2011 Chevrolet EQUINOX problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
782 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
80,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2011 model year. Data snapshot: . 629 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 386 of 782 complaints (49.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine operation | 142 | 18.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 102 | 13.0% |
| Braking behavior | 51 | 6.5% |
| Steering behavior | 48 | 6.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 29 | 3.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 27 | 3.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 386 |
| Power Train | 139 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 69 |
| Electrical System | 68 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 61 |
| Unknown Or Other | 57 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 55 |
| Air Bags | 52 |
Engine: 386; Power Train: 139; Visibility/Wiper: 69; Electrical System: 68; Fuel/Propulsion System: 61; Unknown Or Other: 57; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 55; Air Bags: 52
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 103 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 67 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 116 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 127 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 181 |
| 150,000 and above | 35 |
Under 25,000: 103; 25,000 to 49,999: 67; 50,000 to 74,999: 116; 75,000 to 99,999: 127; 100,000 to 149,999: 181; 150,000 and above: 35
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (181). 153 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 47 |
| 2012 | 29 |
| 2013 | 33 |
| 2014 | 60 |
| 2015 | 65 |
| 2016 | 74 |
| 2017 | 84 |
| 2018 | 98 |
| 2019 | 116 |
| 2020 | 52 |
| 2021 | 37 |
| 2022 | 30 |
| 2023 | 26 |
| 2024 | 11 |
| 2025 | 11 |
| 2026 | 8 |
2010: 1; 2011: 47; 2012: 29; 2013: 33; 2014: 60; 2015: 65; 2016: 74; 2017: 84; 2018: 98; 2019: 116; 2020: 52; 2021: 37; 2022: 30; 2023: 26; 2024: 11; 2025: 11; 2026: 8
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 142 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 102 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 51 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10415269 · 2011-07-26 (July 26, 2011)
TL* THE CONTACT OWN A 2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED AS THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS NOT PERFORMED. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE OF THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,212.
Owner-reported narrative. 9,212 miles reported. Look up ODI 10415269 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10418550 · 2011-08-11 (August 11, 2011)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHIFTING FROM FIRST AND THIRD GEAR, THE ENGINE WOULD REV AND THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10418550 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10383992 · 2011-02-22 (February 22, 2011)
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 THAT NO LIGHTS ARE LEFT ON. I REPORTED IT TO THE DEALER I PURCHASED IT FROM AND HE SAID TO TAKE IT TO A CHEV. DEALER AND HAVE THEM CHECK THE BATTERY AND ALSO RUN A PERASTATIC DRAW TEST ON IT. THE ONE DEALER I CALLED DID NOT SEEM INTERESTED IN DOING …
Owner-reported narrative. 623 miles reported. Look up ODI 10383992 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10403976 · 2011-06-01 (June 1, 2011)
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. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10403976 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10418769 · 2011-08-08 (August 8, 2011)
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 AND REAPPLIED BRAKE PRESSURE AND IT WORKED JUST IN TIME. IF I WAS AT A HIGHER SPEED I COULD HAVE KILLED A PEDESTRIAN AND THEY WOULD HAVE BLAMED ME AFTER THE COPS VERIFIED BRAKES WORKED FOR THEM. APPROX. MILEAGE 750
Owner-reported narrative. 300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10418769 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10426992 · 2011-09-23 (September 23, 2011)
I WAS DRIVING ON A FOUR LANE STREET WITH TWO LANES GOING SOUTH WITH A MEDIAN IN THE MIDDLE AND TWO LANES GOING NORTH. I WAS IN THE LEFT HAND LANE GOING SOUTH TOWARDS 1-70 AND WAS GOING AROUND A SLIGHT CORNER TOWARDS THE LEFT AND TRIED TO STRAIGHTEN OUT MY WHEEL AND MY WHEEL WAS STUCK TURNING LEFT. I TRIED AGAIN TO GET MY WHEEL TO STRAIGHTEN OUT, AND IT WAS STUCK. I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE AND WENT OVER THE MEDIAN SEPARATING THE 4 WAY LANES. I HIT A LARGE STREET SIGNS AND MULTIPLE REFLECTORS ON THE MEDIAN. UPON IMPACT MULTIPLE …
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10426992 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10384211 · 2011-02-23 (February 23, 2011)
ON 2/21/11, I WAS OPERATING MY 2010 CHEVY "EQUINOX" ON I-95. AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR AND HALF START I BEGAN TO HAVE STEERING PROBLEMS. TRAVELING AT A SUSTAINED SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 70MPH I BEGAN TO NOTICE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS STICKING, WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO PASS A SLOWER VEHICLE. THE LONGER I TRAVELED, THE PROBLEM BECAME MORE NOTICEABLE. THIS SITUATION CONTINUED FOR AT LEAST FOUR HOURS, UNTIL I LEFT THE INTERSTATE AND ENTERED A SECONDARY HIGHWAY, WHERE THE SPEED WAS SLOWER AND MORE TRAFFIC, WHICH REQUIRED MORE MOVEMENT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. …
Owner-reported narrative. 26,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10384211 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10391948 · 2011-03-16 (March 16, 2011)
OUR 2011 EQUINOX HAS JUST NOW STARTED SHOWING SOME "FRICTION" IN THE STEERING MECHANISM WHEN MAKING SLIGHT STEERING CORRECTIONS WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE CONDITION IS MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN STARTING TO TURN LEFT. IT IS BARELY NOTICEABLE AT LOWER SPEEDS BUT CAN BE DETECTED. THE EQUINOX WAS PUT INTO SERVICE IN SEPTEMBER 2010. "FRICTION" IS MY WORD CHOICE; THIS BEING AN ALL ELECTRIC POWER STEERING THE PROBLEM MIGHT WELL BE SOME OTHER CONDITION.
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10391948 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10386743 · 2011-03-07 (March 7, 2011)
HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP ON 2011 CHEVY EQUINOX 4 CYLINDER LEAKS AND CONTAMINATES ENGINE OIL WITH FUEL. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 720 miles reported. Look up ODI 10386743 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10418954 · 2011-08-11 (August 11, 2011)
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 ILLUMINATING. THE DEALER REPLACED THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP, FUEL RAIL PRESSURE SENSOR AND AN ATTEMPTED REPAIR OF THE PCM AND THE REPROGRAMMING OF THE TAC. THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE DEFECTS. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10418954 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10384373 · 2011-02-24 (February 24, 2011)
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 ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM AND ON THE REPLY NAMED ME AS "FRANK", NOT MY NAME AT ALL. IT TOOK THREE TRIES TO JUMP START THE CAR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 1,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10384373 at NHTSA ↗