Car Defect Radar
Get the report
Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated October 26, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.
Confirm 1 recall before you buy.

Ask the seller for proof the repair was completed, or run the free VIN check. Recall repairs are done at no cost by a dealer.

Recalls

1 total · 1 to confirm

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

Safety recall

Confirm it was repairedRecall 26V114000 · Feb 2026

Without an owner's manual to consult, owners may not know how to safely use and operate the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy
Dealers will reset the vehicle radio, which will facilitate automatic download of the electronic owner’s manual, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 16, 2026. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-866-467-9700, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. The manufacturer's number for this recall is N252540430. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 26, 2026.
Status
Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
What to do
Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.

Owner complaints by system

70 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

Worth reading
22

Most reports here involve transmission slipping. Of these, 2 mention a crash, 2 mention an injury.

transmission slipping 7sudden stalling 6fluid leaks 2
A recent report: I am driving a rental Chevrolet Equinox with the steering-column-mounted electronic gear selector. I believe this shifter design creates a serious safety hazard. The gear selector is a stalk on the…
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I am driving a rental Chevrolet Equinox with the steering-column-mounted electronic gear selector. I believe this shifter design creates a serious safety hazard. The gear selector is a stalk on the steering column positioned and operated similarly to controls commonly used for windshield wipers in other vehicles. While driving, pulling back on this stalk can immediately shift the transmission into Neutral, even at highway speeds. My wife and I have unintentionally shifted this vehicle into Neutral approximately a dozen times because of this control arrangement. Once the vehicle is in Neutral while moving, we have been unable to shift it back into Drive until coming to a complete stop. This creates a dangerous situation: the vehicle suddenly loses propulsion in moving traffic, and the driver cannot simply restore Drive. The driver must coast, find a safe place to stop, come to a complete stop, and then select Drive. This is particularly dangerous while merging, crossing an intersection, driving on a highway, or anywhere that maintaining acceleration may be necessary to avoid a collision. This is not a complaint that the controls are merely unfamiliar. The vehicle accepts a Neutral command at road speed from a simple movement of a steering-column stalk, while preventing the driver from immediately restoring Drive. Because the stalk’s location and operation can conflict with established driver muscle memory for steering-column controls, I believe this represents a foreseeable human-factors safety hazard. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this design and determine whether it presents an unreasonable risk to drivers and other road users.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11762382 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Worth reading
10

Most reports here involve software faults. Of these, 1 mention an injury.

software faults 6corrosion 1
A recent report: my 2026 equinox is having an issue with the blind spot warning on my driver side mirror will either say on or flash. this is regardless of driving, or being parking. i have washed my car, checked my…
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my 2026 equinox is having an issue with the blind spot warning on my driver side mirror will either say on or flash. this is regardless of driving, or being parking. i have washed my car, checked my sensor, and i am still having issues. the dealership does not see any issue with the car, however, while driving at night, this is such a distraction because i'm constantly checking my mirror to make sure there's nobody there. there was one day, i had open my trunk from my keyfob, in the house, and when i walked up on the driver side of my car (the car was turned off) it beeped and when i looked over, the blindspot light was on and flashing.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11762008 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Worth reading
19

Most reports here involve loss of braking. Of these, 2 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.

loss of braking 6software faults 5unintended acceleration 3
A recent report: While pulling forward out of a parking lot at a low speed, the vehicle's Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system suddenly and aggressively engaged without warning. There were no vehicles…
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While pulling forward out of a parking lot at a low speed, the vehicle's Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system suddenly and aggressively engaged without warning. There were no vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles whatsoever in the vehicle's path. The deceleration was extremely severe and violent, mimicking the sensation of hitting a brick wall. This unprompted, false-positive system activation subjected my body to intense, sudden forces, resulting in a painful back injury that requires medical attention. The system completely failed to accurately evaluate the path of travel, creating an immediate and unexpected hazard to my physical safety and that of anyone following behind me.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11764675 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Minor
6

Most reports here involve loss of steering.

loss of steering 2premature wear 2
A recent report: When you accelerate from a stop, the car wobbles and shimmy’s until you reach about 15mph and then it stops and drives normally.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11762353 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Worth reading
3

Most reports here involve airbags not deploying. Of these, 1 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.

airbags not deploying 1
A recent report: Front seat passenger side seat belt. Does not have a height adjustment for the shoulder strap. Belt comes across the neck of shorter individuals.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11733148 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Minor
6

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 2transmission slipping 1
A recent report: Vehicle will detect objects in the blind spot when there are none there. I will look back and see that nothing is in the blind spot. Turn my turn signal on to indicate a lane change. I get half-way…
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Vehicle will detect objects in the blind spot when there are none there. I will look back and see that nothing is in the blind spot. Turn my turn signal on to indicate a lane change. I get half-way through the lane change and the light on the mirror starts to flash indicating that something is in my blind spot. I react and return to my original lane. I look back again and ther is nothing there. This is the classic false positive. It is dangerous because I am learning that the system is unreliable and an unreliable system eventually gets ignored. This is the classic "Boy Who Cried Wolf." GM is aware of the problem but it is not getting the urgent attention that it needs. This is a bad situation. I would prefer it the system were turned OFF. This happens quite regularly in the drivers side blind spot.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11732190 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Minor
4

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 1
A recent report: The interior trim has many problems affecting safety. 1. Plastic chrome trim reflects blinding sun in my eyes. 2. Dash finish reflects severely onto the windshield, cannot see clearly. These are…
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The interior trim has many problems affecting safety. 1. Plastic chrome trim reflects blinding sun in my eyes. 2. Dash finish reflects severely onto the windshield, cannot see clearly. These are extreme safety issues. I believe GM should provide fix kits in a recall before someone is killed. And required design standards for this. Note: the camera lessens the glare in the attached pictures

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11748606 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 70 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2025 and 2026, roughly 59 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.

How does it compare with other years? The 2026 has 70 complaints on file, fewer than the 2025 (224). Of the 17 model years of the Chevrolet Equinox we cover, the 2010 has the most (784). Older model years have had longer to collect complaints.