Problems · NHTSA complaints

2013 Chevrolet Equinox problems

Owners filed 751 complaints about the 2013 Chevrolet Equinox with NHTSA between Dec 2012 and Sep 2026. The most-cited component is engine (412).

Complaints
751
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
20
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
20
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine412
  2. Visibility/wiper144
  3. Power train80
  4. Electrical system69
  5. Fuel/propulsion system43
  6. Air bags25
  7. Electronic stability control (esc)20
  8. Steering19
  9. Visibility19
  10. Service brakes12
  11. Vehicle speed control12
  12. Structure11
  13. Engine and engine cooling10
  14. Suspension9

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20121
201314
201434
201521
201687
2017101
201895
2019106
202080
202166
202236
202350
202430
202521
20269

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine

412 reports1 crash4 fires
“We changed the external fuel pump, we changed the oil cap to the vented oil cap, We changed the oil 2x within 2 days, once trying to get it by until we could get the new fuel pump on,and once directly after and still had issues. Losing power and getting stranded while trying to cross a busy highway is terrifying, 100% —it is an extreme, life-threatening safety risk.I returned the vehicle and took a heavy financial loss, The fact that this dangerous car is back with a seller means someone else is going to buy it, This report could prevent a fatal accident. We have seen multiple of these same vehicles all over places like facebook marketplace and on the side of the road. They are dangerous vehicles and I've heard multiple accounts in which even your dealerships dont know how to fix it. I believe you have a responsibility to consumers to pull these cars from use and make it right to all who have not gotten what they paid you for buying this car from you. Thank you for your consideration, [XXX]”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 2, 2026EngineODI 11761531

Visibility/wiper

144 reports
“I was driving my car like usual and I almost reached home and my windshield vipers stopped working. I parked my car and checked it and the wipers are not working.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 20, 2025Visibility/wiperODI 11649602

Power train

80 reports1 crash
“My 2013 Equinox is experiencing the excessive oil loss without warning..this led to transmission..engine..timing failure. The car loses power jerks at slower speeds it sounds horrible and has cost a lot of money for repairs. Still don’t know if it will last much longer. This is a burden on my family as we can’t afford to just go buy another vehicle. I purchased it in 2022 and in 2019 there was a lawsuit being settled for these exact problems and I was not told this nor was it disclosed on the carfax report!! Very upsetting as I will be without a means of transportation.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 29, 2026Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11747310

Electrical system

69 reports1 crash3 fires1 related recall
“My car is chewing through oil, about 1 quart every 500 miles. There are no leaks, I change oil regularly. It went into limp mode, to then discover the 2.4 4 cylinder Chevys and GMCs are having massive issues. It almost stranded me on the side of the road coming home from work.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 31, 2024Electrical system, EngineODI 11622939

Fuel/propulsion system

43 reports
“My 2013 Chevrolet Equinox (~132,000 miles) has a serious and unsafe oil consumption problem. I had a full oil change, and only two weeks later the dipstick was completely dry. The vehicle provided no warning lights, no low-oil indication, and the GM Oil Life Monitoring System gave an inaccurate reading, failing to alert me to the critically low oil level. On November 25, 2025, while stopped with my foot firmly on the brake, the vehicle began constantly jumping and jerking forward as if it was trying to move on its own. During driving, I also began hearing a loud crunching, metal-on-metal noise whenever I accelerated or drove under 50 mph. Because these symptoms started suddenly and were severe, I took the vehicle to my mechanic the same day. On November 26, 2025, the mechanic confirmed that the engine had suffered major internal damage due to running with almost no oil. The timing chain and VVT components needed to be replaced. The mechanic confirmed that oil starvation caused this failure despite a recent oil change, and the inaccurate oil life monitoring system contributed to the hazard by failing to alert me to the critically low oil. This defect presents a…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 4, 2025Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11702890

Air bags

25 reports11 crashes
“Got into a front end collision, vehicle was totaled. Front airbags didn't deploy. Steering wheel and side airbags deployed about 5 minutes after the accident. My head hit the driver side window, cracking the whole window. Had a concussion from that.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 14, 2023Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11555006
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.