The Lemon Index

All cars · Chevrolet Traverse

2017 Chevrolet Traverse.

The 2017 Chevrolet Traverse is one of the most reliable years by owner complaints: 56 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 43, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about airbags, it has 3 recalls, and it gets 17 to 18 mpg combined. The best Chevrolet Traverse year is 2013.

43Lemon Index · 100 = average car

One of the most reliable. 2.3× fewer complaints than average.

Best year 2013 · Worst year 2011

Chevrolet Traverse
Photo shows a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. Kevauto, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · background removed

Before you buy. What matters most for this car.

Owner complaints56first 3 years
Fuel economy17–18 mpgcombined, EPA
Crash test★★★★★NHTSA overall

Fixes owners look up most.

From 100 YouTube videos about the 2009–2017 Chevy Traverse, 9.9M views. The 2017 is the same generation.

  1. Infotainment, battery & electrical1.3M views
    How To Replace Starter 2009-17 Chevy TraverseHow To Replace Starter 2009-17 Chevy TraverseTRQ · 349K views · 12 videos
  2. Gauges, lights & wiring976K views
    How To Replace Chevrolet Traverse Headlight Low Beam Replace 2009-2014 | Save Money Fix It YOURSELF!How To Replace Chevrolet Traverse Headlight Low Beam Replace 2009-2014 | Save Money Fix It YOURSELF!Fentertainment · 479K views · 7 videos
  3. Heat, A/C & blend door687K views
    A/C ReCharge Chevy Traverse 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017A/C ReCharge Chevy Traverse 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017Dirt Road Auto Repair · 283K views · 5 videos
  4. Intake, EGR & engine sensors380K views
    2010-2017 Chevy Traverse - Replace ECT Sensor (Engine Coolant Temperature) - Girlie Garage2010-2017 Chevy Traverse - Replace ECT Sensor (Engine Coolant Temperature) - Girlie GarageGirlie Garage · 171K views · 4 videos
Show 4 more
  1. No-start: theft light, key & ignition380K views
    2011 Chevy Traverse - No Start Diag & Repair!2011 Chevy Traverse - No Start Diag & Repair!Advanced Level Diagnostics · 130K views · 4 videos
  2. Timing chain & engine245K views
    How To Replace Engine Knock Sensor 2009-17 Chevy TraverseHow To Replace Engine Knock Sensor 2009-17 Chevy TraverseTRQ · 109K views · 3 videos
  3. Cooling system242K views
    2008 - 2012 TRAVERSE /ENCLAVE OVERHEATING COMMON FIX2008 - 2012 TRAVERSE /ENCLAVE OVERHEATING COMMON FIXJoeTheAutoGuy · 79K views · 4 videos
  4. Brakes & ABS206K views
    2014 Chevy Traverse Brake Light Problem - Quick Fix!!!2014 Chevy Traverse Brake Light Problem - Quick Fix!!!Joe Flo · 125K views · 2 videos

Before you buy, watch

Views show how many people looked up each fix, not how often it breaks. Videos belong to their creators; we link to them.

How serious. Out of 361 owner complaints, owners reported:

13crashes
8injuries
2fires
11tows

What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.

airbags20%
engine18%
electrical16%
seat belts14%
steering12%

Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.

Transmission problems in every Chevrolet Traverse year →

When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.

half by 38K
0K50K100K150K200K

Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 16K to 51K miles on the car (65 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.

  • airbags complaints mostly came at 23K–51K miles

Recalls 3

  • airbags 2023

    The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect.

  • airbags 2021

    The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect.

  • airbags 2021

    The side curtain air bags may not be properly attached.

Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.

Check a VIN for open recalls

Safety

Stability controlStandard
Collision warningOptional
Lane departure warningOptional
NHTSA front crash test of the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse
Front crash test · NHTSA
Crash test details
VersionOverallFrontSideRollover
Chevrolet Traverse SUV FWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆
Chevrolet Traverse SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆
Fuel cost and engines

About $3550–3800 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 3.6L 6-cyl.

In owners' words

Engine idle down coming off expressway power steering was hard to turn ran off the road. Drove car the rest of the way home steering was still hard to turn in either direction, check power steering fluid and found it to be ok

2017 Chevrolet Traverse owner · NHTSA complaint 11378139
More owner reports

In early february 2018 I was in a head on collision where I was traveling over 30 miles an hour and the vehicle that hit me head on was traveling in the over 50 miles an hour. The airbags did not deploy. My vehicle was totaled.

NHTSA complaint 11091152

Steering wheel has a crack on the front. It leads directly into the air bag compartment.

NHTSA complaint 11372625

Quick answers

Is the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse reliable?

Yes, it is one of the most reliable by government complaints. It drew 2.3× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 43; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Chevrolet Traverse year by this measure is 2013.

What are the most common 2017 Chevrolet Traverse problems?

In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are airbags (20%), engine (18%) and electrical (16%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.

How many recalls does the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse have?

3 safety recalls (latest: airbags). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse get?

17 to 18 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).

Is the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse safe?

NHTSA gave it 5 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.

At what mileage do 2017 Chevrolet Traverse problems start?

Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 16,200 and 51,500 miles. The middle report was at 38,000 miles, from 65 complaints.

Does the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse have transmission problems?

Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.

How much does the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse cost in fuel a year?

About $3550 to $3800 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.

What engines does the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse have?

3.6L 6-cyl.

What Chevrolet Traverse year is better than the 2017?

By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2013, 2021 and 2017.

Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works

Updated

Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com). Get the data