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2019 Chevrolet Traverse problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

VERY HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
60%
232 of 386 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

60% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2019 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 81% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 21 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 57%).

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 2019 Chevrolet Traverse have transmission problems?

Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 232 of 386 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (60%), and the largest group is filed under power train (169). For comparison, the 2018 scores 65% and the 2020 scores 63%. On a test drive, check for shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed. 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
232
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
407
this model year
Fires reported
2
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
3
15 crashes · 17 injuries

Complaints by component

POWER TRAIN169 · 42%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM111 · 27%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER95 · 23%
ENGINE62 · 15%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM25 · 6%
SERVICE BRAKES22 · 5%

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 2019 compares with other Chevrolet Traverse years

Of the 14 Chevrolet Traverse years with enough complaints to score, the 2019 is the 5th-worst on engine and transmission share (60%). The worst is the 2018 (65%), the best the 2010 (37%). By volume, the 2019 drew 407 complaints (232 drivetrain), against 462 for the 2018 and 229 for the 2020.

Chevrolet Traverse years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse

  • The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
  • What the repair costs. Typical transmission 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

STEERING,POWER TRAIN08/27/2026CRASH3 INJURED
When driving at about 50 mph on a highway, there was a loud noise from the rear of the vehicle (something breaking) and the vehicle immediately veered into the oncoming lane (thankfully there was no traffic coming towards us, it is typically a busy road). While braking, I was able to steer it back towards the right, b…

One of 232 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2019 Chevrolet Traverse transmission recalls

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 3 in total. 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.

power train: automatic transmission20V668000 · Oct 2020

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.

Risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an…

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer…

2 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
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.
air bags18V774000 · Nov 2018
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019 Buick Encore, Chevrolet Spark, Traverse, and Trax vehicles. The Sensing Diagnostic Module (SDM) on these vehicle may not have been turned off of…

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

Checking one particular 2019 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.

Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.

Questions people ask about the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse

Does the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse have transmission problems?

Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 232 of 386 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (60%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the transmission and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

What is the most common problem with the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse is power train: 169 of 407 complaints (42%) name it, followed by electrical system (111) and engine (62). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.

Is the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse reliable?

On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 60% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (very high signal). That is worse than 81% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 Chevrolet Traverse years we score, it ranks 5th-worst. 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 2019 Chevrolet Traverse?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 3 in total: 20V668000 (power train: automatic transmission). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

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 2019 (60%). 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.