Chevrolet Equinox Years to Avoid · Best Years · Problems · Recalls

Chevrolet Equinox warranty extensions

We list ten Chevrolet warranty extensions on the Equinox model years, and each card says whether it still applies. Eligibility depends on the VIN, so ask a Chevrolet dealer to check the car before you buy it.

• Front wiper module link Open for newer years

  15 years or 200,000 miles

  Years

  2010–2012

  Source

  N192266181-01

  GM first wrote 10 years or 150,000 miles in December 2019 (N192266180), then raised it to 15 years or 200,000 miles in July 2022 and added the 2016–2017 in March 2023.

• Front wiper module link Open

  15 years or 200,000 miles

  Years

  2016–2017

  Source

  N192266181-01

• Pistons and piston rings (2.4L engine) Ended by age

  10 years or 120,000 miles

  Years

  2010 with the 2.4L

  Source

  14159D

• Pistons and piston rings (2.4L engine) Ended by age

  7 years 6 months or 120,000 miles

  Years

  2011 with the 2.4L

  Source

  15285D

• Pistons and piston rings (2.4L engine) Ended by age

  7 years 6 months or 120,000 miles

  Years

  2012 with the 2.4L

  Source

  16118-01

• Pistons and piston rings (2.4L engine) Ended by age

  7 years 6 months or 120,000 miles

  Years

  2013 with the 2.4L

  Source

  N192291100-01

• Balance chain pins (2.4L engine) Ended by age

  10 years or 120,000 miles

  Years

  2010–2011 with the 2.4L

  Source

  12313D

• Positive crankcase ventilation system Ended by age

  10 years or 120,000 miles

  Years

  2010–2014 with the 2.4L

  Source

  14882

• Power steering gear Ended by age

  10 years or 150,000 miles

  Years

  2010–2014

  Source

  14232

• Catalytic converter and oxygen sensor (2.4L engine) Ended by age

  10 years or 150,000 miles

  Years

  2012–2013 with the 2.4L

  Source

  N192287100

Each car’s term runs from its own in-service date.

Sources: GM special coverage N192266181-01, March 7, 2023. GM special coverage 14159D, April 28, 2017. GM special coverage 15285D, April 28, 2017. GM special coverage 16118-01, January 28, 2020. GM special coverage N192291100-01, January 17, 2020. GM special coverage 12313D, June 6, 2017. GM special coverage 14882, March 4, 2015. GM special coverage 14232, November 19, 2014. GM special coverage N192287100, October 1, 2020.

Chevrolet Equinox crash tests and investigations

NHTSA gives the Chevrolet Equinox an overall 5 of 5 for the 2019–2023 model years, an overall 4 of 5 for the 2011–2017 model years and an overall 4 or 5 of 5 depending on the version for the 2018 model year. The frontal score is 5 for the 2018–2023 and 4 for the 2011–2017.

The 2024–2025 have no overall rating. NHTSA started its current 5-star test system with the 2011 model year, so older ratings are not comparable and we do not show them. Separately, NHTSA’s defect office has had 3 probes on Equinox model years, and none of them is still open.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA defect investigations

Source: NHTSA safety ratings, read Oct 31, 2026, and the NHTSA defect investigations file of Oct 30, 2026

Chevrolet Equinox model years compared

Each score from 1 to 5 compares one Chevrolet Equinox model year with the other Chevrolet Equinox model years only. It is not a reliability rating, and it says nothing about how the Chevrolet Equinox compares with another car. A 5 means that year scores highest among the Chevrolet Equinox model years, a 1 means it scores lowest. The 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 are too new to judge and carry no score.

Best counts model years from 2011 on, so an older year can score 5 here and still not be listed in the Best years.

How the score is built: each year is compared with the typical Chevrolet Equinox year over its first five years on the road, using complaints (40%), serious complaints that report a crash, fire, injury or death (40%), recalls (15%) and open NHTSA probes (5%). A 4 is better than most other years and sits in a Next best tier under the Best years when fewer than five years from 2011 on score 5. A year with a recall that tells owners not to drive it scores 1.

Years under five years old get no score. Source: NHTSA owner complaints, federal file of Aug 25, 2026, and NHTSA recall campaigns, read Oct 31, 2026. The open probes come from the NHTSA defect investigations file of Oct 30, 2026. The counts in the “Model years compared” table are for those first five years. The complaint and recall totals on each year card cover all years on file, so they are larger.

Chevrolet Equinox recalls by year

The 2018 and 2022 Chevrolet Equinox tie with 5 recall campaigns each, the 2018 most often for the powertrain and the 2022 most often for the seat, and the 2007, 2019, 2020 and 2021 follow with 4 each. Every other year has 0–3, equally often for the electrical system, the seat and visibility (4 each of the 10 other years with a recall).

By federal law a carmaker must repair a recalled car for free unless it was first bought more than 15 calendar years before the maker sent the recall notice or NHTSA ordered the recall, whichever came first. Many makers fix older cars anyway, so ask a Chevrolet dealer with your VIN. Your VIN shows which campaigns are still open on a car.

Look up your own car by VIN before anything else on this page.

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns by model year, read Oct 31, 2026

Chevrolet Equinox complaints by year

The table lists every Equinox model year in NHTSA’s file, 2005–2025, with its complaint count and the system owners named most. The 2010 leads with 784 complaints, most about the engine, and the 2011 follows with 781, most about the engine. The verdict for each year uses the same scores as the cards at the top of the page. This table counts every complaint on file for each year, while the Model years compared table scores each year on its first five years only.

One complaint can name more than one problem, so the counts can add up to more than the year’s total. Entries NHTSA marks as unknown or other are left out.