Most common 2018 Chevrolet Traverse problems
Share of the 464 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Traverse complaints by model year
Best Traverse years: 2013, 2021, 2020. Years to avoid: 2025, 2024, 2011, 2023, 2010. Compare all years →
2018 Chevrolet Traverse recalls (2)
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.
Remedy: 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.
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.
Remedy: 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.
What 2018 Chevrolet Traverse owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 196 →
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 contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that after his wife had parked the vehicle, the vehicle failed to turn off as intended. The contact also stated that the vehicle had failed to start while at a gas station. Additionally, the contact stated that upon shifting from reverse(R) to park(P), the vehicle failed to respond and continued reversing. The contact 's wife depressed the brake pedal, and the vehicle stopped. The vehicle was taken to Main Street Service Station, where the contact was informed that the failure could be related to the transmission shifter cable; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a related recall, and he had to pay for the repair. …
Electrical system all 102 →
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while at a complete stop and attempting to come out of auto stop, the vehicle would not automatically restart. The contact stated that once the vehicle restarted the vehicle hesitated. The contact stated while the vehicle was stopped at a stop light the vehicle drifted backwards and stalled. The contact also stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed start. The contact stated that the vehicle made an abnormal sound as if the engine was about to stall. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts and had the vehicle jumpstarted. The contact then continued to drive, and once stopped again at a stop light the vehicle stalled and would not restart. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer who diagnosed and replaced the alternator. …
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that the driver's side taillight was blown due to water entering the taillight assembly. While driving approximately 40-45 MPH, the battery failure warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the following day while driving approximately 40-45 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The battery warning light remained illuminated along with the check engine warning light. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 45,700.
Engine & cooling all 100 →
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that when the vehicle started, the engine made an extremely loud sound and smoke came from the exhaust. The contact stated that the vehicle sounded like a motorcycle. While the contact's wife was driving the vehicle, there were fumes from the exhaust entering the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated that his wife had asthma, and the fumes affected her breathing while driving the vehicle. Additionally, the contact's wife was the main driver of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the mechanic where it was diagnosed with a fractured mid-pipe assembly bracket. The contact was informed that the mid-pipe assembly bracket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that the vehicle was emitting a vibrating and rattling noise while driving. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated while driving uphill and accelerating, the engine backfired. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that there was an EVAP leak. The vehicle received an undisclosed repair however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the vehicle occasionally failed to immediately start-up. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed because the check engine warning light was no longer illuminated. The contact stated that the failure persisted, and the check engine warning light illuminated, and the rattling noise became more prominent. …
2018 Chevrolet Traverse engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 9-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 26 / 22 |
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 9-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 27 / 21 |
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 9-speed automatic | AWD | 17 / 25 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse a good car?
Based on 464 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2018 Traverse rates average: 1.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the Traverse at the same age. 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 Chevrolet Traverse?
The transmission & drivetrain — 196 complaints, 42% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission › lever and linkage › floor shift. Next are the electrical system (102) and engine & cooling (100).
How many recalls does the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse, the most recent from April 8, 2021 (critical fasteners). 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 Chevrolet Traverse?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2013, 2021 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2025, 2024, 2011, 2023 and 2010. See the full Chevrolet Traverse years comparison.
At what mileage do 2018 Chevrolet Traverse problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 32,000 miles; 70% 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.