Engine. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Air Bags. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports

Power Train complaints

13 reports

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30,000 miles · Jun 18, 2015

EnginePower Train

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2013 BUICK VERANO, VIN [XXX]. ORIGINALLY PURCHASED IN MINNESOTA. HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS. FIRST, CAR WAS "HARD-SHIFTING" LIKE IT WAS HAVING A REALLY HARD TIME LOCATING THE NEXT GEAR TO SHIFT INTO. THE HARD SHIFT OCCURS BETWEEN 15-25 MPH, AND AGAIN BETWEEN 50-60 MPH. IT IS CAUSING THE CAR TO ACCELERATE AND ACT VERY SLUGGISHLY. HAVE NOT HAD A SINGLE PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR UNTIL A LONG ROAD TRIP RELOCATING TO UTAH IN MARCH 2015 THAT LED UP TO ALL THESE NEW PROBLEMS. DEALER SAYS DIAGNOSTIC SHOWS NOTHING WRONG, BUT WHEN TEST DRIVING, CAN FEEL AND HEAR THE HARD SHIFT. ATTEMPTED TO FIX. PROBLEMS WENT AWAY FOR 2 MONTHS AND THEN RETURNED IN LATE MAY / EARLY JUNE 2015. SECOND, WHEN A/C IS ON FULL BLAST INSIDE CAR AND WE USE REMOTE START TO START THE CAR, THE CAR IDLES FINE FOR 10 SECONDS. THEN AS SOON AS THE A/C SYSTEM KICKS ON IN THE CAR, THE ENGINE REV'S UP FROM 800 RPM'S (NORMAL IDLE) TO ABOUT 1,500 RPM'S AND THE ENGINE IS VERY LOUD. THE DEALER STATES "DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER SAYS NOTHING IS WRONG." WE CAN HEAR HOW LOUD IT IS, AND THOSE ARE THE COOLING FANS, BUT IT'S SUPPOSED TO COME BACK DOWN TO NORMAL IDLE AFTER A FEW MINUTES. WE CAN HAVE THE CAR IDLING FOR 10+ MINUTES AND IT DOES NOT REDUCE IN NOISE VOLUME OR RPM LEVEL. IT CONTINUES TO IDLE VERY HIGH RPM'S AND DOES NOT SOUND LIKE ANY OTHER BUICK ON THE GM DEALERSHIP LOT. DEALER MECHANIC'S CAN HEAR THERE IS A PROBLEM BUT REFUSE TO FIX IT BECAUSE THEIR STUPID COMPUTERS DON'T SAY ANYTHING IS WRONG. SO NOW WE ARE EXPERIENCING 2 ISSUES - THE LOUD REV RPM NOISE IN IDLE WHICH IS MAKING THE ENGINE VERY LABORED SOUNDING, AND THE HARD-SHIFTING PROBLEM THAT STILL HASN'T GONE AWAY. THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION, POWER TRAIN, OR COOLING SYSTEM BUT OF COURSE GM WON'T FIX IT OR RECALL IT. I CAN'T EVEN FIND A RECALL LIST NEWER THAN 12/31/14. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10726119

35 miles · Oct 3, 2014

Power Train

BETWEEN 8 & 17 MIL THE TRANS HAS A DEED SPOT, WHEN THE TRANS CATCHES THE CAR JUMPS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10641126

Mileage unknown · May 20, 2013

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Power TrainCrash

MY NEW BUICK VERANO 2013 JUST BACKED ITSELF OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND HIT MY NEIGHBOR'S MAILBOX. HAS THERE BEEN ANY OTHER REPORTS LIKE THIS? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10512894

Official recalls

23V516000 · Air Bags:frontal:driver Side:inflator Module

Jul 27, 2023

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Buick Verano, Chevrolet Camero, Sonic, and Volt vehicles. The driver-side air bag inflator may explode during deployment due to a manufacturing defect.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver-side air bag module, free of charge. On some 2013 Volt vehicles, the steering wheel will be replaced as well, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 23, 2023. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 and Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N232413120.

16V502000 · Electrical System:ignition; Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

Jul 5, 2016

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Electrical System:ignition

Consequence: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.

Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

Consequence: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

14V417000 · Equipment:electrical

Jul 2, 2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore all-wheel-drive vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to September 9, 2013; Verano vehicles manufactured August 8, 2012, to June 20, 2013; Chevrolet Cruze vehicles manufactured August 7, 2012, to August 16, 2013, and 2012-2014 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles manufactured May 10, 2011, to August 16, 2012 equipped with a Calix oil pan/block heater. In cold temperatures, the insulation on the engine block heater cord can become damaged, allowing the wires to be exposed.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Exposed wires increase the risk of electrical shock and personal injury if the cord is handled while it is plugged in.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine oil pan/block heater cord with a new cord that is rated for temperatures of minus 40 degree Celsius. The recall began in August 2014. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14257.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.