Chevrolet Equinox Reliability
Quick answer
The Chevrolet Equinox has 1.25 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold across the 2015–2022 model years. In CarWhere's ranking of 26 SUVs by NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022, serious complaints weighted double and adjusted for vehicle age), the Equinox places 6th: a lower complaint rate than most. Across model years 2008–2026, owners filed 7,202 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and windshield visibility, and NHTSA lists 26 recall campaigns. CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2010–2013, 2018 and 2020 as years to avoid and rates 2008 and 2009 as better years. Model years 2024–2026 have had less than three years on the road, so their complaint counts are still building.
By CarWhere Research · Last reviewed 2026-11-10 · Source: NHTSA
1.25
Complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022)
7,202
NHTSA owner complaints (2008–2026)
26
Recall campaigns
6
Years to avoid
Most-reported Chevrolet Equinox problems
NHTSA owner complaints for model years 2008–2026, by the component owners named, filed 2008–2026. A complaint can name more than one component. The last three columns count complaints that report a crash, a fire or an injury.
| Component | Complaints | Share | Crash | Fire | Injury |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 2,687 | 37% | 25 | 38 | 16 |
| Visibility / wipers | 1,214 | 17% | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| Powertrain / transmission | 920 | 13% | 17 | 4 | 11 |
| Electrical system | 829 | 12% | 19 | 18 | 14 |
| Fuel / propulsion system | 658 | 9% | 15 | 10 | 4 |
| Service brakes | 551 | 8% | 59 | 4 | 27 |
| Air bags | 435 | 6% | 144 | 6 | 94 |
| Steering | 305 | 4% | 23 | 1 | 9 |
Of all 7,202 complaints, 288 (4%) report a crash, 65 (1%) a fire and 185 (3%) an injury.
For 2020-and-newer models (1,110 complaints), the most-reported areas are the fuel system (240), the electrical system (206), the brakes (205), the engine (202).
Chevrolet Equinox complaints by model year
Where problems concentrate. Year flags come from CarWhere's years-to-avoid analysis, which compares each Equinox model year with the model's other years. The full year-by-year verdicts are on the years-to-avoid page.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 370 | 0 | Air bags | Better year |
| 2009 | 94 | 0 | Air bags | Better year |
| 2010 | 784 | 3 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2011 | 783 | 3 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2012 | 685 | 3 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2013 | 751 | 2 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2014 | 549 | 1 | Engine | — |
| 2015 | 680 | 2 | Visibility / wipers | — |
| 2016 | 400 | 1 | Engine | — |
| 2017 | 276 | 0 | Engine | — |
| 2018 | 410 | 5 | Service brakes | Avoid |
| 2019 | 310 | 4 | Engine | — |
| 2020 | 320 | 4 | Service brakes | Avoid |
| 2021 | 101 | 4 | Fuel / propulsion system | — |
| 2022 | 184 | 5 | Fuel / propulsion system | — |
| 2023 | 99 | 3 | Fuel / propulsion system | — |
| 2024(new) | 84 | 1 | Fuel / propulsion system | — |
| 2025(new) | 242 | 0 | Electrical system | — |
| 2026(new) | 80 | 1 | Forward collision avoidance | — |
Raw counts are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, and older years have had longer to collect complaints. Years marked "new" have had less than three years on the road. — = not flagged either way.
Chevrolet Equinox recalls
NHTSA lists 26 recall campaigns across Chevrolet Equinox model years 2008–2026. The ones below cover the most model years. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Model years | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23V339000May 11, 2023 | 2020–2023 | Child seat — vehicle latch anchor | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The four rear-seat lower child seat LATCH anchorage bars may have excessive powder coating, which could prevent a child seat from being… |
| 16V502000Jul 5, 2016 | 2010–2013 | Electrical system — ignition | 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… |
| 20V668000Oct 29, 2020 | 2018–2020 | Powertrain / transmission — automatic transmission | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4,… |
| 14V447000Jul 23, 2014 | 2010–2012 | Seats — front assembly / power adjust | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Camaro, as well as certain 2010-2012 Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, equipped with power height adjustable… |
| 23V013000Jan 19, 2023 | 2021 and 2022 | Fuel system — delivery / fuel pump / control/drive module | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Chevrolet Equinox and 2022 GMC Terrain vehicles. The fuel pump module may not consistently provide sufficient fuel to the engine, resulting in an engine stall. |
Best and worst Equinox years
- Years to avoid: 2010–2013, 2018 and 2020.
- Better years: 2008 and 2009.
- 2024–2026: too new to judge fully; complaint counts are still building.
Chevrolet Equinox years to avoid: the verdict for every model year →
What to inspect on a used Chevrolet Equinox
Based on the components owners report most. None of these replaces an independent pre-purchase inspection.
- Fuel system: smell for fuel around the car, watch for hesitation or stalling, and check for a lit check-engine light.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Brakes: check pedal feel, pulling and grinding, and look at rotor and pad wear; ask when the brake fluid was last changed.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Recalls: check the VIN for open recalls; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any Chevrolet Equinox can be better or worse than the model's record. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
Chevrolet Equinox reliability FAQ
Is the Chevrolet Equinox reliable?
The Chevrolet Equinox has 1.25 NHTSA owner complaints per 1,000 vehicles sold across the 2015–2022 model years. In CarWhere's ranking of 26 SUVs by NHTSA complaints per 1,000 sold (2015–2022, serious complaints weighted double and adjusted for vehicle age), the Equinox places 6th: a lower complaint rate than most. Across model years 2008–2026, owners filed 7,202 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and windshield visibility, and NHTSA lists 26 recall campaigns. CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2010–2013, 2018 and 2020 as years to avoid and rates 2008 and 2009 as better years. Model years 2024–2026 have had less than three years on the road, so their complaint counts are still building.
What are the most common Chevrolet Equinox problems?
In NHTSA owner complaints for model years 2008–2026, the most-reported areas are the engine (2,687), windshield visibility (1,214), the transmission (920) and the electrical system (829). For 2020-and-newer models, the most-reported areas are the fuel system, the electrical system and the brakes. One complaint can name more than one component, and complaints are unverified owner reports.
What years of the Chevrolet Equinox should you avoid?
CarWhere's year-by-year analysis flags 2010–2013, 2018 and 2020 as years to avoid and rates 2008 and 2009 as better years. Each model year is compared only with other Equinox years: complaints are adjusted for time on the road, and serious ones (engine, transmission, brakes, steering, fuel system, or a reported crash, fire or injury) count double, with a smaller adjustment for recall campaigns.
How long does a Chevrolet Equinox last?
In CarWhere's lifespan study, 1.1% of 43,280 used Equinox listings in the US had passed 200,000 miles and 7.3% had passed 150,000. Among those 10+ years old, 4.9% are past 200,000 miles. Maintenance history matters more than the model average for any one car.
How many recalls does the Chevrolet Equinox have?
NHTSA lists 26 recall campaigns covering Chevrolet Equinox model years 2008–2026. The one covering the most model years is 23V339000 (child seat, 2020–2023). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How do I check a specific used Chevrolet Equinox?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
How we measure Equinox reliability
- Complaints are every NHTSA owner complaint filed for the Chevrolet Equinox, model years 2008–2026, across all the body-style and trim names NHTSA files them under, de-duplicated by complaint number. They are unverified owner reports.
- Complaints per 1,000 sold divides the 2,681 complaints for the 2015–2022 model years by 2,137,303 vehicles sold in the US in those calendar years (published sales figures), times 1,000.
- The SUVs ranking uses the same complaints and sales, weights serious complaints double and adjusts for vehicle age, then compares 26 models. See the full ranking.
- Year flags compare each Equinox model year only with other Equinox years, so they say which years to prefer, not how the Equinox compares with other models.
- This is federal complaint and recall data, not a survey and not comparable to Consumer Reports or J.D. Power ratings. It does not estimate repair costs.
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints and NHTSA recall campaigns (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-11-10; published U.S. sales figures; CarWhere years-to-avoid analysis.
More Chevrolet Equinox research
Chevrolet Equinox reliability by model year: