Research Another Vehicle

Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2018 Chevrolet Traverse is associated with 456 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 2 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Powertrain, accounting for 116 reports (25% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 3 certified vehicle configurations spanning 2l 4-cyl and 3.6l 6-cyl configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 20 to 22 MPG combined.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 456 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 2 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Powertrain (116 / 25%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 9 crash / 2 fire / 3 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 5 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 20–22 MPG across 3 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Traverse FWD 2L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 9-spd 20 MPG 26 MPG 22 MPG — $3,450 / yr
Traverse FWD 3.6L 6-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic 9-spd 18 MPG 27 MPG 21 MPG — $2,950 / yr
Traverse AWD 3.6L 6-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic 9-spd 17 MPG 25 MPG 20 MPG — $3,100 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
SUV FWD 16.900000000000002%
SUV AWD 15%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Optional and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Optional in official NHTSA records for tested 2018 Chevrolet Traverse models.
View complete 2018 Chevrolet Traverse crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?

Summary of 456 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
456
Crash Reports
9
Fire Reports
2
Complaints w/ Injury
3
Total Injuries
7

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Powertrain 116 complaints
Electrical System 22 complaints
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 21 complaints
Engine 20 complaints
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 15 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2018 Chevrolet Traverse problems & component breakdown (92 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #21V246000 Active Recall
Affected Component: AIR BAGS:CRITICAL FASTENERS

Defect Summary: 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.

Free Manufacturer 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. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N202321200.
NHTSA Campaign #20V668000 Active Recall
Affected Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Defect Summary: 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. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.

Free Manufacturer 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. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.
View all 2018 Chevrolet Traverse recalls & campaign history (2 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse

How many safety recalls does the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse have?

The 2018 Chevrolet Traverse is associated with 2 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

View all 2 recall campaigns & remedy details →
Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?

NHTSA records list 456 consumer defect complaints for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Powertrain, appearing in 116 filings (25% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Explore full 2018 Chevrolet Traverse defect complaint breakdown →
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse earned an Overall Safety Rating of 5 out of 5 stars across 2 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

View detailed crash test laboratory breakdown →
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse range from 20 to 22 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Compare MPG ratings across all certified trims →
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.