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2009 Chevrolet Equinox

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 2009 Chevrolet Equinox are lower than the model-year median of 382.5.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →
94Owner complaints

Model-year median: 382.5

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

2009 Chevrolet Equinox

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 94 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

  • Air Bags: 26 reports
  • Electrical System: 23 reports
  • Engine: 18 reports
  • Electronic Stability Control (esc): 12 reports
  • Vehicle Speed Control: 11 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

    No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

    Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

    Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

    How this year compares

    Owner complaints by model year

    Other model years Selected year
    695
    2006    685
    2007    370
    2008    94
    2009    784
    2010    782
    2011    683
    2012
    Compare all Equinox years →

    Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

    What owners reported most

    Air Bags
    26    Electrical System
    23    Engine
    18    Electronic Stability Control (esc)
    12    Vehicle Speed Control
    11
    All reported categories
    Power Train
    10    Fuel/propulsion System
    8    Unknown Or Other
    7    Steering
    5    Tires
    5    Visibility
    5    Fuel System, Gasoline
    4    Exterior Lighting
    3    Structure
    3    Wheels
    3    Service Brakes
    2    Seat Belts
    1    Service Brakes, Hydraulic
    1    Traction Control System
    1    Visibility/wiper
    1

    Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

    When problems were reported

    Mileage at the reported incident

    77 reports with mileage · 17 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 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Electrical System. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Engine. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

    NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

    5 crash reports1 fire reports4 injury reports

    Unknown Or Other complaints

    7 reports
    Clear category filter
    110,000 miles · Jun 4, 2020
    EnginePower TrainUnknown Or Other

    THE TIMING CHAIN AND GUIDES WENT BAD AT ONLY 110K MILES. AND IF IT WAS RECALLED LIKE THE 2009 CHEVY TRAVERSE WAS THEN I WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO FIX IT. IT HAS THE SAME MOTOR. IT IS THE 3.6L MOTOR. BECAUSE IT IS THE SPORTS MODEL. IT WAS THROWING P0008 P0018 P0017 AND TWO TRANSMISSION CODES SO I BELIEVE THE TRANSMISSION IS BAD NOW. I…

    Read full complaint

    THE TIMING CHAIN AND GUIDES WENT BAD AT ONLY 110K MILES. AND IF IT WAS RECALLED LIKE THE 2009 CHEVY TRAVERSE WAS THEN I WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO FIX IT. IT HAS THE SAME MOTOR. IT IS THE 3.6L MOTOR. BECAUSE IT IS THE SPORTS MODEL. IT WAS THROWING P0008 P0018 P0017 AND TWO TRANSMISSION CODES SO I BELIEVE THE TRANSMISSION IS BAD NOW. IT IS THROWING CODES P0752 AND P0700. *TR

    NHTSA ODI #11327300

    200,000 miles · Oct 29, 2018
    Air BagsPower TrainUnknown Or Other

    MY CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY DUE TO THE COMPUTER SYSTEM AND MY AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR.

    NHTSA ODI #11143684

    Mileage unknown · May 11, 2018
    Air BagsUnknown Or Other

    TAKATA RECALL. I SEE THAT THE 2009 CHEVY EQUINOX IS NOT ON THE SCHEDULE TO BE RECALLED, HOWEVER, THERE ARE SO MANY WITH THE SAME AIRBAG PROBLEM. IT'S A SCANDAL THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO GET AWAY WITH NOT RECALLING. SAME PROBLEM WITH THE STABILLINK, TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS LIGHTS. IT IS A PROBLEM FOR ALL OF THESE VEHICLES!

    NHTSA ODI #11093374

    50,000 miles · Apr 12, 2018
    Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineUnknown Or Other

    CHEVY EQANOX RECALL. WHEN RAINING OR ON WET ROADS OR SNOW THIS LIGHT POPS UP AND SAYS ENGINE REDUCING POWER AND SAYS SERVICE STABILITY TRACK THEN SHUTS THE CAR DOWN I THINK THAT THIS IS A RECALL BECAUSE SEVERAL OF INDIVIDUALS I KNO HAVE CHEVYS AND HAVE THIS ISSUE I TOOK TO DEALERSHIP THEY NEVER. FIGURED OUT FOR ME .

    NHTSA ODI #11084730

    Mileage unknown · Oct 23, 2017
    Air BagsEngineUnknown Or Other

    I AM FILING MY COMPLAINT DUE TO SOME RE-ACCRUING ISSUES THAT I CONTINUOUSLY HAVE WITH MY TRUCK I JUST BOUGHT IN JUNE OF 2017. I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR OVERHEATED NEEDLE FLUCTUATIONS AND SHUTTING DOWN ON ME. THE AIR BAGS DOES NOT WORK FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT AND THERE ARE A COUPLE OF SENSORS THAT ARE ON AND CONSTANTLY STAYS ON…

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    I AM FILING MY COMPLAINT DUE TO SOME RE-ACCRUING ISSUES THAT I CONTINUOUSLY HAVE WITH MY TRUCK I JUST BOUGHT IN JUNE OF 2017. I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR OVERHEATED NEEDLE FLUCTUATIONS AND SHUTTING DOWN ON ME. THE AIR BAGS DOES NOT WORK FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT AND THERE ARE A COUPLE OF SENSORS THAT ARE ON AND CONSTANTLY STAYS ON WHEN CRANKING THE CAR AND DRIVING. I ALSO HAVE PROBLEMS WHEN I TURN THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT HEARING A RUBBING GRAINING NOISE ALSO HEAR A TRICKLING NOISE WHEN PRESSING THE GAS TO GO. I HAVE HAD MY CAR WORKED ON BY A MECHANIC TWICE. HAD MY RADIATOR FLUSHED THERMOSTAT REPLACED AND ANTI-FREEZE TAKE FLUSHED AND STILL THE SAME ISSUES. MY COOLAN FAN CAUSES MY BATTERY TO GO DEAD AND HAVE TO GET A JUMP START MORE THAN ONCE. THIS ISSUE HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING SITTING OR EVEN ON THE HIGHWAY. I'M TAKING THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER TO SEE IF THEY CAN FIGURE THE ISSUE OUT.

    NHTSA ODI #11035892

    103,011 miles · Nov 3, 2015
    Power TrainUnknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control

    MY 2009 CHEVY EQUINOX IS SLOWING DOWN WHEN I REACH 4 RPMS AND WILL NOT SPEED BACK UP UNTIL I GO BACK DOWN TO 3 RPMS NO MATTER HOW FAST OR SLOW I AN GOING ONCE IT REACHES 4 RPMS IT SLOWS DOWN. WHEN I SHUT THE CAR OFF SOMETHING IS STILL RUNNING UNDER THE HOLD BECAUSE I CAN HEAR IT. IT WAS 10 MINUTES BEFORE IT FINALLY SHUT OFF COMP…

    Read full complaint

    MY 2009 CHEVY EQUINOX IS SLOWING DOWN WHEN I REACH 4 RPMS AND WILL NOT SPEED BACK UP UNTIL I GO BACK DOWN TO 3 RPMS NO MATTER HOW FAST OR SLOW I AN GOING ONCE IT REACHES 4 RPMS IT SLOWS DOWN. WHEN I SHUT THE CAR OFF SOMETHING IS STILL RUNNING UNDER THE HOLD BECAUSE I CAN HEAR IT. IT WAS 10 MINUTES BEFORE IT FINALLY SHUT OFF COMPLETELY.

    NHTSA ODI #10787910

    55,000 miles · Jun 18, 2015
    Air BagsUnknown Or Other

    THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SEAT SENSOR IS FAULTY AND DOESN'T TURN ON THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WHEN THERE IS AN OCCUPANT. THIS IS A VIOLATION OF FMVSS 208.

    NHTSA ODI #10725993

    Recall campaigns

    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 ↗

    Defect investigations

    0

    No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

    An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.

    Go deeper into Chevrolet Equinox problems

    Chevrolet Equinox transmission problems →