What 354 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Traverse

White smoke was coming out the car and my car eventually sat on fire. I had to call the fire department.. fire department stated that it was a electrical issue

NHTSA ODI 11682785

I was driving down the freeway at about 67 MPH when the message "Traction Control Disabled" came on my display & the car immediately went into "limp mode"! By some miracle I was able to muscle the car out of the slow lane, onto the shoulder as I lost my power steering once in limp mode. I waited a few minutes, car started up just fine, so I shrugged it off. Fast forward 1 week later & the same thing happened to me on my way home on a curvy mountain road. The power steering was again non-existent & luckily, there was no one behind me, nor did anyone come around the corner & hit my disabled car. Once again, it started up, no problem; however, this is when the harsh forward thrust started happening, & the transmission seemed to be slipping gears. The RPM's would rev to the 6000 range & immediately fall down to 1500. I took it to the dealer & sadly paid $3,400 for a new tranny on a 5-year-old car. (No warranty, of course). I started having the same issues about 2 years later, only this time the driver was not so lucky as they were mid-curve on the mountain road. Right as the roadway came out of the bend, the car went into limp mode, power steering lost & wheels stuck in a right turn position, car went off the roadway & into a telephone pole, broke that in half due to the angle of the pole in the mountainside & down the steep embankment about 40-50 feet. All airbags deployed & driver was able to walk away (hike away) but the car was a total loss. Driver was traveling 40-45 mph. There was no indication, no warning, just from travel to nothing.

NHTSA ODI 11484533

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS AND FAILED TO RESPOND. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO MOVE LEFT OR RIGHT AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A BUS TERMINAL WALL. ADDITIONALLY, THE KEY FAILED TO RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT, PASSENGER, AND REAR PASSENGER OCCUPANT SUSTAINED CHEST INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000. **TR *TR

NHTSA ODI 11121743

HARD TO STEER AT LOWER SPEED (WHEN PARKING OR COMING OUT OF PARKING, WHEN TURNING) IN ONE OCCASION I DID HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE WILE TURNING TO MY RIGHT, LUCKILY THERE WERE NOT SERIOUS DAMAGES AND NO INJURIES TO ANY OF THE PARTIES INVOLVED. I CAN BARELY TURN AT LOWER SPEED, I HAVE TAKEN MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND THE RACK AND PINION AS WELL. CANNOT AFFORD OVER $3,000.00 IN REPAIR COSTS. I DID A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF CHEVY OWNERS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ODI 10788181