2016 Chevrolet Traverse: engine and transmission complaints
HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
47%
59 of 125 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
47% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2016 Chevrolet Traverse are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.
Worse than 59% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 166 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 20%).
The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.
What owners reported
POWER TRAIN04/25/2026
The vehicle only has 145,xxx miles and I experience a "shudder" which could be caused by torque converter issues, often felt at highway speeds (approx. 40-60 mph).
POWER TRAIN01/28/2026
the transmission lost power and almost caused an accident with the vehicle behind me
POWER TRAIN11/07/2025
Transmission solenoid. Common. Needs to be reported. Its know as the week link to this vehicle. The manufacturer knows and there are many complaints. This vehicle needs to be recalled. Safety concern while driving.
Three of 59 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
Recall campaigns on this model year (5)
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured August 18, 2015 to September 24, 2015…
SEATS
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured November 6, 2015, to November 12, 201…
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2008-2017 Buick Enclave and 2013-2017 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deploym…
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2016 Chevrolet Traverse
Ask the seller whether the transmission has ever been repaired or replaced, and whether the car has shown shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed.
Drive it from a cold start and long enough to warm up. Many transmission faults hide once the car is warm.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose, and tell them to focus on the transmission.
5 recall campaigns on this model year. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on the VIN; the report checks that.
Ask for service records. A transmission already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history
report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition
of any individual vehicle.