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2017 Chevrolet Traverse problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
50%
46 of 92 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

50% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 65% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 269 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 13%).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 46 of 92 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (50%), and the largest group is filed under engine (25). For comparison, the 2016 scores 48% and the 2018 scores 65%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
46
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
361
this model year
Fires reported
2
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
3
13 crashes · 11 injuries

Complaints by component

AIR BAGS263 · 73%
ENGINE25 · 7%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM22 · 6%
POWER TRAIN18 · 5%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER18 · 5%
SERVICE BRAKES12 · 3%

The years either side

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

How the 2017 compares with other Chevrolet Traverse years

Of the 14 Chevrolet Traverse years with enough complaints to score, the 2017 is the 6th-best on engine and transmission share (50%). The worst is the 2018 (65%), the best the 2010 (37%). By volume, the 2017 drew 361 complaints (46 drivetrain), against 292 for the 2016 and 462 for the 2018.

Chevrolet Traverse years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse

  • The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
  • What the repair costs. Typical engine repair ranges, to price into your offer.
  • Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN07/31/2026
Transmission body throttle and TCM had to be replaced a year after purchase because of failing shifts, reverse failed to work completely.

One of 46 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2017 Chevrolet Traverse engine and transmission recalls

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

3 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module23V334000 · May 2023
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2017 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a…
air bags: frontal21V782000 · Oct 2021
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 deployment, due to a manufacturing…
air bags: critical fasteners21V246000 · Apr 2021
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2015, 2017 Buick Enclave, 2010-2019 Chevrolet Traverse, and 2011-2016 GMC Acadia vehicles. The side curtain air bags may not be properly attached.

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2017 Chevrolet Traverse? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse

Does the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 46 of 92 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (50%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

What is the most common problem with the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse is air bags: 263 of 361 complaints (73%) name it, followed by engine (25) and electrical system (22). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 50% of the relevant total.

Is the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse reliable?

On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 50% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (high signal). That is worse than 65% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 Chevrolet Traverse years we score, it ranks 6th-best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse?

No. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Chevrolet Traverse years are better?

Among the Chevrolet Traverse years we track, the 2010 (37%), the 2021 (39%) and the 2015 (45%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2017 (50%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/chevrolet-traverse

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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.