2011 Chevrolet EQUINOX

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2011 Chevrolet EQUINOX has 1136 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 14.2x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (37% of all complaints), specifically: my engine light came on and then the car lost power. it did start back up again, but the engine light remained on until i got home. i was not on a busy street when this happened. this happened on a friday. i had it to the dealer on monday. the dealer did try to find the problem, but the engine light. ⚠️ 5 fire reports filed.

5 fire reports 34 crash reports 30 injuries

1136

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

14.2x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

418 complaints

37%

• MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE CAR LOST POWER. IT DID START BACK UP AGAIN, BUT THE ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON UNTIL I GOT HOME. I WAS NOT ON A BUSY STREET WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THIS HAPPENED ON A FRIDAY. I HAD IT TO THE DEALER ON MONDAY. THE DEALER DID TRY TO FIND THE PROBLEM, BUT THE ENGINE LIGHT
• TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING OUR 2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR LOST A LOT OF POWER. WE TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND THEY CLAIMED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT CONTROLLED THE STEERING. THEN, TWO WEEKS LATER, THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD, STRANGE, NOISE WHEN IT START
• 2011 CHEVY EQUINOX, VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTSDOWN WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING. THIS OCCURRED ONE TIME WHILE BACKING UP AND FIVE TIMES IN ONE DAY BEFORE WE TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER . VEHICLE ONLY HAD 50 DAYS OF PURCHASE AND ONLY 1077 MILES. THE ENGINE STOPPED WORKING, THE CAR IS MOVING FORWARD ON ITS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE CAR LOST POWER. IT DID START BACK UP AGAIN, BUT THE ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON UNTIL I GOT HOME. I WAS NOT ON A BUSY STREET WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THIS HAPPENED ON A FRIDAY. I HAD IT TO THE DEALER ON MONDAY. THE DEALER DID TRY TO FIND THE PROBLEM, BUT THE ENGINE LIGHT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

145 complaints

13%

• 2011 CHEVY EQUINOX TRANSMISSION AND ELECTRICAL ISSUES. TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING SMOOTHLY AND AT TIMES THE CAR WILL SEEM TO WANT TO DIE OUT. 6600 MILESAND I SEE ONLINE THAT OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. I DO NOT WANT MY WIFE TO BREAK DOWN OR GET INTO A CRASH BECAUSE OF THE TRANS NOT ENGAGING. *
• CHEVROLET EQUINOX TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. IT KICKBACK AT THIRD SHIFT. AT 20 MILES WHEN YOU PULL OUT GAS PEDAL THE TRANSMISSION IMPACT LIKE A KICKBACK. WE HAVE GONE TO THE DEALER ON TWO TIMES NOW, AND THEY SAID THAT'S NORMAL. *TR
• FAILURE 1: WHILE SLOWING AND BRAKING TO MAKE A TURN THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FOR ABOUT 2 TO 3 SECONDS WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE. MILEAGE WAS APPROX. 300. FAILURE 2: AT APPROX. 20 T0 25 MPH I APPLIED MODERATE BRAKING AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I THEN APPLIED FULL HARD PRESSURE AND NOTHING. I THEN RELEASED

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“2011 CHEVY EQUINOX TRANSMISSION AND ELECTRICAL ISSUES. TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING SMOOTHLY AND AT TIMES THE CAR WILL SEEM TO WANT TO DIE OUT. 6600 MILESAND I SEE ONLINE THAT OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. I DO NOT WANT MY WIFE TO BREAK DOWN OR GET INTO A CRASH BECAUSE OF THE TRANS NOT ENGAGING. *”

— NHTSA complaint filing

VISIBILITY

78 complaints

• VEHICLE WAS PARKED UNDER A CARPORT IN FULL SHADE. I OPENED THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, GOT IN, SHUT THE DOOR AS I ALWAYS DO, AND THE REAR GLASS EXPLODED OUTWARD. THERE WAS NO CHIP OR CRACK IN THE GLASS. WE TOOK MANY PICTURES OF THE GLASS WHERE IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE GLASS BURST OUTWARD, GLASS SPEWED ALL
• I PURCHASED A NEW 2011 CHEVY EQUINOX ON JULY 5 IN OHIO. ON JULY 13 I GOT INTO THE VEHICLE AND UPON CLOSING THE DOOR THE REAR WINDOW EXPLODED OUTWARDS. IT LEFT S SOFTBALL SIZED HOLE OR LARGER AND THE GLASS WAS ALSO FALLING OUR IN ALL FOUR CORNERS. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPEN
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE REAR WINDOWS WERE OPENED, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“VEHICLE WAS PARKED UNDER A CARPORT IN FULL SHADE. I OPENED THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, GOT IN, SHUT THE DOOR AS I ALWAYS DO, AND THE REAR GLASS EXPLODED OUTWARD. THERE WAS NO CHIP OR CRACK IN THE GLASS. WE TOOK MANY PICTURES OF THE GLASS WHERE IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE GLASS BURST OUTWARD, GLASS SPEWED ALL”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

74 complaints

• HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP ON 2011 CHEVY EQUINOX 4 CYLINDER LEAKS AND CONTAMINATES ENGINE OIL WITH FUEL. *TR
• MY WIFE TOOK OUR 2007 TAHOE IN TO TRADE IT FOR SOMETHING THAT GOT BETTER GAS MILEAGE. SHE WENT TO LIBERTY CHEVROLET IN VILLA RICA GA. SHE WAS LOOKING AT THE CHEVY EQUINOX. AFTER TALKING WITH THE SALES PERSON MELISSA BELL WHO ASSURED MY WIFE THE EQUINOX WOULD GET BETTER THAN 30 MPG. AND IF IT DIDN?T
• 2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DEFECTIVE VEHICLE OPERATION AND SAFETY *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES, DUE TO IT RUNNING ROUGH, LOSS OF POWER, AN OVERWHELMING SMELL OF GASOLINE, A STICKY ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 3 crashes

“HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP ON 2011 CHEVY EQUINOX 4 CYLINDER LEAKS AND CONTAMINATES ENGINE OIL WITH FUEL. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

73 complaints

• I PURCHASED A 2011 CHEV. EQUINOX ON 1/14/2011 AND THE BATTERY KEEPS GOING DEAD ON ME WHILE IT SITS IN MY GARAGE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE NOW. IT HAS 623 MILES ON IT. I DON'T DRIVE IT EVERY DAY BUT IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN I OPEN THE BACK HATCH AND CLOSE IT. I MAKE SURE IT IS SHUT TIGHT AND ALSO T
• 2011 CHEVY EQUINOX BATTERY FULLY DISCHARGED. CAR HAS 1300 MILES ON IT. CAR WAS IN GARAGE FOR TWO DAYS BEFORE STARTING. DEALERSHIP RECHARGED BATTERY AND DOESN'T SEEM TO WANT TO INVESTIGATE THIS FURTHER, SALES PERSON DOES NOT RETURN CALLS. GM ONLINE CUSTOMER SERVICE ONLY SENT AUTO REPLY WITHOUT AD
• TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING OUR 2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR LOST A LOT OF POWER. WE TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND THEY CLAIMED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT CONTROLLED THE STEERING. THEN, TWO WEEKS LATER, THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD, STRANGE, NOISE WHEN IT START

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 5 crashes

“I PURCHASED A 2011 CHEV. EQUINOX ON 1/14/2011 AND THE BATTERY KEEPS GOING DEAD ON ME WHILE IT SITS IN MY GARAGE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE NOW. IT HAS 623 MILES ON IT. I DON'T DRIVE IT EVERY DAY BUT IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN I OPEN THE BACK HATCH AND CLOSE IT. I MAKE SURE IT IS SHUT TIGHT AND ALSO T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

VISIBILITY(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 1136 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE CAR LOST POWER. IT DID START BACK UP AGAIN, BUT THE ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON UNTIL I GOT HOME. I WAS NOT ON A BUSY STREET WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THIS HAPPENED ON A FRIDAY. I HAD IT TO THE DEALER ON MONDAY. THE DEALER DID TRY TO FIND THE PROBLEM, BUT THE ENGINE LIGHT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: 2011 CHEVY EQUINOX TRANSMISSION AND ELECTRICAL ISSUES. TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING SMOOTHLY AND AT TIMES THE CAR WILL SEEM TO WANT TO DIE OUT. 6600 MILESAND I SEE ONLINE THAT OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. I DO NOT WANT MY WIFE TO BREAK DOWN OR GET INTO A CRASH BECAUSE OF THE TRANS NOT ENGAGING. *
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
VISIBILITY: VEHICLE WAS PARKED UNDER A CARPORT IN FULL SHADE. I OPENED THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, GOT IN, SHUT THE DOOR AS I ALWAYS DO, AND THE REAR GLASS EXPLODED OUTWARD. THERE WAS NO CHIP OR CRACK IN THE GLASS. WE TOOK MANY PICTURES OF THE GLASS WHERE IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE GLASS BURST OUTWARD, GLASS SPEWED ALL
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
FUEL SYSTEM: HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP ON 2011 CHEVY EQUINOX 4 CYLINDER LEAKS AND CONTAMINATES ENGINE OIL WITH FUEL. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)