BuickEnvision2021Overview/buick/envision/2021/base/

2021 Buick Envision

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2021 Envision.

Transmission Automatic (S9)

The 2021 Buick Envision pairs a nine-speed automatic transmission with an engine that takes 5.3 quarts of 0W-20 oil and returns EPA ratings of 22 city, 29 highway, and 25 combined mpg. This model year recorded 23 owner complaints — led by power-train issues — and was covered by two recalls. Across the 2016–2026 generation, 2021 falls well below the 2017 peak of 80 complaints yet remains above the 2025 low of 7, positioning it in the lower-mid range of the model's complaint trend.

Model year202620252024202320222021202020192018

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.3 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20OEM · verified
EPA fuel economy22/29/25 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 94R · 720 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12727115. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 94R · 720 CCAOEM · verified
Tire size245/45R20 99HOEM · verified
Wheel / rim7.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12727115
Engine air filter23430313
Spark plug55504354
Battery88864542
Front wiper blades84580856 alt 84580859
Serpentine belt55488926
Thermostat55516369
Cabin air filter13508023 alt 13531636

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S9)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length182.7 in
Overall width74 in
Overall height64.6 in
Wheelbase109.4 in
Curb weight3865 lb
Track (front / rear)63.4 / 63.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)59/41

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined22 / 29 / 25 mpg
DrivetrainAll-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Envision of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.5–7.3 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.50 sec — 2021 Essence (Sport Touring)
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2021Essence (Sport Touring) 2.0L Turbo I-46.50 sec15.10 sec228 hpFWD
2021Avenir 2.0L Turbo I-47.10 sec15.50 sec228 hpFWD
2021Avenir 2.0L Turbo I-47.30 sec15.70 sec228 hpAWD
2022Avenir 2.0L Turbo I-47.50 sec15.80 sec228 hpAWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.3 qt of 0W-20 engine oil, Dot 4 brake fluid. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity5.3 - 6.3 QTS
Brake FluidDot 4
Brake Fluid Capacity.98 pt
Clutch FluidDOT 3
Engine Coolant Capacity9.9 qt
Engine Oil0W-20
Engine Oil Capacity5.3 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)6.25 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)6.25 ft-lbs
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s)6.6 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)31.0 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)27.0; Sensor with Harness: 11.0 ft-lbs
Torque Converter Bolts44.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Transfer Case Fill Plug30.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug30.0 ft-lbs
Automatic Transmission Drain Plug8.83 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap.028-.031 in
Spark Plug Torque13 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.54 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Capacity2.0 Total System Capacity oz
Standard BCI Group Number94R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance720 cca

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
1M6 Bolts22 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miAccelerator Pedal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (inspect)
Every 15,000 miWindshield Wiper Blade (replace)
Every 22,500 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 75,000 miHood Hinge (inspect)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2021 Buick Envision shows a slight increase in complaints to 23 compared to 10 in 2020, following a generation-wide peak of 80 complaints in 2017. This year also marks a return of recalls with 2 reported, ending a three-year streak of zero recalls between 2018 and 2020. For the 2021 model, the most frequent complaint area was the power train with 4 reports, followed by the electrical system, tires, and fuel/propulsion system with 2 reports each. The year's record includes 695 TSBs, 2 crash complaints, and 0 fire complaints. Because these figures remain substantially lower than the peak seen early in the generation, this is a good year to buy.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
695
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
23
Owner complaints
2 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 23 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train4
Unknown Or Other,Fuel/Propulsion System2
Electrical System2
Tires2
Fuel/Propulsion System2
Unknown Or Other1
Vehicle Speed Control,Service Brakes,Equipment1
Electrical System,Engine,Fuel/Propulsion System1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

21V421000Air Bags:Srs Malfunction Warning Lamp/LightReported 10/06/2021

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Buick Envision, Cadillac CT4, CT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Corvette, Suburban, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL vehicles. The communications gateway module… Remedy: The communications gateway module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 1…

22V903000Exterior Lighting:Lighting Control Module:SoftwareReported 08/12/2022

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Cadillac CT4 and CT5; 2021-2023 Buick Envision; and 2022-2023 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500… Remedy: The body control module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2023…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 695 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIT5966F2026-06-23Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates an issue with an OTA pending message still…
PIC6423A2026-05-11Unknown Or OtherPi created to provide GM dealers with information on gathering information for projection…
PIC6551B2026-05-11Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates to dealer to perform a MEC reset for wireless…
PIT65072026-04-20Unknown Or OtherThis PI communicates information on a SPS programming issue causing Serial Data…
PIT3271Q2026-04-01Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Envision. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2021 Envision take?

5.3 qt of Dexos1 Gen 2 0W-20, per the factory manual.

Does the 2021 Envision have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Envision get?

EPA figures are 22 city / 29 highway / 25 combined mpg.