NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 95 owner complaints for the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse.
Recalled components: air bags and powertrain. Most-described problem: stalling or shutting off (11 complaints, 12%). Most-reported area: electrical system (22 complaints, 23%).
One of the best Traverse years by owner complaints
The 2021 drew 23 owner complaints in its first three years, against 47 for a typical Traverse year since 2016. No open NHTSA investigation names it, and it has no recall telling owners not to drive or to park outside.
Years to avoid: 2018; best year: 2021. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
The harness connector to the left or right side roof rail air bag may have incompatible electrical terminals, which could prevent the air bags from deploying in a crash.
Risk: Roof rail air bags that do not deploy as intended increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will replace the harness connector to the roof rail air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 29, 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 N212352140.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Traverse and 2021-2022 Buick Enclave vehicles.
NHTSA listing: TRAVERSE. Chevrolet campaign N212352140.
The screw and clip that hold the inner wheel-well plastic shroud in place may chafe against the transmission case, possibly resulting in a transmission fluid leak.
Risk: A transmission fluid leak can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, a leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will replace the screw and clip, and inspect for signs of contact with the transmission, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 29, 2021. Owners may contact Braun customer service at 1-800-488-0359.
Braun Corporation (Braun) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Chevrolet Traverse wheelchair accessible vehicles with Power In-floor Ramp conversion.
During service by dealers, certain vehicles may have received incorrect air bag calibration software that may affect frontal airbag deployment.
Risk: Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will update the air bag calibration software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 29, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is N212340220.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave vehicles.
NHTSA listing: TRAVERSE. Chevrolet campaign N212340220.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse.
What owners report
Owners have filed 95 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Traverse. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Chevrolet Traverse recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2021 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2018 Traverse drew the most (139) and the 2021 drew 23.
Owner complaints
2021: 95 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Chevrolet Traverse
Model year
Complaints
2010
669
2011
608
2012
354
2013
162
2014
549
2015
314
2016
292
2017
361
2018
466
2019
412
2020
235
2021
95
2022
103
2023
95
2024
148
2025
186
2026
30
Safety recalls
2021: 3 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Chevrolet Traverse
Model year
Recalls
2010
5
2011
5
2012
5
2013
4
2014
7
2015
5
2016
5
2017
3
2018
2
2019
3
2020
8
2021
3
2022
1
2023
2
2024
0
2025
0
2026
2
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
In the 95 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse, the problems described most are stalling or shutting off (11), shifter errors or getting stuck in gear (7), and a dead battery or battery drain (6). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse.
How do I check if my Traverse has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Chevrolet dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Nov 12, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Nov 11, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Nov 12, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: TRAVERSE.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.