2011 Chevrolet Equinox Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Equinox years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 22 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 782 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. That ranks 2nd out of 22 Equinox model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (386 complaints, 49%), typically at around 88,000 miles. Complaints mention 30 crashes, 3 fires, 41 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 782owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 30complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2011 Chevrolet Equinox problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 386 | 49% | 88,000 | “oil consumption” (23%) | $4,100 |
| Power Train problems | 145 | 19% | 76,000 | “engine power” (10%) | $5,050 |
| Electrical System problems | 74 | 9% | 60,500 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper problems | 69 | 9% | 112,000 | “wipers stopped” (30%) | $510 |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 61 | 8% | 80,585 | “fuel pump” (20%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 57 | 7% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) problems | 55 | 7% | 77,500 | “engine power” (33%) | — |
| Air Bags problems | 52 | 7% | 61,000 | “air bag” (27%) | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 50 | 6% | 75,000 | “throttle body” (18%) | — |
| Steering | 43 | 5% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 34 | 4% | 8,050 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 24 | 3% | 82,412 | — | — |
| Structure | 15 | 2% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 13 | 2% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 12 | 2% | 64,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 9 | 1% | 22,500 | — | — |
| Visibility | 9 | 1% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 6 | 1% | 86,707 | — | — |
| Wheels | 6 | 1% | 50,905 | — | — |
| Equipment | 4 | 1% | 24,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 4 | 1% | 38,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 0% | 25,950 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 0% | 42,250 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 0% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 0% | 720 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 0% | 100 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 0% | 60,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2011 Chevrolet Equinox recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:ignition; power train:automatic transmission:control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
Problem: 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."
Risk: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Seats:front assembly:power adjust
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Camaro, as well as certain 2010-2012 Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, equipped with power height adjustable driver and passenger seats. In the affected vehicles, the bolt that secures the driver's and passenger's power front seat height adjuster may fall out causing the seat to drop suddenly to the lowest vertical position.
Risk: If the driver's seat unexpectedly drops, the distraction and altered seat position may affect the drivers' control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the height adjuster shoulder bolts, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed interim letters to owners on September 11, 2014. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14271.
Seat belts:front:buckle assembly
Problem: General motors is recalling certain model year 2011 cadillac srx, chevrolet equinox and gmc terrain vehicles. The driver and /or front passenger safety belt buckle anchor may fracture and separate near the seat attachment in a vehicle crash.
Risk: The safety belt system may not restrain the occupant(s) as designed and could increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will modify the passenger and/or the driver safety belt buckles as necessary. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before january 18, 2011. Owners may contact cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc at 1-866-996-9463 and at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Momentary Increased Steering Effort (PE20009) — opened Jun 1, 2020, closed Jun 3, 2022.
- Front Wiper Transmission Inoperative (EA19005) — opened Dec 13, 2019, closed Nov 28, 2022, led to recall 22V165000.
- Windshield Wiper Transmission Failure (RQ18002) — opened Nov 2, 2018, closed Dec 19, 2019.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while the mother was driving, the vehicle suddenly stalled. The vehicle was towed to the residence and was later diagnosed by an independent mechanic, who discovered metal shavings in the engine oil pan and informed the contact that…
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal fuel odor inside the cabin of the vehicle, and the engine was rattling and vibrating abnormally. During the failure, there was no warning light illuminated. The cause of the failure…
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 119,000, and at the time of a Carfax report check, it was discovered that the mileage was 175,000.
I was in a rear end collision on May 14th 2026 the impact of the speed totaled my car in my airbags did not deploy and from my understanding where the sensors are on my vehicle they should have I ended up getting a concussion and soft tissue damage because my head hit the steering wheel my seat…
Vehicle burns excessive oil. Have to put in a quart weekly. Check engine light comes on for camshaft sensor, theyâve already been replaced 3 times and the light wonât go off.
Other Chevrolet Equinox years
← 2010 Equinox · 2012 Equinox →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Equinox | 73 | 1 |
| 2025 Equinox | 235 | 0 |
| 2024 Equinox | 80 | 1 |
| 2023 Equinox | 98 | 3 |
| 2022 Equinox | 183 | 6 |
| 2021 Equinox | 99 | 4 |
| 2020 Equinox | 314 | 4 |
| 2019 Equinox | 305 | 4 |
| 2018 Equinox | 409 | 5 |
| 2017 Equinox | 276 | 0 |
| 2016 Equinox | 398 | 1 |
| 2015 Equinox | 680 | 2 |
| 2014 Equinox | 548 | 1 |
| 2013 Equinox | 751 | 2 |
| 2012 Equinox | 685 | 3 |
| 2011 | 782 | 3 |
| 2010 Equinox | 784 | 3 |
| 2009 Equinox | 94 | 0 |
| 2008 Equinox | 370 | 0 |
| 2007 Equinox | 685 | 4 |
| 2006 Equinox | 695 | 0 |
| 2005 Equinox | 638 | 1 |
See all Chevrolet Equinox problems by year, every Chevrolet model, or the Chevrolet VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox?
Owners most often report engine, power train, electrical system problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 386 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Equinox model years, the 2011 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.