New to me 2021 Chevy Traverse

[JTK]

I recently replaced our 2019 Nissan Pathfinder after 52 months of ownership. I would have preferred to keep it longer, but the details in a previous thread of mine led me elsewhere: https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/my-2019-nissan-with-timing-chain-issues.378910/

I picked up a 2021 Traverse LS AWD w/ 30400mi on it. It's a very clean local lease return with dealer oil changes and services shown every 4-5K miles per the carfax. The missus wanted another 3-row vehicle and would have happily accepted a Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna or even a Kia/Hyundai minivan, but she's really grown to dig 4x4/AWD given our climate and for the $25900+TTL I paid for the Traverse, I could not touch a late model Ody, Sienna, etc. I got a good trade-in allowance for the Pathfinder. About $500 more than KBB "good condtion".

I haven't really driven the Traverse aside from the test drive and distance from dealership to home, but I really like it. It's quick and the 9spd shifts nicely. Love the power of the 3.6L. Wife loves it. Being a very basic LS model, she did loose a bunch of options like blind spot warning, park assist, remote start, etc, but being a GM product, I'm not sad about that at all. LOL. GM even dropped the active grille shutters, etc from this year range. It's like the Rona chip shortage special.

Maintenance is an absolute breeze with the 2018+ Traverse. There's zero plastic shields underneath, so everything is totally accessible for engine oil changes, ATF changes, even the transfer case and rear diff is simple to get at. As you've probably guessed, given it's 3yrs old and got ~30K miles on it, I've already done two ATF changes with a "suitable for use" ATF. These 9spds don't have a serviceable pan/filter/magnet unless you pull the transmission and split it open. The case looks just like the 6spd in my daughter's 8th gen Malibu.

My mission now is disabling the stupid auto stop/start. I understand this system is here to stay, but it ain't staying on this vehicle.

 

[nickaluch]

I have a 2018 first year of that model zero issues but maintenance bought new. Oil change is super easy. We liked it so much got my wife a Buick enclave on a lease just turned it in with zero issues.

 

[joekingcorvette]

Good to hear the tranny is easy to service. I wish more vehicles had an easy way to service the automatic transmissions.

 

[daves87rs]

I’m torn because I do like these (nice one by the way), but sad with the issues they have…

This coming from a GM guy.

3.6 in those are iffy at best. 9 speeds had some issues as well.

Sounds like it is going to be well cared for, so I hop it serves you well.

 

[silversport]

what's wrong with the LFY 3.6 V6 in a 2021???

Bill

 

[4WD]

what's wrong with the LFY 3.6 V6 in a 2021???

Bill

I know someone who traded one on a ‘24 bcs it was trouble free …
(3rd Traverse for them) …

 

[repairman54]

32k miles on my '20 High Country no issues. Trans done at 30k with a M1 blue label fluid along with the rest of the drive train fluids. I have the dual clutch rear diff. so it also has the Pentosin fluid in addition to gear oil.
Use the M1 blue label in the trans. Factory fluid did come out looking good though.

 

[ls1mike]

I’m torn because I do like these (nice one by the way), but sad with the issues they have…

This coming from a GM guy.

3.6 in those are iffy at best. 9 speeds had some issues as well.

Sounds like it is going to be well cared for, so I hop it serves you well.

The current 3.6 does not suffer the issues of the older ones. I wish this place would let go of that.

 

[JTK]

I’m torn because I do like these (nice one by the way), but sad with the issues they have…

This coming from a GM guy.

3.6 in those are iffy at best. 9 speeds had some issues as well.

Sounds like it is going to be well cared for, so I hop it serves you well.

You just never know. Look how I maintained the 3.5 in my 2019 Pathfinder in the time I owned it and it still wound up with major mechanical issues. That particular VQ35DD is really turning out to be a problem engine though.

I haven't followed the GM 3.6L too closely over the years. I don't know a ton about them. I haven't owned a GM product since my 2007 Chevy Cobalt that I bought new.

I do know the 3.6 LFY version for 2018+ has different cylinder heads, supposedly a more robust timing cover and has aluminum valve covers. There's no exhaust manifolds on the 2018+. The catalytic converters bolt directly to the cylinder heads w/ a short elbow. The Chrysler/Jeep Pentastar V6 has had this since it's debut some 12-13yrs ago. Everyone else started jumping on it 3-4yrs ago. I like the fact this engine has an alumimum oil pan and not a plastic one with the twist-off oil drain plug. It's also more setup for stop/start tech, with an electric vacuum pump that supplies the brake booster. The 9T65 transmission for 2018+ has a large fluid accumulator on it for stop/start as well.

The 9T65 supposedly debuted with the 2018 model year. Lots of reports of torque converter shudder, mostly fixed with fluid changes or fluid additives. Draining and filling this AT is crazy easy. The 12mm hex head pipe plug used for the drain kind of sketches you out, because if you get carried away with it, you risk cracking the case on the transmission. The plastic fill cap/breather is an easy reach and easy to get a long neck funnel down into. I got 6qts out and put 6qts back in per drain/fill.

I'm still studying the 4x4/AWD system. The transfer case is a lot larger on the traverse than the one was on my Pathfinder. I don't know who makes this T-case for GM. I do know the pre 2018 used a Getrag 790. Not sure now. It's definitely different than the Getrag 790. The T-case (or PTU I believe GM calls it) appears to have an electric axle disconnect on it, so it doesn't have to spin the prop shaft 100% of the time. The prop shaft to the rear is "sealed" inside a large aluminum torque tube that mounts the T-case solid to the rear carrier/diff. The rear diff has some type of E-clutch system on it. Not sure if it's electromagnetic or how it works yet.

Lots of room under the hood for this vehicle in general. Way more than my 2019 Pathfinder had, and they are both large vehicles. My Traverse is actually an 8-seater. It has bench seats for the 2nd and 3rd row.

EDIT.. The other kind of neat thing that I did not expect to see to see with these GM 3.6's is they use 5w30 engine oil. They hold 6qts.

 

[wemay]

Good writeup and Congratulations. I like the Traverse and wouldn't mind it at all if one sat in my driveway.

 

[I<3oil]

Ngl, the newer Traverse/Acadias are pretty sweet. The new redesign on the Traverse making it look like a little Babburban is pretty kickace.

 

[NYEngineer]

My wife wanted a Telluride in 2021 but there was no way I was paying mega dollars over sticker for one. We made a deal on a 21 Traverse and have been very happy with it. I THINK it's an LT. I never look. Oil changes are SIMPLE.
One issue that drove me a little crazy was the headlights. Not LEDs. Six months in, the drivers side light goes out. I check and see that it's a bulb and a ballast so I switch the ballasts from side to side and the light stays out so I know it's the bulb. NO ONE had a bulb for this car at the time so I wound up finding some guy on line and buying one from him. I apparently didn't seat the bulb in the bucket correctly and blew the tiny ten amp fuse feeding it. The other side continued to work so that threw me off the scent for a little while while I had the ballast tested. Ultimately, I learned there is a fuse for each side. All fixed and been ok for many months now.
The other thing is that the high beams are awful. There is only one light on each side and the high beam is a little flapper that opens over the bulb. Does nothing. Other than that, I like the Traverse very much.

 

[ls1mike]

My wife wanted a Telluride in 2021 but there was no way I was paying mega dollars over sticker for one. We made a deal on a 21 Traverse and have been very happy with it. I THINK it's an LT. I never look. Oil changes are SIMPLE.
One issue that drove me a little crazy was the headlights. Not LEDs. Six months in, the drivers side light goes out. I check and see that it's a bulb and a ballast so I switch the ballasts from side to side and the light stays out so I know it's the bulb. NO ONE had a bulb for this car at the time so I wound up finding some guy on line and buying one from him. I apparently didn't seat the bulb in the bucket correctly and blew the tiny ten amp fuse feeding it. The other side continued to work so that threw me off the scent for a little while while I had the ballast tested. Ultimately, I learned there is a fuse for each side. All fixed and been ok for many months now.
The other thing is that the high beams are awful. There is only one light on each side and the high beam is a little flapper that opens over the bulb. Does nothing. Other than that, I like the Traverse very much.

I have to tell you if you don't get the high end GM model, the headlights are poo. They are not great on my new truck.

 

[KrisZ]

Nice, congrats! I had an Acadia I think, as a rental and that 3.6 was very nice.

 

[NYEngineer]

Hey, let me know how you end up disabling the stop/start. Even though I hardly drive it, I hate it.

 

[JTK]

My wife wanted a Telluride in 2021 but there was no way I was paying mega dollars over sticker for one. We made a deal on a 21 Traverse and have been very happy with it. I THINK it's an LT. I never look. Oil changes are SIMPLE.
One issue that drove me a little crazy was the headlights. Not LEDs. Six months in, the drivers side light goes out. I check and see that it's a bulb and a ballast so I switch the ballasts from side to side and the light stays out so I know it's the bulb. NO ONE had a bulb for this car at the time so I wound up finding some guy on line and buying one from him. I apparently didn't seat the bulb in the bucket correctly and blew the tiny ten amp fuse feeding it. The other side continued to work so that threw me off the scent for a little while while I had the ballast tested. Ultimately, I learned there is a fuse for each side. All fixed and been ok for many months now.
The other thing is that the high beams are awful. There is only one light on each side and the high beam is a little flapper that opens over the bulb. Does nothing. Other than that, I like the Traverse very much.

You're right on with the headlamps. GM calls them Xenon or something like that. They're basically old school ballast driven HIDs as opposed to LEDs. They're crazy expensive going genuine GM, but I see tons of aftermarket alternatives on the amazon for ~$35.

I've seen people claim they've gotten GM dealer service quotes in the $500 range to have one bulb replaced. It looks to be a pretty simple job.

 

[JTK]

Hey, let me know how you end up disabling the stop/start. Even though I hardly drive it, I hate it.

Will do. Yesterday I tried simply unplugging the hood switch. This immediately threw a "hood switch circuit high" code P257F. Luckily I was able to clear it with my old cheap generic code reader. I ordered a jumper plug online that runs between the hood switch and it's harness connector that is supposed to disable stop/start on GMs w/out codes, etc. It was $14. If that doesn't work, there's modules that connect inline with a small harness that runs to the vehicle's positive batt terminal. Those are in the $150 range. I'll go that route if I have to.

Remote start isn't a concern for me as this LS model doesn't have it.

 

[daves87rs]

The current 3.6 does not suffer the issues of the older ones. I wish this place would let go of that.

While it’s not quite the same 3.6 of old, it’s still an underpowered engine for that leave beast. GM should had a v8 option with the ‘verse. Other than that, it’s a pretty good car!

 

[redhat]

Congrats on your purchase OP.

 

[Slick3914]

While it’s not quite the same 3.6 of old, it’s still an underpowered engine for that leave beast. GM should had a v8 option with the ‘verse. Other than that, it’s a pretty good car!

310 horsepower is plenty for this vehicle.