2016 Buick Envision: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2016 Buick Envision
On the 2016 Buick Envision, the failure owners report most often is no-start or intermittent start failure, with 4 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 10,000 miles. Overall it scores 77 out of 100, severe risk for a 2016.
Severe risk for a 2016 — 57th riskiest of the 255 2016 vehicles we can rate. 27 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
The failures owners actually file about
Owners have reported 16 named failure modes on the 2016 Buick Envision, and the three most-reported carry 30% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
No-start or intermittent start failure leads with 4 reports and about 1.8 per 1,000 vehicles.
Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure follows with 2 reports.
Other engine problem follows with 2 reports, median 40,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into engine (6), adas (4) and brakes (3).
At what mileage it happens
16 of the reports on the 2016 Buick Envision came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 10,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 75% by 50,000 miles and 94% by 100,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed.
The busiest stretch is between 0 and 10,000 miles, which alone holds 50% of the dated reports.
75% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, which is early enough that a fair number of these cars were still under a factory warranty when the owner complained.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 16. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
What happens when these parts fail
Nothing in the reports on the 2016 Buick Envision mentions a crash, a fire or an injury. That is the ordinary case and it is worth stating: most defect complaints are about a car that stopped working, not one that hurt somebody.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 3.41, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: no-start or intermittent start failure at $200–$1,800, control arm, ball joint or bushing failure at $400–$2,200, other engine problem at $300–$4,000 and other brake problem at $300–$1,800. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
30% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 4 | 2 | — | 5k | — | 1.8 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure | suspension | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.9 | $400–$2,200 | High |
| Other engine problem | engine | 2 | 2 | — | 40k | — | 0.9 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 2 | 2 | — | 57k | — | 0.9 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 2 | 2 | — | 7k | — | 0.9 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 2 | 2 | — | 32k | — | 0.9 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Transmission will not engage a gear | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 880 | — | 0.4 | $1,500–$6,000 | Critical |
| Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure | electrical | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.4 | $250–$1,500 | High |
| Brake line, hose or caliper failure | brakes | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.4 | $250–$1,600 | Critical |
| Lane keep or steering assist fault | adas | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.4 | $200–$1,600 | High |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.4 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Sunroof failure or glass breakage | body | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.4 | $700–$4,500 | High |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.4 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 1 | 1 | — | 55k | — | 0.4 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.4 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 1 | 1 | — | 25k | — | 0.4 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 3 | 3 | — | 9k | — | 1.3 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2016 Buick Envision draws about 12 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 90th percentile of complaint rates among 2016 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 2,279 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2016 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
No-start or intermittent start failure
When I push the push-start button, the vehicle makes a grunting noise, but it does not start. All the lights come on and stay on including the "check engine light." it has happened four times. It happened three times when the vehicle was parked in the garage, and once when the vehicle was at a parking lot. The vehicle has been towed twice to a dealer; however, after the vehicle is thoroughly checked, they don't find anything wrong with it. Apparently, there is no trace of the problem in the memory of the vehicle. On 5 october, I was ready to go to work, but the vehicle did not start. This was the first time that the vehicle was towed to the dealer, the service manager tried to start the vehicle but it would not start. The vehicle spend the night at this dealer, but when the mechanic looked at it the following day, it started right away and they could not find anything wrong with the vehicle. The mileage on the vehicle was 4357. On 20 november 2017, I drove to work, and after a couple of hours, I needed to run an errand, but the vehicle would not start. Once again, the vehicle was towed to the closer dealer. We arrived at about 5…
When I push the push-start button, the vehicle makes a grunting noise, but it does not start. All the lights come on and stay on including the "check engine light." it has happened four times. It happened three times when the vehicle was parked in the garage, and once when the vehicle was at a parking lot. The vehicle has been towed twice to a dealer; however, after the vehicle is thoroughly checked, they don't find anything wrong with it. Apparently, there is no trace of the problem in the memory of the vehicle. On 5 october, I was ready to go to work, but the vehicle did not start. This was the first time that the vehicle was towed to the dealer, the service manager tried to start the vehicle but it would not start. The vehicle spend the night at this dealer, but when the mechanic looked at it the following day, it started right away and they could not find anything wrong with the vehicle. The mileage on the vehicle was 4357. On 20 november 2017, I drove to work, and after a couple of hours, I needed to run an errand, but the vehicle would not start. Once again, the vehicle was towed to the closer dealer. We arrived at about 5…
Other engine problem
On two separate occasions, we had had significant issues that were only fixed after the event occurred, at which time the dealership advised that software updates were available to resolve the problems we had. One involved the display screen/back-up camera which was very dark and difficult to see in the daytime, observed shortly after purchase in 2017 - a pretty significant safety issue. The other incident occurred last week, when the car died after starting it, as I was trying to pull away from the curb - another safety issue. If software updates are available to remedy these sorts of issues, why aren't owners being informed before having to experience them? Shouldn't these sorts of issues be the subject of recalls?
Recalls on the 2016 model year
NHTSA has issued 5 recall campaigns covering the 2016 Buick Envision, affecting an estimated 3,030 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump, structure, seats:front assembly:head restraint and service brakes, hydraulic. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
895 vehicles 2018-05-31- Defect
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.
- Consequence
- A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18188.
STRUCTURE
10 vehicles 2017-06-29- Defect
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Buick Envision vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement headliner as part of a repair. These service parts might not have had impact energy-absorbing foam blocks attached. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 201, "Occupant protection in interior impact."
- Consequence
- If the service parts do not have energy-absorbing foam blocks, there may be an increased risk of occupant injury in the event of a crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the headliner assembly, free of charge. The recall began on July 28, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is 17275.
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT
768 vehicles 2017-06-27- Defect
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Buick Envision vehicles. An accessory NSV Universal Tablet Holder may have been installed incorrectly onto the front seat head restraints, preventing the head restraint posts from fully engaging in the seat back. If so, the head restraints would fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 202a, "Head Restraints."
- Consequence
- If the head restraint posts are not fully engaging in the seat back, the head restraint may loosen or dislodge, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the head restraints and tablet holders for the correct installation, reinstalling them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began July 27, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is 17239/17258.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
327 vehicles 2016-12-21- Defect
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016 Buick Envision vehicles manufactured January 19, 2016, to March 18, 2016. The the master cylinder brake lines may crack and leak brake fluid.
- Consequence
- If there is a loss of brake fluid, braking performance may be reduced or lost, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the master cylinder brake lines, free of charge. The recall began on January 18, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is 16169.
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
4,558 vehicles 2016-07-07- Defect
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Buick Envision vehicles manufactured February 4, 2016, to April 25, 2016. The Tire and Loading Information label may display the incorrect maximum weight information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
- Consequence
- Incorrect weight information may cause an owner to overload the vehicle. Overloading may reduce vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a corrected label as necessary, free of charge. The began on August 22, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is 56340.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2016 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Where 2016 sits in the model line
Severe risk for a 2016 — 57th riskiest of the 255 2016 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.
Across the 9 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2021 comes out best at 67 and 2024 worst at 83, with 2016 itself at 77.
If the model year is negotiable, 2021, 2023, 2018 and 2022 score lower than 2016 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2016–2020 generation specifically, 2018 is the strongest year at 72 and 2019 the weakest at 80.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2016-2020 generation, 2018 Buick Envision scores best at 72 and 2019 Buick Envision worst at 80.
Where these figures stop being useful
27 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 27 reports, 16 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 59% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Buick Envision?
The most-reported failures are no-start or intermittent start failure (4 reports, median 5,000 miles), control arm, ball joint or bushing failure (2 reports) and other engine problem (2 reports, median 40,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
Is the 2016 Buick Envision reliable?
It scores 77 out of 100 on our risk index, which is severe — 57th riskiest of the 255 2016 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2016 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Buick Envision is best?
Within the 2016–2020 generation, 2018 scores best at 72 out of 100 and 2019 worst at 80. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed