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2020 Chevrolet Equinox

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2020 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

83 reports with mileage · 223 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.

  • Service Brakes. Review the 97 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 87 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 50 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 reports7 fire reports9 injury reports

Engine complaints

87 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jan 15, 2021
EngineService BrakesVehicle Speed Control

ROUGH IDLE WHEN VEHICLE COMES TO A STOP AND RPMS WILL FLUCTUATE. RATTLE NOISE FROM THE EXHAUST WHEN TURNING ON OR ON REVERSE. BRAKES RESPONDING LATE.

NHTSA ODI #11388377

5,000 miles · Nov 24, 2020
EngineStructureFire

AS THIS CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN DOWN THE HIGHWAY, ABOUT 10 MINUTES INTO MY DRIVE, SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE VEHICLE, I PULLED OVER, A PASSER BY RAN OVER TO ME TELLING ME TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE THAT FLAMES WERE SHOOTING OUT OF THE BOTTOM. AS SOON AS I EXITED THE CAR, THE ENTIRE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE ENTIRE CAR WAS B…

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AS THIS CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN DOWN THE HIGHWAY, ABOUT 10 MINUTES INTO MY DRIVE, SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE VEHICLE, I PULLED OVER, A PASSER BY RAN OVER TO ME TELLING ME TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE THAT FLAMES WERE SHOOTING OUT OF THE BOTTOM. AS SOON AS I EXITED THE CAR, THE ENTIRE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE ENTIRE CAR WAS BURNED TO THE GROUND. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. GM REFUSED TO RECALL THIS VEHICLE OR TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY.

NHTSA ODI #11376144

Mileage unknown · Nov 4, 2020
Engine

ENGINE LIGHT AND REDUCED ENGINE SPEED COME ON, DEALERSHIP STATES IT IS DUE TO BAD GAS. HAVE PURCHASED GAS FROM MULTIPLE VENUES OVER 6 MONTHS, ENGINE LIGHT WITH REDUCED SPEED HAS HAPPENED 4X IN 6 MONTHS .

NHTSA ODI #11372995

400 miles · Feb 7, 2020
EngineService Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE EXCESSIVELY. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JIM TRENARY CHEVROLET LOCATED AT 501 AUTO MALL DR, O'FALLON, MO 63368, WHERE …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE EXCESSIVELY. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO JIM TRENARY CHEVROLET LOCATED AT 501 AUTO MALL DR, O'FALLON, MO 63368, WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND REPAIR WAS STILL PENDING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 400. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #11307756

Mileage unknown · Jan 29, 2020
EngineSteering

THIS COMPLAINT IS NOT THE RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT, BUT TO PREVENT ONE FROM HAPPENING AND POSSIBLE TAKING LIVES OF PEOPLE. THE KEEP LANE ASSIST (LKA) IS DANGEROUS IN THAT IF YOU ARE DEPENDING ON IT. THERE ARE OCCASIONS THAT NORMAL TRAFFIC LINES ARE PRESENT AND FOR SOME REASON THE JUST DISAPPEAR AND ARE NOT PRESENT AND IT IS POSS…

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THIS COMPLAINT IS NOT THE RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT, BUT TO PREVENT ONE FROM HAPPENING AND POSSIBLE TAKING LIVES OF PEOPLE. THE KEEP LANE ASSIST (LKA) IS DANGEROUS IN THAT IF YOU ARE DEPENDING ON IT. THERE ARE OCCASIONS THAT NORMAL TRAFFIC LINES ARE PRESENT AND FOR SOME REASON THE JUST DISAPPEAR AND ARE NOT PRESENT AND IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE VEHICLE TO VEER OFF THE ROAD OR INTO THE OPPOSING LANE. GENERAL MOTORS DOES PROVIDE A MEANS OF TURNING LKA OFF, BUT IT RE-ENABLES EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS STARTED. THE AUTO STOP (AS) HAS THE ISSUE THAT IF YOU STOP AND YOUR VEHICLE STOPS RUNNING, YOU CAN BE IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU CANNOT GET OUT OF THE WAY IN TIME TO PREVENT AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAS TO HAVE TIME TO RESTART. OTHER MANUFACTURES PROVIDE A MEANS OF DISABLING AS WITH A SWITCH BUT GENERAL MOTORS DOES NOT. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND GENERAL MOTORS AND BOTH DECLINED TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ODI #11302773

4,000 miles · Jan 22, 2020
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

EQUINOX HAS 4636 MILES AND ALL THREE TIMES IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN IN SNOW A SERVICE ESC MESSAGE COMES ON DASH AND TRACTION CONTROL AND STABILITY CONTROL ARE TURNED OFF ALONG WITH AWD. ONE TIME WAS HIGHWAY DRIVING, AND OTHER TWO TIMES ON A LOCAL STREET. ALSO WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE DASH MESSAGE SAID REDUCED ENGINE POWER …

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EQUINOX HAS 4636 MILES AND ALL THREE TIMES IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN IN SNOW A SERVICE ESC MESSAGE COMES ON DASH AND TRACTION CONTROL AND STABILITY CONTROL ARE TURNED OFF ALONG WITH AWD. ONE TIME WAS HIGHWAY DRIVING, AND OTHER TWO TIMES ON A LOCAL STREET. ALSO WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE DASH MESSAGE SAID REDUCED ENGINE POWER (STAYED ON FOR 400 MILES/TWO DAYS) MAY REDUCE SPEEDS TO 50 MPH. RPM'S STARED RUNNING 1000 HIGHER TO MAINTAIN SPEED AND FUEL ECONOMY DROPPED ABOUT 8 MPG. GM MECHANIC DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO DIAGNOSE BUT SAID THE TURBO WAS FROZEN BECAUSE OF TEMPERATURES (-10 DEGREES) AND THAT IT NEEDED A WINTER FRONT AND NEW INTAKE TUBE. MECHANIC SAID HE HAS SEEN THIS PROBLEM OVER 10 TIMES WITH THE SAME ENGINE THAT DAY.

NHTSA ODI #11301223

2,376 miles · Dec 5, 2019
EnginePower Train

VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOST ENGINE RESPONSE REACTION TO ACCELERATION PEDDLE FROM A YIELD TURN INTO MAIN ROAD. FROM THE YIELD, SLOW ROLLING LESS THAN 1 MILE PER HOUR, I STEPPED ON THE GAS PEDDLE TO MERGE INTO THE MAIN ROAD AND THE VEHICLE HAD ZERO RESPONSE FOR NEARLY 30 FEET. IF THERE WAS A CAR COMING I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO …

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VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOST ENGINE RESPONSE REACTION TO ACCELERATION PEDDLE FROM A YIELD TURN INTO MAIN ROAD. FROM THE YIELD, SLOW ROLLING LESS THAN 1 MILE PER HOUR, I STEPPED ON THE GAS PEDDLE TO MERGE INTO THE MAIN ROAD AND THE VEHICLE HAD ZERO RESPONSE FOR NEARLY 30 FEET. IF THERE WAS A CAR COMING I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AVOID BEING COMPLETELY HIT IN THE SIDE. I PUMPED THE GAS PEDDLE IN AN ATTEMPT TO REGAIN ANY RESPONSE, AFTER SEVERAL PUMPS THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASED DRASTICALLY TO 3000 WITHOUT UPSHIFTING AT PROPER TIME AND THE VEHICLE SURGED AHEAD. ODOMETER READING 2376. 1200 MILE SERVICE COMPLETED. 2400 MILE VEHICLE SERVICE SCHEDULED. FILLED TANK 37.8 MILES PRIOR TO EVENT WITH 89 OCTANE. ROUGHLY 35 TO 40 DEGREES.

NHTSA ODI #11287044

Official recalls

4

23V339000 · Child Seat:vehicle Latch Anchor

May 11, 2023

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The four rear-seat lower child seat LATCH anchorage bars may have excessive powder coating, which could prevent a child seat from being installed with the anchorage bars. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: The inability to install a child seat with the LATCH anchorage bars could result in an unsecured child seat, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy: Owners are advised to install child seats using the vehicle's rear seat belts until the remedy is complete. Dealers will inspect the latch anchorage bars, and remove and replace the finish, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 2, 2023. 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 N232403240.

20V668000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Oct 29, 2020

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.

19V704000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:caliper

Oct 3, 2019

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Equinox vehicles. The rear brake calipers may have been produced with an incorrect lubricant, potentially causing the rubber seals to swell and the brakes to drag.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Brake drag may result in overheating of the brake pads, affecting the braking ability and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear brake calipers, including the brake hose gasket, brake fluid and wheel to hub lubricant, free of charge. The recall began October 29, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438. GM's number for this recall is N192270920.

19V667000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly

Sep 19, 2019

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Equinox all-wheel drive vehicles. The fuel tanks may have been manufactured with an improperly sealed seam, possibly allowing fuel to leak along the seam near the fuel inlet.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of the ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began October 24, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-586-596-1733. GM's number for this recall is N192271870.

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