Showing the 2017 Traverse LS. NHTSA's VIN data shows it with a 3.6 L engine, but that may not be every version of it, so the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
About every 2017 Traverse
The 2017 Chevrolet Traverse has a combined 17 to 18 mpg and a 5-year fuel cost of $18,050 to $19,110 at U.S. average prices. NHTSA lists an overall 5-star crash rating. Owners filed 361 complaints with NHTSA, and the part they cite most is air bags, with 263 complaints. Recall campaigns covering air bags, 3 in all, may apply to this car.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
17–18 mpgcombined; city 15, highway 22; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$18,050–$19,110U.S. average; Ohio $16,120–$17,070 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2017 Traverse. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 361 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Traverse. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Air bags
263
5
1
8
Engine
25
0
1
0
Electrical system
22
2
1
2
Power train
18
1
0
0
Unknown or other
18
3
0
2
Service brakes
12
5
1
1
Seat belts
11
0
0
0
Steering
11
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
10
3
0
2
Fuel/propulsion system
9
1
0
0
Tires
5
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
4
0
0
0
9 more parts
Lane departure
4
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
4
0
0
0
Structure
3
0
0
0
Suspension
3
0
0
0
Visibility
2
0
0
0
Wheels
2
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
1
0
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
1
0
0
0
Seats
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2017 Traverse over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2017 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver's air bag module, free of charge. GM began mailing final owner letters February 23, 2024 and will continue mailing through December 2025. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N232404980.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2008-2017 Buick Enclave and 2013-2017 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator may explode during deployment, due to a manufacturing defect.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver's air bag module, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on November 3, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 10, 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 N212349040.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2015, 2017 Buick Enclave, 2010-2019 Chevrolet Traverse, and 2011-2016 GMC Acadia vehicles. The side curtain air bags may not be properly attached.
Risk: Unsecured side curtain air bags may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, realign or replace the weld nuts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2021. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N202321200.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 1,002 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2017 Traverse, the latest on Sep 26, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (389), electrical system (176), engine and engine cooling (130), engine (107), power train (77).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2017 Traverse.
See used 2017 Chevrolet Traverses for sale on: Autotrader · CarMax
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: standard sport utility vehicle. EPA greenhouse gas score: 3 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Traverse Front-Wheel Drive
3.6 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
15 / 22 / 18
Traverse All-Wheel Drive
3.6 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
15 / 22 / 17
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data