Reliable Auto DB

2016 Chevrolet Equinox reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox holds 396 complaints after 11 years, a rate of 15 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 1 recall on file, including Labels.

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

396

Per year

15

Recalls

1

Years on the road

11

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (201 of 396), then Visibility and wipers (114) and Powertrain (26). Those filings include 14 that report a crash, 3 that report a fire, and 14 that report an injury.

Next to 2015 and 2017

The 2015 Equinox has 679 complaints, 17 per year, and the 2017 has 273 complaints, 10 per year. The 2016 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2015. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2017.

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 2016 Chevrolet Equinox. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall Labels 2016-06-21 · NHTSA campaign 16V449000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles manufactured October 16, 2015. The certification labels may have incorrect tire/rim size and cold tire pressure information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the certification label, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1050, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 46600.

Complaints by component (396 total)

Engine
201
Visibility and wipers
114
Powertrain
26
Electrical system
24
Fuel and propulsion system
19
Air bags
12
Engine and engine cooling
9
Speed control
9
Steering
7
Electronic stability control (ESC)
6
Structure
6
Visibility
6
Service brakes
5
Wheels
5
Suspension
3
Exterior lighting
2
Fuel system, gasoline
2
Forward collision avoidance
1
Hydraulic brakes
1
Lane departure
1
Seat belts
1
Seats
1
Tires
1
Show 15 more Show less
Crash-flagged

14

Fire-flagged

3

Injury reports

14

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

12015142016142017172018382019432020302021532022742023542024432025152026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Wipers just stopped working on the highway in a very bad rain storm, when I was taking my daughter to school. We could not see and had to put our hazards on and somehow carefully pull off to the side of the road. We…"
    Visibility and wipers · filed 2026-09-23
  • "In February of 2025, while driving my 2016 Chevy Equinox home from work, I heard a loud pop and loss of engine power a block from home. The weather conditions at the time were below freezing and light snow. After…"
    Engine · filed 2026-08-22
  • "Wipers stopped working while driving in the rain"
    Visibility and wipers · filed 2026-08-21
  • "Wipers stopped working in the pouring down rain. Couldn’t see anything"
    Visibility and wipers · filed 2026-08-14
  • ": "I live in my car. The 2016 Equinox 2.4L burned all its oil in 2 weeks with no leaks, failed to give a dashboard warning, and the engine is now knocking, threatening to leave me unsheltered." This ties my vehicle's…"
    Unknown or other, Engine · filed 2026-07-14

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2016 Chevrolet Equinox SUV AWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2016 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 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 all-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 6-speed All-wheel drive 16 23 18 MPG $3600
Equinox front-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 17 24 20 MPG $3250
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

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 2015 Chevrolet Equinox Next year 2017 Chevrolet Equinox See every Chevrolet Equinox model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox holds 396 complaints after 11 years, a rate of 15 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 1 recall on file, including Labels.

What are common problems with a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (201 of 396), then Visibility and wipers (114) and Powertrain (26). Those filings include 14 that report a crash, 3 that report a fire, and 14 that report an injury.

Is the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2015 Equinox has 679 complaints, 17 per year, and the 2017 has 273 complaints, 10 per year. The 2016 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2015. The 2016 has more complaints per year than the 2017.

Has the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox been recalled?

The 2016 Chevrolet Equinox has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox?

Owners have filed 396 complaints about the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2016 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.