The Lemon IndexThe engine computer sees the cam and crank timing drifting out of line on bank 1. Full P0008 page
37 owner complaints · the #1 code Chevrolet Traverse owners name · 25% of Chevrolet Traverse complaints that name a code (every car: 0.7%)
Middle of 89,000 miles · most between 67,000 and 107,000 (31 owners gave it)
Chevrolet Traverse owners named P0008 in 37 complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA), most often on the 2010, 2011 and 2009 model years, at a middle of 89,000 miles. The part they name most is the timing chain, tensioner or cam phaser (22 complaints). Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Chevrolet Traverse model years that report P0008
Owner complaints naming P0008, by model year. Raw counts: years that sold more get more complaints, so this is each model year's record, not a failure rate.
Mileage when it happened
89,000 miles is the middle of what 31 owners entered. Half were between 67,000 and 107,000 miles.
The mileage on the complaint form, when the owner gave one.
What owners say caused it or fixed it
The most-named part is the timing chain, tensioner or cam phaser, in 22 of the 37 complaints (59%). 12 of those mention it being replaced or repaired, and 2 say the problem came back afterwards.
- Timing chain, tensioner or cam phaser22 complaints12 mention a repair or replacement, 2 of them say the problem came back · what Chevrolet Traverse owners paid
14 complaints mention a recall and 15 mention a warranty.
Counted from the owners' own words: a part counts when a sentence names it with a cause or repair word. What owners wrote, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause before replacing parts.
Symptoms owners describe with P0008
54% of these complaints say the check engine light came on.
- Loses power or goes into limp mode14%5 of 37 complaints
Share of the complaints naming P0008 whose text also describes each problem. A complaint can describe more than one.
Codes owners report with it
Other codes named in the same Chevrolet Traverse complaints, and in how many.
Repair costs
- Timing chain replacement$2,7504 bills · middle bill
Repair bills owners named in these 37 complaints (4 in all). Owner reports, not a quote: costs vary by shop and region.
Recalls on these Chevrolet Traverse years
- Transmission & drivetrain · 2009 · issued 2009
GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING 276,729 MY 2009 BUICK ENCLAVE, CHEVROLET COBALT, HHR, MALIBU, TRAVERSE, GMC ACADIA, PONTIAC G5, G6 AND SATURN AURA AND OUTLOOK PASSENGER VEHICLES. NHTSA 09V073000
1 recall for the same systems (engine and powertrain) on the Chevrolet Traverse model years above. A recall for the same system isn't proof it's behind P0008. Recall work is free at any dealer: check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with our VIN check.
Keep going
- P0008: meaning, causes and every car that reports it
- Chevrolet Traverse reliability by year
- 2010 Chevrolet Traverse problems and recalls
Other codes Chevrolet Traverse owners report
P0008 on other cars
Chevrolet Camaro (20) · Buick Enclave (15) · GMC Acadia (12) · Cadillac CTS (11)
The details
How we count
We read every owner complaint in the NHTSA file whose text names this trouble code, and count the ones filed about this model (matched by the make, model and model year on the complaint). Mileage is what the owner entered on the form.
Parts: a complaint counts for a part when one of the owner's own sentences names that part together with a cause word (failed, bad, diagnosed, caused by, leaking ...) or a repair word (replaced, repaired, new, reprogrammed ...). "Came back" means the same complaint also says the problem returned or the repair didn't fix it. These are counts of what owners wrote, not a diagnosis, and one complaint can name several parts.
Complaints are reports, not proof of a defect, and most owners never file one. Popular models get more complaints, so the counts are not a failure rate. The code meaning is the standard SAE J2012 definition in our own words, or the carmaker's meaning where we verified it for that make.
What P0008 means
The engine computer sees the cam and crank timing drifting out of line on bank 1. On many engines this is an early sign of a stretched timing chain.
Fix soon. Book a shop visit this week. Stop driving if the car slips, shakes, overheats or warns you.
- Stretched timing chain
- Worn chain guides or tensioner
- Faulty cam phaser or VVT solenoid
Check the complaints yourself
NHTSA complaint numbers (search them at nhtsa.gov): 11466949, 11433973, 11399127, 11328042, 11326652, 11277090, 11276928, 11245297, 11240579, 11230114, 11204288, 11193869 and 25 more.
Quick answers
What does P0008 mean on a Chevrolet Traverse?
Engine Position System Performance (Bank 1). The engine computer sees the cam and crank timing drifting out of line on bank 1. On many engines this is an early sign of a stretched timing chain.
Which Chevrolet Traverse years have the most P0008 complaints?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners of the 2010 (25), 2011 (11), 2009 (1) Chevrolet Traverse named P0008 most (37 complaints in all, 2009–2011). Raw counts, not a failure rate.
What fixes P0008 on a Chevrolet Traverse?
Owners most often name the timing chain, tensioner or cam phaser (22 of 37 complaints). That's what owners wrote, not a diagnosis: have a shop confirm the cause with a scan and tests before replacing parts.
At what mileage does P0008 show up on a Chevrolet Traverse?
Owners who gave their mileage reported a middle of 89,000 miles; half were between 67,000 and 107,000 (31 owners).
Can I drive my Chevrolet Traverse with P0008?
Fix soon. Book a shop visit this week. Stop driving if the car slips, shakes, overheats or warns you.
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints that name P0008 on the Chevrolet Traverse, counted by The Lemon Index; NHTSA recalls; repair bills owners named. Meanings: SAE J2012 in our own words. Owner reports, not a diagnosis or repair advice for your car.