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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse is associated with 88 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 3 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Electrical System, accounting for 17 reports (19% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 2 certified vehicle configurations spanning 3.6l 6-cyl powertrain configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 20 to 21 MPG combined.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 88 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 3 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Electrical System (17 / 19%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 4 crash / 0 fire / 4 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 5 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 20–21 MPG across 2 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Traverse FWD 3.6L 6-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 9-spd 18 MPG 27 MPG 21 MPG — $2,950 / yr
Traverse AWD 3.6L 6-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic 9-spd 17 MPG 25 MPG 20 MPG — $3,100 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
SUV FWD 16.900000000000002%
SUV AWD 15%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Optional in official NHTSA records for tested 2021 Chevrolet Traverse models.
View complete 2021 Chevrolet Traverse crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse?

Summary of 88 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
88
Crash Reports
4
Fire Reports
0
Complaints w/ Injury
4
Total Injuries
6

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Electrical System 17 complaints
Powertrain 11 complaints
Engine & Cooling 7 complaints
Engine 6 complaints
Service Brakes 6 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2021 Chevrolet Traverse problems & component breakdown (26 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #22V210000 Active Recall
Affected Component: AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN

Defect Summary: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Chevrolet Traverse and 2021-2022 Buick Enclave vehicles. The harness connector to the left or right side roof rail air bag may have incompatible electrical terminals, which could prevent the air bags from deploying in a crash.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will replace the harness connector to the roof rail air bags, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on April 29, 2022. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N212352140.
NHTSA Campaign #21V817000 Active Recall
Affected Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Defect Summary: Braun Corporation (Braun) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Chevrolet Traverse wheelchair accessible vehicles with Power In-floor Ramp conversion. The screw and clip that hold the inner wheel-well plastic shroud in place may chafe against the transmission case, possibly resulting in a transmission fluid leak.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will replace the screw and clip, and inspect for signs of contact with the transmission, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 29, 2021. Owners may contact Braun customer service at 1-800-488-0359.
NHTSA Campaign #21V472000 Active Recall
Affected Component: AIR BAGS:SENSOR:FRONTAL IMPACT

Defect Summary: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave vehicles. During service by dealers, certain vehicles may have received incorrect air bag calibration software that may affect frontal airbag deployment.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will update the air bag calibration software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 29, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is N212340220.
View all 2021 Chevrolet Traverse recalls & campaign history (3 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse

How many safety recalls does the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse have?

The 2021 Chevrolet Traverse is associated with 3 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

View all 3 recall campaigns & remedy details →
Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse?

NHTSA records list 88 consumer defect complaints for the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Electrical System, appearing in 17 filings (19% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Explore full 2021 Chevrolet Traverse defect complaint breakdown →
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse earned an Overall Safety Rating of 5 out of 5 stars across 2 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

View detailed crash test laboratory breakdown →
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2021 Chevrolet Traverse range from 20 to 21 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Compare MPG ratings across all certified trims →
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.