Reliable Auto DB

2015 Chevrolet Equinox reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 679 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Chevrolet Equinox over 12 years — 17 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Equinox years here — under the median of the other years, which is 23. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Motor and Side and window.

2012 Chevrolet Equinox
Photo by Ryan Daniel, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

679

Per year

17

Recalls

2

Years on the road

12

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Visibility and wipers (250 of 679), then Engine (227) and Powertrain (63). Those filings include 24 that report a crash, 6 that report a fire, and 13 that report an injury.

Next to 2014 and 2016

The 2014 Equinox has 548 complaints, 18 per year, and the 2016 has 396 complaints, 15 per year. The 2015 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2014. The 2015 has more complaints per year than the 2016.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2015 Chevrolet Equinox. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (2)

Recall visibility, windshield wiper, motor 2022-03-17 · NHTSA campaign 22V165000
Summary General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The ball joints in the windshield wiper module may corrode, causing one or both windshield wipers to fail.
Remedy Dealers will inspect the wiper module, and repair or replace it as necessary, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on April 21, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 25, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212352530.
Recall air bags, side and window 2015-10-16 · NHTSA campaign 15V666000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro, Equinox, Malibu, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The affected vehicles have front seat-mounted side impact air bags whose inflator may rupture upon its deployment.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side impact air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on October 19, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 01320.

Complaints by component (679 total)

Visibility and wipers
250
Engine
227
Powertrain
63
Electrical system
45
Air bags
37
Fuel and propulsion system
31
Visibility
29
Electronic stability control (ESC)
15
Service brakes
15
Steering
14
Speed control
13
Structure
10
Suspension
7
Wheels
6
Engine and engine cooling
4
Fuel system, gasoline
4
Seat belts
4
Seats
4
Exterior lighting
3
Tires
3
Back-over prevention
1
Equipment
1
Forward collision avoidance
1
Hydraulic brakes
1
Show 16 more Show less
Crash-flagged

24

Fire-flagged

6

Injury reports

13

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

10201516201625201770201813020191172020772021962022522023412024302025152026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "1. High Pressure Fuel Pump, and yes. 2. Car will stall out unless I put it into neutral, shakes on shut down and sometimes starts scary fast. With the car caring my children in a busy town this is a HUGE safety hazard…"
    Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-08-03
  • "Front turn indicator lights have gone out. Unfortunately, due to Chevy's vehicle design, the bulbs can only be replaced by pulling the bumper off in total and replacing bulbs. Then, putting entire bumper system back.…"
    Electrical system, Exterior lighting · filed 2026-06-02
  • "Rear main seal has blown three times since I purchased my vehicle from Carvana. I’ve pulled the engine out myself as I cannot afford another $3,500 at the shop. I’m a single income household that makes too much for…"
    Engine · filed 2026-05-19
  • "The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started shaking abnormally before unintendedly decelerating. The vehicle was taken to the dealer,…"
    Engine · filed 2026-04-28
  • "Burns Oil so bad I don't need to change oil. I put about a quart of oil in it a week. Car runs rough. Sometimes overheating and sounds loud when low on oil. This occurs on a consistent regular basis since aquiring in…"
    Engine · filed 2026-04-09

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2015 Chevrolet Equinox SUV AWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2015 Chevrolet Equinox SUV FWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Equinox all-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 6-speed All-wheel drive 16 23 19 MPG $3400
Equinox all-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed All-wheel drive 20 28 23 MPG $2800
Equinox all-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed All-wheel drive 20 28 23 MPG $2800
Equinox front-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 22 31 26 MPG $2500
Equinox front-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 22 31 26 MPG $2500
Equinox front-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 17 24 19 MPG $3400

Specs and fitment

2nd generation, 2012–2017
Body styles SUV
Oil 5W-30 (4-cylinder); 5W-30 (V6 where equipped) , 5 qt capacity
Tire size 225/65R17 to 235/55R19 (trim-dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Owner complaints for mid-generation years (especially 2013) concentrate on the engine and visibility/wipers. Recall 16V-582 covers certain 2013 Equinox and Terrain vehicles: ball joints in the windshield wiper module may corrode and wear until one or both wipers stop working; dealers repair the AIP hole and inspect and replace the front wiper module as needed. Recall 14V-447 covers certain 2010-2012 Equinox vehicles with power height-adjustable front seats: the bolt securing the seat height adjuster may fall out, so the seat may move unexpectedly and increase injury risk in a crash. Recall 11V-511 covers certain 2012 Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles that do not comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 138 for tire pressure monitoring.

Compare

Previous year 2014 Chevrolet Equinox Next year 2016 Chevrolet Equinox See every Chevrolet Equinox model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2015 Chevrolet Equinox reliable?

Owners have filed 679 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Chevrolet Equinox over 12 years — 17 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Equinox years here — under the median of the other years, which is 23. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Motor and Side and window.

What are common problems with a 2015 Chevrolet Equinox?

The complaints owners file most often name Visibility and wipers (250 of 679), then Engine (227) and Powertrain (63). Those filings include 24 that report a crash, 6 that report a fire, and 13 that report an injury.

Is the 2015 Chevrolet Equinox more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2014 Equinox has 548 complaints, 18 per year, and the 2016 has 396 complaints, 15 per year. The 2015 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2014. The 2015 has more complaints per year than the 2016.

Has the 2015 Chevrolet Equinox been recalled?

The 2015 Chevrolet Equinox has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2015 Chevrolet Equinox?

Owners have filed 679 complaints about the 2015 Chevrolet Equinox with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2015 Chevrolet Equinox get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2015 Chevrolet Equinox is 22.7 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What generation is the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox?

3rd generation (2018-2024).

What engine oil does a Chevrolet Equinox use?

5W-30 (4-cylinder); 5W-30 (V6 where equipped)

What does NHTSA recall 16V-582 cover on the Chevrolet Equinox?

Recall 16V-582 covers certain 2013 Equinox and Terrain vehicles: ball joints in the windshield wiper module may corrode and wear until one or both wipers stop working; dealers repair the AIP hole and inspect and replace the front wiper module as needed.