2018 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE Problems
Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. This model year has 430 NHTSA complaints — top issue: Transmission / Drivetrain.
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This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about the specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer rollbacks, and open recalls.
Worst 2018 Chevrolet Traverse Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Transmission / Drivetrain
Uncategorized Issues
Electrical Faults
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This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about this specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. A single complaint may appear in multiple categories.
| 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.
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Showing 400 most recent complaints of 430 total. View all on NHTSA ↗
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.
Recalls for 2018 Chevrolet Traverse
2 campaignsNHTSA recall campaigns for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. Recalls are free to fix at any authorized dealer. Run a VIN check below to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
2018 Chevrolet Traverse — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse reliable?▾
Notable Issues. The 2018 Chevrolet Traverse has 430 NHTSA owner complaints, 9 crash-related, and 2 recall campaigns. The most reported issue is Transmission / Drivetrain (177 complaints). Source: NHTSA via VinSpector AI.
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?▾
The 2018 Chevrolet Traverse has 9 crash-related complaints and 2 fire reports out of 430 total NHTSA complaints. 2 injuries were reported. For NCAP lab crash test star ratings, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Does the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse have any recalls?▾
Yes — 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affect the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The largest issue: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
Should I buy a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?▾
The 2018 Chevrolet Traverse has notable issues — review the top problems before buying. Pay particular attention to Transmission / Drivetrain issues. Always run a VIN check on the specific car you're considering to check for accident history, open recalls, and title brands.
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.
Check Your Specific 2018 Chevrolet Traverse
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99.