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.
Key Data Findings
- • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 456 reports
- • Safety Recall Campaigns: 2 campaigns
- • Top Reported Defect Area: Powertrain (116 / 25%)
- • Safety Incident Signals: 9 crash / 2 fire / 3 injury reports
- • NHTSA Overall Safety Rating: 5 / 5 Stars
- • EPA Efficiency: 20–22 MPG (3 variants)
Data Note: Compiled directly from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.
| 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.
| 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 →
Top Reported Problem Categories
Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA
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) →
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.
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) →