Chevrolet Equinox Problems by Year
NHTSA has 9,182 owner complaints and 32 safety recalls on file for the Chevrolet Equinox, across 22 model years (2005–2026). The 2010 model year has the most complaints (784). The most reported problem area overall is engine.
Chevrolet Equinox years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Equinox year: 2010, 2011, 2013. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2010 Equinox: 784 complaints, 3 recalls
- 2011 Equinox: 782 complaints, 3 recalls
- 2013 Equinox: 751 complaints, 2 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2026 Equinox: 73 complaints, 1 recall
- 2024 Equinox: 80 complaints, 1 recall
- 2009 Equinox: 94 complaints, 0 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Chevrolet Equinox problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 2,840 | 22 | 25 |
| Electrical System problems | 1,224 | 22 | 25 |
| Visibility/wiper problems | 1,114 | 20 | 4 |
| Power Train problems | 1,093 | 22 | 24 |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 832 | 22 | 18 |
| Air Bags problems | 630 | 21 | 189 |
| Service Brakes problems | 612 | 22 | 63 |
| Steering problems | 466 | 22 | 31 |
| Visibility problems | 444 | 20 | 1 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 352 | 19 | 1 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) problems | 345 | 17 | 11 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 291 | 22 | 25 |
| Structure problems | 274 | 22 | 31 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 230 | 19 | 0 |
| Suspension problems | 165 | 19 | 13 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 141 | 20 | 11 |
| Exterior Lighting problems | 138 | 20 | 3 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance problems | 130 | 16 | 23 |
| Wheels problems | 107 | 21 | 7 |
| Seat Belts | 98 | 20 | 31 |
| Seats | 75 | 18 | 5 |
| Equipment | 69 | 13 | 3 |
| Tires | 69 | 19 | 4 |
| Lane Departure | 39 | 11 | 3 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 38 | 10 | 1 |
| Traction Control System | 34 | 8 | 1 |
| Back Over Prevention | 28 | 11 | 6 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 18 | 10 | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 11 | 3 | 1 |
| Fuel System, Other | 10 | 4 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| Interior Lighting | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Child Seat | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Communication | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Other/i Am Not Sure | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Chevrolet Equinox problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2025: electrical system (78)
- 2022: fuel/propulsion system (78)
- 2020: service brakes (99) · engine (92) · fuel/propulsion system (50)
- 2019: engine (100) · service brakes (70)
- 2018: service brakes (118) · engine (86) · power train (66) · electrical system (61)
- 2017: engine (180)
- 2016: engine (203) · visibility/wiper (114)
- 2015: visibility/wiper (250) · engine (227) · power train (63)
- 2014: engine (218) · visibility/wiper (167)
- 2013: engine (412) · visibility/wiper (144) · power train (80) · electrical system (69)
- 2012: engine (355) · visibility/wiper (121) · power train (84) · electrical system (70) · fuel/propulsion system (54)
- 2011: engine (386) · power train (145) · electrical system (74) · visibility/wiper (69) · fuel/propulsion system (61) · electronic stability control (esc) (55) · air bags (52) · vehicle speed control (50)
- 2010: engine (271) · power train (182) · visibility/wiper (132) · electrical system (81) · air bags (57)
- 2008: air bags (110) · electrical system (65)
- 2007: fuel/propulsion system (156) · air bags (146) · electrical system (102) · fuel system, gasoline (90) · steering (78) · electronic stability control (esc) (62)
- 2006: visibility (247) · electrical system (141) · engine (68) · service brakes (63) · engine and engine cooling (60)
- 2005: electrical system (159) · power train (114) · engine and engine cooling (111) · suspension (57) · engine (55) · service brakes, hydraulic (52) · steering (50)
All Chevrolet Equinox model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Equinox | 73 | 1 | — | Forward Collision Avoidance | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2025 Equinox | 235 | 0 | — | Electrical System | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2024 Equinox | 80 | 1 | — | Fuel/propulsion System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2023 Equinox | 98 | 3 | 5★ | Fuel/propulsion System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2022 Equinox | 183 | 6 | 5★ | Fuel/propulsion System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2021 Equinox | 99 | 4 | 5★ | Fuel/propulsion System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2020 Equinox | 314 | 4 | 5★ | Service Brakes | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2019 Equinox | 305 | 4 | 5★ | Engine | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2018 Equinox | 409 | 5 | 5★ | Service Brakes | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2017 Equinox | 276 | 0 | 4★ | Engine | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2016 Equinox | 398 | 1 | 4★ | Engine | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2015 Equinox | 680 | 2 | 4★ | Visibility/wiper | More complaints than other years |
| 2014 Equinox | 548 | 1 | 4★ | Engine | More complaints than other years |
| 2013 Equinox | 751 | 2 | 4★ | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2012 Equinox | 685 | 3 | 4★ | Engine | More complaints than other years |
| 2011 Equinox | 782 | 3 | 4★ | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2010 Equinox | 784 | 3 | — | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2009 Equinox | 94 | 0 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2008 Equinox | 370 | 0 | — | Air Bags | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2007 Equinox | 685 | 4 | — | Fuel/propulsion System | More complaints than other years |
| 2006 Equinox | 695 | 0 | — | Visibility | More complaints than other years |
| 2005 Equinox | 638 | 1 | — | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
More from Chevrolet: all Chevrolet models · Chevrolet VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Chevrolet Equinox years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2010 (784), 2011 (782), 2013 (751) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Equinox year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Chevrolet Equinox?
Engine, with 2,840 complaints across 22 model years.
How many recalls does the Chevrolet Equinox have?
32 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.