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Buick · NHTSA safety record

2013 Buick Verano

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 107 safety complaints about the 2013 Buick Verano with the US government. Of those, 4 describe a crash, 1 mentions a fire, 3 people were injured and no death is recorded. 3 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 33 complaints, 31% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 35,500 miles, the median across the 77 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers September 2012 to August 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

107 complaints on file

107

Complaints

4

Describe a crash

1

Mention fire

3

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
ENGINE 33 · 31%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 23 · 21%
AIR BAGS 18 · 17%
STEERING 14 · 13%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 14 · 13%
POWER TRAIN 13 · 12%
TIRES 9 · 8%
WHEELS 7 · 7%
STRUCTURE 5 · 5%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 4 · 4%
SEAT BELTS 4 · 4%
SEATS 3 · 3%
0 15 31

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 107.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2014 at 21.

24 18 12 6
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2012 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2013 Buick VERANO, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test 4 DR FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 11.3%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

3 on file

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

23V516000 · July 27, 2023

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

General Motors, LLC · up to 767 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

16V502000 · July 5, 2016

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

General Motors LLC · up to 8,367 vehicles across all model years covered

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

14V417000 · July 2, 2014

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

General Motors LLC · up to 2,990 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash

2013 BUICK VERANO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO AIRBAG AND SEAT BELT MALFUNCTION DURING A REAR END COLLISION. CONSUMER HAS PREVIOUS CORRESPONDENCE WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE IN ARTEMIS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK INTO PLACE AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *JB

NHTSA complaint 10714822. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 51,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 BUICK VERANO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE DRIVER WAS STOPPED AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, ANOTHER VEHICLE COMING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION CROSSED OVER AND CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE HEAD ON. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT ONSTAR FAILED TO ALERT. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED FRACTURED RIB AND KNEE INJURIES ALONG WITH A SHOULDER INJURY THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. A UNKNOWN DEALER WAS LATER NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHEN INTERESTED IN THE PURCHASE OF A NEW VEHICLE. BOTH THE VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THE COLLISON WERE DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE

NHTSA complaint 11208950, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire · 74,400 miles

I TURNED MY CAR ON AND HAD BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR DEFROST. I SMELLED SOMETHING FUNNY, SO I TURNED THE CAR OFF TO INVESTIGATE. I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING SO TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND PULLED BACK INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND TURNED IT OFF. WITHIN A MINUTE OR TWO, THE ENTIRE BACK DRIVER- SIDE DOOR WAS IN FLAMES. I HAD TO USE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO GET RID OF THE FIRE. WHEN THE MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT, HE SAID HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT AND GUESSED IT MAY HAVE BEEN THE CIRCUIT TO THE DEFROSTER AND IF I HAD NOT OF GOTTEN OUT OF THE CAR AND TURNED IT OFF, I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR DIED BECAUSE THE CAR CAUGHT SO QUICKLY.

NHTSA complaint 11174357. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

crash

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 complaint 10512894. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
My service airbag light continues to come on when driving. I was told there was a recall on the airbags a few years ago, but my VIN number was not included in that recall. I purchased this car from Carmax in 2018. I was told there were no recalls on my car at time of purchase and it was not having a problem at that time. I’m not sure the exact date the problem started occurring, but I did call Carmax and gave them my VIN number and they said there were no active recalls, but there was a recall on the airbag years ago that I was unaware of.

NHTSA complaint 11756459. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

TIRES:SIDEWALL
the passenger front sidewall of the tire has a bubble. The tire is a Goodyear LS-2 235/45R18 is the model. I felt very unsafe do drive on a defected tire. The tire dealer told me it was not a defect and i would have to replace the tire at full cost. There was no warning of a problem with the tire. i discovered it after a routine vehicle inspection by myself.

NHTSA complaint 11744776. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

117,000 miles

The contact owns a 2013 Buick Verano. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the Service Air Bag warning light unexpectedly illuminated. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for further assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.

NHTSA complaint 11740667. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
My driver side air bag notification keeps coming on. On and off, while I'm driving. My electrical system is odd. I can not charge any devices and my screen will turn off while I'm driving. I'm giving today's date, but this is an ongoing problem for at least a year.

NHTSA complaint 11639167. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

100,000 miles

The contact owns a 2013 Buick Verano. The contact stated that while the vehicle was off on an inclined driveway, the vehicle rolled away. The contact had accidentally not shifted out of the drive gear position. The contact was able to jump back in the vehicle where he pressed the brake pedal and shifted into the park position. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was examined, but not diagnosed. The contact was advised that all Buick vehicles perform the same action while in drive on an incline. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

NHTSA complaint 11620121. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I think my car has a faulty ignition. When I turn my car off with key in ignition, my car starts on it's own.

NHTSA complaint 11614202. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Buick Verano

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2017 9 1 —
2016 59 2 —
2015 58 0 —
2014 101 6 —
2012 106 3 —

Other 2013 Buick models

Lacrosse 129 Regal 91 Enclave 70 Encore 52

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Buick on this site — 63 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst