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2017 Chevrolet Equinox

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2017 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

94 reports with mileage · 178 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 178 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

18 crash reports4 fire reports7 injury reports

Engine complaints

178 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jan 16, 2022
Engine

My 2017 Chevy Equinox’s engine got ruined because of no oil. It’s impossible for no oil because I took it to the dealership for an oil change two months ago (November 12, 2021). It had 42,922 miles. On January 10th, with approximated 43,500 miles driven, my car started to shake on red lights or when on idle so the next day I…

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My 2017 Chevy Equinox’s engine got ruined because of no oil. It’s impossible for no oil because I took it to the dealership for an oil change two months ago (November 12, 2021). It had 42,922 miles. On January 10th, with approximated 43,500 miles driven, my car started to shake on red lights or when on idle so the next day I took it to the dealership to figure out the problem with my car. They told me that I was driving with no oil. Which caused the engine to fail and has to be replaced, however I never got the low oil light. Warnings did apear on the dashboard, Low Oil Pressure, check engine light, and engine power reduce and service StabiliTrak but once I arrived to the dealership which was already too late by then. I was never informed by the oil consumption even by the dealership mechanics. Which I always took it there. Since it was my first car and being the newest car model at the time I always wanted to be well taken care of. And it’s impossible that the oil would be completely gone within two months and 590 miles driven. As of now, my car is currently being work on by a different auto shop. I’m going to pay up to $8,000 to get my engine replace. I’m in need in getting it repaired as fast as possible due to needing it to drive between jobs and picking up my siblings from work/school. Apparently I’m not the only person that has had this exact problem with their Chevy Equinox. Thankfully I experienced the problems when I was closed to the dealership and had no one with me. I read other people’s experience that they had a full car packed with family members or having the car staled in the middle of the street. This problem is a high risk to everyone on the road.

NHTSA ODI #11447691

Mileage unknown · Jan 16, 2022
Engine

My 2017 equinox started sounding and running rough. It lost power and engine lights came on. Car died. Tried to drive it to dealership to get looked at and it continued to lose power and ended up having to tow it to dealership. They finally found the problem and said the timing belt stretched, causing all 16 valves to hit the pi…

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My 2017 equinox started sounding and running rough. It lost power and engine lights came on. Car died. Tried to drive it to dealership to get looked at and it continued to lose power and ended up having to tow it to dealership. They finally found the problem and said the timing belt stretched, causing all 16 valves to hit the pistons, bending all 16 valves. Only 73,000 miles on vehicle. Power train warranty expired at 60,000 miles (naturally) and will cost us $5500 to have fixed. My husband and i have had Chevrolet all our lives and never am issue like this. I feel this is a safety issue because this could have left me stranded on the side of the road in bitter cold weather. I feel it is a manufacturing defect that caused the issue and it should be covered by a power train warranty lasting longer than 60,000 miles!

NHTSA ODI #11447680

58,000 miles · Jan 14, 2022
Engine

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking oil as oil was found on the garage floor. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the diagnosis was that the PCV valve was frozen however, the repairs were unknown to the contact as the mechanic stated that the issue was res…

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The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking oil as oil was found on the garage floor. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the diagnosis was that the PCV valve was frozen however, the repairs were unknown to the contact as the mechanic stated that the issue was resolved. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving the oil warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed back to the independent mechanic. The independent mechanic started the vehicle and noticed oil was leaking from the rear main seal. The engine and transmission needed to be removed to replace the rear main seal. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact stated that the mechanic informed him that there was a recall for the failure. The contact stated that he called the dealer and manufacture and it was confirmed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The contact was referring the failure to an unknown manufacturer recall. The approximate failure mileage was 58,000.

NHTSA ODI #11447470

Mileage unknown · Jan 12, 2022
Engine

So I was driving home from work which is a 28 minute drive, when I was almost 2 miles away from home the car started to make a funny noise and it started to smell like gas inside from the vents.When I turned off a major street the the car slowed completely down without any warning on the dashboard and luckily I was right in fron…

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So I was driving home from work which is a 28 minute drive, when I was almost 2 miles away from home the car started to make a funny noise and it started to smell like gas inside from the vents.When I turned off a major street the the car slowed completely down without any warning on the dashboard and luckily I was right in front of a autoshop so I hurried up and pulled in. As soon as I pulled in, the car started to get smoky in the inside so I hurry up and jump out wasn't sure if the car was going to start a fire. When I go inside the shop it was a lady with the same car as mine but just gold and she was complaining that oil was pouring out. The owner of the shop asked me what's wrong because I was a little distraught and I told him my car just slowed down and start smoking inside of the car. He said what ok ill take it right in to see what's wrong. 10 mins later he comes out with a video on his phone showing oil leaking all around the the engine, Trans and front of the car all the way to the muffler. He said this is common with these Equinox with the 4 cylinder engine, the rear main seal did not hold and all the oil leaked out. I bust out crying, I didn't even make it to 3yrs yet and still owe 12,000 on the car. I keep up with oil changes and the car never said I was low on oil I checked, it showed 40%. The owner say calm down we can call the dealership to see if they have a recall. So we call they knew exactly what the problem was and ask how many miles I had and he say sorry your your 2,000 miles over your warranty, I'm sorry I can't do anything for you. The owner of the shop say sorry I see this all the time with these Equinox and its ridiculous we just found out the gold one have the exact same issue. I'm writing to you because I did some research and this is a common issue with this model. I seen a lot of the rear main seal fail when the temperature drop and the water build up where the cover of the engine is and freeze inside and the seal don't hold.

NHTSA ODI #11447241

51,000 miles · Jan 7, 2022
Engine

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in for service, it was discovered that water was present inside the engine PCV. The contact was informed that the condition could lead to engine damage. The contact was informed that a hole needed to be drilled into the PCV unit to allow air…

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The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in for service, it was discovered that water was present inside the engine PCV. The contact was informed that the condition could lead to engine damage. The contact was informed that a hole needed to be drilled into the PCV unit to allow airflow. The contact was informed that the manufacturer had issued an extended warranty coverage for the issue however, her model year vehicle was not included. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 51,000.

NHTSA ODI #11446581

Mileage unknown · Dec 22, 2021
EngineUnknown Or Other

Timing chain system and ABS

NHTSA ODI #11444648

Mileage unknown · Jul 15, 2021
EngineUnknown Or Other

The engine/timing chain and heads for my 2017 Chevrolet Equinox failed. I only had this vehicle for 4 years 4 months with only 113,000 miles. I feel my safety was put at risk because out of nowhere my vehicle began jerking and bucking back in forth very badly. I had my vehicle totally diagnosed with Gateway Tire Center and Servi…

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The engine/timing chain and heads for my 2017 Chevrolet Equinox failed. I only had this vehicle for 4 years 4 months with only 113,000 miles. I feel my safety was put at risk because out of nowhere my vehicle began jerking and bucking back in forth very badly. I had my vehicle totally diagnosed with Gateway Tire Center and Service, which cost me $283.17, just for a diagnosis. My vehicle has not been inspected due to this vehicle was brand new with zero miles when I purchased it on October 30, 2016. All maintenance has been kept up regularly on my vehicle. Before my vehicle all of sudden quit running there were no indications that there was a problem until the engine light popped on after it started the jerking and bucking back in forth. I am highly upset with the dealership who sold me this vehicle because I know they knew this vehicle would not operate any more after a certain amount of mileage. I should not have to be trying to car shop this early on for a new vehicle. I am only 13000 to 14000 miles outside of my warranty with this vehicle it is no way I should have to either purchase a new engine or buy a new vehicle. I need something done about this immediately.

NHTSA ODI #11424907

79,450 miles · Apr 25, 2021
Engine

HAD ROUTINE OIL CHANGES AND ONLY DRIVE THE CAR APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES TO AND FROM WORK DAILY. ON A VERY FRIGID WINTER DAY WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, MY CAR STARTED SHAKING, AND OIL LIGHT CAME ON, THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT AND CAR CAME TO A STOP. GOT IT TAKEN TO CHEVROLET DEALER WHO SAID THEY HAD 3 OTHER EQUINOXES IN THE SHOP THE L…

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HAD ROUTINE OIL CHANGES AND ONLY DRIVE THE CAR APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES TO AND FROM WORK DAILY. ON A VERY FRIGID WINTER DAY WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, MY CAR STARTED SHAKING, AND OIL LIGHT CAME ON, THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT AND CAR CAME TO A STOP. GOT IT TAKEN TO CHEVROLET DEALER WHO SAID THEY HAD 3 OTHER EQUINOXES IN THE SHOP THE LAST 2 DAYS OF FRIGID COLD WITH THE SAME ISSUE. FIX FOR A REAR MAIN SEAL REPAIR, AFTER THEY HAD DONE A DIAGNOSTIC INSPECTION AND MULTI POINT VEHICLE INSPECTION. THIS REPAIR COST US OVER $2000. OUR MECHANIC ADVISED US TO REPORT THIS BECAUSE OF SEEING SEVERAL MODELS WITH SAME ISSUE, INCLUDING MY FATHER'S CHEVROLET EQUINOX WHO WAS IN THE SHOP 3 DAYS BEFORE OURS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. PLEASE HELP US. THANK YOU

NHTSA ODI #11413876

95,000 miles · Mar 12, 2021
Engine

PURCHASED THE VEHICLE APRIL 2019. HAVE PROOF OF 6 OIL CHANGES AND PROPER MAINTENANCE WHILE DRIVING FOR LESS THAN 2 YEARS, BUT DUE TO NO WARNINGS OF LOW OIL ON THE VEHICLE AND WITH A CONFIRMED DEFECT STATED BY MY MECHANIC. THIS 2.4 L ECOTEC ENGINE HAS MASSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION DEFECTS. THIS VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. IT STOPPE…

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PURCHASED THE VEHICLE APRIL 2019. HAVE PROOF OF 6 OIL CHANGES AND PROPER MAINTENANCE WHILE DRIVING FOR LESS THAN 2 YEARS, BUT DUE TO NO WARNINGS OF LOW OIL ON THE VEHICLE AND WITH A CONFIRMED DEFECT STATED BY MY MECHANIC. THIS 2.4 L ECOTEC ENGINE HAS MASSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION DEFECTS. THIS VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. IT STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET WHILE I WAS DRIVING. FURTHER RESEARCH CONFIRMS THIS DEFECT BEYOND THE STATED 2010- 2013 RECALL.

NHTSA ODI #11402600

80,000 miles · Mar 5, 2021
Engine

I JUST DROPPED MY KIDS OFF AT SCHOOL AND WAS HEADED HOME WHEN MY CAR STARTED STALLING, AND OIL PRESSURE LOW WARNING CAME ON. A FEW MINUTES DOWN THE ROAD, THE ENGINE POWER LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR TURNED OFF WHILE DRIVING. I STARTED IT AGAIN LONG ENOUGH TO ROLL INTO A PARKING LOT BESIDE ME. I'VE HAD MY CAR TOWED 3TIMES, FIRST TO…

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I JUST DROPPED MY KIDS OFF AT SCHOOL AND WAS HEADED HOME WHEN MY CAR STARTED STALLING, AND OIL PRESSURE LOW WARNING CAME ON. A FEW MINUTES DOWN THE ROAD, THE ENGINE POWER LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR TURNED OFF WHILE DRIVING. I STARTED IT AGAIN LONG ENOUGH TO ROLL INTO A PARKING LOT BESIDE ME. I'VE HAD MY CAR TOWED 3TIMES, FIRST TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP WHO QUOTED ME A $1,400 FIX FOR A SEAL REPAIR, AFTER THEY HAD DONE A DIAGNOSTIC INSPECTION. I WAS ALSO TOLD THEY COULD ASSIST IN A TRADE IN BECAUSE OF THE REPAIRS NEEDED. I WOULD FIRST NEED TO PAY FOR IT TO BE FIXED. I GOT TWO OTHER OPINIONS AT RESPECTABLE GARAGES WHO SAID IT WAS MY REAR MAIN SEAL AND BOTH QUOTED $2,400. I HAD TO GET A LOAN TO PAY FOR REPAIRS. FOLLOWING THE FIX, THE MECHANIC TEST DROVE IT AND SAID THE BRAND NEW SEAL BLEW AGAIN. THEY DID RESEARCH AND SAW THERE IS A MANUFACTURER MALFUNCTION WITH THE ENGINE AND TO COMPLETE THE TASKS TO RECONFIGURE MY ENGINE SO IT COULD WORK PROPERLY AND THE SAME PROBLEM NOT HAPPEN, IT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL $800 BUT THERE'S NO GUARANTEE IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. WITH MY FIRST STOP BEING THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP, I AM UPSET I'VE HAD TO PAY OVER $3,000 ON MY CAR AND NOW IT'S NOT EVEN GUARANTEED TO BE FIXED. CHEVY MECHANICS SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT THIS ISSUE WHEN I ORIGINALLY TOOK MY CAR THERE. IT'S BEEN A MONTH NOW I'VE BEEN WITHOUT A CAR. AS A SINGLE MOTHER, I'VE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY HAVING TO RENT CARS AND USING UBER/LYFT WHEN THIS PROBLEM SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED A MONTH AGO WHEN I ORIGINALLY SOUGHT THE DEALERSHIP' HELP.

NHTSA ODI #11399297

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.

Go deeper into Chevrolet Equinox problems