2018 Chevrolet EQUINOX problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
403 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
21,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2018 model year. Data snapshot: . 187 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Service Brakes is the most frequently named component, appearing in 117 of 403 complaints (29.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 158 | 39.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 37 | 9.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 29 | 7.2% |
| Engine operation | 19 | 4.7% |
| Steering behavior | 19 | 4.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 14 | 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 |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 117 |
| Engine | 85 |
| Power Train | 65 |
| Electrical System | 55 |
| Unknown Or Other | 55 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 32 |
| Structure:Body | 16 |
| Air Bags | 15 |
Service Brakes: 117; Engine: 85; Power Train: 65; Electrical System: 55; Unknown Or Other: 55; Fuel/Propulsion System: 32; Structure:Body: 16; Air Bags: 15
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 96 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 26 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 26 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 13 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 18 |
| 150,000 and above | 8 |
Under 25,000: 96; 25,000 to 49,999: 26; 50,000 to 74,999: 26; 75,000 to 99,999: 13; 100,000 to 149,999: 18; 150,000 and above: 8
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (96). 216 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 |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 9 |
| 2018 | 48 |
| 2019 | 44 |
| 2020 | 45 |
| 2021 | 37 |
| 2022 | 42 |
| 2023 | 41 |
| 2024 | 48 |
| 2025 | 35 |
| 2026 | 54 |
2017: 9; 2018: 48; 2019: 44; 2020: 45; 2021: 37; 2022: 42; 2023: 41; 2024: 48; 2025: 35; 2026: 54
Pattern summary
Service Brakes leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 158 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 37 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 29 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 11019976 · 2017-08-27 (August 27, 2017)
THIS VEHICLE WAS SOLD AS HAVING A TOW PKG WITH THE CAPABILITY OF PULLING A 3500 LB TRAILER. THERE IS NO BRAKE HARNESS AVAILABLE ON THIS CAR (A SEPARATE CAB BRAKE CONTROL IS A LEGAL REQUIREMENT IN EVERY STATE BASED ON TOW LOADS, MICHIGAN IS 3000 LBS.) DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGES THEY CAN'T LOCATE IT, WE HAVE A COMPLAINT FILED WITH GM 8-3144268897 I FEEL THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH OR INJURY OR DEATH. WE HAVE HAD MANY TRAILERS AND RECOGNIZE THAT THIS CAB BRAKE CONTROLLER IS A NECESSITY IN PULLING A TRAILER. PEOPL…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11019976 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11030469 · 2017-09-29 (September 29, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT INDEPENDENTLY ROLLED AWAY AND REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. C&O MOTORS (516 MACCORKLE AVE, ST ALBANS, WV) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V516000(POWER TRAIN) AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WHEN PARKING THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 700.... .UPDATED 11/16/17 *BF CONSUMER…
Owner-reported narrative. 700 miles reported. Look up ODI 11030469 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11057692 · 2017-12-30 (December 30, 2017)
I HAVE A 2018 EQUINOX WITH 4800 MILES ON IT AND THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON THE VEHICLE. I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON THE ENGINE S RPM EXCELERATED AND THEN THE VEHICLE STOPPED EXCELERATING AND STARTED COASTING. I COASTED INTO A BUSINESS AND TRIED TO GO FORWARD AND BACKWARD AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE NEARBY CHEV DEALER WHO CONDUCTED SOME TESTS AND IT WAS DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION WAS OUT AND I WOULD TAKE ABOUT 10 DAYS TP GET ANOTHER ONE. WE WERE DRIVING FROM ILLINOIS TO FLORID…
Owner-reported narrative. 4,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 11057692 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11073166 · 2018-02-15 (February 15, 2018)
MY 2018 CHEVROLET EQUINOX HAS NOT BEEN SHIFTING INTO HIGH GEAR (6TH) FOR SEVERAL WEEKS NOW. I BROUGHT IT INTO A CHEVY DEALER NEAR ME, AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS A NORMAL CONDITION FOR THIS VEHICLE, WHEN THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE IS BELOW 14 DEGREES.. THE SERVICE MANAGER CITED A GM TSB #18-NA-035. THIS TSB INSTRUCTS THE DEALER TO INFORM THE OWNER THAT THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING NORMALLY, AND INSTRUCTS THE DEALER NOT TO ATTEMPT ANY REPAIRS. THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION TO ME. AT HIGHWAYS SPEEDS THE ENGINE RPM IS RUNNING HI…
Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11073166 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11002082 · 2017-06-29 (June 29, 2017)
WHILE DRIVING WITH TWO CHILDREN IN THE CAR PLUS MYSELF THE DRIVER ON THE FREEWAY STRAIGHT. THE VEHICLE STARTED PULLING TOWARDS THE RIGHT AND ALMOST CAUSING A COLLISION. THEN THE WARNING SCREEN STARTED BRINGING UP WARNINGS OF MULTIPLE ISSUES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN IMMEDIATELY AND SO THEY TRIED TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUES AND PUT 200+ MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND THE THE WARNINGS DID NOT COME BACK ON SO A FEW DAYS LATER THEY SAID THE VEHICLE IS FINE AND TO BE PICKED UP. WHILE DRIVING A WEEK LATER WITH THE KIDS IN THE VEHICLE THE CAR STARTED PULLING AND…
Owner-reported narrative. 750 miles reported. Look up ODI 11002082 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11073587 · 2018-02-19 (February 19, 2018)
I BOUGHT MY CAR TO BE DINGHY TOWED. THAT MEANS THE CAR IS PULLED BEHIND A MOTORHOME WITH ALL 4 WHEELS ON THE GROUND.MY FIRST PROBLEM WAS THE BATTERY WAS DYING WHEN IT WAS BEING TOWED. MY NEXT PROBLEM WAS THAT THE BRAKES LOCKED UP WHEN IT WAS BEING TOWED CAUSING THE REAR TIRES TO BE GROUND DOWN PAST THE TREAD INTO THE BELT SECTION OF THE TIRES.IF ANOTHER MOTORIST HADN'T WARNED ME I WOULD HAVE HAD 2 BLOWOUTS IN THE NEXT MINUTE OR 2.WHEN I PULLED OVER I HAD A ABS WARNING ON MY CONTROL PANEL. I REPLACED THE REAR TIRES. I HAVE THE COMPUTER DIAGNOSTI…
Owner-reported narrative. 9,401 miles reported. Look up ODI 11073587 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11129936 · 2018-09-17 (September 17, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BATTERY INDICATOR ILLUMINATED, AND THE VEHICLE STALLED AND FAILED TO START. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. ROADSIDE SERVICE CHANGED THE BATTERY AND THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS DESIGNED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER (BOB STEELE CHEVROLET, 2800 FLORIDA 520, COCOA, FL 32926, [phone removed]) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD CALL HIM BACK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE …
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11129936 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11130696 · 2018-09-21 (September 21, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE FUEL LINE FAILED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. IMMEDIATELY AFTER, AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF FUEL SPILLED ONTO THE GROUND FROM THE VEHICLE. A DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. GENERAL MOTORS ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 4,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11130696 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11032088 · 2017-10-06 (October 6, 2017)
I WAS ABLE TO WALK IN FRONT OF MY EQUINOX, IN DRIVE, (UNKOWN TO ME) THINKING THAT THE CAR WAS IN PARK.. START BUTTON IS INVISIBLE WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS ALIGNED PROPERLY AND TO SMALL TO SEE, AND THE LIGHTS ON IT ARE TOO SMAIL. EXTERIOR TURN SIGNAL NOT VISIBLE IN DAYLIGHT. NO SUNSCREEN BANNER ACROSS FRONT WINDSHIELD
Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11032088 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11081533 · 2018-03-27 (March 27, 2018)
VEHICLE FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT ACCURATELY REGISTER THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN FUEL TANK. WILL NOT REGISTER "FULL" EVEN WHEN FUEL IS FLOWING OUT OF FILLER TUBE. WHEN GAUGE BEGINS TO REGISTER "EMPTY" AND DISTANCE REMAINING APPROACHES "0", IT TAKE LESS THAN 10 GALLONS TO FILL THE 15 GALLON TANK. THIS CREATES THE SITUATION WHERE THE DRIVER POTENTIALLY DRIVES THE VEHICLE ON REMAINING FUEL AND THEN RUNS OUT BECAUSE DRIVER IS UNABLE TO DETERMINE ACTUAL QUANTITY OF FUEL REMAINING. THIS HAS POTENTIAL TO CREATE A HAZARDOUS SITUATION IF IT OCCURS ON A CONGEST…
Owner-reported narrative. 700 miles reported. Look up ODI 11081533 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11195880 · 2019-04-12 (April 12, 2019)
I TURNED ON MY CAR AND THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON TOOK IT TO THE DEAL THEY POKED THE GAS TANK FLAP AND RESET THE LIGHT SENSOR AND FOR NOW IT'S OFF. THE RADIO MEDIA SCREEN KEEP FREEZING ON BACK UP CAMERA.
Owner-reported narrative. 39,910 miles reported. Look up ODI 11195880 at NHTSA ↗