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2020 Chevrolet Traverse

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2020 Traverse.

Transmission Automatic 9-spd

The 2020 Chevrolet Traverse comes with an Automatic 9‑spd transmission, a 6.0‑qt oil capacity using 5W‑30 / 0W‑30 viscosity, and EPA‑rated fuel economy of 17/25/20 mpg. Engine‑related complaints led the complaint tally, and eight recall actions were issued for the model year. With 212 total owner complaints it sits nearer the low‑complaint end of the 2009‑2026 history, where complaints peaked at 668 in 2010 and dropped to 18 in 2026.

Model year202620252024202320222021202020192018

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 / 0W-30OEM · verified
Lug nut torque140.0 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy17/25/20 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 94R · 730 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731742. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 94R · 730 CCAOEM · verified
Tire size255/55R20 107HOEM · verified
Wheel / rim8 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12731742
Engine air filter23321606
Spark plug12681660
Battery88866098 alt 88864542
Front wiper blades84580859 alt 84580856
Serpentine belt12647764
Thermostat12681133
Cabin air filter13508023

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 9-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length204.3 in
Overall width78.7 in
Overall height70.9 in
Wheelbase120.9 in
Curb weight4700 lb
Track (front / rear)67.3 / 66.9 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)58/42

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined17 / 25 / 20 mpg
DrivetrainAll-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Traverse of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.40 sec — 2020 Premiere
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2020Premiere 3.6L V66.40 sec14.80 sec310 hpFWD
2019RS 3.6L V66.70 sec15.10 sec310 hpAWD
2018LT Leather 3.6L V66.30 sec14.90 sec310 hpFWD
2018High Country 3.6L V66.50 sec15.10 sec310 hpAWD
2018Premier 3.6L V66.70 sec15.10 sec310 hpAWD
2018Premier 3.6L V66.70 sec15.20 sec310 hpAWD
2018RS 2.0L Turbo I-46.80 sec15.30 sec257 hpFWD
2018LT Leather 3.6L V66.90 sec15.30 sec310 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6.0 qt of 5W-30 / 0W-30 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 140.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidDEXRON®-VI Automatic Transmission Fluid.
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity5.3-6.3
Brake FluidDOT 3
Brake Fluid Capacity2.11 pt
Engine Coolant50
Engine Coolant Capacity15.4-15.5
Engine Oilsynthetic · SAE 5W · SAE 0W
Engine Oil Capacity6.0 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.4 ft-lbs
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s)16.0 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)31.0 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)18.0 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsLower: 5.1; Upper: 18.0 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pan to Block BoltsM6 Bolts 7.4 ft-lbs M8 Bolts 18.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Differential Fill Plug8.8 ft-lbs
Differential drain Plug8.8 ft-lbs
Driveshaft Flange to TransmissionSlip Drive ft-lbs
Lug Nuts140.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Automatic Transmission Drain Plug8.8 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.0375–0.0433 in
Spark Plug Torque13.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity2.43 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Standard BCI Group Number94R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance730 cca
Standard BCI Group Number94R AGM VRLA battery is required.
Standard BCI Cranking Performance850 cca

Service checks

Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum50.0 psi
Fuel Pump Pressure Maximum100.0 psi
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)50.0-100.0
Engine Oil Pressure10 psi @ idle, 20 psi @ 2000 rpm psi
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in
Exhaust Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 53; Rear: 30
ABS Sensor TorqueFront: 6.6; Rear: 6.6
Minimum Pad Thickness0.078 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: 1.063; Rear: 0.827
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness after RefinishFront: 1.102; Rear: .866
Vented Rotor Maximum Scoring DepthFront: 0.059; Rear: 0.059
Variation from Parallelism Thickness VariationFront: .001; Rear: .002
Maximum Rotor RunoutFront: 0.002; Rear: 0.002

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
190°-100°
Front Wheel Hub — tightening sequence 1 stages
174.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 15°-30°74 ft. lbs
Rear Wheel Hub — tightening sequence 1 stages
174.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 15°-30°74 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118.0 ft. lbs. Step 2: 11018 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Center Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
174.0 ft. lbs. Step 2: 15074 ft. lbs
Flex or Driveplate Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
122.0 ft. lbs. Step 2: 45°22 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 97,500 mi.

Every 7,500 miAccelerator Pedal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (inspect)
Every 15,000 miWindshield Wiper Blade (replace)
Every 22,500 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 45,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 75,000 miHood Hinge (inspect)
Every 97,500 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2020 Chevrolet Traverse sits at the lower end of the complaint curve, with 212 complaints versus 398 in 2019 and 358 in 2018, but it experiences a spike in recalls—8 in 2020 versus the 2–5 recalls seen in adjacent years. This indicates a peak in regulatory attention that year, likely reflecting a specific issue that prompted multiple recall actions, while investigations remain zero. In the broader 2009‑2026 trend, complaints fall sharply after 2015, and recalls trend downward after 2020, suggesting that the 2020 model is an outlier within an otherwise improving generation. Top complaint areas for 2020 are concentrated in Engine (39), Power Train (21), and Engine & Engine Cooling (21), but the data does not specify root causes. With only 11 crash complaints and a single fire complaint, the safety profile is relatively mild. Overall, the 2020 Traverse represents a transitional year with heightened recall activity; a buyer should weigh the risk of potential recall costs against the lower complaint volume relative to earlier years.

8
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
779
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
212
Owner complaints
11 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent
’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25’26

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 212 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine39
Unknown Or Other26
Power Train21
Engine & Engine Cooling21
Electrical System11
Fuel/Propulsion System6
Unknown Or Other,Engine5
Seat Belts5

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 8 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

21V115000TiresReported 25/02/2021

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, XT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, 2018-2021 Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana, 2019-2020… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at…

21V817000Power Train:Automatic TransmissionReported 18/10/2021

Braun Corporation (Braun) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Chevrolet Traverse wheelchair accessible vehicles with Power In-floor Ramp conversion. The screw and clip that hold the inner wheel-well plastic shroud in place… Remedy: Dealers will replace the screw and clip, and inspect for signs of contact with the transmission, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 29, 2021. Owners…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 779 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIT3271Q2026-04-01Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel…
PIP61042026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and…
PIP4902V2026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIT6425D2026-03-02Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue…
PIT6425C2026-01-16Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Traverse. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 94R batteryVehicles taking 6.0 qtEngine oil filter 12731742Engine air filter 23321606Spark plug 12681660Battery 88866098

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesTorque specificationsMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2020 Traverse take?

6.0 qt of ACDelco dexos1 full synthetic is recommended. Use SAE 5W-30 viscosity grade engine oil. Cold Temperature Operation: In an area of extreme cold, where the temperature falls below −29 °C, an SAE 0W-30 oil may be used. An oil of this viscosity grade will provide easier cold starting for the engine at extremely low temperatures., per the factory manual.

Does the 2020 Traverse have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Traverse get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 25 highway / 20 combined mpg.