This incident occurred twice. Driving down the freeway at freeway speeds, a loud clunk was heard, the vehicle jerked, check engine light appeared, check stabilitrax and traction control messages appeared and stabilitrax disabled, speedometer remained frozen at speed this incident occurred. While driving to safe location to stop, vehicle appeared to be stuck in a specific gear that is lower than…
2012 Chevrolet Traverse powertrain problems
moderate 43 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
43
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
1crash
When does it fail?
Of the 43 powertrain complaints filed for the 2012 Chevrolet Traverse, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 43 powertrain complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
No new NHTSA powertrain complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 8 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
The car stuttered while driving in reverse and first gear. She backed out of a parking space and the vehicle started shuttering immediately. She then put it in drive and it started shuttering violently and was only able to drive at 10 miles per hour. Even at that speed it was still shuttering. Brought it to the dealership and the quoted that the clutch plates and valves needed to be replaced at a…
Had powertrain trouble with your 2012 Chevrolet Traverse?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2012 Chevrolet Traverse?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 43 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Across the 33 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most powertrain failures cluster between 55,000 and 104,939 miles, with the median around 89,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 55,000; a quarter make it past 104,939. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2012/Chevrolet/Traverse.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.