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2013 Chevrolet Equinox

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2013 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

515 reports with mileage · 236 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.

  • Engine. Review the 412 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility/wiper. Review the 144 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 80 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

20 crash reports5 fire reports13 injury reports

Engine complaints

412 reports
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72,000 miles · Sep 26, 2018
Engine

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW AND HAVE MAINTAINED THE RECOMMENDED SERVICE AS ADVISED. VEHICLE HAS USED EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL BETWEEN OIL CHANGES FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS AND NO ONE CAN SEEM TO FIND OUT WHERE IT IS GOING. LISTED PROBLEM DATE AS TODAY BUT THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING..... HAVE ALSO HAD TO HAVE THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD REPLACE…

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I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW AND HAVE MAINTAINED THE RECOMMENDED SERVICE AS ADVISED. VEHICLE HAS USED EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL BETWEEN OIL CHANGES FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS AND NO ONE CAN SEEM TO FIND OUT WHERE IT IS GOING. LISTED PROBLEM DATE AS TODAY BUT THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING..... HAVE ALSO HAD TO HAVE THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD REPLACED ON 3 OCCASIONS AND NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO TELL ME WHY ON THAT EITHER? SEEMS WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL IN THE WORKS!

NHTSA ODI #11131709

57,000 miles · Sep 6, 2018
Engine

VEHICLE TIMING CHAIN BROKE 3 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAD 57,000 MILES ON THE CAR. CHEVROLET REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM OR PAY FOR ANY REPAIR COSTS. THE VEHICLE (INCLUDING THE POWER STEERING) COMPLETELY STALLED OUT WHILE I WAS TURNING OFF A BUSY STATE HIGHWAY ON A HOLIDAY WEEKEND. I WAS STRANDED IN THE LANE OF TRAFFIC…

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VEHICLE TIMING CHAIN BROKE 3 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAD 57,000 MILES ON THE CAR. CHEVROLET REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM OR PAY FOR ANY REPAIR COSTS. THE VEHICLE (INCLUDING THE POWER STEERING) COMPLETELY STALLED OUT WHILE I WAS TURNING OFF A BUSY STATE HIGHWAY ON A HOLIDAY WEEKEND. I WAS STRANDED IN THE LANE OF TRAFFIC UNTIL I WAS SAFELY ABLE TO GET A COUPLE OF GOOD SAMARITANS TO ASSIST WITH PHYSICALLY PUSHING IT OFF THE ROAD.

NHTSA ODI #11127926

102,000 miles · Sep 5, 2018
EngineUnknown Or Other

WHEN DRIVING TO WORK TODAY, I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF PARKING MY CAR. THE CAR CUT OFF BEFORE I COULD COMPLETELY PARK. IT STARTED RIGHT BACK UP THEN CUT BACK OFF. I TOOK MY CHANCES AND DROVE IT TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP. EVERY TIME I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP THE CAR WOULD CUT OFF I.E RED LIGHTS, STOP SIGNS, HEAVY TRAFFIC. WHICH BECAM…

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WHEN DRIVING TO WORK TODAY, I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF PARKING MY CAR. THE CAR CUT OFF BEFORE I COULD COMPLETELY PARK. IT STARTED RIGHT BACK UP THEN CUT BACK OFF. I TOOK MY CHANCES AND DROVE IT TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP. EVERY TIME I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP THE CAR WOULD CUT OFF I.E RED LIGHTS, STOP SIGNS, HEAVY TRAFFIC. WHICH BECAME EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I DROPPED MY CAR OFF AT THE DEALERSHIP AND I NOTICED THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL VECHICALS THAT WERE THE SAME MODEL / MAKE AS MINES WAITING TO BE SERVICED. ALSO SERVERAL OF MY RELATIVES WHO HAS THE SAME CAR AS MINE HAS TOLD ME THAT THEY ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE. THE DEALERSHIPS ALL ACROSS TOWN ARE OUT OF LOANER CARS AND CAN'T GET TO MINE UNTIL NEXT WEEK. 3 PEOPLE I KNOW TOOK THEIR VEHICLE TO BE SERVICED AND EACH WERE TOLD THEY NEEDED A TUNE UP. AFTER RECEIVING THE TUNE UP THE PROBLEM STILL REMAINED. ALL OF OUR CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ARE ON.

NHTSA ODI #11124615

97,000 miles · Aug 30, 2018
EngineUnknown Or Other

I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE I'M MARCH 2018. A FEW WEEKS AFTER BUYING IT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WITH THE CODE P0014 FOR THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE PART AND CHANGED THE OIL AND IT WAS ALL FINE, NO MORE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. AUGUST 2018 I GET AN OIL CHANGE ON IT AGAIN, CHECK ENGINE L…

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I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE I'M MARCH 2018. A FEW WEEKS AFTER BUYING IT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WITH THE CODE P0014 FOR THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE PART AND CHANGED THE OIL AND IT WAS ALL FINE, NO MORE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. AUGUST 2018 I GET AN OIL CHANGE ON IT AGAIN, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES BACK ON FOR SAME REASON. WHY WAS THIS PART NOT RECALLED LIKE PREVIOUS YEARS? I WILL NEVER AGAIN PURCHASE A CHEVY.

NHTSA ODI #11123434

118,000 miles · Aug 29, 2018
Engine

BURNING OIL VERY BADLY WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI #11123252

68,500 miles · Aug 21, 2018
Engine

IN 2013, I ACTUALLY CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO INQUIRE ABOUT SOME SMOKE COMING FROM FRONT OF CAR DURING RAIN/SNOW, AND SOME SHAKING WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC. I WAS INFORMED THESE WERE NORMAL FUNCTIONS DUE TO THE CLIMATIC WEATHER AND BRAKING SYSTEM. I TOOK THEM AT THEIR WORD. IN THE SUMMER OF 2017 WHILST DRIVING TO WORK, THE CAR C…

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IN 2013, I ACTUALLY CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO INQUIRE ABOUT SOME SMOKE COMING FROM FRONT OF CAR DURING RAIN/SNOW, AND SOME SHAKING WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC. I WAS INFORMED THESE WERE NORMAL FUNCTIONS DUE TO THE CLIMATIC WEATHER AND BRAKING SYSTEM. I TOOK THEM AT THEIR WORD. IN THE SUMMER OF 2017 WHILST DRIVING TO WORK, THE CAR CUT OFF, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC, AND WAS TOLD THE OIL HAD BURNED VERY LOW. SHOULD A 2013 BURN COMPLETELY OUT OF OIL IN THREE MONTHS? I HAD TO GET AN OIL CHANGE, REPLACEMENT OF INTAKE AND EXHAUST CAMSHAFT POSITION SOLENOIDS. IT WASN'T UNTIL I HAD THE ALMOST EXACT ISSUE HAPPEN IN JAN, 2018 THAT I WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE WAS BURNING OIL AT A HIGH SPEED. THERE IS A RECALL ON MY MAKE MODEL AND YEAR VEHICLE (SEE BELOW FOR REPORT) THAT MIRROR THE EXACT ISSUES THAT I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING SINCE 2017. HOWEVER, UPON CONTACTING GMC, I WAS TOLD THAT MY VIN IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL, THEREFORE GMC WILL NOT REPLACE THE ENGINE, THOUGH I AM EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME ISSUES THAT ARE ON THE RECALL REPORT. I AM CONSTANTLY IN FEAR THAT MY CAR WILL SHUTOFF WHILST I AM DRIVING. I HAVE HAD TWO OIL CHANGES WITHIN A MONTH, BECAUSE THE OIL BURNS THAT QUICK. I AM NOW ON MY SECOND OIL CONSUMPTION TEST, BUT I KNOW ONCE THE TESTING IS COMPLETE, I WILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS, DUE TO THE ENGINE BURNING OIL AT AN ASTRONOMICAL RATE. SHAKING/SHUTDOWN, I RENT CARS FOR LONG DISTANCE TRAVEL DUE TO FEAR. INITIALLY, DEALER REP SAID I DIDN'T HAVE TO CHANGE OIL FOR 5,000 MILES. ITHIN A MONTHS TIME (JUN-JUL 2018), I HAD TWO OIL CHANGES. A DYE TEST WAS DONE IN JULY, BECAUSE THOUGH NO OIL WAS EVIDENT, SERVICE DEPART ASSUMED MUST BE A LEAK FOR OIL TO BE SO LOW. TEST SHOWED "NO" LEAK. CAR TICKS, MECHANIC SAYS DUE TO ENGINE NEEDING REPLACED. GMC/CHEVY REFUSE. THE REPAIR REPORT SAYS "CAR RUNS FINE" MY CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, WASN'T RUNNING.

NHTSA ODI #11121260

52,000 miles · Aug 16, 2018
Engine

BOUGHT 2013 EQUINOX 6/14/18 WITH 50K MILES. ON 8/14/18 WHILE DRIVING HOME ON THE INTERSTATE THE CAR JUST SHUT DOWN (SCARY SITUATION WITH A BIG RIG BEARING DOWN ON YOU STILL HAVE NIGHTMARES ABOUT IT) . I WAS ABLE TO RESTART IT AND DROVE 12 MILES HOME AS IT SHUT DOWN 8 MORE TIMES. ON 8/15/18 DROVE THE CAR 1 BLOCK AWAY FROM HOME WH…

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BOUGHT 2013 EQUINOX 6/14/18 WITH 50K MILES. ON 8/14/18 WHILE DRIVING HOME ON THE INTERSTATE THE CAR JUST SHUT DOWN (SCARY SITUATION WITH A BIG RIG BEARING DOWN ON YOU STILL HAVE NIGHTMARES ABOUT IT) . I WAS ABLE TO RESTART IT AND DROVE 12 MILES HOME AS IT SHUT DOWN 8 MORE TIMES. ON 8/15/18 DROVE THE CAR 1 BLOCK AWAY FROM HOME WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WENT TO MY MECHANIC AND IT READ P0011 INTAKE CAMSHAFT POSITION TIMING CODE. ON 8/16/18 WHEN MECHANIC CHANGED PART REALIZED THERE WAS NO OIL ON THE DIP STICK.NO OIL LIGHT CAME ON FOR NOT HAVING ANY OIL. CAR HAS 52K MILES ON IT AND THE OIL WAS CHANGED THE DAY I BOUGHT IT. WHERE DID ALL THE OIL GO IN LESS THEN 3K MILES. I AN NOW READING THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE AND WILL HAVE TO CARRY A CASE OF OIL TO CHECK EVERY WEEK NOW. IF GM KNOWS THIS IS AN ISSUE WHY HAVEN'T THEY DONE ANYTHING TO CORRECT THIS..

NHTSA ODI #11120487

88,000 miles · Aug 13, 2018
Engine

MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN BURNING OIL AT AN ALARMING RATE - I HAVE TO ADD A QUART OF OIL EVERY FEW HUNDRED MILES, ON TOP OF BEING DILIGENT ABOUT CHANGING MY OIL EVERY 3,000 MILES (FULLY SYNTHETIC TOO). WHEN I DO NOT ADD A QUART OF OIL EVERY 10 DAYS OR SO, MY CAR STALLS WHILE IDLING, KNOCKS, AND/OR RIDES "ROUGH". I'VE ALSO NOTICED THE …

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MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN BURNING OIL AT AN ALARMING RATE - I HAVE TO ADD A QUART OF OIL EVERY FEW HUNDRED MILES, ON TOP OF BEING DILIGENT ABOUT CHANGING MY OIL EVERY 3,000 MILES (FULLY SYNTHETIC TOO). WHEN I DO NOT ADD A QUART OF OIL EVERY 10 DAYS OR SO, MY CAR STALLS WHILE IDLING, KNOCKS, AND/OR RIDES "ROUGH". I'VE ALSO NOTICED THE ENGINE IDLES LOWER THAN NORMAL. IF I PRESS ON THE GAS LIGHTLY, THE CAR WILL STALL. IF I PRESS ON THE GAS WITH MORE PRESSURE, THE CAR WILL SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR EARLIER THAN NORMAL AND ROUGHLY (IF THAT MAKES SENSE). I'VE HAD THE CAR INTO THE MECHANIC 4 TIMES FOR SAME ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #11119643

54,000 miles · Aug 10, 2018
Engine

ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING. SPECIFICALLY, THE CAR WOULD OCCASIONALLY STARTS UP IN "STALL MODE", THAT ITS RPM WOULD BE LOWER THAN NORMAL (~500RPM VS ~1000 NORMALLY); IN SUCH STALL MODE, THE ENGINE AND ENTIRE CAR WOULD SHAKE SIGNIFICANTLY ON IDLE/STOPPED-WITH-BRAKE, AND WOULD 100% STALL BY LETTING GO OF BRAKE PEDAL WITHOUT STEPPI…

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ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING. SPECIFICALLY, THE CAR WOULD OCCASIONALLY STARTS UP IN "STALL MODE", THAT ITS RPM WOULD BE LOWER THAN NORMAL (~500RPM VS ~1000 NORMALLY); IN SUCH STALL MODE, THE ENGINE AND ENTIRE CAR WOULD SHAKE SIGNIFICANTLY ON IDLE/STOPPED-WITH-BRAKE, AND WOULD 100% STALL BY LETTING GO OF BRAKE PEDAL WITHOUT STEPPING ON GAS PEDAL; IF GAS PEDAL IS STEPPED ON BUT NOT ENOUGH, ENGINE WOULD STALL, OTHERWISE, IF GAS PEDAL IS STEPPED ON HARD ENOUGH, THE CAR CAN CHANGE FROM 1ST GEAR INTO 2ND IN A VERY ROUGH MANNER, YOU CAN FEEL IT PHYSICALLY SITTING IN THE CAR, THEN THE CAR WOULD PERFORM NORMALLY AS LONG AS CAR STAY ABOVE 2ND GEAR WITH ENOUGH RPM. CAR STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF BUSY INTERSECTION / CROSSROAD LEFT TURNING.

NHTSA ODI #11118880

82,000 miles · Aug 9, 2018
EnginePower Train

82K MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND AM HAVING TO PUT 2-3 QUARTS OF OIL IN CAR BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS COMING ON EVERY FEW HUNDRED MILES NOW AND THE OIL DIPSTICK IS DRY. I FILL UP WITH APPROXIMATELY 2 QUARTS AND THE ENGINE IS FINE UNTIL ANOTHER 200-300 MILES WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN AND THE DIPSTIC…

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82K MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND AM HAVING TO PUT 2-3 QUARTS OF OIL IN CAR BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS COMING ON EVERY FEW HUNDRED MILES NOW AND THE OIL DIPSTICK IS DRY. I FILL UP WITH APPROXIMATELY 2 QUARTS AND THE ENGINE IS FINE UNTIL ANOTHER 200-300 MILES WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN AND THE DIPSTICK IS DRY AGAIN. HAD THIS ISSUE LAST YEAR IN MAY IN TX AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE GASKET WAS BAD AND THEY REPLACED THAT. CAR RAN FINE FOR ALMOST A YEAR AND NOW I CAN NOT GO OVER 1000 MILES WITHOUT PUTTING IN QUARTS OF OIL.

NHTSA ODI #11118767

Official recalls

2

16V582000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor

Aug 4, 2016

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the ball joints in the windshield wiper module may corrode and wear over time, possibly resulting in one or both of the windshield wipers becoming inoperative.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Inoperative windshield wipers may reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, dealers will repair the AIP-hole, inspect and, if necessary, replace the front wiper module, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 25302.

16V502000 · Electrical System:ignition; Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

Jul 5, 2016

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Electrical System:ignition

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

Consequence: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.

Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

Consequence: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.

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.

Go deeper into Chevrolet Equinox problems