repaired · 2023 Q1
Air bags: critical fasteners
Risk. Unsecured side curtain air bags may not perform as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
2018 Chevrolet TraverseProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 466 owner complaints about the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse, most often about the power train. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 21V-246 the manufacturer reports only 40% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 4, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse has problems
466 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
196Power train1 crash/fire/injury
102Electrical system2 crash/fire/injury
86Engine1 crash/fire/injury
38Service brakes4 crash/fire/injury
30Fuel/propulsion system
16Engine and engine cooling
14Steering
12Exterior lighting
11Structure
8015 other systems8 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 196 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 102 | 2 |
| Engine | 86 | 1 |
| Service brakes | 38 | 4 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 30 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 16 | 0 |
| Steering | 14 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 12 | 0 |
| Structure | 11 | 0 |
| 15 other systems | 80 | 8 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2 recalls
2018 Chevrolet Traverse recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2023 Q2
Power train: automatic transmission
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…
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Chevrolet.
Mileage at failure
When do power train problems start?
33kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 78 power train complaints. 95% were reported before 100,000 miles.
Only 40% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.
37under 30k miles74under 100k miles4100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Power train
10 owners mentioned a cost$6,082median
Middle half: $902 – $8,575
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2018 vs. every other Traverse year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Traverse median. How we score
'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26'27
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2018 Chevrolet Traverse safety ratings
2018 Chevrolet Traverse SUV AWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (15.0% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: Optional
- Lane departure warning: Optional
In owners' words
What Traverse owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. While driving at 5–8 MPH, the transmission slipped. After coming to a complete stop, the vehicle hesitated to accelerate for five seconds before jumping forward 3–5 feet. Several unknown warning lights briefly illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle failed…
For months we have had issues with the known issue of “Shift to Park” which is a huge potential safety risk to myself, my children, and all of my neighbors who are ever remotely close to the vehicle. No dealer can resolve the known issue for this year/make/model. It has slipped from park to drive…
Car recently started to jolt when accelerating. Noticed it firsthand on the highway while on stop and go traffic. It's been doing it more often now when driving around the city. As soon as you accelerate past 15mph, it starts to jolt. The check engine light is not on. I do see that other 2018 Chevy…
Own a 2018 Traverse?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.