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2008 Chevrolet Equinox

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2008 Chevrolet Equinox do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 382.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

298 reports with mileage · 72 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 110 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 65 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

9 crash reports1 fire reports8 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

65 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jul 14, 2014
Air BagsElectrical System

AIR BAG DOES NOT STAY ON! DRIVING OVER 20 MPH AIR BAG DID NOT TURN ON AND SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT REMAINED OFF. A PERSON WEIGHING ABOUT 200 LBS WAS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND AIR BAG WAS OFF WHILE CAR WAS ON, IN DRIVE, AND MOVING. THIS IS A BIG SAFETY HAZARD. IF ACCIDENT DID OCCUR AND AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY COULD BE FATAL. …

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AIR BAG DOES NOT STAY ON! DRIVING OVER 20 MPH AIR BAG DID NOT TURN ON AND SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT REMAINED OFF. A PERSON WEIGHING ABOUT 200 LBS WAS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND AIR BAG WAS OFF WHILE CAR WAS ON, IN DRIVE, AND MOVING. THIS IS A BIG SAFETY HAZARD. IF ACCIDENT DID OCCUR AND AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY COULD BE FATAL. NEEDS TO FIXED! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10610265

Mileage unknown · Jul 4, 2014
Air BagsElectrical System

PROBLEMS WITH MY VEH. COVERS A LONG PERIOD AND HAS WORSEN OVER TIME, FIRST THE (TPMS) TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM WENT BAD, THEN THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT OUT OF SERV., THEN THE AIR BAG SENSOR ON FRONT PASS. SIDE WORKED WHEN IT WANTED. NOW THE FRONT PASS DOOR DOES NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK UNLESS MANUALLY, NOW THE DRIVER WINDOW DO…

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PROBLEMS WITH MY VEH. COVERS A LONG PERIOD AND HAS WORSEN OVER TIME, FIRST THE (TPMS) TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM WENT BAD, THEN THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT OUT OF SERV., THEN THE AIR BAG SENSOR ON FRONT PASS. SIDE WORKED WHEN IT WANTED. NOW THE FRONT PASS DOOR DOES NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK UNLESS MANUALLY, NOW THE DRIVER WINDOW DOES NOT OPERATE UP OR DOWN, AND TILL NOW ONLY ONCE THE CAR KEYS WERE STUCK IN THE IGNITION. HAVE CHECKED WITH GM RECALL LIST THAT SEEM TO HAVE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS I HAVE BUT MY 2008 EQUINOX IS NOT ON IT. THIS ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION CAN ONLY GET WORSE. WHAT'S NEXT TO GO.

NHTSA ODI #10609364

100,000 miles · Jul 1, 2014
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT THE STABILITRAK FAILED AND THE CAR IN A POSSESSED MANOR ACCELERATED AND THE BRAKES FAILED PUSHING ME FORWARD INTO TRAFFIC. ONCE I REGAINED SOME CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, THE CAR WAS HOPPING, THE ENGINE WAS MAKING A KNOCKING SOUND, AND I COULD NOT GO MORE THAN 25 MILES PER HOUR AND STEERING WAS DIFFICULT. T…

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WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT THE STABILITRAK FAILED AND THE CAR IN A POSSESSED MANOR ACCELERATED AND THE BRAKES FAILED PUSHING ME FORWARD INTO TRAFFIC. ONCE I REGAINED SOME CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, THE CAR WAS HOPPING, THE ENGINE WAS MAKING A KNOCKING SOUND, AND I COULD NOT GO MORE THAN 25 MILES PER HOUR AND STEERING WAS DIFFICULT. TWO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. 1 WAS AS STABILATRAK REQUIRES SERVICE, THE OTHER WAS REDUCED ENGINE POWER. THE DASH ALSO HAD THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. BECAUSE IT WAS LATE AND THE ISSUE STARTED MAYBE ON 5 MILES FROM HOME, WE TRIED TO CREEP HOME AT 25 MILES PER HOUR. THERE IS NO WARNING THAT YOUR VEHICLE IS GOING TO DO THIS. THIS ALSO HAPPENED ON A ROAD TRIP FROM CHICAGO TO MINNEAPOLIS; HALFWAY THERE WARNING LIGHTS WENT OFF AND I LOST STABILITY ALONG WITH MY 4 WHEEL DRIVE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10607381

70,000 miles · Jun 30, 2014
Electrical System

TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY BECAME STUCK IN THE IGNITION, WHICH PREVENTED THE VEHICLE FROM BEING TURNED OFF. THE DEALER STATED THAT A BLOWN FUSE CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS …

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TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY BECAME STUCK IN THE IGNITION, WHICH PREVENTED THE VEHICLE FROM BEING TURNED OFF. THE DEALER STATED THAT A BLOWN FUSE CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. J

NHTSA ODI #10607064

Mileage unknown · May 12, 2014
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages

DOORS DO NOT LOCK ANYMORE. THE KEY FOB ALSO WILL NOT LOCK THE DOORS. I HAVE TO GO AROUND TO EACH DOOR AND LOCK THEM MANUALLY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10587847

Mileage unknown · Apr 28, 2014
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages

ELECTRICAL DOOR LOCKS DON'T WORK , OTHER EQUINOX OWNERS I TALK TO , HAVE SAME PROBLEMS. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10585384

30,000 miles · Mar 31, 2014
Air BagsElectrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION WAS DEFECTIVE AND PREVENTED THE KEY FROM RELEASING FROM THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT HAD TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT IN ORDER TO RELEASE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION WAS DEFECTIVE AND PREVENTED THE KEY FROM RELEASING FROM THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT HAD TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT IN ORDER TO RELEASE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 14V047000 (AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 38,000. UPDATED 05/28/14 MA

NHTSA ODI #10575816

41,495 miles · Mar 30, 2014
Air BagsElectrical System

PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DOESN'T WORK AND MAY BE BECAUSE OF THE IGNITION SWITCH WHICH SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH A LOT OF GM VEHICLES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10575663

110,000 miles · Mar 21, 2014
Electrical System

MY KEY SOMETIMES IS VERY HARD TO GET OUT OF THE SWITCH. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10573917

Mileage unknown · Mar 9, 2014
Electrical System

I HAVE A 2008 CHEVROLET EQUINOX LTZ PURCHASED NEW. MY COMPLAINT IS SIMILAR TO MANY OF THE REPORTS BY DRIVERS INVOLVED IN THE GM RECALL ON IGNITIONS. LIKE THEM, I CANNOT REMOVE MY KEY FROM THE IGNITION. FORTUNATELY, MY CAR HAS NOT STALLED, BUT I WONDER IF THAT'S NEXT. WHEN TURN OFF MY IGNITION, OCCASIONALLY I MUST WAIT …

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I HAVE A 2008 CHEVROLET EQUINOX LTZ PURCHASED NEW. MY COMPLAINT IS SIMILAR TO MANY OF THE REPORTS BY DRIVERS INVOLVED IN THE GM RECALL ON IGNITIONS. LIKE THEM, I CANNOT REMOVE MY KEY FROM THE IGNITION. FORTUNATELY, MY CAR HAS NOT STALLED, BUT I WONDER IF THAT'S NEXT. WHEN TURN OFF MY IGNITION, OCCASIONALLY I MUST WAIT UP TO A MINUTE FOR THE IGNITION TO RELEASE THE KEY. I WAIT TO HEAR A CERTAIN SOUND AND THEN AM ABLE TO PULL THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. WHILE WAITING, I REALIZE THAT I'M IN A VULNERABLE POSITION SINCE CRIMES OCCUR AGAINST THOSE SITTING IN CARS. I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE MY CAR WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, SO I WAIT. I READ A FEW YEARS IN THE EQUINOX FORUM AT EDMUNDS.COM THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS EXPERIENCE. SOME TOOK THEIR CARS TO THE DEALERS, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER SOLVED. SO I DIDN'T TAKE MINE TO A DEALER SINCE IT SEEMED POINTLESS. SOME IN THE FORUM RECOMMENDED TO REMOVE EVERYTHING FROM THE KEYCHAIN, EXCEPT THE KEY. I DID THAT 2-3 TWO YEARS AGO. IT DIDN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT MITIGATED THE PROBLEM FROM ESCALATING LIKE THOSE INVOLVED IN THE RECALL. IF YOU PLAN TO INVESTIGATION, I'LL BE GLAD TO PROVIDE MY VIN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10568020

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

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