOWS WERE UP AND THE A/C WAS ON. WE HEARD AN EXPLOSION WHICH SOUNDED LIKE A TIRE BLOWING OUT AND THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT DOOR WINDOW HAD BLOWN OUT. WHEN WE P…

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PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW EXPLODED. WE WERE DRIVING ON AN OPEN RURAL HIGHWAY WITH NO VEHICLES NEAR US IN THE AFTERNOON. THE WEATHER WAS ABOUT 75 DEGREES AND SUNNY. ALL WINDOWS WERE UP AND THE A/C WAS ON. WE HEARD AN EXPLOSION WHICH SOUNDED LIKE A TIRE BLOWING OUT AND THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT DOOR WINDOW HAD BLOWN OUT. WHEN WE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, YOU COULD SEE THAT THE REMAINING PARTS OF THE WINDOW WERE ANGLED OUTWARD SLIGHTLY AS IF THERE HAD BEEN PRESSURE FROM INSIDE THE SUV PUSHING IT OUT. FORTUNATELY, VERY LITTLE GLASS CAME INTO THE CAR AS IT WAS ALL BLOWN OUTWARD. WE WERE DRIVING THE SPEED LIMIT ON CRUISE CONTROL (70MPH). AS THERE WERE NO NEARBY VEHICLES OR PEOPLE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, ROAD DEBRIS WAS NOT THE CAUSE OF THIS. ALSO, A CLOSE REVIEW OF THE VEHICLE SHOW NO MARKS FROM ANY EXTERNAL DEBRIS.

NHTSA ODI #10838050

Mileage unknown · Nov 16, 2015
Visibility/wiper

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V609000 (VISIBILITY); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V609000 (VISIBILITY); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER FOR SIX WEEKS AWAITING REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ODI #10790660

Mileage unknown · Oct 9, 2015
Visibility/wiper

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V609000 (VISIBILITY) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V609000 (VISIBILITY) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI #10781032

Official recalls

5

23V334000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

May 10, 2023

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

21V782000 · Air Bags:frontal; Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Oct 7, 2021

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Additional source detail variants (2)

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.

Consequence: 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.

Air Bags:frontal

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.

Consequence: 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.

21V246000 · 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.

15V833000 · Seats

Dec 11, 2015

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured November 6, 2015, to November 12, 2015. The affected vehicles have a the third row left lower seat frame that may have welds that are not in the correction location.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the seat frame is not welded in the correct places, the seat may not perform as intended, and in the event of a crash, the seat occupant could be at an increased risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the third row left side lower seat frame, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on January 29, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is 21930.

15V609000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor

Sep 29, 2015

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured August 18, 2015 to September 24, 2015. Due to a manufacturing defect, the windshield wiper motor may overheat when used.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A wiper motor that overheats increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: GM has notified owners, and dealers will replace the windshield wiper motor cover assembly, free of charge. Owners are advised not to use their front windshield wipers until the wiper cover has been replaced. If weather conditions prevent operation of the vehicle without using the windshield wipers, GM will make arrangements to pick up the vehicle for servicing. The recall began on September 30, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 15780.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.