2018 Chevrolet Traverse: Is It Reliable?
Problems, Recalls & Buyer Verdict
Shopping for a used 2018 Chevrolet Traverse? This page highlights owner-reported complaint patterns and recall history so you can inspect the right systems before buying. Current data includes 430 complaints, with Transmission / Drivetrain as the top reported area.
2018 Chevrolet Traverse Fuel Economy
✓ EPA Official DataEPA-rated fuel economy across 3 2018 Chevrolet Traverse trim configurations. The median figure is shown; range reflects all available trims.
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov. Figures reflect EPA lab testing; real-world results vary by driving style, load, and conditions. 3 trims analysed.
2018 Chevrolet Traverse Safety Ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Program2 variants tested — showing 2018 Chevrolet Traverse SUV AWDOfficial crash test results from the NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings program. Stars reflect government-conducted tests; higher is safer.
Overall
15% rollover risk
Frontal Crash
Side Crash
Rollover
15% probability
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Ratings are based on government crash tests and may not reflect all trim levels.
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse has 430 owner complaints, 9 crash-related complaints, and 2 recall campaigns on record. The most frequently reported component is Transmission / Drivetrain. NHTSA reliability signal: Notable Issues.
- Make
- Chevrolet
- Model
- Traverse
- Model year
- 2018
- NHTSA owner complaints
- 430
- Crash-related complaints
- 9
- Safety recall campaigns
- 2
- Top reported component
- Transmission / Drivetrain
- Reliability signal
- Notable Issues
- EPA MPG combined
- 21
- EPA MPG city / highway
- 18 / 27
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- NHTSA overall safety rating
- 5/5 stars
- NHTSA frontal crash rating
- 4/5 stars
- NHTSA side crash rating
- 5/5 stars
- NHTSA rollover rating
- 4/5 stars
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
Most Common 2018 Chevrolet Traverse Problems
Top owner-reported complaint areas and where they often appear.
Transmission / Drivetrain
Uncategorized Issues
Electrical Faults
Complaint patterns center on Transmission / Drivetrain, Uncategorized Issues, Electrical Faults. Use these as a pre-purchase inspection guide, then verify recall and damage history on the specific VIN.
Should You Buy a Used 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?
The 2018 Chevrolet Traverse shows higher complaint activity for its model-year profile, so buyers should inspect known problem areas carefully before purchase.
Use the model-year trend to shortlist candidates, then confirm the exact vehicle condition with service records, recall status, and a VIN history report.
What to Check Before Buying a Used 2018 Chevrolet Traverse
Inspection Focus
- Inspect transmission/drivetrain for any signs of issues or previous repairs.
- Verify all open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- Request service records for transmission, electrical, and engine components.
- Have a mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase.
Before You Close the Deal
- Inspect transmission/drivetrain for any signs of issues or previous repairs.
- Verify all open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- Request service records for transmission, electrical, and engine components.
- Have a mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase.
Shortlist with model-year data. Decide with the exact VIN.
Before buying a used 2018 Chevrolet Traverse, run a VIN history report to verify accidents, title brands, odometer records, theft checks, and open recalls for the exact vehicle.
What the Complaint Data Suggests
Editorial interpretation of NHTSA public complaint data. Source: nhtsa.gov. Complaints are owner-submitted and do not confirm a defect. Methodology
Complaints for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse are concentrated in the transmission/drivetrain, electrical, and engine systems. A recurring theme appears to be transmission-related issues, which account for a significant portion of the reports. Buyers may want to inspect these areas closely.
- Transmission/drivetrain complaints are the most reported component category.
- Electrical faults and engine problems also have a notable number of complaints.
- There are 2 recalls and 9 crash-related complaints for this model year.
- Transmission / Drivetrain
- Electrical Faults
- Engine Problems
All 2018 Chevrolet Traverse Complaints by Category
Every owner-reported complaint category filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. Use this as a pre-purchase inspection checklist.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 177 | 1 | — | — | |
| Uncategorized Issues | 97 | 2 | 1 | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 96 | 1 | — | — | |
| Engine Problems | 92 | 1 | — | — | |
| Brake System | 36 | 3 | — | — | |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 27 | — | — | — | |
| Steering Defects | 14 | — | — | — | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 12 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 11 | — | — | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 10 | — | — | — | |
| Structural Problems | 10 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel System | 8 | — | — | — | |
| Gasoline | 8 | — | — | — | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 8 | 1 | — | — | |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 8 | — | — | — | |
| Lane Departure | 7 | 1 | — | — | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: AEB | 6 | — | — | — | |
| Airbag Malfunctions | 5 | 4 | 1 | — | |
| Wheel Issues | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Visibility/Wiper | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Chest Clip | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Buckle | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Harness | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Carry Handle | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Shell | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Base | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Tire Issues | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Tether | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Lower Anchor (On Car Seat Or Vehicle) | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | — | — | — |
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Complaint counts may exceed total complaints because one report can span multiple categories.
Real Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
My engine light came on, so I took it the mechanic. According to the reading it says it was my purge valve, they replaced. After driving 30 miles it came back on. I took it back and they thought it was a defected part so they replaced it again. After 30 miles, it came back on. Th…
Exhaust weld break similar to the 2019 Chevy traverse
Valor Canister Purge solenoid is faulty. After filling it up with gas and start driving the vehicle begins to stutter. After a stop at an intersection the vehicle begins to stutter and shuts off.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that upon parking and attempting to turn off the vehicle, the message "Shift to Park" was displayed while the gear shifter was already in park(P). The contact stated that the vehicle responded after several attempts t…
When car is shifted into park, it does not register that. It is in park. Therefore the car keeps beeping, and you cannot leave the car in this position. This is the second time that we have had to address this problem once in 2021 and now in 2026 I believe that General motors sho…
The exhaust system on my 2018 Chevrolet Traverse has failed due to cracking in the exhaust pipe and/or muffler assembly. This appears to be consistent with known issues in similar model years where exhaust pipe brackets separate and cause cracks or holes in the exhaust system. T…
When putting the vehicle in park it doesn’t recognize it’s in park and keeps saying shift to park.
I have had this car seat a little over a year and the chest buckle randomly stopped magnetizing. It will appear magnetized but will pop apart. This is absolutely unsafe and these seats need pulled from the consumers.
Vehicle was driving fine in good condition and well maintenance. No warning at all and went to drive it home from a friends and it would not go in reverse at all. Towed to dealership and they said it’s a transmission issue. There is a recall on 2018 chevy traverse vehicles. My …
My car has been acting odd and shaking a lot. Was told it could be transmission since i fixed everything else it could be
While driving going home to Deming,NM together with my daughter and son on [XXX] . I was driving over a bridge over path on [XXX] and without warning my electrical power steering gave out on the traverse I could not turn my steering wheel left or right I thought I was going to b…
The vacuum pump had a catastrophic failure. This led to failure of assisted breaking, and caused brake pedal to go rock hard while driving on the roadway. Metal shards from the vacuum pump broke off, and has now entered the engine. Chevy knows this vacuum pump is flawed, but did …
Noxious emissions fill passenger compartment while at idle, or when using remote start. Cannot drive with windows closed, or with recirculation on. Passengers feel, "sleepy". Bracket holding flex pipe fails at the same point in several different traverse vehicles. The 2018 …
After refueling we re-entered I495 Northbound. While traveling in the fast lane of traffic my vehicle shut off. I lost all power, including the ability to use On-Star. The vehicle refused to start for thirty minutes. This problem repeats within a mile of refueling. The vehicle ha…
Shift to Park" Error.. even after turning the car back on.. slowly going through each gear and back down to park I'm still getting this error
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, there were exhaust fumes entering the cabin of the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the mechanic was notified…
My 2018 Traverse has had several issues the past few years such as the electrical components in the car turning on and off randomly, a shift to park message which has been fixed twice, and the most current problem is the transmission. I was out of town 160 miles away with my fam…
I am experiencing and "Shift to Park" notification on my dashboard when my vehicle is in park. This causes my vehicle to stay in accessory mode where ally electrical stays on when I am attempting to turn the vehicle off. Due to the inability of fully turning the car off, my car b…
Hello this particular vehicle often gives us a message stating that side detection is temporarily unavailable and the main issue is the transmission seems to have severe shufdering issues and sometimes gives a shift to park message ive read others having this same issue being rec…
The Chevy suffers from the "Shift to Park" issue due to a faulty park switch in the shifter assembly, which is an electrical issue. Apparently GM does not cover this repair but it is dangerous as the car does not shut off even when engine is off and the gear is in park.
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Real owner reports for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse.
2018 Chevrolet Traverse Recalls
2 campaignsNHTSA recall campaigns for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. 2 recall campaigns are on record for this model year. Recalls are free to fix at authorized dealers, but completion status must be verified on the exact VIN.
2018 Chevrolet Traverse Buying FAQ
Buyer-focused answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this model year.
Is the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse reliable?▾
Notable Issues. NHTSA currently shows 430 owner complaints, 9 crash-related complaints, and 2 recall campaigns for this model year. The 2018 Chevrolet Traverse shows higher complaint activity for its model-year profile, so buyers should inspect known problem areas carefully before purchase. Treat this as a model-year signal, then verify the exact vehicle's condition and history before purchase.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?▾
#1: Transmission / Drivetrain (177 complaints). #2: Uncategorized Issues (97 complaints). #3: Electrical Faults (96 complaints)
At what mileage do problems start on the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?▾
Mileage data is not available or insufficient for this model year.
How safe is the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?▾
Complaint data is not the same as crash-test scoring, but it does highlight possible risk patterns. For the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse, NHTSA complaints include 9 crash-related reports and 2 fire reports out of 430 total complaints. 2 injury reports are also on file. For controlled crash-test ratings, check nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Does the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse have any recalls?▾
Yes. 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affect the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. A major recall area is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. 2 recall campaigns are on record for this model year. Always verify open recalls by VIN because completion status varies by vehicle.
Should I buy a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?▾
The 2018 Chevrolet Traverse shows higher complaint activity for its model-year profile, so buyers should inspect known problem areas carefully before purchase. Use the model-year trend to shortlist candidates, then confirm the exact vehicle condition with service records, recall status, and a VIN history report. Pay extra attention to Transmission / Drivetrain during inspection. Before committing, run a VIN history report to verify accidents, title brands, odometer records, and recall completion for the exact car.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinSpector AI.
Wider context: See the full Chevrolet Traverse reliability report with year-by-year comparison.
Owner Reliability Rating
Rate the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse based on your ownership experience.
Add your rating:
Ratings are based on owner experience and are separate from NHTSA data shown above.
Check the Exact Vehicle History Before You Buy
Model-year complaints and recalls reveal patterns. A VIN report confirms whether the exact car has accident history, title brands, mileage issues, or open recalls.