Car Defect Radar
Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated September 22, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.

Recalls

0 total

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

No recalls on record for this model

No safety recalls were found in this dataset. It is still worth entering the exact VIN on NHTSA before purchase, since recalls can be added at any time.

Owner complaints by system

782 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Read closely
527

Most reports here involve sudden stalling. Of these, 6 mention a crash, 6 mention an injury.

sudden stalling 238fluid leaks 86premature wear 66
A recent report: The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while the mother was driving, the vehicle suddenly stalled. The vehicle was towed to the residence and was later diagnosed by an…
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The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while the mother was driving, the vehicle suddenly stalled. The vehicle was towed to the residence and was later diagnosed by an independent mechanic, who discovered metal shavings in the engine oil pan and informed the contact that the engine had seized and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that prior to the engine failure, the vehicle experienced excessive oil consumption over a 14-month period. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 117,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11760362 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Worth reading
40

Most reports here involve sudden stalling. Of these, 1 mention a crash, 3 mention an injury.

sudden stalling 16software faults 10
A recent report: The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, he noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled into a…
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The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, he noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled into a business parking lot. The contact stated that he opened the hood and noticed the engine compartment had caught fire. Additionally, the contact stated that the battery was burned and was bubbly. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with water bottles. A fire department report and a police report were not filed. The contact sustained a minor burn on the right hand and did not receive medical assistance. The vehicle was towed to the residence of the contact's parents. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 185,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11558777 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Worth reading
21

Most reports here involve loss of braking. Of these, 7 mention a crash, 14 mention an injury.

loss of braking 17premature wear 2
A recent report: I purchased a 2011 Chevy Equinox LT from a used car dealer in April 2022 with 153,000 miles on it. The second day I had it the brake caliper completely fell off of my front passenger tire causing my…
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I purchased a 2011 Chevy Equinox LT from a used car dealer in April 2022 with 153,000 miles on it. The second day I had it the brake caliper completely fell off of my front passenger tire causing my wheels to lock. Couple days later I noticed that after an extended time of driving anything more than 10-15 minutes it. The RPMs would fluctuate sometimes dropping down to zero and the vehicle stalls. The excessive amount of oil used in this vehicle is ridiculous I literally got an oil change and a week later it said I was low but my oil notification on my Dash messages said oil life remaining 95% check engine light comes on and it's the p0042 for catalyst system not at threshold. This literally should be a class action lawsuit because this is ridiculous

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11482709 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Worth reading
32

Most reports here involve loss of steering. Of these, 1 mention a crash.

loss of steering 20premature wear 3
A recent report: The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel, prompting the contact to…
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The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel, prompting the contact to discontinue driving the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who observed a small amount of fluid within the engine compartment. The dealer later determined that the fluid was power steering fluid. However, the dealer was unable to determine the exact location of the leak. The contact was advised to continue driving the vehicle for 1 week then return for a follow-up inspection. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 149,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11646752 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Worth reading
49

Most reports here involve airbags not deploying. Of these, 13 mention a crash, 11 mention an injury.

airbags not deploying 18software faults 15
A recent report: I was in a rear end collision on May 14th 2026 the impact of the speed totaled my car in my airbags did not deploy and from my understanding where the sensors are on my vehicle they should have I…
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I was in a rear end collision on May 14th 2026 the impact of the speed totaled my car in my airbags did not deploy and from my understanding where the sensors are on my vehicle they should have I ended up getting a concussion and soft tissue damage because my head hit the steering wheel my seat belt did not lock either.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11738139 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Worth reading
77

Most reports here involve premature wear. Of these, 1 mention a crash, 5 mention an injury.

premature wear 3corrosion 2
A recent report: Wipers have stopped working, have had it repaired twice and they keep quitting.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11714145 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Worth reading
36

Most reports here involve fluid leaks. Of these, 1 mention a crash, 2 mention an injury.

fluid leaks 3premature wear 3
A recent report: Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was…
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Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 119,000, and at the time of a Carfax report check, it was discovered that the mileage was 175,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11746040 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 782 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2010 and 2026, roughly 50 a year, which is more than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.