Complaint volume
384 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2018 Chevrolet Equinox Complaints
384 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox, grouped by component category.
384 Total complaints
22 Crash reports
4 Fire reports
16 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are service brakes, power train, unknown or other. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 22 crash reports, 4 fire reports, 16 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 184 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 42,366 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to service brakes, power train, unknown or other?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2018 Chevrolet Equinox?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2018 Chevrolet Equinox
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox complaints?
22 Crash
4 Fire
16 Injury
0 Fatality
30 Towed
10 Medical attention
What are the most common 2018 Chevrolet Equinox complaint categories?
SERVICE BRAKES 60
POWER TRAIN 29
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 26
ENGINE 24
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 16
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 14
SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE 14
WHEELS 11
AIR BAGS 8
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 8
384 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | Due to mechanical error with the vacuum brake pump that has had millions of vehicles listed in the recall except for the Equinox, it caused $4,000 worth of damage to my vehicle and almost caused a crash on a highway in close proximity to an ambulance that was actively on an emergency run. I was on a major highway traveling at about 60 MPH. I was able to coast enough to wear I could safely get to the shoulder of the highway, take an exit ramp, and coast up the hill out of the way of the ambulance. I contacted GM and have yet to hear anything further back. This incident could have cause a catastrophic crash and further delayed medical treatment for whomever was needing the ambulance. After some research on the matter, I found that 3.4 million vehicles of GM were recalled after this exact issue had resulted in 113 accidents and 13 injuries. 2014-2018 model year Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado, Chevrolet Suburban, Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Sierra and GMC Yukon were all listed under the recall, but not the Equinox. After being forced to have the vehicle towed to a dealership, they confirmed that the vacuum brake pump seizing up is what caused the pedal to lock up and send metal into my engine, which has now cost me upwards of $4,000. General Motors failed to include the Equinox in this recalls and still refuses to do so. I fear this will happen, in time, to other owners of a Chevrolet Equinox. I am reaching out to all possible avenues for what my next options are and attempting to prevent this from happening to someone else. GM needs to be held responsible for this matter and issue a recall for the Equinox as well before something catastrophic happens if it hasn't all ready. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | Vacuum pump coming apart internally making it virtually impossible to stop the car using the brakes. This was a known issue on other GM Models the vacuum pump failing caused damage to my camshaft and possibly to my engine. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | POWER TRAIN,WHEELS,ENGINE | So where do i begin. There are no leaks on my driveway but I have to add coolant every other day & then when I opened my hood it looks like there’s grease everywhere like over the bolts where the bottom & top meet. At time the car stalls it loses power or doesn’t even pick up power. It just drags. Sometimes a strong odor comes from the vents of the a/c & then it at times doesn’t blow cool air just flat air. Also six months after having the vehicle the 2 TPMS went out & when I took it back to dealer where i purchased it they basically told me that I didn’t even have any TPMS that the machine didn’t pick up any & now the display was showing all 4 empty & the TPMS icon constantly on the display. I found that odd & I didn’t know much about TPMS at the time. I was still bothered so I kept asking other people I would come in contact with being new to the state of Texas & they said the only way it would not come up on the machine would be as if they wouldn’t be inside as they were removed but again I drove in with just 2 marking on the display. Not a big deal. I did purchase the gold package of warranty with the vehicle but I have no idea how to use it. I’m not sure if they even did all the past recalls on this vehicle. I read one of them was a window & I too hear that as I drive | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | ENGINE | The contact’s girlfriend owns a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated the girlfriend's vehicle was parked and would not start. The contact utilized a Nickson Industries Engine Heater Oil Product, CAT' Engine Heater 90-Watt Dipstick Heater 24-inch, Part number 15200, to heat the engine oil. However, a part of the dipstick heater melted off into the oil pan. No warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local mechanic who dropped the oil pan and removed the fragment from the dipstick heater. A new battery was installed, and the vehicle was inspected. The contact sent fragments of the dipstick heater to the manufacturer, and it was confirmed as a manufacturing failure. The failure mileage was unknown. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES | No warnings or lights. Brakes failed taking vehicle out of garage with foster children. All maintenance was kept up. 55,900 miles. Towed to Nissan dealer where purchased. Shop didn't know the cause. Vehicle could not be repaired because the cause was never found. Could it happen again, out of the blue, without warning. Documents available on request only. Dates of incident may be off a bit. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | U1345- code for shutter malfunction in front of vehicle. Says water intrusion and has a fix of splicing the wires. Chevy will not cover although it has a fix. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 2/20/24 while coming to a stop at a stop light in a busy intersection, the car completely died/shut down. Hazard lights could not be turned on. No lights in car, no error message. no lights at all. RPM gauges remained in the same position as when the vehicle died. I was able to put it in park. After about 5 minutes the car was able to be restarted. It was not clear why it finally restarted. I tried to push break, push start button and push hazards. There have been similar incidents in the past but this incident took much longer to be able to restart the car. Those incidents the RPM gauge dropped into the off position in those other situations. The hazard lights were at least able to be turned on and I still had lights in my dash. This is a dangerous engine error that can not be replicated for service personnel to demonstrate the problem. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | POWER TRAIN | While driving the right front intermediate driveshaft fractured and separate. Took it immediately to a repair shop and they said it rusted for the inside out. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | My 2018 equinox is not included in any recalls. However, it has been in for engine repair, even though the vehicle only had 70,000 miles on it at the time. After that, the ABS system was acting up, the automatic door locks and locking mechanism failed and went outs, the brakes have been repaired three times and the suspension is worn down. I only have $86,000 mi on it. I am now getting ready to take it in again for transmission issues. My car is not included in any recalls, but seems to have the issues stated and all the recalls | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | VISIBILITY | The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that moisture was leaking from the panoramic sunroof. On multiple occasions, the contact stated that the floor of the vehicle was soaked with moisture upon entering the vehicle. The contact also stated that the vehicle was flooded, and that moisture had accumulated up to the ankles. Moisture was also leaking onto the contact's head from the panoramic sunroof while driving. The vehicle was taken to a dealer on several occasions where attempts to repair the vehicle were performed; however, the failure persisted after each repair. After the latest visit, the contact was informed that mold had grown inside the vehicle due to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 36,000 |
| Feb 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the service brake assists warning light illuminated. The contact stated that right after the warning light illuminated, the contact rear-ended the vehicle in front. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the failure could not be duplicated. The contact stated that the failure had reoccurred. The contact stated that the brakes were inoperable. The contact stated that the brakes were inoperable for approximately 10 seconds while driving 40 MPH on a busy roadway. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed vacuum pump for the braking system. The contact was informed that the vacuum pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 65,500. | Crash: Yes Fire: No | 65,000 |
| Feb 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES | The service brake assist light came on and the brakes stopped working properly while driving on the highway. The car gave no indication that anything was wrong prior to the brakes going out and the message engine limited to reduced speed. I had to use all the power in my body to slow the car down and once stopped it did not start again. At that point the light came on. Now they are saying the problem is the brake vaccum pump which has a recall for many vehicles including the year just not my particular vehicle. If someone was driving in front of me, I could have possibly had a serious accident. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | When I gets an oil change days later my car start running slow saying decrease in power I was told air is getting in the filter and causes a freeze to decrease the power which is dangerous in traffic. This has been going on for the last two years. I’m told thousands of equinoxes has been brought in for service with the same scenario. It started in January of 2023 | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | ENGINE,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,STRUCTURE | The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving at various speeds in cold weather, the message "Caution. Engine Power Reduced" was displayed, and the vehicle failed to exceed 30 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the charge air cooler was replaced, and the CAC shutter, the temperature control valve and the winter grill cover were installed. Additionally, the ECM was reprogrammed. The vehicle was repaired. The contact related the failure to TSB Number: N222372590. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist because the VIN was not included in a recall related to the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 130,000 |
| Jan 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Code P0299 Dash says engine power reduced, speed has been reduced, a long with power and gas consumption not good, smelling gas in oil, not sure if connected. Dealer says no recall but it is a design flaw from supercharger freezing up due to no protection from elements, out of pocket to fix design flaw $1100 not covered under warranty or recall | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | STEERING,LANE DEPARTURE | On many occasions while driving at highway speeds the steering wheel sticks causing me to use extra force to move the wheel. It's bad enough on dry pavement but on wet or snow covered roads it's worst. I have spun out 2 times already even while being cautious, luckily no one was around at the time. This needs to be addressed. There have been a few times that the blind spot monitoring stayed lit when there was no car around as well as at times the light never came on while I was being passed | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | ENGINE | The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the contact noticed that the start of the vehicle was abnormal. The contact drove the vehicle out of the driveway and then into the garage. The contact stated an hour later while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact connected to a jump box to the battery and charged the battery for an hour. The contact attempted to start the vehicle, but the shift to park warning light remained illuminated. The contact purchased a new battery however, the vehicle failed to start. The battery was disconnected to prevent the battery from draining. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and provided a voucher for the repair of the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000. The VIN was not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | 115,000 |
| Jan 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I have a 2018 Chevy Equinox. Was driving one day when the lights for service brake assist, park brake released, and traction control came on. The brake petal went extremely hard and was almost impossible to stop. Had the vaccum pump replaced. Drove for two-three weeks, same lights, brakes go hard off and on, vaccum pipe with sensor changed, only one week later same issues, another vacuum pump put on and oil changed due to metal from faulty pump in oil. We are now 900 dollars in repairs and no fix. Same issues over and over. GM is well aware of the issue with their faulty pumps and system but refuse to fix the issues and continue to put them in the vehicles which will lead to fatalities. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | the vacumm pump grenaded and sent metal chunks into the camshaft knocking the reluctant wheel out of position causing the car to shut down and lose brakes and power steering. There were no prior engine codes or warning. multiple mechanics verified this and it is a known issue. Gm needs to deal with this and should put out a recall. such a new vehicle should not need motor work at 70k miles!! | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | SERVICE BRAKES | The vacuum pump that provides brake assist failed without any prior warning. This resulted in an inability to properly stop the vehicle. This could have resulted in serious injury or death, but we were fortunate that the failure occurred at night in an area where there was no traffic or pedestrians. This failure appears to be similar to a previous recall that affected slightly earlier model years of GM cars and trucks. The vacuum pump was replaced and corrected the problem. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2023 | SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | Vacuum pump for brake booster failed. Lost braking power. Caused debris to be injected in to engine. Caused camshaft failure. Dealership confirmed, and inspected. Check Engine light and Reduced Engine Power message at time of failure. Slight rear brake pulsation 1/2 hour before. I thought it was just moisture/rust on the rotor as the car had been in the body shop for 2 months following a deer collision. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2023 | SERVICE BRAKES | 1. My brakes failed as I was getting off the highway and I flew past my turn. There was no warning light at the time of the failure and there was no prior indication or warning that there was an issue with the brake booster vacuum pump, sensor, and vacuum line. 2. Luckily it was around midnight and no one was on the road and I was able to roll to a stop about 200-300 yards past where I wanted to turn. If the failure had happened during the day it would have resulted in a crash involving myself and possible another vehicle or building. 3. I have read similar stories to my own online and almost all instances I read involved a crash. 3/4. The dealership found the problem and fixed the problem, but very very expensive fix. 5. No Warnings of any kind before or after the the failure. The brakes failed in real time (out of the blue). There was nothing before, during, or after. Didn't even know this was a concern as an Equinox owner. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2023 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | A message has begun appearing in my 2018 Chevy Equinox LT that states "Parking Brake Released". This message did not previously appear and seems to be a potential issue to fix. After doing some online research, I found 3 technical service bulletins for parking brake issues/messages for the 2018 Equinox on an automotive repair website. However, when I contacted the Chevy dealership and did a VIN search, there were no open recalls or any recalls for my car. I am not clear why other 2018 Equinox models have recall notices but my VIN number is not impacted by those notices, even though it was manufactured during the same year. Please help investigate if my car should be included in those TSBs and dealer repairs. The TSB numbers are: 20NA094, 19NA213, and PI1410B. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2023 | STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | When washing the vehicle through a standard car wash (Mister) in Minnetonka, MN 55345. The vehicle takes on gallons of water. This seems completely inappropriate. A car built in 2018 should be able to be washed. Taking on gallons of water on all areas of the floor board is unacceptable and ultimately a quality concern for mold and rust longer term. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2023 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,VISIBILITY/WIPER | The sun roof shade is inoperable. The sunshade retracts, but does not go back into the roof so the whole shade hangs down. This completely blocks the view of the driver out the back window and is a severe safety risk. Even when the sunshade is "closed" the material hangs down, continuing to block the drivers view out of the back window. The shade has come off the tracks and unglued. The issue has been confirmed as inoperable and an internal fault in the roof shade assembly by a Chevrolet dealership and needing to be replaced completely. I have taken it to several other shops around my city, and have been informed that this is a common problem that is being referred back to dealerships for fixing. There was no prior warning sign, and my car has been experiencing this issue since July 2023. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |