2009 Chevrolet Traverse (1st gen) · Known Issue
2009 Chevrolet Traverse Timing Chain Wear: GM's Special Coverage Has Ended, and What the Job Costs Now
Quick answer: No: GM's special coverage 11340 gave 2009 Traverses 10 years or 120,000 miles on 3.6 V6 timing chain repairs, and it has expired, so a chain job is out of pocket unless paperwork shows it was already done. Expect $1,800 to $3,200 at an independent shop for all three chains, guides and tensioners, a bill dominated by 10 to 15 hours of labor; dealers commonly quote $3,500 to $4,500.
Applies to: every version of this generation.
What the Issue Is
The first-generation Traverse uses GM's 3.6-liter high-feature V6, the engine family whose early builds made "GM timing chain" a common phrase: its three chains and their guides can wear early, cam timing drifts, and correlation codes (P0008, P0009, P0016 to P0019) arrive with a cold-start rattle from deep in the engine. GM's repair bulletin for it, 12-06-01-009, revised through 2015, lists 2009 to 2012 Traverses and walks technicians through replacing the chains and guides.
GM's programs for this engine covered the 2009 Traverse, not later ones. Customer satisfaction program 10287 reprogrammed the engine computer on 2007 to 2009 3.6 engines and ran until February 28, 2013, and special coverage adjustment 11340 then extended timing chain repairs to 10 years or 120,000 miles on 2009 Traverses, 2007 and 2009 Acadias and Saturn Outlooks, and 2009 Enclaves. That coverage has expired, so a chain job on a 2009 today is out of pocket unless the records show it was already done.
What makes the failure expensive is labor: the chains sit behind the engine's front cover, which on this transverse V6 faces the passenger-side fender in a tight bay, and a full chain job commonly bills 10 to 15 hours. That turns modest parts into a $1,800 to $3,200 invoice at independent shops, enough to total a rough example. Screening is the standard routine, a cold-start listen, a code scan and the receipts, with extra weight on paperwork showing the chains were already replaced.
Symptoms to Watch For
- 1.Cold-start rattle from the engine's depths, fading as oil pressure builds
- 2.Check-engine light with P0008/P0016-family correlation codes
- 3.Rough idle or subtle power loss as timing drifts
- 4.Rattle extending into warm idle (advanced)
- 5.History of oil changes at long intervals, the risk marker
Real Repair Costs
Independent-shop pricing for all three chains, guides and tensioners, dominated by 10 to 15 hours of labor. Dealer quotes commonly reach $3,500 to $4,500. GM's special coverage for the 2009 Traverse (11340) has expired.
| Repair | Typical Cost (installed) |
|---|---|
| Complete chain kit (3 chains, guides, tensioners) | $1,800-$3,200 |
| Valve damage after jumped timingthe prevented outcome | $3,500-$5,500 |
Major issue: budget for it. Ranges are US independent-shop estimates with quality parts. Use them as negotiation grounding, not a quote.
Mechanic's Tip: Spot It Before You Buy
Same routine, higher stakes: an overnight-cold start with the hood up, listening for a deep rattle of two to five seconds that is more than ordinary startup noise, then a scan for correlation codes. If the seller cleared codes, the readiness monitors give it away, since clearing resets them to "not ready" on an SUV that has otherwise been driven normally. Add one document request: proof of the chain job. A 2009 may have had its chains replaced under GM's special coverage, and that invoice is worth real money. No paperwork, no rattle, good oil receipts? Still price in some chain risk above 120,000 miles.
The Bigger Ownership Picture
Beyond this specific issue, budget roughly $1,100-$1,700 per year for scheduled maintenance and likely out-of-warranty repairs on a 2009 Chevrolet Traverse. That is a typical US range from Avturo's ownership-cost table, an estimate rather than a quote, and it excludes insurance, fuel, and financing.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a Traverse timing chain job?▼
$1,800 to $3,200 at independent shops for all three chains with guides and tensioners; 10 to 15 hours of labor on a transverse V6 dominates the bill. Dealers quote $3,500 to $4,500. GM's special coverage for 2009 Traverses (10 years or 120,000 miles) has expired, so the job is out of pocket.
Is my Traverse covered by GM's timing chain special coverage?▼
Not anymore, and only the 2009 ever was. Special coverage adjustment 11340 extended timing chain repairs to 10 years or 120,000 miles on 2009 Traverses (along with some 2007 and 2009 Acadia, Outlook and 2009 Enclave models); 2010 to 2012 Traverses were never part of it. The coverage has run out, so what matters now is whether the job was done while it lasted.
What are the warning signs on the 3.6?▼
Cold-start rattle from deep in the engine and cam/crank correlation codes (P0008, P0016 to P0019) are the classic pair, followed by rough idle as timing drifts. The warning period is usually months long. A silent engine with a clean scan and short-interval oil records is the reassuring version.
Is the Traverse worth buying with this history?▼
A chain-done example is a lot of three-row family hauler for the money, and the 2009 has a second named risk to check, the wave plate in its six-speed automatic. An untreated rattler is only worth buying at a price that funds the $1,800 to $3,200 chain job it is asking for.
Sources
The facts on this page were last checked against these documents on October 10, 2026. Programs and their coverage end; check the car's VIN with a dealer for what still applies.
- Warranty program: GM Special Coverage Adjustment 11340, 3.6L V6 timing chain (2012, NHTSA copy) (static.nhtsa.gov)
- Warranty program: GM owner letter for Special Coverage Adjustment 11340 (2012, NHTSA copy) (static.nhtsa.gov)
- Service bulletin: GM bulletin 12-06-01-009, high-feature V6 timing chain and guide replacement (2012, NHTSA copy) (static.nhtsa.gov)
- Service bulletin: GM bulletin 12-06-01-009, 2015 revision (NHTSA copy) (static.nhtsa.gov)
- Repair cost estimate: TrueDelta: owner-reported expensive repairs, Chevrolet Traverse (truedelta.com)
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