Chevrolet Equinox Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 630 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the Chevrolet Equinox across 21 model years. The 2007 model year has the most (146). The words owners use most often: “air bag” (40% of reports).
- 630air bags complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 189mention a crash
- 127mention an injury
- 4related recalls
- $1,250typical repair cost reported by owners
- 33%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.
- Air bag: mentioned in 249 of 630 complaints (40%)
- Passenger seat: mentioned in 111 of 630 complaints (18%)
- Service airbag: mentioned in 64 of 630 complaints (10%)
- Bags deploy: mentioned in 42 of 630 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical air bags repair on the Chevrolet Equinox at $1,250, and half of them between $970 and $1,400.
Based on 36 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2010–2024), 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 air bags problems happen?
Based on 474 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 630 complaints, 189 mention a crash, 7 a fire, 127 an injury.
Chevrolet Equinox air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Equinox | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2024 Equinox | 3 | 4% | 11,000 |
| 2023 Equinox | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2022 Equinox | 4 | 2% | — |
| 2021 Equinox | 4 | 4% | 19,840 |
| 2020 Equinox | 8 | 3% | 83 |
| 2019 Equinox | 11 | 4% | 13,150 |
| 2018 Equinox | 15 | 4% | 19,000 |
| 2017 Equinox | 19 | 7% | 59,000 |
| 2016 Equinox | 12 | 3% | 29,274 |
| 2015 Equinox | 38 | 6% | 55,700 |
| 2014 Equinox | 29 | 5% | 40,000 |
| 2013 Equinox | 25 | 3% | 50,000 |
| 2012 Equinox | 19 | 3% | 62,271 |
| 2011 Equinox | 52 | 7% | 61,000 |
| 2010 Equinox | 57 | 7% | 61,000 |
| 2009 Equinox | 26 | 28% | 74,245 |
| 2008 Equinox | 110 | 30% | 68,000 |
| 2007 Equinox | 146 | 21% | 77,300 |
| 2006 Equinox | 11 | 2% | 73,499 |
| 2005 Equinox | 38 | 6% | 80,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (4)
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification:front passenger
Model years: 2023
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2023 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles equipped with ventilated front passenger seats. The Occupant Classification System may not properly disable the front passenger air bag when there is a small child or child restraint detected in the seat.
Risk: In the event of a crash, a front passenger air bag that deploys with a child or infant in the front passenger seat can increase their risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the passenger presence system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 24, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222388911.
Air bags:side/window
Model years: 2015
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro, Equinox, Malibu, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The affected vehicles have front seat-mounted side impact air bags whose inflator may rupture upon its deployment.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of one or both of the side impact air bags, the air bag's inflator may rupture and the air bag may not properly inflate. The rupture could cause metal fragments to strike the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death. Additionally, if the air bag does not properly inflate, the driver or passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side impact air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on October 19, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 01320.
Air bags
Model years: 2007
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles not equipped with optional roof rail airbags or optional sunroof fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 201,"occupant protection in interior impact." during nhtsa impact tests, the interior occupant protection test points exceeded the standard requirements.
Risk: The results of this test indicated a possibility of an increased risk of head injury in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install an energy absorbing foam piece to each of the a-pillar trim assemblies free of charge. The recall began on may 8, 2008. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.
Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Model years: 2007
Problem: Certain sport utility vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, "occupant crash protection." in these vehicles, the right front passenger seat is built with a passenger sensing system. When tested with a representative unrestrained small adult, the system is required to turn the right front passenger's frontal airbag on. An error in the seat sensor calibration can cause it to fail this test. In addition, this condition can prevent the airbag from turning off when the seat is occupied by a small child.
Risk: Whenever the front passenger seat is occupied, the driver should always check the airbag indicator to see if the airbag is on or off. If it is not correct for the situation, the passenger should be moved to a different seat. This can increase the risk of injury to a seat occupant during certain crash conditions.
Fix: Dealers will reprogram the seat's electronic control unit. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule for this campaign. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
None of the airbags deployed in an accident. The right front end of the car hit a utility trailer and nothing went off. The car has been deemed a total loss after being trailered to the lot and assessed by the insurance inspector.
I noticed on the front passenger side door/windshield, the airbag is starting to come out of the plastic windshield pocket where it is being held. I pushed it back in but there is no recall for this. ...My next problem is the front panel near the doors is rusting out and one day I will be driving…
We would like to know what kind of Airbag is mounted in the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox ? pertaining to the Detroit News Article ,September 5 2026 Page 3B = 11th Death tied to Chinese Air Bag made by Jillin Province Detiannuo Automotive System Co Ltd, known as DTN . 3 People were killed in a Hyundai ,10…
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the service restraint error message was displayed. The dealer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed…
I am an investigator w/ the Medical Examiner's office in Dallas, TX. We are investigating the death of an individual who was inside a 2018 Chevy Equinox that was "rebuilt." During the minor accident, the steering wheel airbag deployed, but exploded and shot many large pieces of debris and shrapnel…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Chevrolet Equinoxs have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 630 owner complaints about air bags for the Chevrolet Equinox. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Chevrolet Equinox air bags?
Yes: 4 safety recalls list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix air bags problems on the Chevrolet Equinox?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,250 (half paid between $970 and $1,400), from 36 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the Chevrolet Equinox?
The most frequent phrase is “air bag”, in 249 of 630 complaints, followed by “passenger seat” (111).
Other Chevrolet Equinox problems
- Engine problems (2,840)
- Electrical System problems (1,224)
- Visibility/wiper problems (1,114)
- Power Train problems (1,093)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (832)
- Service Brakes problems (612)
- Steering problems (466)
- Visibility problems (444)
See all Chevrolet Equinox problems.