Chevrolet · NHTSA safety record
Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.
271
Complaints
18
Crashes
4
Fires
14
Injuries
0
Deaths
Owners of the 2017 Chevrolet Equinox have filed 271 safety complaints with NHTSA between January 2017 and July 2026. The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 178 of them (66%). The typical failure was reported at 68,000 miles, the median across the 93 complaints that gave an odometer reading.
No recall campaign was matched to this year, make and model. That is not the same as a clean vehicle: recalls are issued against production ranges, and the only reliable check is your own VIN.
Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 271.
By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2025 at 59.
Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.
5 injured
The exhaust is coming into the cab. Was told that Chevy is allowed to kill people slowly with carbon dioxide poisoning. Also was told NHTSA is paid by Chevy to keep the information of the exhaust issue under wrapps. I understand killing babies is no crime in the liberal world but I am not an ugly liberal.
NHTSA complaint 11500693. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
3 injured · crash · towed · 28,590 miles
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHERE ANOTHER CAR HIT ME IN THE PASSENGER SIDE UP FRONT IN A HARD CRASH.THE ENTIRE FRONT END AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED FRAME RAILS WERE BENT AND AC COMPONENTS WAS IN THE MOTOR.AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY INSURANCE TOTALED THE VEHICLE 17,200 OF DAMAGES
NHTSA complaint 11129674. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
2 injured · crash · towed · 188,000 miles
AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY OR COME OUT UPON EXTREMELY HIGH IMPACT: THE AIR BAGS IN MY 2017 EQUINOX DID NOT DEPLOY OUT OR COME OUT WHEN WE WHERE HIT AT A EXTREMELY HIGH IMPACT FROM THE HIT AND RUN DRIVER AND THE IMPACT CAUSED US TO HIT HEAD ON INTO AN WHITE SUV THAT WAS IN FRONT OF US ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE STREET GOING SOUTH ON LARAMIE. MY FIANC WAS DRIVING AND I WAS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IN WE WAS GOING WEST ON EXPRESSWAY AND WE HAD EXITED OF LARAMIE AND HARRISON. FIANC LASHANTI SCOTT THAT'S ON MY INSURANCE ON THE MY 2017 EQUINOX WAS DRIVING SO WE MADE AN RIGHT TURN ON LARAMIE GOING NORTH TOWARDS LARAMIE AND HARRISON. AS WE WHERE APPROACHING AND CROSSINGS THE LIGHT THAT WAS GREEN AT THE
NHTSA complaint 11360174, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
1 injured · crash · towed · 54,000 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that as his wife attempted to make a left turn at 5 MPH, another vehicle hit the front passenger side of her vehicle at approximately 40 MPH. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. His wife was taken to the hospital by ambulance and was treated for an injury to her right knee as well as chest pain. The other driver sought medical treatment after the accident; however, their injuries, if any, are unknown. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was deemed a total loss. A police report was filed. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be destroyed. The
NHTSA complaint 11465107, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
My car was in Clarksburg Crown, Mitsubishi, and a lot that had no monitoring, and it was a sticker saying the car was not ready to be sold, and I still went with it trusting the crown Mitsubishi Car associate however there are fuses added to my car weather from them or from car auto tunes in Morgantown I’m not sure but my car has the ability to run without my foot on the gas or things happening to my to my acceleration
NHTSA complaint 11753998. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
130,000 miles
The contact owns a 2017 Equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced oil consumption failures. While examine the vehicle he contact discover very little oil was present although oil was recently added to the engine. The oil light warning light did not display and no oil leaks were present. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who was unable to determined the cause of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. . The failure mileage was 130,000.
NHTSA complaint 11736946. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
2017 Chevrolet Equinox Premier certified pre-owned vehicle experienced multiple safety-related defects. 1. REPEATED STARTING FAILURES (electrical/battery/starter system): - March 17, 2026: Complete battery failure, vehicle would not start. AAA/GM Roadside Assistance called. Dealer inspected but could not diagnose root cause or explain battery drain. Preceded by unusually loud windshield wiper motor and engine noise (March 15). - April 13, 2026 (4:01pm): Engine failed to turn over twice in parking lot before starting on third attempt. SAFETY RISK: Sudden starting failures create stranding hazard and risk of being rear-ended in traffic. 2. WATER INTRUSION THROUGH HEADLINER
NHTSA complaint 11732611, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
MY CAR STARTED TO USE A LOT OF OIL, AND UPON MY REGULAR OIL CHANGES IT WOULD ALWAYS BE VERY LOW, BUT OIL WAS NOT LEAKING OUT OF THE CAR. IT GOT TO THE POINT THAT I HAD TO PUT OIL IN OFTEN TO OPERATE THE CAR. IT GOT TO THE POINT THAT IT WOULD CUT OFF ON ME IN SCHOOL LINES. AFTER DEALING WITH THIS OVER A PERIOD OF TIME IT SOUNDED SO BAD THAT THE EXPRESS OIL CHANGE FACILITIES REFUSED TO CHANGE MY OIL BECAUSE THEY SAID IT WAS AN ENGINE PROBLEM. SO I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE 2 MONTHS AFTER TOWING IT HOME. I HAVE 2 VEHICLE PAYMENTS, MY 2017 EQUINOX BEEN DOWN OVER A YEAR NOW. PLEASE ADD MY VIN # TO THE RECALL. IM EXPERIENCES THE SAME SYMPTOMS
NHTSA complaint 11729639. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
While driving to work in negative degree weather I got a message saying reduce engine power and before I could pull over it had lost all power. Having it towed and now needing a new engine I see im not the first one with this problem. I also still have a loan im paying for on a dead car. Idk why theres not a recall on this .
NHTSA complaint 11724211. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
I have had this car for a little under a year. In January of this year 2026, I was driving on the freeway when I received a. reduce engine power alert. Which caused me to immediately get off of the freeway put the car power down before I can make it another half a mile. After having it looked at several times what was thought to be a rear seal oil leak turned out to be a leak in the transmission. Repairs as of now our thoughts to be needing an entire new transmission. . Repairs as of now our thoughts to be needing a entire new transmission. I don’t understand why there is no recall for this specific situation. Upon my research, I have seen many complaints many concerns of the exact same
NHTSA complaint 11722146, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 60 | 1 | — |
| 2025 | 212 | 0 | — |
| 2024 | 71 | 1 | — |
| 2023 | 92 | 3 | — |
| 2022 | 160 | 5 | — |
| 2021 | 89 | 4 | — |
| 2020 | 299 | 4 | 1 |
| 2019 | 296 | 4 | — |
| 2018 | 397 | 5 | — |
| 2016 | 393 | 1 | — |
| 2015 | 679 | 2 | — |
| 2014 | 546 | 1 | — |
| 2013 | 749 | 2 | — |
| 2012 | 682 | 3 | — |
| 2011 | 781 | 3 | 2 |
| 2010 | 784 | 3 | — |
Every Chevrolet on this site — 298 vehicles, 747 recall campaigns and 5 open investigation s.
If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.
A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.
Compiled and maintained by guarledes
Independent developer and analyst