2017 Buick Envision Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2017 Buick Envision most often write in about brakes that suddenly lose pressure — usually a brake hose or line that leaks or splits — and about electrical and display problems such as intermittent blank instrument clusters, dim or unreadable screens, and unexpected shutdowns. Steering assist loss and transmission shifting complaints also appear. Many reports come early in ownership: a number arrive under 20,000 miles, while brake-line reports tend to show up later in life.

1. 1
   Brakes

   Brake pedal goes to the floor (brake hose/line leak)

   • 16 complaints (20%)
   • median 68,356 mi at 5.5 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2021–2026

   Complaints describe the brake pedal dropping to the floor with little or no stopping power, sometimes after a small amount of normal braking. Owners who had the car inspected most often said a front brake hose or line had split or developed a pinhole, letting brake fluid escape. Several reported the hose being replaced with a factory part, and a few noted a second hose failed later. A small number said the pedal felt hard or seized rather than soft, and one report ties that to the brake vacuum pump and exhaust camshaft. Mostly reported between roughly 33,000 and 80,000 miles, with no warning light beforehand.

   What to check: Have a mechanic inspect the front brake hoses and lines for cracks, chafing or fluid residue, and ask for the brake fluid service history. Check the pedal for a firm, consistent feel on a test drive and check fluid level.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Was going down my driveway (which is on a steep hill) and brakes totally gave out. Luckily no one was on the road and I was able to get the vehicles to a mechanic. Mechanic found a small pin hole in right front brake hose which he found unusual. All brake fluid leaded out. Near the hole was a spring that wraps around the rubber brake line. It was pretty obvious the placement of the spring caused the damage. The brake line developed a hole in it where the end of spring touches rubber brake line. The nigh before I was on the interstate. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11396874, filed 2021-02, 79,000 miles

   “Brakes did not engage when my husband pressed on them while he was driving. Brakes when straight to the floor. He noticed brake fluid on the ground and when he filled it back up and pressed on the brakes the fluid spewed out of the brake line. His safety and the safety of others was impacted because he was in traffic and a car started to slow and our Envisions brakes were not working. He had to swerve around multiple cars and go through a traffic light to avoid causing a wreck. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11476788, filed 2022-07
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Instrument cluster and center screen go blank or dim

   • 13 complaints (16%)
   • median 20,564 mi at 2.6 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2018–2025

   Owners describe the dash display and infotainment screen briefly going dark or so dim they cannot be read, at highway speeds and at stop lights, while the vehicle keeps running. Some say the rear camera and warning chime also drop out, and a few reported the whole vehicle shutting off and needing a restart. Several took the car to the dealer repeatedly without a fix; others were told the display or infotainment unit needed replacement. Reported from a few thousand miles up through about 90,000 miles, in no consistent pattern and lasting seconds to minutes.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: On a test drive, note whether the cluster and center screen dim or blank, and check that the backup camera and chime work. Ask whether any display or software repair has been attempted.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Instrument cluster lights go out while driving ( #pic6333c ). As me are driving the instrument planal go blank for a few seconds to a minute, it is a driving hasard and can couse and acsident. I built an alarm syste for you ( 1980's ) that had a like problem, it turn out to be the clock rewind motor spiking the computer & re-booting the computer it need a fix now”

   NHTSA complaint #11166722, filed 2019-01, 2,500 miles

   “On at least 5 different occasions the dash board lights and infotainment system have went completely black this is at varying speeds from 25 miles to 60 miles and even sitting at a stop light this has happened. When it does happen its only for couple seconds. This has also happen twice while my teenage son was driving and scared him quite a bit. Most recently while at a stop light I let my foot of the brake and push gas I get a message saying park brake released the doors unlock then lock. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11366520, filed 2020-10, 52,289 miles
3. 3
   Exterior lighting

   Headlights too dim and dash dimming too early

   • 10 complaints (12%)
   • median 2,500 mi at 1.3 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2017–2022

   Several owners say the headlights do not light far enough ahead, including on new cars, and that the dealer had no remedy. Others report the dash and screen dimming early in the evening or in shade, to the point of being unreadable. Complaints describe the automatic dimming as the main frustration rather than a failed bulb. Usually noted within the first weeks of ownership, often under 1,000 miles.

   What to check: Drive the car after dark and in shade to judge headlight reach and dash readability, and check whether the brightness setting can be adjusted enough.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The headlight illumination on the 2017 Buick Envision or inadequate. They are dim and lack distance projection even on bright. We can barely see to get up and down the hill of our driveway. We do not drive at night unless we know the road well. The headlights should be recalled because they will cause accidents and there will be lawsuits.”

   NHTSA complaint #11039543, filed 2017-10, 500 miles

   “The headlights on this vehicle are mostly inadequate. They fail to provide decent lighting beyond a short distance in front of the vehicle. The fog lights improve the situation, but when using high beams you'd have better luck seeing ahead by putting a flashlight out the window. My 2017 encore with the pan reflective halogen lights are much more effective than these more expensive terminator style headlights. (the lights look like terminator eyes). …”

   NHTSA complaint #11062635, filed 2018-01, 1 miles
4. 4
   Steering

   Loss of power steering assist

   • 7 complaints (9%)
   • median 52,289 mi at 4.0 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2019–2026

   Complaints describe a power steering warning appearing and the wheel becoming very hard to turn, sometimes while driving and sometimes during the auto-stop restart. A few owners reported the wheel locking and the car refusing to restart for a time. Dealers in some cases diagnosed an internal failure of the electronic power steering unit; other owners reported the problem did not recur or could not be reproduced. Mostly reported under about 30,000 miles, sometimes tied to the engine auto stop/start function.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Test the steering at low speed and during a stop/start cycle, and ask whether any power steering warnings have been logged. A scan for stored steering codes before purchase is worthwhile.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Power steering loss. While driving the electronic power steering quit, and I received warnings that the power steering was not working. I also got errors on the advance headlights not working and that the all wheel drive was disable. Drove home with no power steering and checked the power fuses with a volt meter. No failures found. Restarted the car and there was no more problems. The online diagnostic indicated no failures recorded.”

   NHTSA complaint #11514493, filed 2023-03

   “When the car is in auto engine shut off mode, when the brake is released the steering power assist message displays, the steering wheel locks up, the doors unlock and the interior and exterior lights flash. The car will start back up but it takes a second to start. The car is also starting to not start back up and completely shut off at the light. All of the lights will start flashing. This is highly dangerous as the steering wheel lock almost caused my family to get into a major car accident. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11446993, filed 2022-01
5. 5
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Hesitation or harsh shifting

   • 5 complaints (6%)
   • median 30,000 mi at 3.5 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2017–2026

   Owners describe the transmission holding a gear or revving high before shifting, with some smelling a burning odor when it happens. Others report a delay engaging drive or second gear from a stop, along with warning lights, and were told the transmission needed replacement. Some complaints also describe a shake or vibration under firmer acceleration. Reported from around 30,000 to 36,000 miles in this sample, under acceleration or from a stop.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Drive the car from a cold start through several gear changes and a harder acceleration, and ask for the transmission service history.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When driving the vehicle and increasing speed, the transmission does not want to shift. The RPM's will literally redline, if I do not lift my foot off of the gas quickly, and replace it back on the gas - this reminds me of a manual shift, but this is not a manual transmission. The hesitation in shifting gears has gotten so extreme that I will start to smell a burning smell if I do not manually shift the transmission via the gas pedal. The car only has 33,000 miles, so I'm sure that this is not just the result of an older transmission. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11342281, filed 2020-07, 30,000 miles

   “When I am accelerating at a faster pace, always at 40 mph, my vehicle will start to shake. I have tested it several times now getting onto the interstate, it becomes an issue on the on ramp because I have to release the acceleration pedal and then very slowly get up to speed which causes me to not be able to get close enough to the posted speed while on the interstate which in turn causes other drivers to either slow down or try to move in another lane. I took it to my local Buick dealership (Trecek Automotive of Portage) on 4/29/24. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11592175, filed 2024-06

Buying note. Check the brake hoses and pedal feel carefully and get a scan for stored codes, since brake and display complaints are the most common here. Ask for service records showing whether any electrical or transmission work has been attempted.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.