2011 Chevrolet Equinox Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 145 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox, 19% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 76,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “engine power” (10% of reports).
- 145power train complaints
- 76,000median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $5,050typical repair cost reported by owners
- 30%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.
- Engine power: mentioned in 14 of 145 complaints (10%)
- Oil consumption: mentioned in 13 of 145 complaints (9%)
- Timing chain: mentioned in 12 of 145 complaints (8%)
- Throttle body: mentioned in 9 of 145 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox at $5,050, and half of them between $4,150 and $5,800.
Based on 7 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2018–2020), 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 power train problems happen?
Based on 121 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 145 complaints, 1 mention a crash.
Chevrolet Equinox power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Equinox | 16 | 22% | 5,900 |
| 2025 Equinox | 35 | 15% | 5,700 |
| 2024 Equinox | 11 | 14% | — |
| 2023 Equinox | 5 | 5% | — |
| 2022 Equinox | 12 | 7% | — |
| 2021 Equinox | 17 | 17% | 64,500 |
| 2020 Equinox | 40 | 13% | 7,600 |
| 2019 Equinox | 37 | 12% | 15,100 |
| 2018 Equinox | 66 | 16% | 20,074 |
| 2017 Equinox | 32 | 12% | 55,831 |
| 2016 Equinox | 26 | 7% | 61,000 |
| 2015 Equinox | 63 | 9% | 80,674 |
| 2014 Equinox | 40 | 7% | 75,000 |
| 2013 Equinox | 80 | 11% | 84,000 |
| 2012 Equinox | 84 | 12% | 75,341 |
| 2011 Equinox | 145 | 19% | 76,000 |
| 2010 Equinox | 182 | 23% | 83,500 |
| 2009 Equinox | 10 | 11% | 107,500 |
| 2008 Equinox | 16 | 4% | 91,000 |
| 2007 Equinox | 31 | 5% | 46,000 |
| 2006 Equinox | 31 | 4% | 55,788 |
| 2005 Equinox | 114 | 18% | 61,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Jerking between gears
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact stated that while attempting to drive from a…
Just got a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox from a dealership that I trusted. Only had a few weeks and it just stalled on me while driving in traffic!!! ð± Would not start back ! It was terrifying!!! Thank God it wasnât rush hour! A nice man helped push it out of road into a parking lot! Now I find out…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2011 Chevrolet Equinoxs have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 145 owner complaints about power train for the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox (19% 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 power train?
Yes: 1 safety recall list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 76,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox?
Owners report a typical cost of $5,050 (half paid between $4,150 and $5,800), from 7 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox?
The most frequent phrase is “engine power”, in 14 of 145 complaints, followed by “oil consumption” (13).
Other 2011 Chevrolet Equinox problems
See all 2011 Chevrolet Equinox problems or power train problems across all Equinox years.