Problem Lookup › Chevrolet › Traverse › 2020
Car problem report
2020 Chevrolet Traverse problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2020 Chevrolet Traverse has been recalled for and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 8safety recalls
- 234owner complaints
- 11crash reports
- 1fire report
- 8injuries reported
234 complaints, against an average of 253 for the other 14 Chevrolet Traverse model years.
Every Chevrolet Traverse model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2020 Chevrolet Traverse?
The components named most often in the 234 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2020 Chevrolet Traverse owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 234 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
- Why is the check engine light on in my 2020 Chevrolet Traverse?32 owners · 13.7%
- Does the 2020 Chevrolet Traverse have emissions system or DPF problems?23 owners · 9.8%
- Why does my 2020 Chevrolet Traverse transmission jerk, shudder or shift hard?11 owners · 4.7%
- Why does my 2020 Chevrolet Traverse stall, lose power or shut off while driving?10 owners · 4.3%
- Why does the seat belt not latch or retract properly in my 2020 Chevrolet Traverse?9 owners · 3.8%
Has the 2020 Chevrolet Traverse been recalled?
8 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Air Bags: Side/Window: Curtain General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Traverse and 2021-2022 Buick Enclave vehicles. 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.
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.
Power Train: Automatic Transmission Braun Corporation (Braun) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Chevrolet Traverse wheelchair accessible vehicles with Power In-floor Ramp conversion. 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.
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.
Tires General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, XT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, 2018-2021 Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana, 2019-2020 Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, GMC Acadia, Sierra 1500, and certain Continental tires sold to the aftermarket for various model year 2018-2021 vehicles. The affected tires were cured for too long during production.
Risk: Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212329050.
Tires General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5, GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse vehicles and 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. The vehicles may have been manufactured with Continental tires that were overcured.
Risk: Overcured tires may experience a carcass break in the sidewall resulting in a sudden air loss or could develop a belt edge separation which could lead to partial or full tread/belt loss. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect vehicles and replace tires that have DOT number and production mold number combinations identified by Continental, free of charge. The recall began December 17, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202319030.
Power Train: Automatic Transmission General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
Risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.
Fuel System, Gasoline: Delivery: Fuel Pump General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5, Cadillac XT6, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The fuel pump's jet nozzle may have a plastic burr remaining from the manufacturing process, possibly causing a blocked nozzle and an insufficient fuel supply to the engine.
Risk: Insufficient fuel supply can result in an engine stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump module. The recall began November 16, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202314760.
Air Bags: Side/Window: Curtain: Inflator General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5 and XT6, Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500 and Traverse and GMC Acadia and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The diffuser component of the Roof-Rail Air Bag (RRAB) inflator may not have been properly crimped to the inflator and could separate from the inflator during air bag deployment.
Risk: If the diffuser separates from the inflator during deployment, RRAB performance may be degraded, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect RRAB modules, free of charge. The recall began September 3, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is N202305380.
Structure: Frame And Members General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse vehicles. The right-hand frame rail in the engine compartment may be cracked.
Risk: A crack in the frame rail may reduce crash performance, increasing the risk of an injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the vehicle, free of charge. The recall began October 4, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438 or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is N192268310.
What do 2020 Chevrolet Traverse owners report?
12 of the 234 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a fractured flex pipe. The mechanic informed the contact that the failure was associated with GM Technical Service Bulletin: PIP 5681C and Manufacturer Communication Number: 10211780 (Engine and Engine Cooling), and the contact was referred to the dealer. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who confirmed the failure was not covered under warranty. The contact spoke with the manufacturer, who also…
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that the exhaust system was sagging due to an improperly welded mounting bracket. The contact became aware that an exhaust system bolt was cracked and missing. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where a technician confirmed that the weld on the exhaust hanger had separated from the subframe, causing the loud rattling sound of the exhaust system. Additionally, the check engine warning light was frequently illuminated, and the exhaust system was louder than normal. The failure mileage was 82,000.
My 2020 Chevrolet Traverse is experiencing a SHIFT to PARK issue. When the car is placed into PARK, the electrical system does not recognize it and will not shut off the vehicle. There is a defect with the button trigger that allows the gear shifter to move and it is not being recognized. The quick fix is to press this button around 15 times to reset it. Sometimes this works but when on an incline, it does not. It takes turning the vehicle on and off a few times to have this registered. The estimated cost to replace the gear shifter is around $600 to $900 dollars. Please have this item…
The front intermediate exhaust pipe mounting bracket weld fractured at the engine manifold, causing the exhaust pipe to break completely loose. We can now actively smell raw exhaust fumes inside the passenger cabin while operating the vehicle, creating an immediate safety hazard for carbon monoxide poisoning and driver disorientation. Additionally, the heavy steel exhaust system is completely unsupported at the front, creating an imminent risk of the pipe falling and dragging on the roadway at highway speeds, which could cause a catastrophic crash. The vehicle began getting progressively…
Bracket on the exhaust pipes just before the flex pipes broke free and there is now a hole in the pipe.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that the transmission was slipping and there was a delay while the transmission was shifting gears. The vehicle was sputtering and jerking while driving. While turning out of a driveway and driving approximately 5 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The local dealer was contacted and informed that there was no recall on the VIN. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but referred the owner back to the local dealer for…
I own a 2020 Chevy Traverse with currently 16,000 miles. I am currently dealing with a know shudder issue that has returned. I have already taken the vehicle under warranty to the dealership where the transmission was replaced on 6/29/2022 at 4919 miles for “catastrophic failure” where the fluids were dark, burnt, and several burnt up clutches. Then the torque converter was replaced separately on 9/20/2022 at 8106 miles for engine shudder. Took the vehicle again in on 7/21/26 for shudder returning at 16,450k miles where diagnostic shows dark, burnt fluid, with metal debri. Repair…
There is a well known exhaust issue with the catalytic converter and the separating manifold and no recall has been issue yet. It causes the vehicle to lose pressure and shuts off in the middle of traffic. The seat belt secure locks are malfunctioning and could cause loss of life in the event of an accident.
While driving the stereo went off, the ac, the car stopped in middle of the road and I lost all electrical. I tried turning back on and the emergency brake light was on and the dash said "Steering Assist is Reduced, Drive with Care.” I was able to put it in neutral and get it out of the way. Battery is good Fuses were all checked 350 replaced Car isn’t starting or Turing over, but some of the lights have turned on.
Brakes have screeching noise Transmission jumps when changing gear The shift to park is so constant can not even go out because it takes more than 20 to 30 tries for it to accept park and turn Vehicle off! I have taken it to the dealer for the concern stated no recall or warranty At this point I am afraid to even leave it in shift to park and walk to the store and it gets stolen or leaves me stranded with my children
My seat belts do not click when fastened or stay fastened. Sometimes I have to try several times to get the seabelt to click.
A few months ago I was driving and without any warning the steering wheel would lock up and I couldn’t turn it at all. I had to use my strength to wiggle it to unlock it. It happened several times on busy roads and highways. It’s currently at the dealership for the past 2 months because there is a short and the steering gear box needs to be replaced but the part is on back order with no date of when it’ll become available. I obviously can’t drive it due to the steering locking up and that it’s a danger to not only myself and my family but other drivers on the road. Anyone could have been…
2020 Chevrolet Traverse: questions owners ask
Is the 2020 Chevrolet Traverse reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 234 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Chevrolet Traverse; the most common categories were engine (70, 29.9%), power train (39, 16.7%), electrical system (28, 12%). There are 8 safety recalls. 11 complaints mention a crash, 1 mentions a fire, 8 injuries were reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Chevrolet Traverse?
Across 234 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are engine (29.9% of complaints), power train (16.7% of complaints), electrical system (12% of complaints), engine and engine cooling (11.5% of complaints), fuel/propulsion system (6.8% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2020 Chevrolet Traverse have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 8 recalls for the 2020 Chevrolet Traverse; the most recent (campaign 22V210000, 2022-03-31) concerns Air Bags: Side/Window: Curtain. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why is the check engine light on in my 2020 Chevrolet Traverse?
32 of the 234 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2020 Chevrolet Traverse (13.7%) describe the check engine light coming on. One owner wrote: "Rattling noise when starting vehicle started occurring a year ago. Dealership diagnosed a broken bracket weld that holds the exhaust pipes in place. Dealership cut off bracket." (NHTSA complaint 11689205, September 2025). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Does the 2020 Chevrolet Traverse have emissions system or DPF problems?
23 of the 234 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2020 Chevrolet Traverse (9.8%) describe emissions faults such as DPF, EGR, catalytic converter, AdBlue/DEF or NOx sensor problems. One owner wrote: "There is a well known exhaust issue with the catalytic converter and the separating manifold and no recall has been issue yet. It causes the vehicle to lose pressure and shuts off in the middle of traffic." (NHTSA complaint 11751031, July 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2020 Chevrolet Traverse transmission jerk, shudder or shift hard?
11 of the 234 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2020 Chevrolet Traverse (4.7%) describe harsh, jerky or delayed transmission shifting or shuddering. One owner wrote: "I have 37,000 miles and have taken it to a Chevrolet dealer for all suggested routine maintenance. It started shuddering so I took in to dealer. They said known issue and may need a new torque converter which would cost approximately $8500." (NHTSA complaint 11737438, May 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2020 Chevrolet Traverse stall, lose power or shut off while driving?
10 of the 234 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2020 Chevrolet Traverse (4.3%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. One owner wrote: "19 Sep 2025. The headlights turn off at night while driving. With the switch in the "auto" position, I turned the switch to "off" then back to "auto" and they came back on for a short period of time." (NHTSA complaint 11690705, October 2025). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does the seat belt not latch or retract properly in my 2020 Chevrolet Traverse?
9 of the 234 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2020 Chevrolet Traverse (3.8%) describe seat belts not latching, retracting or locking. One owner wrote: "There is a well known exhaust issue with the catalytic converter and the separating manifold and no recall has been issue yet. It causes the vehicle to lose pressure and shuts off in the middle of traffic." (NHTSA complaint 11751031, July 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Check your own Traverse
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2020 only.