Owners have filed 23 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the brakes, suspension, and wheels and tires. The 8 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2019Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/8 checked
2019 Buick Envision: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/1
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/2
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/5
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
These years share the 2019's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2019 checks
Worth adding to your 2019 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2019 Buick Envision. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | AWD | 22 mpg |
| 2.5L 4-cyl | AWD, FWD | 24–25 mpg |
Owners report these failures starting around the mileages below. A car inside one of these ranges deserves a closer look at that part, or records showing it was already fixed.
Premature original tire wear
25,000–30,000 miles
NHTSA complaints for the 2019 Buick Envision, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Braking power drops suddenly after a "Service Brake Assist" warning appears. Drivers describe a very firm pedal, little or no braking, or a pedal that sinks to the floor, sometimes followed by the malfunction indicator lamp. The warning can come and go, and dealers often cannot find a fault unless it stays on. One diagnosed case was a failed brake vacuum pump. Another report describes the SUV stopping abruptly on its own at about 30,000 miles. Every pattern here carries crash risk.
Severe shuddering hits at highway speed or above 35 to 40 mph. A patched pothole or other bump often sets it off, but it sometimes happens on smooth pavement. Owners say it feels like the car is falling apart and is harder to steer. It continues until the car slows to a stop, then returns at the next trigger. Dealers have not always recognized the problem. One shop repaired it under service bulletin 22-NA-211 by replacing leaking hydraulic mounts.
Original Michelin Premier LTX tires wear out fast. Tread falls to 4/32 inch or below at roughly 25,000 to 30,000 miles, which owners link to hydroplaning, a low-speed blowout, and a failed inspection. Complaints focus on coverage. Owners say GM would not apply service bulletin 19-NA-078 to their VIN, dealers would not work with Michelin, and Michelin's 60,000-mile tread warranty does not cover tires that came with a new car.
Neither report describes an air bag failing to work. Both are crash-related filings. One concerns a 2019 Enclave and gives no detail about the problem. The other is about a parts shortage. After a side impact, the owner waited months because GM could not supply a replacement air bag part, which left the car out of service. The main issue in this category is repair delays after a crash, not a defect.
Power drops and acceleration turns sluggish in one report, along with an engine whine that grows louder over time. That car later stalled and would not restart, and a turbo failure that damaged internal engine parts called for a full rebuild. The second report describes the engine bogging and the car rattling with cruise control set at 35 to 40 mph on a slight climb. Dealers called this normal because the transmission holds its highest gear for fuel economy.
Unstable, unresponsive handling at highway speeds appears in one report, which the owner traced to a failed steering gear. That poses a loss-of-control risk. The same owner also had the shifter fail because the powertrain control module could not detect park or neutral. The car could not be driven and had to be towed for a new shifter assembly. A second report is incomplete and only mentions driving over a bump. Two reports are too few to show a clear pattern.
Excerpts from complaints Envision owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
Severe shuddering while driving. Sometimes on a smooth roadway and sometimes when crossing over a patched pothole. Shuddering continued until slowed to stop. When starting to go again car did not shudder until next incident.
Filed with NHTSA, March 2025
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2019 is tied for the most owner complaints of the 8 Envision years we cover, about 1.5 times the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2019 is the fourth model year of the Envision's first generation (2016–2020).
It is also the first year of a mid-cycle update.
What changed for 2019
Cars shoppers compare with the Buick Envision, with their own 2019 checklists.
2019 owner complaints, side by side
