437 Total complaints
9 Crash reports
2 Fire reports
2 Injury reports
Quick answer: The 2018 Chevrolet Traverse has 437 consumer-submitted complaints in our database. The most common complaint categories are power train, unknown or other, electrical system. Enriched records show 9 crash reports, 2 fire reports, and 2 injury reports.
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.

Buyer interpretation

How to use these complaints before buying

Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.

Complaint volume

437 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.

Pattern to inspect

The most common categories are power train, unknown or other, electrical system. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.

Severity flags

Enriched records include 9 crash reports, 2 fire reports, 2 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.

Mileage clue

Mileage is available on 183 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 69,391 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.

Questions to ask the seller

  • Have you had any problems related to power train, unknown or other, electrical system?
  • Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
  • Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
  • Can we also check the recall record for this 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?
Used-car checklist

Use these complaints before the test drive.

Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.

2018 Chevrolet Traverse
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.

How severe are the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse complaints?

Enriched complaint indicators from official bulk records.

9 Crash
2 Fire
2 Injury
0 Fatality
11 Towed
3 Medical attention

Mileage at failure is available on 183 complaints ; average reported mileage is 69,391 miles.

Most common incident states: IA (2), OH (2), TX (2), CA (1), CO (1), IL (1), IN (1), KY (1).

What are the most common 2018 Chevrolet Traverse complaint categories?

437 total complaints on record

Latest complaints

Showing 226-250 of 437 complaints.

Date Component Summary Severity Mileage
Jan 2023 POWER TRAIN Transmission problems and stabilitytrack issues.
Incident: Jan 2023
Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Jan 2023 POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Shift to park error. Happens often when the car is in park, the error states that the car is not in park and has an alarm that goes off. I am unsure if the car is safely in park and not sure my car will lock if I do not try to cancel out the message by continuously starting the car back up and shifting the gears to ensure it is in park. It happens very frequently. I was told by the dealership that they have replaced a lot of these parts and they are not sure why a recall has not been issued yet.
Incident: Jan 2023
Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Jan 2023 EXTERIOR LIGHTING,STRUCTURE The tail light is collecting moisture out of nowhere. Went to the dealer to get the item looked at, was told that it was not covered under the warranty. The price to repair will be almost 1300 to replace, this is crazy. GM needs to do something about this. The moisture in the light is a potential for all the electrical wires to burnout.
Incident: Oct 2022
Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Jan 2023 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the EVAP purge valve was replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the contact stated that the check engine warning light became illuminated again. The contact also stated that the vehicle was jerking and stalling while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that there was a leak coming from the purge valve. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 87,000. Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Dec 2022 EXTERIOR LIGHTING The right rear quarter panel stop turn signal light started to retain moisture then the turn signal and stop light stopped working all together. the light is an LED and therefore cannot replace just the bulb. I am having no luck finding the correct replacement as any search turns up a part discontinued by Chevrolet.
Incident: Oct 2022
Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Nov 2022 UNKNOWN OR OTHER I have been having an issue with my Traverse Antilock Braking System for over a year now. I took it in the first time the icon message kept coming off & on intermittent technician stated that since the icon did not remain on and no check engine light was on nothing they could do and just keep driving it. It kept doing it but will not stay on long enough for me to take back to dealership to proof to them. Recently kept coming on more often and now it's a major and safety concern for me as I am handicapped and this is my only transportation. About 2 weeks ago finally check engine came on I drove to Auto Zone had them do the check engine test got a print out of all the codes made appointment with dealership they kept my vehicle for 4-5 days said they had to reprogram the system charged me for it cause they said my warranty did not cover this $209.00 later the next day same thing icon came back on took car back and again was told that nothing they can do unless check engine stays on. I was able to take a picture with my phone send to them not good enough. Have been driving my vehicle like this and everytime I stop at a traffic light icon comes on & off. I also got a message from my Onstar Diagnostics about this problem and says I should have this problem taken care of immediately as it could be dangerous. Do not understand why my local dealership is waiting for an accident to happen before they realize this should of been taken care of. Since I do not feel very safe driving my vehicle with this issue and I do not have any other means of transportation I have made my family aware of this issue and if something were to happen they know that this had been an issue I tried to have fixed and never happened cause the check engine light did not stay on and that's the only way the dealership said it could get fixed. Please do not hesitate to contact me via email if you need any other information as this is getting to be a scary problem for me now.
Incident: Apr 2021
Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Nov 2022 EXTERIOR LIGHTING Both the driver and passenger side rear turning signals accumulate condensation (if conditions permit, liquid water). When the automatic lights are engaged the rear turning signal will blink rapidly (as if the bulb was out). This problem does not occur when the day-time running lights are on. Estimated repair costs are $600 per light, as the entire housing must be replaced rather than just replacing the bulbs when they wear out. Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Nov 2022 POWER TRAIN The contact's daughter owns a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact's daughter stated that when the gear shifter was shifted into park(P), the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that several attempts were needed before the computer recognized that the gear shifter was in park(P). The contact was then able to turn off the vehicle. Two unknown warning lights were illuminated. The failure was becoming more frequent; however, after the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, the failure could not be duplicated. The contact's daughter then took the vehicle to an unknown local dealer where she was made aware that there was currently no remedy available for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.
Incident: Aug 2022
Crash: No Fire: No 65,000
Oct 2022 POWER TRAIN The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that upon shifting to park(P) and turning off the vehicle, the message "Vehicle Not in Park" was displayed. The contact stated that he had to restart the vehicle and move the gear shifter forward and backward until the transmission moved to the park(P) position. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring increasingly. The contact stated that he could not lock the doors of the vehicle during the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the gear shift selector needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 40,119. Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Oct 2022 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING Rear taillight has moisture inside which can cause an electrical shortage. Upon Google search, there are tons of other 2018 Traverses with the same issue. I contacted the dealership about a GM service bulletin about the same issue but they stated we would have to pay out of pocket for this issue.
Incident: Sep 2022
Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Sep 2022 POWER TRAIN,ENGINE "SHIFT TO PARK" WHEN CAR IS ALREADY IN PARK Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Sep 2022 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM The driver information display indicates the vehicle is not in park when it is shifted in park and engine is turned off. A warning chime goes off and will not stop until the button on the shifter is flipped multiple times. I talked to the service manager and he indicated that many vehicles are showing this fault. The entire shifter assembly would have to be replaced to fix the issue. There is a microswitch on the assembly that is the cause of the problem. My concern is this false indicator could lead to a safety issue for drivers who don't understand the issue. Also why isn't a recall issued by GM since many vehicles have displayed this problem. My other concern is the daytime driving light is intermittent on this vehicle but what else is next to fail electrically.
Incident: Jun 2022
Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Sep 2022 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES The vehicles dashboard lit up with a service emergency brake, and then the brakes locked up while the car was in motion on the roadway.
Incident: Sep 2022
Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Sep 2022 POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM When I turn off the vehicle, there is an audible dinging that does not stop and a message "shift to park" on the screen. This warning and message does not stop and therefore would run down the battery if left. I googled a solution before taking to the dealership and it turns out, this is a common failing in many Chevy vehicles. It is a small part located in the shift control, literally a 1 inch strip of flexible metal, that isn't making a good connection to a sensor. Chevy should fix this or replace for free since it is clearly a defect, but instead service departments charge a diagnostic fee ($169) and I was told it would be a $777 fix on top of the fee. With the "shop fees" it would cost $1,000.
Incident: Aug 2022
Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Aug 2022 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. Additionally, the vehicle experienced rough idling while starting. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a faulty EVAP purge solenoid valve. The dealer replaced the EVAP purge solenoid valve. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.
Incident: Aug 2022
Crash: No Fire: No 69,000
Aug 2022 POWER TRAIN When in park, a warning alerts “shift to park” and doesn’t stop.
Incident: Aug 2022
Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Aug 2022 POWER TRAIN The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle and shifting to the park position the message "shift to park" had displayed and the vehicle could not be turned off. After wiggling the shifter the engine eventually was turned off. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the shifter assembly was faulty and needed to be replaced. The shifter assembly was replaced and the failure was remedied but eventually, the failure reoccurred. the vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 10,000.
Incident: Mar 2019
Crash: No Fire: No 10,000
Aug 2022 EXTERIOR LIGHTING The right rear outside signal light assembly is defective. Shoddy workmanship allowed moisture into the assembly shorting out the LED lighting. The signal, including 4-emergency light stopped functioning. The entire assembly must be replaced. There is not simply a light bulb to change. The replacement cost of over $500 will cause people to not change the assembly thus prolonging the operation of the vehicle in an unsafe manner.
Incident: Aug 2022
Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Jul 2022 SEAT BELTS Middle row bench middle seat belt won’t stay latched in and the seatbelt has been taken in for service to repair locked middle row middle seat belt. Hazard and unsafe for passengers in vehicle.
Incident: Jul 2022
Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Jul 2022 POWER TRAIN The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that upon parking the vehicle, the message Shift to Park was displayed and the instrument cluster displayed that the transmission was in neutral(N). The contact was unable to turn off the vehicle. The contact was unable to park the vehicle successfully after several attempts. The contact drove back to his residence where he attempted to park the vehicle again. The vehicle registered that the gear shifter was in park(P) after several attempts. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the shifter assembly was replaced under GMC Technical Service Bulletin Number: 19-NA-206. Additionally, the contact stated that the failure occurred a second time. The contact was unable to turn off vehicle. The vehicle remained on until the battery was drained. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer where an unknown repair was completed; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the gear shifter assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that he was concerned for his family’s safety as the repairs failed to fix the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 13,000.
Incident: Nov 2019
Crash: No Fire: No 13,000
Jun 2022 POWER TRAIN When I shift into park, the car does not recognize that the car is in park and the car will not turn off. I had this issue after only about 2 years of owning the brand new vehicle. I contacted General Motors, and since my mileage was out of warranty limits they would not fix it. I took it to a dealer and had to fix it. Now about two years later I’m having the same issue. The car doesn’t recognize that it is in shift and will not turn off fully. It is dangerous because the car won’t fully shut off. And since it is an electronic issue there’s nothing the driver can do to change it. Clearly it is faulty and something like this shouldn’t have to be replaced twice in 4 years. The only people who have inspected it are the mechanics at the Chevrolet dealership. Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Jun 2022 POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Attempted to park vehicle in level parking lot. Vehicle appeared to go into Park. Driver Information Center indicated that vehicle was not in Park and provided warning bells. When exiting the vehicle was providing warning more warning sounds and would not stop. Vehicle was in Park, but would have run warnings until battery discharge. Tried cycling vehicle, contacted On-Star and began troubleshooting with them. I was unable to resolve with them and GM support. Took to dealership and after troubleshooting was resolved by following steps in TSB 19-NA-206 which was performed outside of any warranty coverage. Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Jun 2022 POWER TRAIN Front Axle broke while driving on a busy highway, police and tow truck was called. Police blocked highway while I waited for the tow truck. Truck was towed to Bill Stasek Chevrolet in Wheeling IL. Truck was serviced about three weeks prior at Bill Stasek Chevrolet. No service lights were present at the time of incident. Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Jun 2022 POWER TRAIN Transmission seems to be slipping causing the vehicle to jerk or stutter while accelerating. When accelerating the vehicle will stutter while trying to shift causing temporary loss of propulsion. While reversing and shifting into drive the vehicle may continue in reverse momentarily until the drive gear kicks in. The vehicle is going in for service next week. No lights, warnings or messages are on. There are tons of other complaints online about the same issue involving many different vehicles. The only real safety risk is when trying to merge onto a highway and temporarily losing acceleration.
Incident: Jun 2022
Crash: No Fire: No Unknown
Jun 2022 ENGINE Rough starting engine, close to stall while idle and stopped on-road. Check engine light activated. 2016 and 2017 model years of Chevrolet Traverse vehicles were recalled for this exact issue. This condition was covered in: Special Coverage Adjustment N192210240 Evaporative Emissions Purge Valve Replacement. Our experience shows that this recall may not have covered the entirety of this issue. It is ironic that we experienced this exact same problem in a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The GM dealership charged us >$300 to repair. The recall covering the immediately previous model year extended warranty and offered free replacement. I am reaching out to NHSTA to make them aware of the issue with the Purge Valve in the 2018 model year Traverse. I contacted GM and they were not able to help, other than stating the original recall did not cover 2018 model years. We believe that it should also cover the 2018 model year based on our experience.
Incident: May 2022
Crash: No Fire: No Unknown

Related research