2019 Chevrolet Traverse transmission and drivetrain problems
170 of the 407 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse name the transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA’s “Power Train” heading — the transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, axles and differentials — NHTSA files them under one heading). Filed under the same heading: 106 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the transmission and drivetrain
Source: NHTSA complaint database4 of the 170 reports a crash · 2 a fire · 5 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2019: 1 · 2020: 7 · 2021: 10 · 2022: 29 · 2023: 30 · 2024: 23 · 2025: 42 · 2026: 28
Half of the 44 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the transmission and drivetrain problem between 28,000 and 84,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
407 complaints in all about the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse, 28 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Power Train” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Chevrolet Traverse transmission and drivetrain problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the transmission and drivetrain. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
When car is put into park and I turn off the car with the push button, I get a message of “shift to park”. The car is in park but the car doesn’t think it’s in park and won’t fully shut down. Warning chimes continue.
Car began to not shift to park when attempting to park. Dealer said it was a common problem and it is a huge safety issue as if the car is not engaging in park it could be in an unsafe condition on an incline and begin to roll.
"Shift to park!" Keeps coming up on my dash, and sometimes nothing works. I get this message every time I park just about
When placing the car in park, a "shift into park" warning appears on the dashboard even though the vehicle is actually in park. The problem appears to be a shift relay that is not making contact with the metal tab that depresses the sensor telling the computer the vehicle is in fact in park.
When I put the stick shift in park, it signals the vehicle is not in park. The dealership said this is a common problem with the Traverse. They put in a bra to help it stay in park, the bra failed and they adjusted it again. I can start and stop the car but can't turn the car off.
What is on file about the transmission and drivetrain
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 20V668000 HighOct 29, 2020 · 194,105 vehicles
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
106 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
The 0 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse
Source: the same files- electrical problems 111 complaints
- engine problems 67 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre transmission and drivetrain problems common on the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 170 owner complaints naming the transmission and drivetrain on this model year (42% of everything owners filed about it), and 106 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the transmission and drivetrain on the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 20V668000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do transmission and drivetrain problems show up on the 2019 Chevrolet Traverse?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 60,324 miles; half of them between 28,000 and 84,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Power Train" heading cover?
The transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, axles and differentials — NHTSA files them under one heading. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.