2018 Chevrolet Equinox Engine Problems
Owners have filed 86 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox, 21% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 31,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “vacuum pump” (21% of reports).
- 86engine complaints
- 31,500median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 36%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.
- Vacuum pump: mentioned in 18 of 86 complaints (21%)
- Engine power: mentioned in 13 of 86 complaints (15%)
- Brake assist: mentioned in 10 of 86 complaints (12%)
- Extremely hard: mentioned in 6 of 86 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 36 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 86 complaints, 2 a fire.
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 2018 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.
On approximately 09/04/2026, while driving my vehicle and slowing to a stop, I applied the brake pedal and it suddenly became extremely hard to depress. At approximately the same time, the steering became very stiff and difficult to turn. I believed I had lost normal braking ability and had…
While driving, the vehicle experienced a sudden, catastrophic loss of engine power accompanied by severe engine shaking, reduced acceleration, and a lit Check Engine / ESC light. The vehicle was towed to a technician who diagnosed a complete dead misfire in Cylinder 4. Upon detailed inspection, the…
My granddaughter was driving the vehicle and experienced a catastrophic engine failure while driving down the road. Warning messages and audible sounds began and said to turn off the vehicle immediately. The brakes completely stopped working at that point. She pulled over immediately and called to…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2018 Chevrolet Equinoxs have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 86 owner complaints about engine for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox (21% of the 409 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 2018 Chevrolet Equinox engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 31,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox?
The most frequent phrase is “vacuum pump”, in 18 of 86 complaints, followed by “engine power” (13).
Other 2018 Chevrolet Equinox problems
See all 2018 Chevrolet Equinox problems or engine problems across all Equinox years.