NHTSA Complaint #10863512 — 2012 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE

MAJOR SAFTEY RISK: MY TRAVERSE WAS WELL MAINTAINED WAS OFTEN FILLED WITH SOCCER KIDS. THE SAFETY FAILURE COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY! WHILE DRIVING, THE AUTO BEGAN DISPLAYING THE FOLLOWING MESSAGES IN RAPID SUCCESSION: BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE, SERVICE BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, SERVICE STABILITRAK. I PARKED THE CAR TO DROP OF MY KIDS, THE CAR WOULD NOT START AGAIN. AFTER A JUMP, I HEADED FOR THE DEALER WHICH WAS 4 MILES AWAY. OPERATIONS APPEARED OK INITIALLY. ON THE EXPRESSWAY, THE CAR ELECTRONICS WENT OUT. NOT JUST RADIO AND A/C, BUT ALL ELECTRICAL. I REALIZED THAT THE ENGINE WAS NO LONGER RUNNING WHILE IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFICE ON A CHICAGO EXPRESSWAY. NO HAZARDS, NO WAY TO LOWER WINDOWS, I WAS EXTREMELY LUCKY TO FIND A GAP IN THE TRAFFIC TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND PARK. FROM THE SHOULDER OF THE EXPRESSWAY, CARS CONTINUED TO FLY PAST ME AT HIGH SPEED. THIS WAS ABSOLUTELY CHAOTIC AND DANGEROUS. I WAITED FOR AAA TO ARRIVE. AAA WAS FORCED TO TOW (MY TRAVERSE IS FRONT WHEEL DRIVE) RATHER THAN FLATBED BECAUSE WITHOUT ELECTRICITY WE THE CAR WAS STUCK IN PARK. AT THE CHEVY DEALER, THEY QUICKLY READ THE ERROR CODES AND PRESENTED ME WITH A $1,400 ESTIMATE TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR. SHARING MY FRUSTRATION AND POINTING OUT THAT THIS TYPE OF CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WAS WELL BEYOND ANY REASONABLE EXPECTATION OF A PRESUMABLY SAFE VEHICLE, THEY FOUND A WAY TO LOWER THE COST TO $607. (I DO RESPECT AND APPRECIATE THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP.) THIS CLEARLY SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE AND CHEVY SHOULD CORRECT THESE ISSUES ON THEIR DIME. I BOUGHT THE TRAVERSE WITH THE EXPECATATION OF SAFETY AND RELIABILITY. I AM NOW VERY SKEPTICAL AND AM HESSITANT TO FILL THIS 8 SEATER WITH KIDS THE WAY I USED TOO. MANY OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR FAILURES. THIS IS A POTENTIAL MORTAL DANGER TO DRIVERS, PASSENGERS AND OTHER INNOCENT BYSTANDERS!