Chevrolet Equinox Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2011 draws 4.16 complaints per run and the 2019 1.67, a 2.5-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age, so 80.3% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Engine, with 2,674 complaints, typically at 6.3 years.

Chevrolet Equinox years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Chevrolet Equinox — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2026	1.66	58	35	too new
2025	2.38	233	98	too new
2024	1.35	77	57	too new
2023	1.48	95	64	too new
2022	1.9	177	93	too new
2021	1.67	97	58	too new
2020	1.9	311	164	yes
2019	1.67	293	175	yes
2018	2.12	399	188	yes
2017	3.51	270	77	yes
2016	3.26	388	119	yes
2015	3.35	659	197	yes
2014	2.91	513	176	yes
2013	3.29	708	215	yes
2012	3.71	635	171	yes
2011	4.16	724	174	yes
2010	4.48	703	157	yes
2009	1.54	80	52	yes
2008	2.75	294	107	yes
2007	11.08	576	52	yes
2006	8.98	512	57	yes
2005	8.3	465	56	yes

ROWS 22·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2011 Equinox asks a median $4,000, against $4,900 for a 2012, the next model year: about 18% less, so sellers do price some of the trouble in.

Among the 8 Chevrolet Equinox years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2011, 2012, 2015; the three worth hunting are 2019, 2020, 2018.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Chevrolet Equinox — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	673	8.3%	covered
1 year	487	14.3%	covered
2 years	438	19.7%	covered
3 years	711	28.5%	you pay
4 years	926	39.9%	you pay
5 years	1048	52.8%	you pay
6 years	975	64.8%	you pay
7 years	847	75.3%	you pay
8 years	753	84.6%	you pay
9 years	513	90.9%	you pay
10 years	290	94.5%	you pay
11 years	169	96.6%	you pay
12 years	122	98.1%	you pay
13 years	86	99.1%	you pay
14 years	42	99.7%	you pay
15 years	28	100%	you pay

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 19.7% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 80.3% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 44% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

What waits further out is Engine at 6.3 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Chevrolet Equinox — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Engine	2674	6.3 yrs	20	40
Electrical System	1082	4.9 yrs	23	29
Visibility/wiper	1053	5.5 yrs	4	2
Power Train	998	5.2 yrs	22	4
Fuel/propulsion System	779	5.2 yrs	18	11
Unknown Or Other	747	5.4 yrs	18	11
Service Brakes	688	4.7 yrs	66	4
Air Bags	567	5.7 yrs	174	7

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Equinox's vehicle class. Per production run, the Toyota RAV4 draws 2.31, the Jeep Wrangler 4.69 and the Honda CR-V 3.7, against 3.29 for the Equinox.

FIG.05·Chevrolet Equinox — rivals in the same class
Same class as the Equinox	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Toyota RAV4	9,332	168	1996–2026
Jeep Wrangler	16,434	285	1986–2026
Honda CR-V	15,948	207	1997–2026
Tesla Model Y	388	100	2020–2026
Mazda CX-5	2,211	33	2013–2026
Nissan Rogue	7,253	94	2008–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Chevrolet Equinox

Recalls64 campaigns Fuel economy109 mpg best Common problems9,101 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space30 cu ft Used prices8,855 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car2005–2026

Frequently asked questions

Is the Chevrolet Equinox reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 3.29 against 3.73 for the average car, and in the middle of its class rivals.

Which Equinox years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2011, 2012, 2015. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2019, 2020, 2018. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do Equinox problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age. The most reported system is Engine, typically at 6.3 years, followed by Electrical System.

Will the warranty cover Equinox problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 19.7% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 44% of the complaints here.

Is the Equinox more reliable than the Toyota RAV4?

No: 3.29 complaints per production run for the Equinox against 2.31 for the Toyota RAV4.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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