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2018 Chevrolet Traverse problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse has been recalled for and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 2safety recalls
- 464owner complaints
- 9crash reports
- 2fire reports
- 7injuries reported
464 complaints, against an average of 236 for the other 14 Chevrolet Traverse model years.
Every Chevrolet Traverse model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?
The components named most often in the 464 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2018 Chevrolet Traverse owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 464 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
- Why is the check engine light on in my 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?48 owners · 10.3%
- Why does my 2018 Chevrolet Traverse stall, lose power or shut off while driving?33 owners · 7.1%
- Why does my 2018 Chevrolet Traverse transmission jerk, shudder or shift hard?24 owners · 5.2%
- Does the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse have emissions system or DPF problems?20 owners · 4.3%
- Why does my 2018 Chevrolet Traverse idle rough, misfire or hesitate?17 owners · 3.7%
- Has the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse had transmission failures?17 owners · 3.7% · Recall 20V668000
Has the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse been recalled?
2 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Air Bags: Critical Fasteners 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.
Fix: 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 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.
Fix: 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.
What do 2018 Chevrolet Traverse owners report?
12 of the 464 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
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 to respond while in reverse(R). The contact expressed safety concerns for his child who occupied the vehicle. An independent mechanic was unable to diagnose the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 148,000.
First issue-cracked catalytic converter caused leaking carbon monoxide inside vehicle. When I was driving I could smell strong, nauseating fuel smell and would have to drive with windows open to try and get fresh air. Took it to local shop for repair which cost $2700. After repair did some research and found special coverage warranty for 2018 Traverse for this same issue, however chevy told me because I took it to a third party they would not reimburse. Second issue-when car would go into gas saving mode vehicle would shut off quickly then start back up and all alert lights would come on (ie…
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 once but thankfully I was still in the vehicle. Additionally, at barely 100,000, my transmission has failed suddenly. After having the vehicle suddenly buck when driving down the road— again risking the safety of myself and my children, as well as other drivers around me- the check engine light came…
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. this happens constantly and is starting to get old, and annoying. it is listed as a known problem on the forum group. when the notice to shift into Park is stuck on, the beeping will not stop... Also there is a shudder while driving no matter the speed. They did a transmission service and messed with torque converters but has not done anything. Also will be…
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. When the traffic light turned green and as I attempted to accelerate, the electronic parking brake failed to release as it should and normally does. Since the vehicle would not move normally, I was unable to safely make my intended left turn so I had to continue straight in order to get out of the way of moving traffic. As I was driving to a parking lot of a business in the vicinity, my back tires were screeching and smoking as the park…
Corrosion of the exhaust pipes lead to an exhaust leak.
Engine light came on. Car started shaking and making noise when shifting. Speed would not increase while driving. When shifting into park the car does not recognize that’s it’s in park and had to jiggle the gear shift. Took it to an independent mechanic and they said it’s probably the transmission. Have to take it to a transmission shop.
Special coverage programs for the 2018 Chevy Traverse front exhaust pipe mounting bracket failure. GM has focused on coverage specifically on 2019-2021 models, but 2018 models are affected as well. I'm being forced to pay for a new exhaust when 2018 models should have been included for the Specific special coverage (e.g., N212356540, N222385510) exists for 2019–2021 vehicles, offering repairs (sometimes for 15 years or 150,000 miles) when the front mounting bracket breaks.
While driving going home to Deming,NM together with my daughter and son on [XXX] . I was driving over a bridge over path on [XXX] and without warning my electrical power steering gave out on the traverse I could not turn my steering wheel left or right I thought I was going to be in an accident because there was semi trucks going 80 miles an hour behind me we almost got hit by semi’s. Thank God I forced my steering wheel to the right with all my strength. I had to call the towing company we waited 3 hours until he got there even he said we could of had an accident. INFORMATION REDACTED…
The vacuum pump had a catastrophic failure. This led to failure of assisted breaking, and caused brake pedal to go rock hard while driving on the roadway. Metal shards from the vacuum pump broke off, and has now entered the engine. Chevy knows this vacuum pump is flawed, but did not include my model of vehicle in the recall. Even though it uses the same part. I received a “brake assist” message on the dash about 15 seconds prior to the loss of brakes. I had my wife and two kids with me, and this jeopardized their safety. Further research on the matter states this is a known issue at GM, but…
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, there were exhaust fumes entering the cabin of the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the mechanic was notified of a failure with the exhaust manifold. The local dealer was contacted and informed that there was no warranty coverage on the vehicle for the failure. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the exhaust manifold weld needed to be re-welded. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted…
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated while his daughter driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to stop at a traffic light, the vehicle lost automotive power. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that a dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the hazard lights were also inoperable. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 108,316.
2018 Chevrolet Traverse: questions owners ask
Is the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 464 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse; the most common categories were power train (196, 42.2%), electrical system (102, 22%), engine (85, 18.3%). There are 2 safety recalls. 9 complaints mention a crash, 2 mention a fire, 7 injuries were reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?
Across 464 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are power train (42.2% of complaints), electrical system (22% of complaints), engine (18.3% of complaints), service brakes (8% of complaints), fuel/propulsion system (6.5% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse; the most recent (campaign 21V246000, 2021-04-08) concerns Air Bags: Critical Fasteners. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why is the check engine light on in my 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?
48 of the 464 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse (10.3%) describe the check engine light coming on. One owner wrote: "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." (NHTSA complaint 11762454, September 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2018 Chevrolet Traverse stall, lose power or shut off while driving?
33 of the 464 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse (7.1%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. One owner wrote: "Lost power to transmission at 36k miles. Transmission replaced by GM. Currently, the vehicle lost transmission power while driving and had to be towed to dealership. Notified that the transmission needs replaced again" (NHTSA complaint 11741911, June 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2018 Chevrolet Traverse transmission jerk, shudder or shift hard?
24 of the 464 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse (5.2%) describe harsh, jerky or delayed transmission shifting or shuddering. One owner wrote: "Our Traverse has the transmission shudder really bad. This started at about 20k miles. Dealership made some adjustments which helped. Now that it out of warranty, this has gotten soo much worse. This needs to recalled." (NHTSA complaint 11734299, April 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Does the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse have emissions system or DPF problems?
20 of the 464 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse (4.3%) describe emissions faults such as DPF, EGR, catalytic converter, AdBlue/DEF or NOx sensor problems. One owner wrote: "Exhaust pipe bracket that is welded to both exhaust pipes broke off allowing firewall side catalytic converter pipe to crack near the head of the engine." (NHTSA complaint 11696225, October 2025). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2018 Chevrolet Traverse idle rough, misfire or hesitate?
17 of the 464 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse (3.7%) describe rough idling, misfires or hesitation when accelerating. One owner wrote: "Check engine light came on after feeling hesitation while driving and roughness while stopped. Diagnostic eval was done at shop and Evaporation Emissions Purge Valve was found to be faulty and replaced." (NHTSA complaint 11741889, June 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Has the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse had transmission failures?
17 of the 464 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse (3.7%) describe transmission failure, slipping or a replaced transmission. A related recall exists: campaign 20V668000 (power train: automatic transmission). The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. One owner wrote: "Transmission had a shutter when we bought it from a dealership at approximately 80,000 miles and after taking it back to dealership 2 different times we were told that was just how these newer 9 speed transmissions shift." (NHTSA complaint 11744035, June 2026). Recall repairs are free at a dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Check your own Traverse
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2018 only.