2017 Chevrolet Traverse — Should You Buy One?
Typical asking price: $13,000–$20,000. There are 2 high-severity known issues you need to know before handing over a check.
Kestrel Take
The last year of the first-generation Traverse — enormous inside, and still carrying the wave-plate transmission and the timing-chain-prone 3.6L. It's cheap for a reason. Only buy one with documented transmission and timing work, or the savings evaporate fast.
Known Issues for the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse
Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents.
A cracked wave plate kills third, fifth, and reverse, usually with no warning. Any transmission not rebuilt with the updated plate is on borrowed time.
Repair cost range: $2,800-$4,500
Chain wear on neglected engines; cold-start rattle and correlation codes.
Repair cost range: $2,000-$3,500
Chronic complaints on this platform.
Repair cost range: $700-$2,000
Common past 100k miles.
Repair cost range: $400-$800
Walk-Away Red Flags
- ✗Slip or flare between gears
- ✗Cold-start rattle
- ✗Oil changes stretched to the monitor limit
- ✗Rear AC blowing warm
Good Signs
- ✓Transmission rebuilt with the updated wave plate
- ✓Timing chain serviced
- ✓5,000-mile oil changes documented
Found a specific Chevrolet Traverse?
This page covers what goes wrong on the 2017 Chevrolet Traverse in general. The Kestrel report covers this specific car— the asking price vs. market, the photos, the seller's description, and a BUY / NEGOTIATE / WALK AWAY verdict with a negotiation script.
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Known issues on this page are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.
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