2016 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE Electrical System Problems

Front lights started dimming about the middle of April 2025 and now both back lights are out at the same time on June 3rd 2025.The car makes a rough grinding noise as it switches gears.

I had to replace the timing chain. I had to replace the Torque Converter. New issues: Interior lights on the dash and radio have been going out while driving. Message center warning has been not working sometimes when using remote start in winter. Sometimes it just goes blank while driving.

While driving on highway, experienced sudden/acute loss of engine power. Depressed acceleration pedal, but no response from engine. No CEL. Pulled to the shoulder and vehicle couldn't start. Key starter clicks but won’t turn over. No CEL. Still have some electrical power because radio, dash lights, and AC remain on. Could not jump start, batt indicated 12V. Car has been to repair shop 8 times since Nov 2020 (purchased April 2019 used 38k miles) for same issue. Mechanics find they cannot replicate the issue. Has caused accident by sudden deceleration in high speed traffic conditions (highway).

Vehicle stalled going down the road. Warranty covered for new engine replacement. Then it was found that the transmission was no good. Warranty paid for new transmission. Vehicle still acting like it wants to stall after new engine, transmission, and battery. Would like to know what caused the problem to begin with and would like a full repair of the vehicle.

Blind spot side detection modules failed due to water intrusion / corrosion (known design defect). As a result, the computer system shorted out, which caused the computer to go into a type of fault mode. While we driving down the road, the blinkers stopped working, the gauges (including speedometer) stopped working, the screens turned off, and the airbag and tire pressure warning lights activated. This is a known issue, according to the dealer repair department. A basic Google search indicates that many people are having this problem. This is a big safety issue because all of these things happened spontaneously while we were driving the vehicle. Repairing the faulty blind spot side detection modules fixes the problem--a $1,900 repair bill. GM should be made to recall these vehicles. GM should be made to reimburse customers for these repairs.

When sitting in a parking lot when the car was running, many different service now lights flashed across the dashboard. The lights on the side mirrors were on and still on. We turned off the car and the heater engine was still running even without the key in the ignition. When we tried to restart the car, it did absolutely nothing. Would not turn over or even click. It was worked on in the parking lot for 3 hours to get it to start. We had to disconnected a cord on the side of the dash and door locks, all wheel drive, driver side windows and the rear door would not work. A day later we plugged the cord back in and all the components worked except the lights on side mirrors were still on. After taking it to a dealer they confirmed that they had serviced other Chevrolet Traverse's...

MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THEN I STARTED IT UP AND THREE ERROR MESSAGES WERE BLINKING: SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, TRACTION CONTROL OFF, AND SERVICE STABILITY TRACTION. THE LIGHT WITH VEHICLE AND TIRE MARKS BEHIND IT WAS ON AS WELL. WHEN I STARTED TO DRIVE IT WOULD CUT IN AND OUT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO DIE. THE REAR INSTRUMENT PANEL FOR AC/HEAT ALSO GETS EXTREMELY HOT. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 52,000 MILES ON IT.

THE DRIVERS INFORMATION CENTER (DIC) IS SO DIM IT IS UNREADABLE DURING THE DAY. THE OTHER FUNCTIONS OF THE PHOTOCELL (E.G. - DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS) FUNCTION FINE. THE LIGHT SWITCH FOR IT IS TURNED ALL THE WAY UP. IT FUNCTIONS FINE AT NIGHT. THEREFORE,DURING THE DAY I AM NOT ABLE TO READ ANY WARNINGS ON IT, OR ANY OF THE OTHER INFORMATION, SUCH AS TIRE PRESSURE OR FUEL CONSUMPTION DATA. DURING THE DAY WHEN IT IS MALFUNCTIONING, IF I COVER UP THE PHOTOCELL ON THE CENTER TOP OF THE DASH FOR 20-30 SECONDS, THE VEHICLE RESORTS TO NIGHT TIME SETTINGS, AND THE DIC IS LIT APPROPRIATELY FOR NIGHTTIME.. IF I THEN UNCOVER THE PHOTOCELL, AFTER 20-30 SECONDS THE VEHICLE RESORTS BACK TO DAYTIME SETTINGS. THE DIC THEN IS LIT NORMALLY FOR DAYTIME. THIS NORMAL FUNCTIONING OF THE DIC WILL LAST 10 SECONDS SOMETIMES, OTHER TIMES FOR AN HOUR. IT THEN...

BATTERY KEEPS DYING INSTALLED NEW BATTERY SAME THING CHEVY FOURM SAYS CABLE FROM BATTER TO ENGINE DEFECTIVE CAME OUT VEHIE BEEN STATIONARY TO START DEAD SAME THING AGAIN HAD TO HAVE CHEVY SERVICE JUMP START US FIRST TIME AN ENGINE HAS LOUD TICKING AND SLUGGISH AT LOW HEAT VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED CERTIFIED PRE OWNED HAVE PUT 3500 MIKE'S IN IT SINCE PURCHASE.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN HWY 175, VEHICLES CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WITH MESSAGE 'SERVICE STABILITRAK' FOLLOWED BY AN ABRUPT LOSS OF POWER. HAPPENS REGULARLY AND WITHOUT WARNING.

POWER STEERING PUMP CONNECTION ISSUE. PUMP KICKS IN AND OUT CAUSE STEERING WHEEL TO SUDDENLY STIFFEN. CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IF IN TRAFFIC. SOME RECALL NEEDS TO TAKE ACTION TO SAVE LIVES ON THIS SERIOUS MATTER. NO RECALLS AS OF NOW I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN I FELT A SUDDEN STIFFNESS IN THE STEERING WHEEL. GOT OFF AND CHECKED THE FLUID. IT WAS TOPPED OFF AND IT WAS EVEN HARDER TO MANEUVER WHEN VEHICLE IS STATIONED. *TR

SIDE DETECTION SYSTEM AND CROSS TRAFFIC WARNING SYSTEMS FAILED AT 58200 MILES ON 2016 TRAVERSE LTZ. WARNING MESSAGES APPEARED ON DIC TO HAVE THIS ISSUE SERVICED. THE MESSAGES APPEARED UPON STARTUP AND WHILE DRIVING. DEALER INDICTED DETECTION MODULES AND WIRING HARNESS MUST BE REPLACED DUE TO WATER INTRUSION AND CORROSION IN THE MODULE WIRING CONNECTION. HE INDICATED THIS WAS A WELL KNOWN GM ISSUE. REPAIR COST IS $1350.00 AND NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. HE INDICATED SOME EARLIER MODELS HAVE BEEN REIMBURSED FOR REPAIR BUT SO FAR THE 2016 TRAVERSE IS NOT ON THE LIST. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT OPTIONAL SAFETY FEATURE THAT GM NEEDS TO RESOLVE ACROSS THE PRODUCT OFFERING. THE DESIGN IS POOR WITH THE MODULE MOUNTED INSIDE THE REAR BUMPER COVER SUBJECT TO ROAD SALT, WATER AND DEBRIS AND A POORLY SEALED WIRING CONNECTION.

THE MODULE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR THE SIDE DETECTION ON BOTH SIDE MIRRORS DOES NOT WORK. WHEN I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE MODULE HAD A SMALL SPACE THAT CONDENSATION COULD HAVE GOTTEN IN AND THE MODULE ACTUALLY ENDED UP BULGING. WHEN ASKED IF IT COULD BE REPLACED, THEY SAID THAT THE SPECIFIC PIECE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IS NOT MADE BY GM ANY LONGER AND I WOULD NEED TO CONTACT GM, BUT IT COULD POSSIBLY BE A RECALL AT A LATER TIME. THE NOTIFICATION INSIDE THE CAR WENT OFF WHILE DRIVING. I CHECKED ALL SETTINGS TO MAKE SURE NOTHING WAS HIT BY ACCIDENT. EVERYTHING WAS THE WAY IT NEEDED TO BE. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN THAT VERY NEXT WEEK TO BE CHECKED OUT AND THAT'S WHAT THEY TOLD ME ABOUT THE PIECE (WRITTEN ABOVE). SO I HAVE NO SIDE DETECTION ON A VEHICLE I JUST...

I HAD HAD THIS 2016 TRAVERSE AND IT HAS 64000 MILES. IT HAS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS FLASHED SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL/SERVICE STABILITRAC SYSTEM. IT HAPPENS OUTTA NOWHERE. I'VE TAKEN IT IN SEVERAL TIMES ONLY TO BE TOLD THEY CAN'T FIND A CODE. IT HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITHOUT WARNING CUTTING POWER TO THE ENGINE. NO REASON FOR IT TO HAPPEN AND IT'S NOT FIXED. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON GM PROBLEM. NEEDS TO BE FIXED. THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. ON ANY STREET. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN TODAY AND HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES.

OUR 2016 CHEVY TRAVERSE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THEN IT STARTED BLINKING, WE BROUGHT IT TOO A CHEVY DEALER AND THEY TOLD US THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS LEAKING AND THE FLUID RAN DOWN THE LINE AND DRIPPED IN TO THE SENSOR BOX AND SHORTED OUT ALL THE SENSORS. COSTING US OUT OF POCKET $2115.04. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF LEAKS OR SPOTS ON OUR DRIVEWAY OR WHERE THE CAR IS PARKED DURING THE DAY. IF YOU LOOK UNDER THE HOOD OF THE TRAVERSE YOU SEE NOTHING. THERE WAS NO POSSIBLE WAY FOR ME TOO SEE THIS PROBLEM AND CATCH IT BEFORE THE DAMAGE WAS DONE. THERE FOR THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND CHEVY BASICALLY TOLD ME TO BAD NOT COVERED.

WHILE DRIVING 75 ON A FREEWAY THE SERVICE STABILITRAK, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ALL CAME ON. THE ENGINE POWER WAS REDUCED AND I COULDN'T GO OVER 40MPH ALL AT ONCE. THE VEHICLE WAS LIMPED OFF THE FREEWAY WITHOUT ANY INCIDENT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE, THANK GOD AND BROUGHT TO A MECHANIC. HE SAID THAT HE HAS SEEN HUNDREDS OF THE SAME ISSUE OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS ON THE SAME VEHICLE AND OTHER CHEVROLET VEHICLES. HE TOLD ME THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN TO DIAGNOSE A MORE GENERAL ISSUE THAT COULD BE WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND THAT IT COULD BE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT NEED TO BE TESTED WITHOUT REPLACING HUNDREDS OR POTENTIALLY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF PARTS. IT COULD BE EVEN BE ONE OF A VARIETY OF SENSORS ON THE VEHICLE. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT WITH SUCH A HIGH TECH COMPUTER ON THE VEHICLE, HOW...

MY CAR, ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS, WHILE I'M EITHER DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, OR LONG STRETCHES OF ROADS, HAS MALFUNCTIONED, STARTING WITH THE SERVICE STABILITRAK INDICATOR COMING ON, THEN TRACTION CONTROL OFF FUNCTION FLASHING, THEN THE ENGINE REDUCING SPEED UNTIL YOU'RE ABLE TO PULL OVER AND EVENTUALLY STOP BEFORE THE CAR CUTS OFF. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER TWICE IN AN EFFORT FOR THEM TO TELL ME WHAT'S WRONG, AND EACH TIME, THEY EITHER DIDN'T KNOW, OR WERE UNSURE. THE LAST TIME I TOOK IT, AFTER BEING INSTRUCTED TO MAKE SURE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON, THEY STILL WERE UNABLE TO TELL ME PRECISELY WHAT WAS WRONG, AND THAT THEY CHANGED A RELAY, AND IF THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM, THE WHOLE FUSE BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE CALLED GM IN RESPONSE TO THIS, ASKING HOW ON EARTH WOULD A FUSE BOX NEED TO BE REPLACED...

LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAPPENED LAST YEAR, SUPPOSEDLY FIXED, BUT HAD TO FIGHT WITH GM. WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. NOW RADIO IS SHOT SAID IT WOULD COST $1500 TO FIX. ELECTRICAL I WOULD ASSUME. FIGHTING WITH GM ONCE AGAIN.

STABILITRACK MESSAGE COMES ON AND REDUCED POWER FOR NO REASON. LOSES POWER INSTANTLY AND HAVE TO PULL OVER. TURNS BACK ON AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL ON, BUT CAN DRIVE AS NORMAL UNTIL I TURN IT OFF AND WHO KNOWS WHEN IT COMES BACK. SEVERAL TIMES HAS ACTED LIKE IT IS STUCK IN 4TH GEAR WHILE IN DRIVE. REVERSE IS OKAY. OTHER TIMES IT HAS NOT STARTED, AT ALL. I BROUGHT IT IN AND DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS BATTERY. REPLACED IT, THEN WORKED OK FOR COUPLE DAYS, THEN SAME PROBLEMS STARTED SHOWING BACK UP. BROUGHT BACK IN AND CODE P2138 SHOWED UP INDICATING PEDAL POSITION SENSOR. I REPLACED PEDAL AND THE ISSUE OF REDUCED ENGINE POWER HAS NOT COME BACK YET (3 WEEKS). OTHER ISSUES HAVE RECENTLY SHOWN BACK UP (NOT STARTING SOMETIMES, STUCK IN 4TH GEAR). I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR JUST OVER A YEAR (BOUGHT IT FROM...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. WHILE DRIVING 15-20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. ADDITIONALLY, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT TOOK SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SERRA CHEVROLET (28111 TELEGRAPH RD, SOUTHFIELD, MI 48034, (866) 722-6987) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION KEY FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS PROVIDED NEW KEYS AND THE IGNITION WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, BUT THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200.

WE BOUGHT A USED VEHICLE FROM ACADIANA MAZDA, LAFAYETTE LA. ABOUT A WEEK FROM HAVING IT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON. WE BRING IT IN, THEY SAY THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG SO WE TAKE IT BACK. THE NEXT WEEK, THE SALESMAN GIVES US A CALL AND SAYS THAT THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD, AFTER ASKING FOR A SALES TICKET FOR SEVERAL DAYS, THEY GIVE US A SALES TICKET FROM THE WEEK BEFORE THAT SAYS THAT THEY THINK THE VEHICLE HAS A WATER LEAK. (SERVICE TICKET IS ENCLOSED) I COME HOME THAT NIGHT BEFORE BRINGING IT IN AND I FIND RUST DRIPPING FROM THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, STANDING WATER UNDER MY FLOORING, RUST / CORROSION ALL OVER THE BOTTOM PARTS OF THE CAR. WHAT IS SUSPECTED BY THE CAR DEALERSHIP IS THAT THE WINDSHIELD WASN'T SEALED RIGHT AND WHEN IT WOULD RAIN IT WOULD COME IN FROM THE WINDSHIELD...

I'M JUST SURPRISED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WASHER PUMP FAILED AS THIS IS A BRAND NEW VEHICLE ACQUIRED IN MAY 2016. IT HAD 10,500 MILES WHEN THE PUMP FAILED. DEALER REPAIRED AND REPLACED AT NO COST (UNDER WARRANTY). IT WAS DETERMINED THE WIRE WAS SHORTING OUT THE FUSE AND PUMP. REPAIRED THE WIRE AND REPLACED THE WASHER PUMP AND FUSE.

UNEXPECTED NOTICE OF A SERVICE WARNING LIGHT THAT SUDDENLY APPEARED ON MY WIFE'S TRAVERSE AFTER DRIVING FOR 2 WEEKS..... [XXX] AND I PURCHASED A DEMO TRAVERSE WITH 4000 MILES , AT A FT PIERCE CHEVROLET LOCATION RECENTLY... WE WENT ON A TWO WEEK TRIP TO HAWAII AND RETURNED THIS PAST WEEK ,AS WE STARTED THE CAR , UPON OUR RETURN, MY WIFE EXCLAIMED ; I HAVE A WARNING AIRBAG NOTICE LIGHT ON.... SO I THOUGHT ! ,( MAYBE IT WAS THE FACT I HADN'T BUCKLED MY SEAT BELT YET, AS I ENTERED THE STARTED CAR, MAYBE MY SEAT WASN'T FUNCTION RIGHT OR SOMETHING)..... I HAD HER TURN OFF THE CAR AND RESTART IT. CONTINUALLY , (THROUGHOUT THE DAY YESTERDAY), AS WE TRAVELED AROUND, DOING CHRISTMAS SHOPPING, THIS WARNING REAPPEARED EACH TIME WE STOPPED , GOT OUT TO SHOP AND RETURN TO START THE TRAVERSE.. WHEN I RETURNED HOME, I GOOGLE...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED OFF, AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE HOME, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER WHO, AGAIN, WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE WITHOUT A DUPLICATION OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WOULD NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,600.

ON TWO OCCASIONS ( 2/21/16 AND 2/28/16) WHILE DRIVING THE POWER CUT OUT COMPLETELY AND THE CAR STALLED. I WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE OR STOP. THERE WERE NOT ANY WARNINGS OR NOTIFICATIONS SUCH AS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THE DASHBOARD AND ALL OTHER LIGHTS/ INFORMATION WAS COMPLETELY DARK. THE FIRST OCCASION WAS ON A HIGHWAY GOING APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES PER HOUR AND THE SECOND WAS ON A CITY STREET APPROACHING A STOP SIGN. CAUSE UNKNOWN. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CLAIM THEY CANNOT FIND A CAUSE. I WAS ENCOURAGED TO TAKE THE CAR BE BECAUSE THE CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. I REFUSED BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY CONCERNS.