2011 Chevrolet Equinox Engine Problems
Owners have filed 386 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox, 49% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 88,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “oil consumption” (23% of reports).
- 386engine complaints
- 88,000median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $4,100typical repair cost reported by owners
- 37%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Oil consumption: mentioned in 87 of 386 complaints (23%)
- Timing chain: mentioned in 60 of 386 complaints (16%)
- Engine power: mentioned in 35 of 386 complaints (9%)
- Throttle body: mentioned in 22 of 386 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox at $4,100, and half of them between $2,800 and $7,700.
Based on 14 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2016–2020), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 309 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 386 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 3 an injury.
Chevrolet Equinox engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Equinox | 7 | 10% | 3,678 |
| 2025 Equinox | 23 | 10% | 12,000 |
| 2024 Equinox | 14 | 18% | 10,000 |
| 2023 Equinox | 17 | 17% | 37,000 |
| 2022 Equinox | 28 | 15% | 63,360 |
| 2021 Equinox | 16 | 16% | 119,433 |
| 2020 Equinox | 92 | 29% | 29,165 |
| 2019 Equinox | 100 | 33% | 4,400 |
| 2018 Equinox | 86 | 21% | 31,500 |
| 2017 Equinox | 180 | 65% | 80,000 |
| 2016 Equinox | 203 | 51% | 85,000 |
| 2015 Equinox | 227 | 33% | 90,000 |
| 2014 Equinox | 218 | 40% | 95,000 |
| 2013 Equinox | 412 | 55% | 91,918 |
| 2012 Equinox | 355 | 52% | 88,957 |
| 2011 Equinox | 386 | 49% | 88,000 |
| 2010 Equinox | 271 | 35% | 87,000 |
| 2009 Equinox | 18 | 19% | 78,200 |
| 2008 Equinox | 27 | 7% | 84,000 |
| 2007 Equinox | 37 | 5% | 97,985 |
| 2006 Equinox | 68 | 10% | 98,000 |
| 2005 Equinox | 55 | 9% | 100,631 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
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.
While driving, the car wouldn't accelerate even though I was pressing the gas pedal to the floor. It made funny noises and was jerking. I was told not to drive because of the danger to my engine. The engine light did come on
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2011 Chevrolet Equinoxs have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 386 owner complaints about engine for the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox (49% of the 782 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 88,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox?
Owners report a typical cost of $4,100 (half paid between $2,800 and $7,700), from 14 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox?
The most frequent phrase is “oil consumption”, in 87 of 386 complaints, followed by “timing chain” (60).
Other 2011 Chevrolet Equinox problems
See all 2011 Chevrolet Equinox problems or engine problems across all Equinox years.