Complaint volume
295 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
2020 Chevrolet Equinox Complaints
295 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox, grouped by component category.
295 Total complaints
20 Crash reports
7 Fire reports
9 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, fuel/propulsion system, engine. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 20 crash reports, 7 fire reports, 9 injury reports, and 1 fatality report. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 80 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 36,760 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to service brakes, fuel/propulsion system, engine?
- 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 2020 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.
2020 Chevrolet Equinox
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox complaints?
20 Crash
7 Fire
9 Injury
1 Fatality
28 Towed
7 Medical attention
What are the most common 2020 Chevrolet Equinox complaint categories?
SERVICE BRAKES 44
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 26
ENGINE 24
SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE 13
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 13
POWER TRAIN 11
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 9
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 6
ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 6
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 6
295 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | We were driving on the highway and just exited. My husband hit the brakes and the pedal was hard to push. He basically had to put all his weight on the pedal in order to slow down. Once we were able to stop completely, we got the 2020 Chevy Equinox looked at and we were told that the vacuum pump that is attached the the cam shift exploded and pieces were in the engine. This has caused approx. $3000 in damage that me and my husband can't afford. The vehicle is still at Classic Chevrolet in Grapevine. We are going to have to tow it back to my brothers until we can afford the payment to fix it. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while exiting the highway at 50 MPH, the brake pedal had hardened and the contact could not depress the brake pedal. Several brake warning messages appeared on the instrument panel. The contact shifted the vehicle into neutral(N) and pulled into a parking lot to allow the vehicle to coast to a stop. Once the vehicle slowed to a complete stop, the contact shut off the vehicle. The vehicle failed to restart after multiple attempts. The contact called a relative to the scene who used a code reader to determine the cause of the failure. The code reader showed that there was a defect with the vehicle's vacuum pump, brake sensor, and intake camshaft position timing. The vehicle's codes were reset and the vehicle restarted; however, the brake failure persisted. Due to the failure, the vehicle was initially towed to the relative's home and eventually to the dealer. The dealer performed a diagnostic where they discovered metal shavings in the engine camshaft which damaged several parts of the engine. The vehicle had yet to be repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 100,000 |
| Sep 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES | Was driving (in July) through a parking lot when brakes became hard to push. After stopping car, it would not start and went into battery save mode. Car was towed to Chevy dealership in Paducah, Ky. Vacuum pump was replaced and damage to cam shaft and timing chain. Problem was fixed after about $5800 of repairs. Now 2 months later, was driving and noticed “service brake assist” light came on, and brakes were hard to press. Luckily was at a low speed and able to pull over on the side of the road. Car was towed to the local Chevy dealership in Hopkinsville, ky. It is currently waiting for diagnosis of probably the same issue. first incident happened in July, 2nd was at the end of august. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I have 149,000 miles in this car. In my lifetime of being the one owner and purchasing this car brand new the vacuum pump has failed five times. Twice now resulting in blown engines. And still no recalls. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2024 | ENGINE | The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode and failed to exceed 10 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an auto repair shop to purchase a diagnostic tool; the diagnostic tool was used to diagnose the vehicle. The diagnostic scan tool determined that the ECM Module, air induction system, and oil pressure system needed to be repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 144,919. | Crash: No Fire: No | 144,919 |
| Aug 2024 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | I was driving home when I exited the freeway my car turned off on me. I tried to turn it back on since I was in the middle of a busy street it started for under a minute which it gave me enough time to merge jusr a little to the right. After that the car wouldn't start at all. This problem could've been a lot worse if it would've happened while I was on the freeway. My vehicle turned off without any warnings any vehicle would've slammed in to me at high speed if it would've shut down a minute prior to me exiting. I didn't get any warnings/ lights nothing it just turned off on me in the middle of the road. I had to get it towed to Autonation where they detected the Fuel Module was the problem. This item has been out of stock for sometime now. My car is still at a dealership and may be inspected if needed. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2024 | POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | When pressing the gas pedal, my Equinox does not accelerate and move forward. It takes approximately 2-3 seconds for the vehicle to react to the pressing of the pedal and that reaction is slow despite applying full pedal movement. This happens intermittently and appears to be most notable during extreme high temperatures. It also has been noticed while trying to accelerate to pass in addition to trying to go from a stop. I was almost hit by another vehicle because my Equinox didn't go. When it did go, it took roughly another 5-7 seconds to get up to the 45 MPH speed limit. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2024 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Fuel pump modular went out and the car stalled out. The same issue is happening to the 2021 and 2022 models that have the recall not sure why the 2020s don’t have the sane | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2024 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was erratically jerking. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed torque converter. The contact was informed that the torque converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 60,000 |
| Jun 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH and approaching a red traffic light, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact swerved to the left and overtook the vehicle in front of her vehicle, drove off the road, and drove in circles on the grass until the vehicle stopped. The contact then parked the vehicle. The contact stated then resumed driving to the residence at slower speeds. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,070. | Crash: No Fire: No | 106,070 |
| Jun 2024 | POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Power Train: I purchased a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox LS in January 2023. For the past 4 to 7 months the vehicle has completely lost power in traffic several times and I'm not talking about AutoStop and Start, the battery life was great, with no dead cells at all. The vehicle went dead, absolutely no power source inside or outside the Equinox, the SUV could not be placed in neutral to move it out of traffic, nor would the remote key work. The Equinox remained in this mode for approximately 20 minutes. During each incident, the vehicle displayed no warning signs or check engine symbol on the dashboard display before or after each episode. Fuel/Propulsion System: Upon placing unleaded fuel in the vehicle and starting up the ignition, the SUV would start vibrating, sputtering, jerking, and popping sounds. Also, while driving the vehicle upon acceleration at times it seems as if fuel isn't reaching the engine. Brakes: Service Brake Assist may illuminate randomly on the dashboard while on the interstate. These issues has placed and caused my family and I to be in great danger. This is my primary vehicle and I purchased this vehicle because I believed in the reliability of the GM Chevrolet Brand. Not an accident waiting to happen. Yes, the vehicle has been inspected, but please remember if NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT is illuminating on the dashboard the issues can not be assessed properly! | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES | When first breaking on the exit ramp after a 2 hour ride on highway the rear breaks made a loud grinding sound & took longer to stop with 2 cars in front of mine. I put flashers on & pulled as far to side of road incase I was unable to stop at the bottom of the exit (down hill) to avoid collision with the 2 cars in front of me. Previously my vehicle shown no signs of any issues. There were no sounds coming from breaks, no issues slowing down or stopping, & no lights on dashboard to indicate an issue of any kind. I looked my Chevy Equinox up and saw that there was an isdue with the rear calipers and many had been reported and recalled. My VIN doesn't show my calipers have been recalled. However, the GM site states if there is an issue with the rear breaks/ calipers to report it and Chevy will repair the issue. Many Chevy Equinox owners have taken to the internet to report the same issue, there are also reports that only 166 were recalled. This is clearly a manufacturing error and not normal wear & tear. I bought my 2020 Equinox brand new in 2021, it was unsold in 2020. Please help myself & the other Chevy Equinox owners make Chevy take responsibility & fix this error before people are injured or killed because our breaks give out unexpectedly. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2024 | SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN,WHEELS | The car shakes between 30-40 MPH, with or without acceleration. I’ve done a lot of research on this issue many people are having the same issue and can’t find a solution. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2024 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | While driving down the road, my car completely stopped in the middle of traffic. It would not move, and I was stuck in the middle of the road. This is a safely issue because it could have caused a multiple vehicle pileup as my car came to a sudden halt and I was unable to move in the middle of traffic. The vehicle was towed to a Chevrolet dealership. It was determined by Chevrolet that the fuel pump module was not sending the proper signal to the fuel pump. The fuel pump module was replaced. There was no warning lamps, messages, or symptoms prior to the incident. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2024 | POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES | I received a service brake module warning and then the vehicle became difficult to stop. I was not traveling at typical highway speeds at the time, but I was on the highway. After applying extensive pressure on the brake pedal to stop, the engine lost power and stalled. It was towed to a dealership and determined that vacuum booster pump experienced a catastrophic failure. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES | I was driving and the “service brake assist” light came on and I then the brake pedal became stiff and so hard to push! I was driving on the expressway and almost couldn’t stop my car. No warning at all. It happened as soon as the light came on. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES | Brake assist fail | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2024 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | The same part that is causing a recall for 2021-22 models just went out on my 2020. Why aren't the 2020's recalled? This is causing it to be hard to get the part. It's the fuel pump control module. 2020's need to be included in this recall. My car is only 4 years old, and is just past the warranty (47k miles). I should not be having such trouble with it. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2024 | POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | I was operating the vehicle when it suddenly shut off in traffic. I attempted to restart the vehicle and received a "reduced engine power" and "Service brake assist" message. The vehicle had a clunky noise and failed to restart. Upon inspection at the dealership, I was told that the vacuum pump inside the engine had exploded and sent metal components throughout the engine system. No previous issues or warnings were present prior to this failure. This is a safety issue as the vehicle gave no warning signs of issue and shut off in the flow of traffic with very little ability to brake or steer out of the way. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Adaptive cruise turn off and vehicle immediately decelerates. When traveling at highway speed with someone following closely behind you there is no warning that you’re decelerating. Also when this happens all cameras are off. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | The Vacuum pump has exploded 3 times, twice under warranty and now outside warranty. This time it has taken out the camshaft. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | STRUCTURE | The sunroof drains on my vehicle keep getting clogged with debris even though I don't open the sunroof. I have had to get the drains blown out every 1 to 2 months when I find water in the rear cargo area. Attached are invoices from the dealership showing the work done and how often. An Engineer from GM has determined on April 10th that if these drains are frequently clogged, then it is a "Vehicle Concern". GM says that this is a maintenance issue. However, THEY have been doing this "maintenance" ever 1 to 2 months and the drains keep getting blocked. This can't be right! I don't want mold to grow in my car. A prior Equinox that I owned was "totaled" by my insurance company because water leaked into that car and mold grew in the interior. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES | [XXX] My wife received a warning light that the Brake fluid was low, upon the husband checking under the hood after cleaning the reservoir cap and opening the cap and looking inside of the reservoir I could see that there was no visible brake fluid in there. Using another car I purchased Prestone Dot 3 and filled the reservoir it, it took 8 oz out of 12 oz. The 2020 Equinox Premier only has 34,500 miles. On [XXX] I have an appointment to bring the vehicle to Midas via being towed because of this issue, it is not safe to drive there. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Mar 2024 | PARKING BRAKE,SERVICE BRAKES | The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle was designed with two electric parking brakes. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the electric parking brake engaged independently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the rear brake calipers were defective and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH on a slippery road, the electric parking brake engaged inadvertently, causing the rear wheels to lock, and the vehicle spun. The contact stated that he was able to regain control of the vehicle and drove to the residence at slow speeds. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring increasingly while driving. The contact stated that while investigating the failure online, he learned that it was a common failure that occurred because the electric parking brake was not fully retracted. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 30,000 |
| Mar 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES | In June of 2023 the brake booster vacuum pump failed, I took it to my regular repair shop and paid for it to be repaired. March 1, 2024 I was driving out of town and again the brakes failed, took it to Weimar Chevrolet in Cumberland MD to once again after less than 10,000 miles to be repaired again. Thankfully the dealership coordinated with the original repair shop and was able to do the repair this time at not cost to me (except I had to pay for a rental for 4 days) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |