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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

What owners actually said

306 reports
Mileage unknown · May 24, 2023
Lane DepartureUnknown Or Other

All Wheel Drive System - 3/20/23 I was on a County maintained dirt road where adjacent property owner had put fencing, tires, & other trash in the road to stop public use. As I had all wheel drive I went up on a 3' +/- side berm to get around. When the front end was approximately at the top, car started to slip & rear passen…

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All Wheel Drive System - 3/20/23 I was on a County maintained dirt road where adjacent property owner had put fencing, tires, & other trash in the road to stop public use. As I had all wheel drive I went up on a 3' +/- side berm to get around. When the front end was approximately at the top, car started to slip & rear passenger tire "tried" to correct slip & car switched into low without my touching gear shift (I looked). From having a 2005 Equinox with AWD, I knew this was AWD going into action. When car did not change drive wheels like my 2005, I let off on the gas; turned nose downhill, slide/roll down hill. At bottom, I applied gas & car was still in low - it shouldn't have been with the emergency over. It stayed in low even as I applied more gas. I stopped car, put it in park; waited 2 +/- minutes for a reset. When I accelerated again, it was still in low. I put it into park & turn it off. Only after 2 +/- minutes off did car finally automatically switch gears as I accelerated. As I had 60,000 miles on the car & was advised by Victorville Chevy to have transmission service & did at Diamond Chevy, San Bernardino as Victorville Chevy would not even write up a work order after the "electronic check" device inserted into car failed to note a problem sitting in the parking lot. After "the check" at VV, I made an appointment at Diamond Chevy in San Bernardino. This car while having nothing on the CarFax had a broken rear bumper cover which was "repair" after I reported it just after purchase 5/21. Bumper then, didn't hold when I backed into wire gate. At the very least, styrofoam, was collapsed/broken in the prior to purchase accident and not repaired when the bumper cover was glued & painted. I was told my car was "safe" after the bumper "repair." My guess that a more than 3 mph rear collision would total the car. That is not safe in my opinion. PLEASE NOTE THESE WERE NOT THE ONLY TWO PROBLEMS. MY OPINION IS THAT IT IS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #11523740

Mileage unknown · May 20, 2023
Service Brakes

I was driving on the highway when suddenly my brakes became stuck and I was unable to stop. I was able to safely maneuver to the side of the highway with the help of quick thinking and my parking brake. However, no warning lights or messages appeared from my car directly prior to the event. Although I was safe, this could have h…

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I was driving on the highway when suddenly my brakes became stuck and I was unable to stop. I was able to safely maneuver to the side of the highway with the help of quick thinking and my parking brake. However, no warning lights or messages appeared from my car directly prior to the event. Although I was safe, this could have had a fatal outcome for either myself or other drivers on the highway had I not been able to move to the side of the highway quickly. My car is currently at a dealership for the weekend and I am awaiting them opening this week so they will be able to perform a full inspection. A sheriff presented to the scene when this happened as I had my hazard lights on while on the side of the road and he did a visual inspection of the hood of my car as well. I am extremely concerned regarding the unprompted failure of my brake system and lack of warning prior.

NHTSA ODI #11523026

80,000 miles · Apr 14, 2023
Engine And Engine CoolingService BrakesService Brakes, Hydraulic

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, he depressed the brake pedal however, the vehicle failed to respond. As a result, the contact had to apply pressure and pumped the brake pedal approximately ten to fifteen times before the vehicle stopped. The contact then e…

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The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, he depressed the brake pedal however, the vehicle failed to respond. As a result, the contact had to apply pressure and pumped the brake pedal approximately ten to fifteen times before the vehicle stopped. The contact then engaged the parking brake. The vehicle was taken to Tires Plus where it was diagnosed that the brake vacuum pump had exploded and caused damage to the camshaft. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was scheduled to take the vehicle to the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000

NHTSA ODI #11517126

90,000 miles · Apr 14, 2023
Service BrakesService Brakes, Hydraulic

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, she depressed the brake pedal to slow the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to respond. As a result, the contact had to apply pressure and pump the brake pedal several times to stop the vehicle. The contact w…

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The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, she depressed the brake pedal to slow the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to respond. As a result, the contact had to apply pressure and pump the brake pedal several times to stop the vehicle. The contact was able to navigate the vehicle off the roadway. The vehicle was then towed to Tires Plus where it was diagnosed that the brake vacuum pump malfunctioned and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

NHTSA ODI #11517123

Mileage unknown · Apr 12, 2023
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemUnknown Or Other

My 2020 Chevrolet Equinox, while accelerating, will give off a Service Warning "ESC", along with flashing check engine light, and continuous lighted oil & traction control. Once I pull over, shut the car down and restart it goes away. This happens at least once a month, and is very scary. I had taken it to the dealership befor…

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My 2020 Chevrolet Equinox, while accelerating, will give off a Service Warning "ESC", along with flashing check engine light, and continuous lighted oil & traction control. Once I pull over, shut the car down and restart it goes away. This happens at least once a month, and is very scary. I had taken it to the dealership before my warranty ended, and all they did was change a spark plug. This is a huge issue for a car that is less than 3 years old.

NHTSA ODI #11516664

Mileage unknown · Apr 11, 2023
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train

The equinox completely lost power (engine AND electrical) turned off while the vehicle was in drive on the road. Once at a complete stop, I pushed the brake and start button. The car attempted to start for a few seconds (clicking sound) then finally started back up. This is a major safety concern. Luckily I was able to get the…

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The equinox completely lost power (engine AND electrical) turned off while the vehicle was in drive on the road. Once at a complete stop, I pushed the brake and start button. The car attempted to start for a few seconds (clicking sound) then finally started back up. This is a major safety concern. Luckily I was able to get the car running again with no issues but if it had not turned back on, I would have been stranded on the road with no power to even put my emergency caution lights on. Thankfully I was not on the expressway going the speed limit or at a busy intersection. I could have been in a car accident because I was stalled with zero power to the entire vehicle. The vehicle was eventually towed to a Chevrolet dealership and the ECM was reprogrammed and the vehicle is back in my possession.

NHTSA ODI #11516502

Mileage unknown · Apr 11, 2023
Fuel/propulsion System

Vehicle failed to start while parked at a retail store. Vehicle was towed to a Chevrolet Dealer. Diagnosis revealed a fault fuel pump control module. Dealer declared the part not under warranty. Owner paid $566 for repair. GM Bulletin PIP5719A shows Identical failures being reported on a variety of models with a variety of …

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Vehicle failed to start while parked at a retail store. Vehicle was towed to a Chevrolet Dealer. Diagnosis revealed a fault fuel pump control module. Dealer declared the part not under warranty. Owner paid $566 for repair. GM Bulletin PIP5719A shows Identical failures being reported on a variety of models with a variety of engines. The problem appears to have been corrected with the 2021 model year. Owner feels the faulty fuel pump control module should be under warranty longer than 24,000 miles. Owner seeks reimbursement from the manufacturer.

NHTSA ODI #11516438

Mileage unknown · Apr 5, 2023
Forward Collision AvoidanceService Brakes

The brakes stop working

NHTSA ODI #11515697

Mileage unknown · Feb 15, 2023
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed on the highway, the vehicle stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact also stated that there was water intrusion into the passenger’s side taillight. The contact was made aware of TSB: 22-NA-170 and related the…

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The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed on the highway, the vehicle stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact also stated that there was water intrusion into the passenger’s side taillight. The contact was made aware of TSB: 22-NA-170 and related the failures to the battery and taillight. The contact made a local dealer aware of the failure; however, the vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was advised to file a complaint with the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI #11507463

Mileage unknown · Feb 14, 2023
Engine

i’ve been experiencing not one or twice but more than 5 times. when i’m about to stop my car stalled and can’t even used my hazard light which is not safe in the dark area. hope nhtsa will see this one to avoid future accident. oh brake sensor is already been replaces by the dealer last year. but it still keep on stalling.

NHTSA ODI #11507149

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