The driver or front passenger seat may not have sufficient welds where the seat back recliner pivot mechanism attaches to a bracket on the seat frame.
Risk: Seats with insufficient welds may not restrain an occupant as intended in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will replace the driver or front passenger seat back frames, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 7, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N262576830. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on October 21, 2026.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2026 Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles.
NHTSA listing: TRAVERSE. Chevrolet campaign N262576830.
Equipment
Feb 26, 2026
owners/service/other manual
Fails federal standard 208 (occupant crash protection)
General Motors has decided that certain 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV, 2025-2026 Cadillac OPTIQ, Chevrolet Colorado, Equinox EV, GMC Canyon, 2026 Buick Enclave, Envision, Cadillac CT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade IQ, Escalade IQL, LYRIQ, VISTIQ, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Corvette Convertible, Corvette Coupe, Corvette Convertible E-Ray, Equinox, Silverado 1500, 2500, 3500, Silverado EV, Suburban 1500, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Hummer EV Pickup, Hummer EV SUV, Sierra 1500, 2500, 3500, Sierra EV, Terrain, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The radio may not have been set to the correct status to download the electronic owner's manual during production. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, “Occupant Protection.”
Risk: Without an owner's manual to consult, owners may not know how to safely use and operate the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will reset the vehicle radio, which will facilitate automatic download of the electronic owner’s manual, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 16, 2026. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-866-467-9700, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. The manufacturer's number for this recall is N252540430. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 26, 2026.
NHTSA listing: TRAVERSE. Chevrolet campaign N252540430.
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 has opened 1 investigation that names the 2026 Chevrolet Traverse; it is still open. An investigation means NHTSA is reviewing reports of a problem. It is not a finding that the vehicle has a defect.
Electronic brake module component failure
Engineering analysis EA26006Open since Aug 21, 2026
On April 11, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE24011 after receiving complaints concerning a loss of brake assist in 2023 MY Cadillac Lyriq vehicles.
NHTSA listing: TRAVERSE. Component: Brakes.
An engineering analysis is a deeper review, usually opened after a preliminary evaluation. NHTSA lists investigations by make, model and model year only, so one can apply to only some versions of a model, such as one engine; its summary says which.
What owners report
Owners have filed 30 complaints with NHTSA about the 2026 Traverse. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Most named: adaptive cruise control (3); automatic emergency braking (3)
Powertrain3 · 10%
Air bags2 · 7%
Lane departure systems2 · 7%
Unknown or other5 · 17%
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 2026 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).
Owner complaints
2026: 30 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
2026: 2 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.
The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: electrical system (9), brakes (8), engine (5). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.
Is the 2026 Chevrolet Traverse safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2026 Chevrolet Traverse earns 5 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2026 Chevrolet Traverse?
Yes. NHTSA has 1 open investigation that names the 2026 Chevrolet Traverse: electronic brake module component failure (EA26006, opened Aug 21, 2026). An investigation is not a finding that the vehicle has a defect.
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.