Reliable Auto DB

2019 Chevrolet Equinox reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox holds 301 complaints after 8 years, a rate of 37 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Equinox years here — over the median of the other years, which is 23. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Automatic transmission, Tank, and Seats.

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

301

Per year

37

Recalls

4

Years on the road

8

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (100 of 301), then Service brakes (67) and Electrical system (43). Those filings include 22 that report a crash, 7 that report a fire, and 5 that report an injury.

Next to 2018 and 2020

The 2018 Equinox has 408 complaints, 49 per year, and the 2020 has 308 complaints, 30 per year. The 2019 has fewer complaints per year than the 2018. The 2019 has more complaints per year than the 2020.

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 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (4)

Recall powertrain, automatic transmission 2020-10-29 · NHTSA campaign 20V668000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.
Recall gasoline fuel system, storage, tank 2019-09-19 · NHTSA campaign 19V667000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Equinox all-wheel drive vehicles. The fuel tanks may have been manufactured with an improperly sealed seam, possibly allowing fuel to leak along the seam near the fuel inlet.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began October 24, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-586-596-1733. GM's number for this recall is N192271870.
Recall Seats 2019-03-07 · NHTSA campaign 19V184000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The rear-right seat may have insufficient welds on the head-restraint bracket.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear-right seatback frame, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192209550.
Recall hydraulic brakes, foundation components, disc, caliper 2018-08-30 · NHTSA campaign 18V576000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.

Complaints by component (301 total)

Engine
100
Service brakes
67
Electrical system
43
Fuel and propulsion system
40
Powertrain
36
Hydraulic brakes
13
Speed control
12
Air bags
11
Steering
9
Forward collision avoidance
7
Exterior lighting
6
Seats
6
Fuel system, gasoline
5
Engine and engine cooling
4
Seat belts
4
Electronic stability control (ESC)
3
Visibility and wipers
3
Back-over prevention
2
Lane departure
2
Structure
2
Tires
2
Visibility
2
Wheels
2
Adaptive and mobility equipment
1
Equipment
1
Suspension
1
Show 18 more Show less
Crash-flagged

22

Fire-flagged

7

Injury reports

5

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

22018602019252020242021252022342023482024482025352026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Car has less than 75,000 miles and needs a new transmission"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-09-04
  • "The power liftgate on my 2019 Chevrolet Equinox experienced a sudden mechanical failure without warning. I pushed the automatic liftgate button and the liftgate raised normally. Once raised, the upper mounting bolt…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-08-29
  • "While driving and turning on a flashing yellow arrow, I was hit by a truck and upon impact, my seatbelt came unbuckled and my body was thrusted into the dash, my Left knee took the impact from next to the steering wheel…"
    Seat belts · filed 2026-08-28
  • "Unusual engine noise inspection at 86011 miles determined engine failure do to metal shavings and particles found in engine oils and oil filter by GM Dealership wher serviced only by them at mileage intervals on record…"
    Engine · filed 2026-08-22
  • "Hard brake pedal and Service Assist message. This issue was recalled for trucks and larger SUVs but not the Equinox. This is a known safety issue to Chevrolet, making my vehicle undrivable until I can come up with the…"
    Service brakes · filed 2026-08-17

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2019 Chevrolet Equinox SUV AWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2019 Chevrolet Equinox SUV FWD 5 stars 5 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 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed All-wheel drive 28 38 32 MPG $2950
Equinox all-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic 9-speed All-wheel drive 22 28 24 MPG $3300
Equinox all-wheel drive 1.5L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed All-wheel drive 25 30 27 MPG $2400
Equinox front-wheel drive 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 28 39 32 MPG $2950
Equinox front-wheel drive 1.5L, 4-cyl Automatic 6-speed Front-wheel drive 26 32 28 MPG $2300
Equinox front-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic 9-speed Front-wheel drive 22 29 25 MPG $3200

Specs and fitment

3rd generation, 2018–2024
Body styles SUV
Oil 0W-20 (1.5L turbo and 2.0L turbo); 5W-30 (diesel where equipped) , 5.3 qt capacity
Tire size 225/65R17 to 235/50R19 (trim-dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Owner complaints for the 2018 launch year include service brakes among the leading components. Recall 18V-576 covers certain 2018-2019 Equinox vehicles among other GM models: rear brake-caliper pistons may have insufficient coating so gas pockets form and reduce rear brake performance; dealers bleed the brake system. Recall 20V-668 covers certain 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox vehicles among other GM crossovers: the start/stop transmission accumulator end cap may have missing bolts, which can lead to a transmission fluid leak, possible loss of propulsion, and a fire risk if fluid contacts hot exhaust. Dealers inspect the accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing. Recall 23V-869 covers certain 2024 Chevrolet Equinox vehicles among other GM crossovers: door strikers may fracture so a door can open while driving; dealers replace all four door strikers and attaching bolts.

Compare

Previous year 2018 Chevrolet Equinox Next year 2020 Chevrolet Equinox See every Chevrolet Equinox model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox holds 301 complaints after 8 years, a rate of 37 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Equinox years here — over the median of the other years, which is 23. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Automatic transmission, Tank, and Seats.

What are common problems with a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (100 of 301), then Service brakes (67) and Electrical system (43). Those filings include 22 that report a crash, 7 that report a fire, and 5 that report an injury.

Is the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2018 Equinox has 408 complaints, 49 per year, and the 2020 has 308 complaints, 30 per year. The 2019 has fewer complaints per year than the 2018. The 2019 has more complaints per year than the 2020.

Has the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox been recalled?

The 2019 Chevrolet Equinox has 4 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 2019 Chevrolet Equinox?

Owners have filed 301 complaints about the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox is 28 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.