2018 Chevrolet Traverse problems & reliability
461 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse, alongside 2 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 23, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
3 complaints report injuries (7 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2018 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles were involved in 43 fatal crashes with 20 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train → | 195 | 42% |
| Unknown / Other | 104 | 23% |
| Electrical System → | 101 | 22% |
| Engine → | 84 | 18% |
| Service Brakes → | 37 | 8% |
| Fuel/propulsion System → | 29 | 6% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling → | 16 | 3% |
| Steering → | 14 | 3% |
| Exterior Lighting → | 12 | 3% |
| Seat Belts → | 11 | 2% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 25 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 176 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 33,500 miles (middle 50% between 14,275 and 54,925 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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…”
Power Train · filed Sep 18, 2026
“I am submitting this complaint regarding a complete transmission failure in my 2018 Chevrolet Traverse (VIN 1GNEVGKW7JJ279077). The vehicle's transmission stopped functioning altogether, resulting in a complete loss of propulsion. The vehicle can no longer be driven and requires repair/towing. A sudden loss of…”
Unknown / Other · filed Sep 11, 2026
“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. The check engine light is not on. I do see that other 2018 Chevy Traverse have a…”
Power Train · filed Sep 6, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
1,107 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The 10 most recent:
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIP4902W · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 4, 2026
PI to help diagnose A/C concern
PIT5099J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 21, 2026
This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.
PIT3271Q · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2026
This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
PIP6104 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 9, 2026
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIP4902V · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 9, 2026
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIP4902U · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 8, 2026
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer’s vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions…
PIT5214G · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2025
New Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH
13598 · Other · issued Sep 9, 2025
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIP4902T · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 14, 2025
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an intermittent no crank, no start, or start stall concern with the security light coming on. Technician may…
PIC5650M · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 7, 2025
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2018 Chevrolet Traverse has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 33,500 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.