Most common 2018 Buick Envision problems
Share of the 15 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 →
What 2018 Buick Envision owners say
Steering
Every time the car auto stops and turns back on the steering locks. So when the car starts you can't turn the wheel. Also, while driving the car will lock and radio will shut off/ turn on. This happens like 1 to 2x a week. It is available for inspection. It could be very dangerous for me and others for needing to turning into places or even turning down the road. It hasn't been confirmed or inspected, yet. There is only one warning lamp that flashes on for a split second, it's no t/c. It just started flashing 3/26/23 not prior to incidents.
While we were merging onto the highway, the steering wheel locked! I was going 50 MPH and I couldn't move the steering wheel left or right. We almost got into an accident, but I pulled my hardest on the wheel and was able to pull over. I shut off the car and turned it back on and it was OK, but under the wrong circumstances, this could've ended up real bad. Are there similar complaints on this vehicle?
Engine & cooling
I was going to work in the morning. I went to stop at the redlight right at my work but my brakes were very firm and wouldnt push down. My service brake warning came up on my dash and service engine light came on. I had to practically stand up and press as hard as I could to get it to slow down enough to not rear end the person in front of me. I thank God I wasnt going very fast and thankfully the light was turning green at the same time so I just slowly rolled thru and pulled it into my work parking lot. I had to call a mechanic, When he looked under the hood first thing he saw was oil dripping very fast out of my engine out of the side of the mechanical vacuum pump. They towed it to car dealer garage and I had to have it fixed. It was the camshaft-driven mechanical brake vacuum pump failed while I was driving it. …
My vehicle only has 81824 miles on it and I am having head gasket issues. I have a coolant leak into my engine. It is barely 7 years old. This should NOT be an issue in a vehicle this age with this many miles. I have seen that this has become a known issue with the 2018 Buick Envision and it should be a recall. I have had to refill my coolant reservoir 3 times since my oil change. A compression test has been run on my coolant system and there are no other leaks. Thus it is the head gasket.
Electrical system
Multiple Electrical parts became faulty starting with 3 tire sensors, then the front passenger airbag sensor, immediately followed by both rear sensor control modules. Milage at onset was approx 85000. Brought to dealer for dx due to my vehicle applying breaks when it shouldn't, when auto start/stop was still on, the vehicle powersteering would stop working intermittently when going from a stopped position in drive to accelerating. Dealership ran diagnostics and determined the air bag control module is faulty and requires replacement of the entire seat to replace the sensor, as well as both rear sensors need to be replaced . This vehicle has been in no accidents. I had a second opinion completed with the same diagnosis. Now today- my OnStar system began blinking red and forcefully called OnStar twice. …
I was going to work in the morning. I went to stop at the redlight right at my work but my brakes were very firm and wouldnt push down. My service brake warning came up on my dash and service engine light came on. I had to practically stand up and press as hard as I could to get it to slow down enough to not rear end the person in front of me. I thank God I wasnt going very fast and thankfully the light was turning green at the same time so I just slowly rolled thru and pulled it into my work parking lot. I had to call a mechanic, When he looked under the hood first thing he saw was oil dripping very fast out of my engine out of the side of the mechanical vacuum pump. They towed it to car dealer garage and I had to have it fixed. It was the camshaft-driven mechanical brake vacuum pump failed while I was driving it. …
2018 Buick Envision engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 22 / 29 / 25 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 21 / 27 / 24 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 20 / 26 / 22 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2018 Buick Envision a good car?
Based on 15 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2018 Envision rates better than average: 68% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Envision at the same age. It is one of the best Envision years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Buick Envision?
The steering — 4 complaints, 27% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the engine & cooling (4) and electrical system (4).
How many recalls does the 2018 Buick Envision have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2018 Buick Envision. You can still confirm with your VIN using our 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 2018 Buick Envision problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 18,000 miles; 100% 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.