Problems with 2011 Chevrolet Traverse STEERING

Complete loss of power steering caused by loss of power steering fluid. lost control of steering, steering wheel locked-up. fortunately traffic was light at the time and was able to slow down to stop in a controlled manner. upon inspection, found significant puddle of steering fluid under the car. appears to be a sudden failure, not a slow leak based on amount of fluid loss at the time of the problem. restarted the car and was able to slowly make it home with no power steering, steering wheel was very difficult to turn. consider this to be a serious safety issue, especially if this happens at higher speed in a busy traffic. found many similar complaints in various owner forums online. waiting for a dealer appointment to determine whether it's the pump, gear or fluid lines that caused the loss of steering fluid. *tr

While parking during the turn into the parking place, the power steering ceased to function. happened again when pulling out or turning at low speed the power steering stops working. it will come back if stop or sometimes on acceleration. had it checked by mechanic and they could not tell what it was and just did the blanket you should try to replace the whole rack and pump assembly. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet traverse. the contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn while driving various speeds. the dealer stated that the steering wheel system needed to be repaired. the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. the failure mileage was 63,700.

Power steering pump went out steering wheel locks up at low rpm or in neutral ridiculous at this mileage car is supposed to be upper class with upper class mechanical failures?? *tr

On friday, july 25, 2014, my 2011 chevy traverse stalled/shutdown while driving. i pulled out of a local gas station and immediately noticed that there was a noise coming from the engine. almost simultaneously the car began to stall/shutdown. i pulled over to the shoulder (fortunately there was one). i turned the ac unit and radio off. i started the car without any noise. i drove approximately 1 mile, turned the ac back on and the car stalled/shutdown once again, this time as the car was going approximately 35 mph. to say the least, i was extremely distraught as the car lost power and steering. fortunately, (for my family and chevy), there were no children in the car and there was no accident. the service manager told me that the problem was related to the ac unit and wants to charge me almost $2,000 to fix! the ac unit was "fixed" back in june 2013 while car was under warranty. it is no longer covered by warranty. my issue is that the car stalled/shut down. a car shutting down at any speed is a clear and present danger. traveling at 35 mph creates an even more dangerous situation. if the ac unit can stall a vehicle then this has to be an inherent design/production issue. there is no acceptable way that an ac unit can fail and thus cause the vehicle to shut down putting people's lives in danger. hopefully, my incident report will prevent any future problems like this from occurring, and most importantly, protect people's lives. *tr

When slowing down to make a stop, steering assist was lost. assist returned after shutting off vehicle and restarting. the first day, it happened on two occasions but during subsequent days, frequency of loss of assist increased until it happens on nearly every stop. when this happens, steering effort increases making vehicle control difficult. *tr

purchased a used chevy traverse that now has 57,000 miles. during a service appointment the dealership informed me that the power steering fluid was leaking from the steering gear. the repair was estimated at $1,600 usd. the repair is necessary to maintain the vehicle in a safe working order but im disappointed that im having to pay for a very expensive repair on a relatively new vehicle. numerous consumers are experiencing the same issue, i would hope that chevy would investigate the situation in more detail and offer to cover the cost of the repairs. i did notice a technical service bulletin on the issue (service bulletin 361329, action number: 10052379), but the existence of the service bulletin still resulted in me having to pay the full cost of the repair at the dealership. i believe that there is a problem that chevy needs to take ownership for the situation. my biggest concern is the possibility of experienced steering failure while driving 55+ mile per hour with no warning. i have small children and we live in a very busy commuting area. steering failure could be tragic for us. please help *tr

Letter from congressman ribble on behalf of constituent re 2011 chevrolet traverse ( attn: kerry niemcek). *smd the consumer stated the power steering pump and rack and pinion malfunctioned during operation. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet traverse. the contact stated that while turning at low speeds, the power steering failed and the contact heard a grinding noise coming from the steering wheel. the manufacturer was notified. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 121,000.

Stopped at a sharp carve had to manually turn the wheel. done this 3 times before i made it home. does not have a problem in average curves just when making a sharp turn. parking was a major issue. *tr

The power steering in my 2011 chevy traverse fails frequently when turning into streets, parking lots or driveways. the steering locks up and is hard to navigate turns almost causing accidents. i have safety concerns which puts my entire family at risk. i took vehicle to dealership and they claimed that it was the rack and pinion that was worn per the repair order which i paid $1600 to fix. once i took the vehicle home, the same problem was still occurring. very frustrated that the repair did not correct the problem. i returned the vehicle to the dealership where now they told me that the vehicle needed a new power steering pump. it was replaced and billed to gm as a "goodwill" repair order of $700. there is clearly a defect in the steering and hope that gm extends and issues a recall for the 2011 traverse before a serious accident occurs. i do not feel safe in this vehicle even after the repair. *tr

2011 chevrolet traverse. consumer writes in regards to power steering issues. *smd the dealer informed the consumer, the fluid was low, because the steering gear was leaking. *jb

I purchased my 2011 chevrolet traverse awd in april 2014 and within the first week i noticed a slight shuddering in my steering as i would make a turn to either my right or left. it feels like when you have a warped rotor except that when this shuddering occurs i am not applying the brakes. also, i have been noticing a whining noise as i am making turns in either direction. this is definitely coming from the power steering pump. i checked and added steering fluid and the next day this still continued. vehicle is just out of warranty for the in-service date but not for the 30,000 mile bumper. i have a friend who also is experiencing the same issue with his chevrolet traverse and wish that gm would do a recall on this vehicle system before an accident occurs. from what i have read, there has been far too many complaints from other consumers concerning this same power steering issue. *tr

My wife bought a new 2011 chevy traverse which now has 78,572 miles on it. the power sterling just failed on it yesterday. i checked the fluid level and it was ok. the pump growls when turning and it is almost impossible to turn when the car is idling. i drove it to church this morning and almost hit a parked vehicle while trying to turn into a parking spot. my wife would not be able to turn the vehicle if she were driving. this is a real safety issue since the pump fails with no warning. i know this won't be covered under warranty, but is there a recall for this problem yet? *js

2011 chevrolet traverse lt was first told around april 2014 following an oil change at my local gm certified dealer that there was a leak around the power steering system (i cannot remember the exact term used). anyway, the service tech said that it was clearly a slow leak and not causing any urgent problems, but that i should pay attention to it should things change. the next 2 or 3 oil changes, the same issue was noted. during a routine oil cahnge may 2105, i was told there was a seal leak to the engine of some sort but it was 'warrantied'. so, i authorized the repair, of a leak that i never noticed/had issue with. fast forward to july 2015 (68,000 +/- miles) and my power steering is leaking puddles, the resivoir remains full, and suddenly lose all power steering capabilities. call same gm dealer i always use, as i notice on the unrelated repair in may, the power steering components were messed with, flushed, etc. to allow for proper repair of other issue. i was told about a 'warranty extenstion' for the power steering pump and to bring it in, it should be a covered repair based on the notes the service tech could read pertaining to my vehicle. call back today (8/3) and am told that while the pump is covered, nothing else is (despite from my research the pump failure is likely causing the other noted issues) and the repair for the rack/gear box + alignment + flushing + whatever else he rattled off to me, would be at my expense, with a quote of $2100+/- from everything i have read and researched, this is an extremely common issue that gm refuses to address in order to properly repair at their expense vs. the expense of vehicle owner. clearly this is a massive and widespread gm issue with vehicles in this class .. updated 09/30/15*bf *cn

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet traverse. the contact stated that while driving 5 mph, she turned the steering wheel to the right and heard a whining noise. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection and they stated that the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 50,000. updated 09/16/14*lj

My issue started when i was making left hand turns it would sound like the engine would make a loud noise with some grinding noise. then it started happening with right hand turns as well. took it to the dealership today and they believe that it is the transmission. after doing some research i found alot of similar issues. this needs to be fixed by gm. i am curious to see how this is handled by gm and the dealership. basically it should be a no brainer, the vehicle is 4 years old, transmission should not go out that fast. already filed a complaint and contacting gm this afternoon as well. i have a feeling this is going to be a fight. below are other issues reported to nhtsa, i stopped looking after page 3 took car in for odd noise in steering. was told pump was bad and seal was bad. appears that this is a common issue with this type of vehicle and no recall has been made. its not just one or two cars, after research is hundreds of cars. nhtsa id number: 10567931 loud whining sound coming from front end. when turning steering wheel slowly you can hear a loud scratching noise. bought the car brand new and only have 17k miles in 3 years. entire steering column had to be replaced. power steering fluid leaking. nhtsa id number: 10566861 tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet traverse. the contact stated that there was an abnormal vibration in the steering wheel when turning in either direction. the contact also indicated that the vehicle was stationary. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the power steering fluid and pump were replaced but the failure was not remedied. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 20,000. nhtsa id number: 10555889 power steering has issues at low speeds when turning. dealer cost to replace pump and gear is 2,500! nhtsa id number: 10520885. *tr

My check engine light came on wednesday, march 19, 2014. on friday morning, while driving to work, my car accelerated and then slowed down; going from approximately 70 mph to 15 mph. when i took it to the dealer they called me back and said the throttle body had gone bad and had to be replace. i was told by several other people that a throttle body should not be going bad this early in a car; as a matter if fact i have drive several cars well over 100,000 miles and never had a problem with the throttle body. this needs to be a recall because this is a family vehicle and many people are transporting precious family cargo. a car should not forcibly be decreasing from 70 to 15 mph. having a bad crash is an understatement. also the air conditioning has already had to be checked. this vehicle is putting a bad taste in my mouth. anymore problems and it will get traded in. i will not get another chevrolet for sure. *tr

Exiting the highway onto the off ramp of a rest area, the car had complete loss of power steering as i decelerated. it felt like the car powered off, but i realized it was still running once i brought the car to a stop. had to turn off car and re-start to regain power steering. *tr

On march 8, 2014, (2011 chevy traverse) i was turning right into a restaurant when my power steering went out. it took all of my strength and my 20 yr old son (passenger) to turn the wheel to get off the road. we almost went into the guardrail and could have very well been plowed into from the car behind us. in parking lot we checked steering fluid & added some. on way to our house about 2 hours later it happened again when i made a left turn. this time i went off the road a bit, inches away from hedges & someone's lawn. very dangerous. took it to chevy dealership who wanted over $1,800.00 to fix the power steering pump and rack & pinion. of course it was not under warranty!!! i ended up taking it to a private shop and paid $1,470. i agree that there should be a recall and we should get our money back. if you research this like i have done...there are a lot of people out there with the same problem. hope all of you file a compliant to force a recall !!!! *tr

I was driving my car and attempting to turn onto a busy street. all of a sudden the power steering failed and i almost was hit by a car going 35 miles because i wasn't able to turn into the right hand lane. because the steering wheel barely moved, i turned into the left lane of the street. this happened 3 more times before i brought the car to the shop. it seems this problem is occurring in many chevrolet traverses (as seen by the number of complaints about this issue and the class action lawsuit, aguilar v. general motors). i had to pay the dealership to fix my car and pay for a rental car while it was getting fixed. i am worried this problem will continue as it has in multiple chevrolet traverses manufactured in the same year. i believe my car is extremely unsafe for my family to be in and believe there should be a recall to fully fix this power steering issue. *tr

Our 2011 traverse has experienced no power steering at low speeds which has now resulted in no power steering at all.. my wife drives this vehicle every day with our children, she has had several close calls due to the fact of no power steering. while checking into the issue, i noticed that there are alot of individuals experiencing the same exact problem. this is not a convenience issue this is a huge safety issue!!! i can not believe nothing has been done about this yet, i have purchased several chevrolet/gm products and currently own 4 different vehicle made by this company, i know there is a lot of people in the same boat as i am. there is no need for an accident or something worse to happen before this gets resolved. *tr

I was driving my car and attempting to turn right. all of a sudden the power steering failed and i almost was hit by a car going because i wasn't able to turn into the right hand lane. because the steering wheel barely moved, the car instead of making the right, romped over on the divider.this happened 3 more times before it had to be towed. this happened when car was literally just at 37 months, one month out of the bumper to bumper warranty. i ended up paying a great deal for this repair. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet traverse. the contact stated that while traveling various speeds, the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was found that the power steering pump needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. the failure mileage was 48,000. the vin was unavailable.

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet traverse. the contact was driving 15 mph when the power steering assist failed. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer for inspection or repairs. the manufacturer was not notified on the issue. the vin was unavailable. the approximate failure mileage was 60000.

Heard a noise in november 2013 but just once and didn't hear it again till january 2014 only when turning wheel. i thought i was imagining it cause nobody else noticed it when i was trying to have it checked. fluids where fine, no warning indicators. finally in march 2014 heard it again and starting researching what it could be. found a technical service bulletin about the steering problem. i contacted chevrolet about this since my car was out of warranty and they said it had to be diagnosed by a chevy dealership, so i scheduled to have it diagnosed. dealership said it is the power steering and that it has to be replaced. i asked what caused it and they said it is a design flaw and that they have seen it in the acadia, terrain and traverse vehicles. i called chevrolet back and reported the dealership findings and they are supposed to contact me with a solution on how they can help me with the repair since this is a design flaw and not something i caused. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet traverse. while driving approximately 60 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver and the service air bag warning light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to a dealer. the technician diagnosed that an unknown part of the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 36,020.

When driving my 2011 traverse, it would reduce engine power and advise service. it would drop power to the point car was not drive able. i would shut car off. wait and then able to drive it at low speeds (15 mph). this of course created a dangerous situation on the highway. *tr

My vehicle has had a whining noise when steering. it also feels "loose" as if i'm not in complete control of the steering. i took the vehicle to the dealership and the service advisor stated that this is a very common problem and the steering could likely get worse if not serviced. he also stated that this is not an isolated incident and is very common. i have heard reports of owners of the same vehicles having lost control of steering. i have a three year old daughter and safety was a major factor in purchasing this vehicle. i do not feel safe knowing that this problem exists. i had the vehicle repaired at my own expense. general motors does have a bulletin on this problem so they are aware of the issue. however, i believe that the government should investigate as their might be consumers out there that are not aware of this safety issue. they may think that it is just a simple squeak and not as severe as i was made aware. thank you *js

Loud whining sound coming from front end. when turning steering wheel slowly you can hear a loud scratching noise. bought the car brand new and only have 17k miles in 3 years. entire steering column had to be replaced. power steering fluid leaking. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet traverse. the contact was driving 15 mph when the power steering failed. the contact coasted off road, shut off and restarted the vehicle. the vehicle began to perform normally but the failure soon recurred. the vehicle was taken to a local dealer for repair where it was diagnosed with having leaks in the power steering pump as well as the rack and pinion. the vehicle was repaired and the manufacturer was made aware of the incident. the failure mileage was 69,632.

Took car in for odd noise in steering. was told pump was bad and seal was bad. appears that this is a common issue with this type of vehicle and no recall has been made. its not just one or two cars, after research is hundreds of cars. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet traverse. the contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn and there was an abnormal noise coming from the steering column. an independent mechanic repaired the vehicle. the manufacturer was notified. the failure mileage was 121,000. updated 09/15/14*lj

When you try to turn the steering wheel and the car is in drive to come out of a parking space, the steering wheel will not turn. periodically while driving and making left turns primarily, the power steering is gone. you have to turn the wheel very hard to make a left turn. this happens daily in all weather conditions, both day and night. i took the vehicle to the dealer, and was told this is normal. however, each day, it becomes harder and harder to turn the steering wheel. i can not make any sudden turns, because the steering wheel will not turn and i am scared that my car will be hit, because i am not always able to turn the steering wheel. *tr

I was parking, backing into parking spot going maybe 2 to 3 miles and hour, tried to put car into park, was a little difficult. then tried to take key out of ignition switch and key would not come out. then realized windows would not roll down (all 4). i locked the keys in the car with the locking fob. later in the day a person came to me and said my lights and radio were on, due to the fact i had different people try to get the keys out of the ignition thought out the night i know the radio was off while we talked about how to get the keys out. the next morning i took the car into the dealer to be fixed. i have a warranty after market on the car. the dealer said the warranty company will not cover repairs. i am trying to find out if others have had this same problem. *tr

Took vehicle to dealer on wednesday 06 / 05 / 13 squeaking noise / wining / it sounds like coming from steering wheel when turning the steering wheel left or right. chevy dealer further inspected and found noise to be coming from steering gear housing. recommended putting on revised housing to correct this condition and recommended to be installed and flush system to convert to atf. told must perform this procedure to get rid of noise. gm should repair knowing they have this problems with steering gear housing with no charge. *tr

Power steering has issues at low speeds when turning. dealer cost to replace pump and gear is 2,500! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet traverse. the contact stated that the brake light illuminated. the contact took the vehicle to a dealer. the dealer stated that the brake fluid was low and the front passenger's side brake caliper was leaking. the dealer replaced the brake hose gasket, added brake fluid, and replaced the brake caliper on the passenger's side. the dealer also noticed that the vehicle had worn tie-rods and replaced them both. the contact stated that after the repair, the steering wheel started to squeak when being turned. the contact took the vehicle back to the dealer and the dealer replaced the steering housing. the failure mileage was 10,823.

Vehicle intermittently loses power steering. so far this only has occurred at low speed. i have had it to the dealer 4 times and am going again this week. they have replaced ps pump and rack and belts. problem still persists. *tr

High pitched squeal/squeaky noise coming from the steering column when turning either left or right at all forward speeds, reverse and stationary. my local dealership where i purchased the vehicle new says this is a problem with the "rack and pinion assembly" and has been a recall item on 2009 & 2010 traverses, but not on the 2011-2013. they examined the vehicle (for a cost of $39.95) and said they could repair it for $435.54, but said it would not be a problem to drive it as is until it gets worse of affects the steering operation. they have done 2 such repairs on 2011 models. i believe that as this is happening at 29 months (since newly purchased by myself) and at such a low mileage to have steering issues, i would think this must be a persistent design/engineering defect. i hope the nhtsa and saferar.gov would initiate a recall. my wife drives 140 mile trips often to visit our daughter's family and our grandchildren often ride with her in the traverse and we have driven the traverse to myrtle beach, kitty hawk, nc, pennsylvania and mississippi and i am concerned for my family's safety. chevrolet usa should step up to correct the problem at their cost. i have noted one other report of this steering problem on this website and those who my dealership said paid for the fix on their traverses. there are certain to be many more who haven't reported the issue to you and i urge you to initiate the recall. thank you. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet traverse. the contact stated that while driving approximately 5 mph in reverse, the power steering assist malfunctioned and caused the steering wheel to become difficult to turn. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where repairs were made that were unknown to the contact. the manufacturer was not notified of the defect. the failure mileage was 75,000.

I first took my vehicle into jim ball pontiac a gm certified dealer in orchard park, ny because of a whining noise by engine. they told me it was a leak in power steering box and serviced it. the. ext day after i picked up the vehicle i was driving up to an intersection to make a left and the vehicle began whining really loud. my steering locked up during my left hand turn cause me to drive head on with 2 other vehicles that were traveling about 50 mph. i was able to avoid accident and after i pulled over the steering was normal in about 20 seconds. the vehicle was relooked at jim ball and they blamed it on a bubble in the line. i opened a case with gm regarding this and i'm not getting much help. *tr

Car became very hard to steer, made a rubbing noise. we parked and looked under the chassis to see if we had snagged a branch or something. since that incident it has happened several more times. i took it to a local repair garage and had them drive it around. of course it didn't happen for them. i had the dealer check it out, they couldn't find the problem either. when this occurs i have to wrestle with the steering. it has happened while i try to park or turn a corner, i don't have to be going very fast. i mad a left turn one day and couldn't make the corner. had there been cars parked along the street i would have had a real problem. as it was i parked and we took it in. it's very frustrating when professionals can't pinpoint the problem. *tr

I was purchasing the vehicle and told that i could not pick it up due to a faulty rack and pinion that they needed to replace. now 30,000 miles later the rack and pinion has failed again and has to be replaced making this the 3rd rack in pinion in this car which is a safety issue. they are also stating front struts are now leaking. they found this faulty rack and pinion when i took the car in for low coolant levels and the water pump needing replaced under the extended warranty watch. *tr

While turning, my steering wheel locks up. almost impossible to turn at times. it has made a squeaking noise for a while, but the "locking" just starting about 6 weeks ago. it doesn't happen all of the time and happens at various speeds while turning.

2011 chevrolet traverse. consumer writes in regards to sudden loss of electric steering in vehicle. *smd the consumer stated there was no warning on the dashboard. he stopped and re-started the vehicle and the steering returned to normal. the consumer immediately drove to the dealer. but, they were unable to find any problems. however, they did suggest, it may have been caused by a wet belt.

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet traverse. the contact was driving 10 mph and making a turn when he heard noises coming from the front of the vehicle. he also noticed that the steering wheel had seized. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the dealer advised that they had to replace the steering pump. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 44,000 and the current mileage was 50,000. updated 8/23/12 *cn the consumer stated according to the dealer the rack and pinion needed to bereplaced. the vehicle was repaired. updated 09/06/2012 *js

Serpentine belt shredded, water pump, battery and power steering failed twice, once in 2012 and once in 2013. serpentine belt replaced again in 2013 because it was damaged by a stone. *tr currently have lawsuit against gm to replace the car for safety reasons. they are dragging their feet. lawsuit going on over a year.

Around may 11, 2012, on the ohio turnpike, accelerating to 65 mph, my car began to make a loud repetitive noise under the hood. after a few miles, a battery service light came on. the car began to overheat and become difficult to steer. as i reached a pullover, the power steering failed and everything else quit working (radio, lights, etc.) i turned the car off and could not turn it back on. when the car was towed, we found the belt was shredded and dragged behind the car. i was told there was a problem with the water pump. the car was about 11 mos old and had about 11,000 miles on it. on june 2, 2013, deja vu. as i left a store and accelerated to 45 mph, my car began to make a loud repetitive noise under the hood. as i accelerated, the noises were louder and faster. i drove about 5 miles to walmart, the noises continued, so i drove home, about 5 miles. in the morning, i drove the car very slowly because i thought the belt was shredding again, and as i drove more slowly, the noise (from the pieces of the belt slapping around the engine) became less and i hoped i could make the belt last until i got to the dealer. the service battery light came on and when i turned left at an intersection near the dealership, the car was very hard to steer and i could barely turn into the dealership. the driver following me said he could see the shredded belt dragging. i learned there had been other cars on which the belt had shredded and that there was a service bulletin to put a lining in to protect the belt from damage, not sure if this had been done on my car i learned there is also a recall related to the water pump. in both cases, i was fortunate not to be in heavy traffic, near trucks, or passing on a country road. this seems very dangerous to me. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet traverse. the contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 mph, the steering wheel seized and there was a loud abnormal noise. the vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed that the steering gearbox needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was unavailable.