Most common 2016 Buick Envision problems
Share of the 19 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Buick Envision complaints by model year
Best Envision years: 2018, 2020. Years to avoid: 2023, 2021, 2022, 2019. Compare all years →
2016 Buick Envision recalls (5)
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018.
Structure
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Buick Envision vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement headliner as part of a repair. These service parts might not have had impact energy-absorbing foam blocks attached.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the headliner assembly, free of charge. The recall began on July 28, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300.
Equipment
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Buick Envision vehicles. An accessory NSV Universal Tablet Holder may have been installed incorrectly onto the front seat head restraints, preventing the head restraint posts from fully engaging in the seat back.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the head restraints and tablet holders for the correct installation, reinstalling them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 27, 2017.
Service brakes, hydraulic
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016 Buick Envision vehicles manufactured January 19, 2016, to March 18, 2016. The the master cylinder brake lines may crack and leak brake fluid.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the master cylinder brake lines, free of charge. The recall began on January 18, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300.
Equipment › Other › Labels
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Buick Envision vehicles manufactured February 4, 2016, to April 25, 2016. The Tire and Loading Information label may display the incorrect maximum weight information.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a corrected label as necessary, free of charge. The began on August 22, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300.
What 2016 Buick Envision owners say
Brakes
The contact owns a 2016 Buick Envision. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at slow speeds in a parking area and attempting to stop with the brake pedal depressed to the floorboard, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V922000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 105,000.
July 2016 chose 2016 Buick Envision for forward collision alert automatic braking system - April 2017 got a letter from GM stating "Envision catalog inadvertently stated that forward collision alert automatically engages the vehicle brakes. It does not engage your brakes." when we contacted the customer assistance center - four people later - we were told that GM was not prepared to add the feature we were lead to believe we had, which was the main reason we chose this vehicle in the first place. Our GM customer case number is [phone] and the 4th person we spoke with was katrina at [phone] extension 5911824. [yes the car is 'safe' to drive but 'no' it does not have the additional safety feature as presented. Truth in advertising is important. We would not have selected this vehicle last year if we had known the 'truth' then.
Engine & cooling
The contact owns a 2016 Buick Envision. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently stalled at a traffic light. The contact received assistance from passengers nearby and pushed the vehicle to the side of the roadway. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact started the vehicle again and it inadvertently stopped again and there were numerous warning lights illuminated, which the contact did not remember. The contact then disconnected the battery and reconnected it, then restarted the vehicle. The contact also stated the battery was replaced last year. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no failure was diagnosed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 55,076.
Buick Envision 2016 Mileage - 58315 One owner The car has had three events over the last year where it would not start. After the car is driven for awhile and after it's parked and turned off, it will not start. Everything in the car will function (windows, radio, door locks) but there seems to be a disconnect between the key-fob and the device that communicates with it. There is never a warning light or other indication this is about to happen. We tried to jump the car but it has no effect. If we wait twenty to forty minutes it will start on its own. On the third failure, we had the car towed to the dealership where it was purchased. When the car was unloaded from the tow truck it started. The dealership service department ran diagnostics but the error codes were not helpful. They kept the car for ten days and could not duplicate the error.
Electrical system
My car was parked in the driveway, and it was locked. The keys were in a bowl next to the door. During the night the sunroof opened with no contact from anyone and it rained that night and flooded the inside of the car. We did research on the issue and this has happened to many Buick owners. I put the car under shelter and got out as much water as I could. The sunroof would not operate to close it. First thing Monday morning I was at the dealers. The dealer stated that had never seen that problem. I gave them some of the information I found on the internet. They could not get the sunroof to close. They ordered the parts and kept the car to continue drying it out. Once the parts arrived and were installed they got the sunroof to close but then it opened about half way. They are talking to Buick engineers. Luckily this happened while my car was parked. …
Buick Envision 2016 Mileage - 58315 One owner The car has had three events over the last year where it would not start. After the car is driven for awhile and after it's parked and turned off, it will not start. Everything in the car will function (windows, radio, door locks) but there seems to be a disconnect between the key-fob and the device that communicates with it. There is never a warning light or other indication this is about to happen. We tried to jump the car but it has no effect. If we wait twenty to forty minutes it will start on its own. On the third failure, we had the car towed to the dealership where it was purchased. When the car was unloaded from the tow truck it started. The dealership service department ran diagnostics but the error codes were not helpful. They kept the car for ten days and could not duplicate the error.
2016 Buick Envision engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 20 / 26 / 22 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2016 Buick Envision a good car?
There isn't enough complaint history for the Envision to compare model years reliably. So far owners have filed 19 complaints with NHTSA.
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Buick Envision?
The brakes — 4 complaints, 21% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the engine & cooling (4) and electrical system (4).
How many recalls does the 2016 Buick Envision have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2016 Buick Envision, the most recent from May 31, 2018 (fuel pump). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Buick Envision?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2018 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2023, 2021, 2022 and 2019. See the full Buick Envision years comparison.
At what mileage do 2016 Buick Envision problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 12,000 miles; 73% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.