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2020 Chevrolet Traverse: engine and transmission complaints

VERY HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
64%
135 of 212 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

64% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2020 Chevrolet Traverse are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.

Worse than 85% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 13 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 60%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
135
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
225
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
8
11 crashes · 7 injuries

Complaints by component

ENGINE70 · 31%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER51 · 23%
POWER TRAIN39 · 17%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM28 · 12%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING25 · 11%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM16 · 7%

The years either side

2010
37%
232 of 669
2011
49%
270 of 608
2012
51%
151 of 354
2013
60%
79 of 162
2014
55%
154 of 547
2015
45%
63 of 313
2016
47%
59 of 291
2017
50%
46 of 361
2018
65%
283 of 459
2019
60%
229 of 404
2020
64%
135 of 225
2021
39%
33 of 89
2022
62%
56 of 97
2023
59%
47 of 87

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

Cleaner alternatives

Other midsize SUVs with no elevated signal in 2020

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

ENGINE09/03/2026
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…
ENGINE09/01/2026
Bracket on the exhaust pipes just before the flex pipes broke free and there is now a hole in the pipe.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING08/24/2026
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that over time the sound became louder. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a cracked front exhaust pipe and bat…

Three of 135 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 (8)

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…
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 h…
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 …

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2020 Chevrolet Traverse

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.

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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.