Chevrolet Equinox Service Brakes Problems
Owners have filed 612 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes problems on the Chevrolet Equinox across 22 model years. The 2018 model year has the most (118). The words owners use most often: “vacuum pump” (18% of reports).
- 612service brakes complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 63mention a crash
- 26mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $1,300typical repair cost reported by owners
- 34%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 110 of 612 complaints (18%)
- Brake assist: mentioned in 80 of 612 complaints (13%)
- Traction control: mentioned in 45 of 612 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical service brakes repair on the Chevrolet Equinox at $1,300, and half of them between $1,000 and $1,950.
Based on 15 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2013–2026), 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 service brakes problems happen?
Based on 250 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 612 complaints, 63 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 26 an injury.
Chevrolet Equinox service brakes complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Equinox | 18 | 25% | 1,100 |
| 2025 Equinox | 26 | 11% | — |
| 2024 Equinox | 11 | 14% | — |
| 2023 Equinox | 14 | 14% | — |
| 2022 Equinox | 6 | 3% | — |
| 2021 Equinox | 8 | 8% | 10,998 |
| 2020 Equinox | 99 | 32% | 6,550 |
| 2019 Equinox | 70 | 23% | 10,500 |
| 2018 Equinox | 118 | 29% | 62,144 |
| 2017 Equinox | 7 | 3% | 35,000 |
| 2016 Equinox | 5 | 1% | 22,000 |
| 2015 Equinox | 15 | 2% | 35,700 |
| 2014 Equinox | 12 | 2% | 7,300 |
| 2013 Equinox | 12 | 2% | 14,693 |
| 2012 Equinox | 12 | 2% | 60,500 |
| 2011 Equinox | 24 | 3% | 82,412 |
| 2010 Equinox | 22 | 3% | 82,417 |
| 2009 Equinox | 2 | 2% | 70,000 |
| 2008 Equinox | 6 | 2% | 47,107 |
| 2007 Equinox | 17 | 2% | 87,932 |
| 2006 Equinox | 63 | 9% | 100,000 |
| 2005 Equinox | 45 | 7% | 94,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliper
Model years: 2020
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Equinox vehicles. The rear brake calipers may have been produced with an incorrect lubricant, potentially causing the rubber seals to swell and the brakes to drag.
Risk: Brake drag may result in overheating of the brake pads, affecting the braking ability and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear brake calipers, including the brake hose gasket, brake fluid and wheel to hub lubricant, free of charge. The recall began October 29, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438. GM's number for this recall is N192270920.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliper
Model years: 2018, 2019
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
Risk: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
This car locks up sometimes while driving in normal traffic which is very dangerous, resulting in a whiplash for me the driver and almost causing rear end collisions to my car from the abrupt stop in moving traffic. All five abrupt stops happened with all the collision warning systems on. Three…
My 2026 Chevrolet Equinox LT has experienced repeated failures involving the braking system and electronic safety systems. While driving, multiple warning lights illuminated, including ABS, BRAKE, check engine, traction control, parking brake, and âSteering Assist is Reduced â Drive with…
Vacuum Pump failed, Camshaft is broken. When vacuum pump failed there were no brakes and no warning. Almost flew off a bridge.
Unknown
1- brakes failed entering garage they were applied, it screeched and hit the wall 2- there was a safety risk, but fortunately no injuries, just vehicle and property damage 3 - not reproduce, dealer who had performed rear brake job 4 weeks prior looked at it and said it was fine 4- no it has not…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Chevrolet Equinoxs have service brakes problems?
No. NHTSA has 612 owner complaints about service brakes 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 service brakes?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list service brakes. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix service brakes problems on the Chevrolet Equinox?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,300 (half paid between $1,000 and $1,950), from 15 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about service brakes problems on the Chevrolet Equinox?
The most frequent phrase is “vacuum pump”, in 110 of 612 complaints, followed by “brake assist” (80).
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)
- Air Bags problems (630)
- Steering problems (466)
- Visibility problems (444)
See all Chevrolet Equinox problems.