2018 Chevrolet Traverse problems, complaints & recalls
MoreSteady
NHTSA has received 457 owner complaints about the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse, or 52.7 per year on the road — more complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 1.25, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 73 model-year 2018 vehicles we track, it ranks #52 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Chevrolet models its rate is 15% higher; against other Midsize SUVs it is about the same.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Complaints filed between 2017-10-06 and 2026-08-30. Median delay from incident to filing: 10 days.
457Complaints
52.7Complaints per year on the road
1.25Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
2Recalls
2.2%Share involving a crash or fire
86Last 12 months
Analysis
The following model year (2019) drew 52.5 per year, about the same. In its first two years on the road the 2018 model collected 91 complaints, about the same than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Transmission / powertrain (35.7% of complaints), followed by Engine (21.7%) and Interior & equipment (12.3%). Transmission / powertrain complaints are 3.1 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. Within Transmission / powertrain reports, owners most often mention “shift park”, “shifter”, “transmission”, “park message” and “gear”. 10 reports (2.2%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 7 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 59 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was after five years (49% of incidents). In the last 12 months 86 new complaints were filed, versus 67 in the 12 months before — a steady pace.
NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls for this model year. 38% of the complaints fall in component areas that a recall addresses.
Complaint index
vs. all tracked vehicles1.25
vs. other Chevrolet models1.15
vs. other 2018 models1.07
vs. other Midsize SUVs0.99
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (91)1.02
2018 Chevy Traverse purchased from Carvana caused carbon monoxide exposure to my family in military housing. Vehicle locked itself while running in the garage (garage door open), and CO entered the home where my children were standing near the interior door.
Electrical · 2026-06-19 · ODI 11745280
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that the driveway was on a slope, and his wife was attempting to reenter the vehicle while it was in parked and the engine was running, and in the process the vehicle began to roll forward down…
Brakes · 2025-07-01 · ODI 11670496 · Crash
the vehicle will not register that it is in park, when the engine is turned off a beeping noise reads shift to park - you have to start the engine and shut it off multiple times, or slam the shifter into place to get it register in park.
Transmission / powertrain · 2026-08-30 · ODI 11760744
On 08/15/26, I was at a traffic light waiting to make a left turn on a major roadway. Because the wait was on a hill, the park brake automatically engaged.
Brakes · 2026-08-18 · ODI 11757817
Car wouldn’t move in Reverse, I’d give it gas and it would just rev. It would drive forward but very sluggish. Brought to 2 different mechanics and they both said I need to replace the transmission. Car has 97,500 miles on it.
Transmission / powertrain · 2026-08-06 · ODI 11755241
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
AIR BAGS:CRITICAL FASTENERS Campaign 21V246000 · 2021-04-08
Summary: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2015, 2017 Buick Enclave, 2010-2019 Chevrolet Traverse, and 2011-2016 GMC Acadia vehicles. The side curtain air bags may not be properly attached.
Risk: Unsecured side curtain air bags may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, realign or replace the weld nuts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2021. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N202321200.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION Campaign 20V668000 · 2020-10-29
Summary: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
Risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.
No NHTSA investigation covers the tracked model years.
Frequently asked questions
How many complaints were filed for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?
457 complaints were filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse, or about 52.7 per year on the road.
What is the most common problem reported for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?
The most common category is Transmission / powertrain, accounting for 35.7% of complaints.
Does the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 2 safety recall(s) for this model year.
Is the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse still generating complaints?
In the last 12 months 86 new complaints were filed, versus 67 in the 12 months before — a steady pace.
How does the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse compare with similar vehicles?
NHTSA has received 457 owner complaints about the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse, or 52.7 per year on the road — more complaints than typical for a vehicle of its age (complaint index 1.25, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 73 model-year 2018 vehicles we track, it ranks #52 for fewest complaints per year. Against other Chevrolet models its rate is 15% higher; against other Midsize SUVs it is about the same.