This expert says Chevy Traverse timing chains can send the car to the junkyard even if it looks brand-new.
Gurnee, Illinois-based auto salvage company Auto Parts City (@autopartscity) posted a video on Saturday featuring a “clean”-looking Traverse. However, the vehicle wasn’t in great shape under the hood.
According to the employee in the video, the car suffers from a flaw common to all Chevrolet Traverses. He warns owners to ignore the car’s check engine at their peril.
So far, the video has garnered over 51,000 views and counting.
The problem with the Traverse timing chains
“Chevy Traverse with Timing Chain Problems! 13 Codes! Very Common Problems with these vehicles!” the video’s caption warns viewers.
“Clean Chevy Traverses are very common at the junkyard,” the Auto Parts City expert claims in the video. “Somebody just junked this Traverse because of that right there,” he states, indicating an illuminated check engine light.
After hooking up a diagnostic code reader to the car, he states that 13 codes are being displayed for the warning indicator.
Opening the hood, he claims, “What happens on these 3.6 [engines] is that the timing chains stretch out and cause all kinds of engine problems.”
He states that it would cost about $3,000 to repair the timing chain issue.
The expert then uses the diagnostic scanner to erase the codes, causing the warning light to go out. He states that he’ll send the car to auction, where it might be bought by a dealer or shop for parts.
What are timing chains?
In order to operate, an internal combustion (gas) engine requires a belt or a chain to open up the engine valves. This allows air and fuel to enter the engine and combust, thus driving the pistons.
According to Carfax, timing chains should generally last the engine’s lifetime. But if they do need to be replaced, the repair can be costly.
“Replacing a timing chain can cost $1,000 or more, depending on the vehicle,” it states. “It’s a complex job requiring a mechanic to remove many parts of the engine’s exterior before accessing the parts that need replacement.”
Furthermore, “The engine’s timing could change if the chain stretches too far or breaks. In extreme cases, this could result in the valves striking the pistons. A failure like this would ruin the engine.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Chevrolet via email for a statement.
@autopartscity Chevy Traverse with Timing Chain Problems ! 13 Codes ! Very Common Problems with these vehicles ! #chevytraverse #copart #autorecycling #junkyard #ancel #obdscanner #checkenginelight #autopartscity ♬ original sound – AutoPartsCity
Viewers weigh in
One viewer, Chuck (@notthatinteresting1), disagreed that $3k was too expensive of a repair price.
“I just dumped $4k into a 20-year-old vehicle. It depends on if you personally feel it’s worth it. I figured $4k was still better than a car payment,” he wrote.
Other viewers agree with Auto Parts City’s assessment of the Traverse.
“My local pick n pull has ROWS of these,” one commented.
“GM Timing Chain strikes again,” another added.
One viewer wrote, “Oh man I’m looking for that exact color and a Traverse.”
Auto Parts City responded, “Look for ANY OTHER SUV *excluding Enclave, Acadia, Pathfinder, QX60.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Auto Parts City via email and TikTok direct message for further comment.
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
