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2019 Chevrolet Equinox Problems & Owner Complaints

294 NHTSA owner complaints
21 crash 7 fire 8 injury

Age-normalised, this year draws ~36.8 complaints per year on the road — ranking 8 of 14 Chevrolet Equinox years we track (1 = most complaints per year).

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What owners report

Engine is the most-reported problem area on the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox, cited in 98 of 294 filed complaints (33%).

Service Brakes is next (78 complaints, 27%), followed by Electrical System (43), Fuel/Propulsion System (40), Power Train (34).

Across all complaints, 21 report a crash, 7 report a fire, 8 report injuries.

The most safety-critical cluster is Air Bags: 9 crash, 1 fire, 5 injury report(s).

Complaints by vehicle system

Owner complaints filed with the U.S. NHTSA for the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox, grouped by the vehicle system each cites. A single complaint can name more than one system, so the group totals can add up to more than 294.

Engine 98 3 crash 3 fire

“WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AT 9:30 PM ON A STATE HIGHWAY, MY 17 YEAR OLD SON HIT A DEER ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND HE SLOWED DOWN AND PULLED OVER AND SMELLED SMOKE. HE GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND SAW FLAMES. HE IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911 AND HIS MOTHER. THE CAR WAS ON FIRE AND BURNED UNTIL FIRE COMPANY GOT THERE AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. MOST OF THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR UNDER THE HOOD WAS DESTROYED. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. MY CONCERN IS THAT CAR SHOULD NEVER HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE. MY SON IS LUCKY HE COULD GET OUT OF THE CAR. HE WAS SHAKEN UP AND GOT WHIPLASH FR…”
NHTSA complaint #11324865, 2020 · crash · fire

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE BACKFIRED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, WHICH MEANT THERE WAS REDUCED POWER. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CAPE CORAL CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM (2200 NE PINE ISLAND RD, CAPE CORAL, FL 33909) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TURBO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED WITH A BURNING PLASTIC ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED A SECOND TIME THAT THE TURBO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS L…”
NHTSA complaint #11289241, 2019 · fire

“FOR UNKNOWN REASONS VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A MOTEL GRAVEL PARKING LOT FOR ABOUT 10 HOURS AFTER HAVING BEEN DRIVEN FOR ABOUT 7 HOURS. ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS COMPLETELY CONSUMED BY THE FIRE BEFORE BEING PUT OUT BY FIRE DEPARTMENT.”
NHTSA complaint #11266062, 2019 · fire

Service Brakes 78 9 crash 1 fire 3 injury

“My wife and I were in our car driving on [XXX] on [XXX] at about 4:30 in the afternoon. I was about three car lengths behind the car in front of me and I was doing 30-32 miles per hour. The brake lights in front of me went to red and I immediately stepped on my brakes but my car would not stop nor slow down causing me to hit the person in front of me. It was a matter of seconds passing but when I hit the back of that car in front of me I had both feet on the brake pedal. My car would not stop. My wife was injured, the young lady that I hit hurt her leg and the back end of her car was destroye…”
NHTSA complaint #11716995, 2026 · crash · 3 injury(ies)

“The contact owned a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 55 mph, she began to smell a burnt odor inside the vehicle. The contact saw white smoke entering from the windshield defroster and decided to continue driving to her destination. The contact stated the check engine warning light was illuminated and black smoke began to enter the windshield defroster. The contact depressed the brake pedal but failed to stop the vehicle and caused her to crash into a guard rail on the front driver side. No air bags deployed. The contact was not able to open the front driver side door du…”
NHTSA complaint #11540279, 2022 · crash · fire

“The contact owned a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, when the vehicle in front stopped suddenly, the contact depressed the brake pedal, and the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The vehicle slowed down; however, it did not stop. The contact depressed the brake pedal twice, and the vehicle failed to respond and rear-ended the vehicle in front, where it came to a stop. The contact was unsure whether there was a warning light illuminated. All the air bags were deployed. A police report was filed. The contact sustained minor injuries that did not requir…”
NHTSA complaint #11705394, 2024 · crash

Electrical System 43 1 crash 1 fire

“WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AT 9:30 PM ON A STATE HIGHWAY, MY 17 YEAR OLD SON HIT A DEER ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND HE SLOWED DOWN AND PULLED OVER AND SMELLED SMOKE. HE GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND SAW FLAMES. HE IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911 AND HIS MOTHER. THE CAR WAS ON FIRE AND BURNED UNTIL FIRE COMPANY GOT THERE AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. MOST OF THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR UNDER THE HOOD WAS DESTROYED. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. MY CONCERN IS THAT CAR SHOULD NEVER HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE. MY SON IS LUCKY HE COULD GET OUT OF THE CAR. HE WAS SHAKEN UP AND GOT WHIPLASH FR…”
NHTSA complaint #11324865, 2020 · crash · fire

“On multiple occasions my vehicle (2019 equinox LT) that I bought just over 30 days ago has falsely activated the forward collision feature and slammed on its own brakes followed by “service ESC” and “service brake assist” with traction control lights and stability control lights illuminating. Dealership has confirmed that 4 computer modules are out of date on programming/updates. This is a critical safety issue and I am unsure why it hasn’t been recalled as I have read multiple instances of this. Unfortunately because it has not it is a hefty repair bill. When this happened the last time befor…”
NHTSA complaint #11722202, 2026

“The instrument cluster and driver information center is completely blank, and none of the steering wheel controls are operating. Vehicle starts and runs normally, but no indication of speed, turn signals, headlights, gas level, etc.”
NHTSA complaint #11720907, 2026

Fuel/Propulsion System 40 3 crash 1 fire

“WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AT 9:30 PM ON A STATE HIGHWAY, MY 17 YEAR OLD SON HIT A DEER ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND HE SLOWED DOWN AND PULLED OVER AND SMELLED SMOKE. HE GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND SAW FLAMES. HE IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911 AND HIS MOTHER. THE CAR WAS ON FIRE AND BURNED UNTIL FIRE COMPANY GOT THERE AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. MOST OF THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR UNDER THE HOOD WAS DESTROYED. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. MY CONCERN IS THAT CAR SHOULD NEVER HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE. MY SON IS LUCKY HE COULD GET OUT OF THE CAR. HE WAS SHAKEN UP AND GOT WHIPLASH FR…”
NHTSA complaint #11324865, 2020 · crash · fire

“Check engine lite want go off low acceleration and. reduce Engine power light came on today .Just got the car in March . Low engine power light came on was on eway and had to pull over . And someone almost hit my kids and I”
NHTSA complaint #11486250, 2022 · crash

“BRAKES FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO FENCE WHEN BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY. VEHICLE WAS PUT INTO DRIVE & WITHOUT PUTTING FOOT ON GAS PEDAL, VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CRASHED THROUGH GARAGE - THRU FRONT DOOR & OUT THE BACK OF THE GARAGE. FILED COMPLAINT WITH CENTRAL CLAIMS CASE (XXX) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *CW”
NHTSA complaint #11183990, 2019 · crash

Unknown Or Other 36 1 crash

“Check engine lite want go off low acceleration and. reduce Engine power light came on today .Just got the car in March . Low engine power light came on was on eway and had to pull over . And someone almost hit my kids and I”
NHTSA complaint #11486250, 2022 · crash

“Symptoms started, changing gears while driving, delayed start at lights on a slant, stalled acceleration on interstate from slowspeed ——-took it in and they said the accumulator is bad and has likely messed up the transmission. They recommended a new transmission for $7000+. Researched and found many 2019s had been recalled for this issue, in 2022, but this one was not. I am wondering why it was not, because now I have a bad transmission at 150,000 miles. Why was this vin not recalled in 2022.”
NHTSA complaint #11706178, 2025

“Transmission is slipping when I accelerate the car is only 5 years old”
NHTSA complaint #11691835, 2025

Power Train 34 1 fire

“TL* THE CONTACTS WIFE OWNED A 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE COMING OUT OF A STANDSTILL THE CONTACT HEARD A STRANGE NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND SHORTLY AFTERWARDS THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO PRODUCE SMOKE AND PROCEEDED TO CATCH ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY CITY POLICE AND A REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE CONTACT STATED ENGINE POWER REDUCED WARNING DISPLAYED WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CONTACTS RESIDENCE WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BEING DESTROYED. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH, NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V668000 (POWER TRAIN…”
NHTSA complaint #11408363, 2021 · fire

“The transmission system failed abruptly. I pulled away from a stoplight, had accelerated to 20-25 mph, and then the car came to a sudden stop, as if someone had put on an emergency brake. It continued to act as if the brake was on when I tried to go forward or reverse. I put it into neutral so that I could push it off the road. I realized it would drive slowly in neutral, so I drove it less than a mile back to my workplace. Regarding safety, I nearly got rear-ended when the car stopped suddenly. This endangered me and the other driver. I was headed to the freeway, then would have been cross…”
NHTSA complaint #11736777, 2026

“The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving approximately 20-30 MPH, the vehicle jerked and stalled, and the vehicle was nearly rear-ended. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact immediately made a turn into the nearby independent mechanic shop parking lot. The contact stated that the vehicle was able to restart; however, the failure recurred while the vehicle was being test-driven by the independent mechanic. The mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.…”
NHTSA complaint #11677464, 2025

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Vehicle Speed Control 12 1 crash

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS WIFE WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE WITH HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE DRIVER DID NOT SUSTAINED INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO TURNERSVILLE AUTOMALL, 3400 NJ-42, TURNERSVILLE, NJ 08012, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AN OPEN A CASE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIM…”
NHTSA complaint #11375619, 2020 · crash

“While traveling a message appear "power reduced" a noise was heard like whistle (air whooshing). The time Car was started the engine light was on. The car was serviced by GM/Chevrolet dealership service. They found water in the spare tire compartment, but didn't not agree that it was the cause of malfunction. The asked if the car had been in a flood. I did my own research and found that this water leak problem is a known issue in litigation.”
NHTSA complaint #11546079, 2023

“i was traveling on cruise control at 60 mph when i clicked down to 55 mph at speed change. a couple minutes later the brakes slammed on hard enough to have the front wheels chirping i dont know if rear brakes came on but i went from 55 down to under 30 in a hard panic braking. this threw my wife up aganist her seat belt since she has had a stroke her resistanse to the hard slow down was low. i stepped on the gas and the brakes released i cant remember if i re engaged the cruise control or if it never disingaged. the other thing that happened was the warning about not using the info display wh…”
NHTSA complaint #11427660, 2021

Air Bags 11 9 crash 1 fire 5 injury

“The contact's boyfriend owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH and decelerating to 50 MPH to switch lanes, the vehicle drove over an icy road surface and spun. The contact attempted to turn the wheel and depressed the brake pedal; however, the vehicle crashed into the left guard rail, and the vehicle then crashed into the right guard rail and came to an abrupt stop. The contact stated that the vehicle sustained significant front-end damage. The air bags failed to deploy. Several warning lights were illuminated after the crash. The vehicle owner was occupyin…”
NHTSA complaint #11711379, 2026 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

“The contact owned a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while the daughter was driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle collided with a second vehicle and flipped over one and a half times. During the crash, the vehicle sustained front-end damage, and the bumper was partially separated from the vehicle but the front driver's air bag did not deploy. The driver sustained a head injury and was treated at the hospital. The occupant of the second vehicle sustained a shoulder injury but no further information was available. A police report was taken at the scene. The vehicle was destroy…”
NHTSA complaint #11600062, 2024 · crash · 2 injury(ies)

“On July 1, 2025 I was involved in an accident and none of my airbags deployed. Car was inspected by police, insurance company and General Motors who haven’t sent me the report yet. No warnings or symptoms appeared.”
NHTSA complaint #11677338, 2025 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

Steering 9 1 crash

“I WAS IN THE DRIVEWAY AT MY HOME GETTING READY TO LEAVE FOR CHURCH, I WAS PULLING FORWARD BEFORE I BACKED UP THINKING I MIGHT BE TOO CLOSE TO THE GATES. WHEN I MOVED FORWARD WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO JUST CREEP ALONG, THE ENGINE REVVED UP TO AN ASTROMICAL SPEED. I WAS HEAD TOWARD MY SON'S TRUCK. I STEERED AWAY BUT CAUGHT THE BUMPER OF AN F350 . MY CAR IS TOTALLY DESTROYED. I KNOCKED THE TRUCK OVER TWO FEET FROM WHERE IT WAS SITTING AND PUSHED IT WITHIN ONE OR TWO INCHES OF GOING THROUGH MY HOUSE WHERE MY SON WAS ASLEEP IN THE RECLINER. BEFORE I HIT THE BRICK POST HOLDING UP ONE END OF MY CA…”
NHTSA complaint #11404487, 2021 · crash

“My vacuum pump failed on this vehicle. Causing my brakes to lock and a crash to almost happen”
NHTSA complaint #11674720, 2025

“My wife started noticing issues with our 2019 Equinox. We got several error mesaages: service brakes, service sylteering, enigine light and abs. I did some digging online and found similar issues with other Equinox owners. The fix is to replace the battery. We did and after leaving the shop the car won't move. It will go into differnt gears but wont move and is currently at home in our driveway.”
NHTSA complaint #11622740, 2024

Forward Collision Avoidance 7

“On multiple occasions my vehicle (2019 equinox LT) that I bought just over 30 days ago has falsely activated the forward collision feature and slammed on its own brakes followed by “service ESC” and “service brake assist” with traction control lights and stability control lights illuminating. Dealership has confirmed that 4 computer modules are out of date on programming/updates. This is a critical safety issue and I am unsure why it hasn’t been recalled as I have read multiple instances of this. Unfortunately because it has not it is a hefty repair bill. When this happened the last time befor…”
NHTSA complaint #11722202, 2026

“My wife started noticing issues with our 2019 Equinox. We got several error mesaages: service brakes, service sylteering, enigine light and abs. I did some digging online and found similar issues with other Equinox owners. The fix is to replace the battery. We did and after leaving the shop the car won't move. It will go into differnt gears but wont move and is currently at home in our driveway.”
NHTSA complaint #11622740, 2024

“While driving my 2019 Chevy Equinox it was acting to me to have a flat tire shaking weirdly in what felt like the front right tire. I was going around 72 mph down the freeway slowed to exit to the nearest station no issues there my speed was around 37 mph exiting off the freeway and SUDDENLY THE BREAK PEDAL WAS TO HARD TO PRESS I FOUND MYSELF WITH NO BREAKS the break pedal was EXTENDED OR? It wouldn’t press down at all and although I tried to pump them, I didn’t want to break anything and it felt like if I pushed down it would break something! So I wheeled it into the gas station and put it…”
NHTSA complaint #11577542, 2024

Exterior Lighting 6

“Intellibeam feature is not dimming the lights when oncoming vehicles are present or there are vehicles in front of me. This has happened twice now in cold weather only (late November/early December) in Michigan. Also, they do not dim while driving when it's snowing. I have tried to disengage the feature using the button on the left stalk on the steering wheel but the button doesn't seem to turn the feature on or off. This issue could be affecting other drivers as the high beam lights are on as they pass or travel in front of me. Eventually the feature seems to work properly once the vehicle ha…”
NHTSA complaint #11628304, 2024

“Started off with my computer on my dashboard randomly turning off I called the dealership they told me it was because I was not using an iPhone Apple chord. Another instance I was driving down the road close to home and my car started stalling and flashing engine codes on my dashboard, I managed to make it home and park. The next day I tried to start my vehicle and it sounded like the battery was dead. I called a tow truck. The car had enough power for me to put it into neutral and get it onto the flatbed. My mechanic is less than 10 minutes away by the time they got it there they couldn’t do…”
NHTSA complaint #11647614, 2023

“Headlight aim is too high, blinding oncoming drivers. Dealer says that the headlight aim on this vehicle is not adjustable. When I am driving at night oncoming drivers are constantly flashing their lights at me, but my lights are on low beam.”
NHTSA complaint #11554500, 2023

Seats 6

“My 2019 Chevy Equinox, LT model has experienced issues where the seat will no longer recline. Seat that raises but won't recline is likely caused by a faulty seat control switch, a jammed recline actuator/gear, or a broken wire, rather than a blown fuse.”
NHTSA complaint #11716011, 2026

“In the 2019 equinox the power driver seat reclined completely on its own and will not sit back up. All other functions work on the seat.”
NHTSA complaint #11696270, 2025

“Problem persists since 4/3/2025. While parked, the Driver’s Seat was leaned back. About 1 hour later, I couldn’t let it back up. Drove home slowly after 11p. Took to a Repair Shop next day to have the Driver’s Seat fixed. I paid for a Diagnostic & was told that the seat could not be repaired because GMC was no longer manufacturing the seat motor needed. The shop spoke to GMC & a Dealership. I called GMC the next day to complain & verify because car was only 2019 - parts are to be manufactured & made available for minimum of 10yrs! Over next 3 -6 months I spoke to numerous Customer Service…”
NHTSA complaint #11691419, 2025

Fuel System 5 1 fire

“The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, he observed flames emanating from underneath the vehicle, prompting him to pull to the shoulder of the roadway. After a visual inspection of the vehicle, the contact observed that the fire originated in the fuel tank. Local emergency fire services arrived and were able to extinguish the flames. A police and fire report was filed, with no injuries reported. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard, awaiting investigation by the manufacturer. After investigating…”
NHTSA complaint #11568478, 2024 · fire

“The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware of a fuel-like odor coming from the driver’s side of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the sealed seam had failed and the fuel tank needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 89,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11704525, 2025

“The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that upon inspecting the vehicle, there was fuel leaking onto the driveway near the fuel tank. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V667000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 229,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11641676, 2025

Engine And Engine Cooling 4

“The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving 80 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and failed to accelerate above 35 MPH. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the turbocharger had failed. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11714976, 2026

“The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed an abnormally loud sound. The accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to exceed 12 MPH. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the nearest mechanic, which was a Toyota dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed with a failed throttle body and a failed air cooler outlet tube. The contact was informed that the throttle body and the air outlet tube needed to be replaced. T…”
NHTSA complaint #11693429, 2025

“The contact called on behalf of the owner of a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that there was coolant leaking from the engine compartment. The vehicle was driven to the contact and to a local mechanic who diagnosed that the coolant expansion tank recovery hose had failed causing engine coolant to leak from the hose onto the PCM. The contact stated that the hose needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was concerned that due to the location on the hose the failure would reoccur once the hose was replaced. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet contacte…”
NHTSA complaint #11659991, 2025

Electronic Stability Control (Esc) 3

“WHILE IN MOTION THE CAR RANDOMLY AND QUICKLY DECELERATES AND WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO ACCELERATE. PHILLIPS CHEVROLET HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE CAR CITING ENGINE POWER REDUCTION,TRANSMISSION, STABILATRAK AND NON VERIFIABLE ISSUES OVER A 2 MONTH PERIOD. WITHIN THAT 2 MONTH PERIOD, MAY 18, 2020 TO JULY 24, 2020, THERE WERE 7 ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR THE CAR. ALL 7 ATTEMPTS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. BETWEEN JUNE 22, 2020 AND JULY 30, 2020 THERE WERE MORE THAN 20 TELEPHONE CALLS PLACED BETWEEN GENERAL MOTORS AND I, REGARDING THIS VEHICLE AND IT'S ENGINE, TRANSMISSION AND NON-VERIFIABLE ISSUES. GENERAL MOTORS…”
NHTSA complaint #11342454, 2020

“PURCHASED NEW CAR ON SEPTEMBER 7 2019. STARTED HAVING CAR ISSUES ON 9/25/2019 TOOK CAR IN ON 9/27/2019. CAR WAS MAKING LOUD SCREECHING NOISES, BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GET HARD. WAS HARD TO BREAK. WHEN REVERSING SCREECHING NOISE WOULD GET LOUDER AND LOUDER. WAS TOLD BY A CHEVROLET TECHNICIAN CAR WAS FINE IT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS NEW. TOOK CAR IN ONCE AGAIN ON 12/26/2019 VEHICLE WOULD RANDOMLY NOT TURN ON, BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GET HARD, CAR WOULD SCREECH. CAME TO THE POINT WERE I WAS SCARED TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE GROCERY STORE BECAUSE I WAS UNSURE ON WHETHER THE CAR WOULD RANDOMLY NOT START. INFORM CHEVROLE…”
NHTSA complaint #11302696, 2019

“SERVICE ESC MESSAGE CAME ON TWICE MY NEW 2019 CHEVY EQUINOX PREMIER( EACH TIME VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY).I DISMISS MESSAGE EACH TIME SO I CAN SEE THE DIGITAL ODOMETER WHEN I DRIVE, AND TAKE VEHICLE TO MY DEALERSHIP (EACH TIME THEY DON'T DOCUMENT THE PROBLEM). THEY SAID, EACH TIME, MESSAGE HAS TO BE ON FOR THEM TO DETECT THE PROBLEM. IS THAT TRUE?”
NHTSA complaint #11206813, 2019

Seat Belts 3

“The driver's side seat belt would only extend a few inches so I was not able to pull it across my body and latch it. Until this happened, there was no prior indication that the seat belt was about to fail. Fortunately, this happened at home so I was not stranded. Although the vehicle is a 2019 model year, it has barely been used and is in excellent, clean condition. I tried to free the mechanism myself, but was unable to do so. I ended up calling a mobile mechanic who also tried freeing up the mechanism and was unable to do so. The entire seat belt mechanism had to be replaced. I was very surp…”
NHTSA complaint #11619171, 2024

“My wife drove her car to Arizona from Idaho in January 2024. I flew down from Idaho with my 6 year old grandson last week and when she picked us up from the airport, I attempted to buckle my grandson into the rear seats and found both seat belts, left and right rear to be broken and unusable. The seat belts would not retract at all when pulled out of the normal position. We had to buckle my grandson in the middle position since it was the only working rear belt. Prior to January 2024 we routinely used these seat belts to fasten two car seats in the back seat so I know that they were in good wo…”
NHTSA complaint #11570749, 2024

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO LATCH SECURELY IN THE BUCKLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BRADLEY CHEVROLET (711 N LAKE HAVASU AVE, LAKE HAVASU CITY, AZ 86403, (928) 855-0577), TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DOOR LOCK MECHANISM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED HOWEVER, THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS ON BACK ORDER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11330033, 2020

Visibility/Wiper 3

“Driver side mirror changes position at start of vehicle for no reason. This makes for a very dangerous situation while driving as nitro has moved and is showing other than where it was set at.”
NHTSA complaint #11668021, 2025

“I own TWO 2019 Chevy Equinoxes. BOTH vehicles have the exact same issue. The driver side(only) wiper blade leaves a smear with every pass, directly in the line-of-sight. I have replaced blades with many different manufacturers, to no avail. It cleans well for approximately 3 days of use, then immediately returns to the smear. It is a complete hazard. Dealer was notified. They replicated the issue. No 'solution' available. Chevy notified & report filed. This has to be a known problem. I cannot have THAT bad of luck to buy the only 2 Equinoxes with this issue.”
NHTSA complaint #11458397, 2022

“TL* THE CONTACT LEASES A 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE WINDOWS AND SIDE VIEW MIRRORS HAD A SHADOW AND WHITE LINES THAT OBSTRUCTED THE VIEW. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO OPEN ROAD CHEVROLET (2675 US-22, UNION, NJ 07083, (908) 686-2800) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONING VENTS WERE CHROME AND WERE REFLECTING OFF THE MIRRORS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 9-5169987780. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO WRAP THE AIR CONDITIONER VENTS IN A NON-REFLECTIVE MA…”
NHTSA complaint #11197202, 2019

Back Over Prevention 2 1 crash

“The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while reversing from a complete stop, the rearview camera and beeping sound were inoperable, causing the vehicle to crash into an electrical grid. The liftgate and the rear bumpers were damaged. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was drivable and was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a related recall, and the vehicle was not covered under warranty due to the mileage and age. The vehicle was taken to Ronco's Autobody Tire & Wheel, where it was determined that the lift…”
NHTSA complaint #11732337, 2026 · crash

“I was on interstate 85 going 70 miles an hour when I got on the interstate the brakes were working perfect got to go on 70 miles an hour and traffic started stopping when I hit the brakes it was so stiff that I couldn’t apply it Ammo divert to the emergency Lane and pushed with all my mic and finally got it to stop if my wife would’ve been driving it which is her car she would’ve been severely hurt probably”
NHTSA complaint #11470913, 2022

Lane Departure 2

“I was on interstate 85 going 70 miles an hour when I got on the interstate the brakes were working perfect got to go on 70 miles an hour and traffic started stopping when I hit the brakes it was so stiff that I couldn’t apply it Ammo divert to the emergency Lane and pushed with all my mic and finally got it to stop if my wife would’ve been driving it which is her car she would’ve been severely hurt probably”
NHTSA complaint #11470913, 2022

“THE VEHICLE STARTED LEAKING GAS FROM THE TANK AT THE REAR AFTER SITTING FOR 20 MINUTES. THIS PROBLEM HAS ALREADY BEEN RECALLED ON VEHICLES OF THIS CALIBER AND YEAR, JUST THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE VERSION. NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW LONG THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON BECAUSE I TYPICALLY DON'T GO BEHIND THE CAR. AS FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE, THE WARNING LIGHT ON THE MIRROR STOPPED WORKING AT ABOUT 15,000 MILES. VERY POSSIBLY SOONER.”
NHTSA complaint #11408200, 2021

Structure 2 1 crash

“I WAS IN THE DRIVEWAY AT MY HOME GETTING READY TO LEAVE FOR CHURCH, I WAS PULLING FORWARD BEFORE I BACKED UP THINKING I MIGHT BE TOO CLOSE TO THE GATES. WHEN I MOVED FORWARD WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO JUST CREEP ALONG, THE ENGINE REVVED UP TO AN ASTROMICAL SPEED. I WAS HEAD TOWARD MY SON'S TRUCK. I STEERED AWAY BUT CAUGHT THE BUMPER OF AN F350 . MY CAR IS TOTALLY DESTROYED. I KNOCKED THE TRUCK OVER TWO FEET FROM WHERE IT WAS SITTING AND PUSHED IT WITHIN ONE OR TWO INCHES OF GOING THROUGH MY HOUSE WHERE MY SON WAS ASLEEP IN THE RECLINER. BEFORE I HIT THE BRICK POST HOLDING UP ONE END OF MY CA…”
NHTSA complaint #11404487, 2021 · crash

“The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear of the vehicle started to sway from side to side. The contact then became aware that the sway bar had fractured. The contact stated that her fiancé was able to tighten the bolts and the contact was able to safely drive the vehicle to the residence. The contact stated that the service engine warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel for more than two months. Additionally, the air conditioner was inoperable, and there were wires hanging down underneath the vehicle. The v…”
NHTSA complaint #11538614, 2023

Tires 2

“When driving and attempting to apply pressure to my brakes, there is no digital response for my wheels stopping/catching. My brakes are not giving a complete response when applying pressure. Also, the tire service monitoring system is not working properly. It only shows dashes. My tire information is as follows: Michelin Premier [XXX] TPCSPEC1467MS MAX LOAD 850 kg (1874 LBS) MAX PRESS300 kPa (44 PSI) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”
NHTSA complaint #11597882, 2022

“My P225/60R18 two front tires are peeling in-between threads and my threads are very low compared to rear tires. I have 23,059 on the tires.”
NHTSA complaint #11466254, 2022

Visibility 2

“The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing an unintended opening and closing of the sunroof. The contact stated that the sunroof was opening and closing independently while driving and while the vehicle was parked and turned off with no keys nearby. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure could not be replicated. The dealer contacted the manufacturer and was instructed on how to correct the failure. The dealer followed the manufacturer's instructions; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle remained at the dealer. The v…”
NHTSA complaint #11618164, 2024

“The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that both side view mirrors would not retain the adjusted settings upon start of the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure obstructed his vison while driving at various speeds. A local dealer was initially notified of the issue; but could not diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was then notified of the failure and referred him to another dealer. The vehicle was taken to White-Allen Chevrolet (442 N Main St, Dayton, OH 45405) on two separate occasions where both the actuator and the driver side arm rest switch were replaced…”
NHTSA complaint #11512331, 2022

Wheels 2 1 crash

“THE ENTIRE AXLE CAME OFF UPON HITTING A CURVE. THE TIRE DID NOT POP BUT THE ENTIRE WHEEL CAME OFF. THE INSURANCE COMPANY IS HUNTING FOR REFURBISHED PARTS TO PUT ON THE CAR.”
NHTSA complaint #11406980, 2021 · crash

“WE WERE TOLD OUR TIRES ARE BAD AND NEED REPLACING. WE HAVE LEASED THIS CAR FOR 2 YEARS WITH ONLY 31,140 ON THE TIRES. THIS IS OUR 4TH EQUINOX THAT WE HAVE LEASED AND HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE THE TIRES BEFORE WE RETURNED OUR CARS ON OUR 3 YEAR LEASES. WE ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED.”
NHTSA complaint #11405933, 2021

Equipment 1

“2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO RADIO MALFUNCTION. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE RADIO POWERS ON AUTOMATICALLY WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, AFTER BEING POWERED OFF. THE RADIO WAS REPLACED THE FAILURE PERSISTED. *JS”
NHTSA complaint #11312311, 2019

Equipment Adaptive/Mobility 1

“The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH on adaptive cruise control, the brakes applied independently. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated he continued driving to his destination. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause for the failure. The contact stated he continued to experience the failure. The contact took the vehicle back to the local dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact stated that he continued to experience failure for over…”
NHTSA complaint #11430604, 2019

Suspension 1

“originally system warning message to service brake system. had system checked by mechanic. nothing found. after a few weeks as i was merging on a highway i felt my engine start to stall. I immediately tried to make my way to the side of highway. brakes were very hard to press and car stalled with engine light immuninating, and no power steering. code P0017. engine will crank and sputter but will not start also has blowby present. cam and crankshaft sensors/actuator solenoids were replaced, then the vacuum pump cover was opened and found broken parts inside. upon removal of pump it was found br…”
NHTSA complaint #11615712, 2024

How we read this (methodology)

How to read this: raw complaint totals are not a clean reliability score — a model year with more cars sold, or simply more years on the road, accumulates more complaints regardless of how good it is. So this page leans on two signals that are not distorted by sales volume: the share of complaints falling on each vehicle system (the breakdown above) and NHTSA's own crash / fire / injury / death flags. When we compare model years of the same model, we normalise by years on the road (complaints ÷ vehicle age) rather than comparing raw totals. Age-normalised, the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox draws about 36.8 complaints per year on the road, ranking 8 of 14 among the Chevrolet Equinox model years we have ingested (1 = most complaints per year on road).

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Data source: U.S. NHTSA (nhtsa.gov). SaveVIN surfaces public recall data and is not affiliated with or endorsed by NHTSA.

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