NHTSA Complaint #10981169 — 2010 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN MY 2010 CHEVY TRAVERSE. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THE TIMING CHAIN HAD STRETCHED AND IF LEFT UNREPAIRED COULD LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE ENGINE. THE REPAIR COST IS $3500. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 67000 MILES ON IT, AND HAS ALWAYS HAD ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND OIL CHANGES CONDUCTED. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT 2007-2009 MODELS OF THE SAME ENGINE ON SIMILAR MODELS HAD THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. ADDITIONALLY, A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH REVEALS MANY FORUMS THAT HAVE COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME ISSUE ON THEIR 2010 MODELS. IT APPEARS THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT CORRECTED IN THE 2010 MODEL YEAR, OR AT LEAST NOT IN CERTAIN RUN OF THE ENGINE. WHETHER THE SAME BAD CHAIN WAS USED IN 2010 ENGINES OR THE PROBLEM THAT WAS DISCOVERED IN THE 2007-2009 MODEL YEARS, WAS NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL AFTER THE 2010 MODELS WERE BUILT, AND THEY WERE JUST NOT INCLUDED IN THE SERVICE BULLETIN IS THE QUESTION. BECAUSE A WELL MAINTAINED VEHICLE WITH ONLY 67000 MILES TO HAVE A BAD TIMING CHAIN IS RARE, AS MANY DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOPS HAVE CONFIRMED. THOSE SAME SHOPS ALSO CONFIRMED THEY HAVE SEEN MANY OF THE TRAVERSE. ACADIA, AND ENCLAVE MODELS WITH THE SAME TIMING CHAIN ISSUE.