Complaint volume
82 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
2021 Chevrolet Equinox Complaints
82 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox, grouped by component category.
82 Total complaints
5 Crash reports
0 Fire reports
4 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 unknown or other, electrical system, power train. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 5 crash reports, 0 fire reports, 4 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 23 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 56,347 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to unknown or other, electrical system, power train?
- 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 2021 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.
2021 Chevrolet Equinox
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox complaints?
5 Crash
0 Fire
4 Injury
0 Fatality
6 Towed
4 Medical attention
What are the most common 2021 Chevrolet Equinox complaint categories?
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 10
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 8
POWER TRAIN 8
ENGINE 6
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 5
SERVICE BRAKES 4
AIR BAGS 3
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 3
STRUCTURE 3
TIRES 3
82 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2025 | ENGINE | The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that occasionally while coming to a stop, the vehicle unintendedly shut off, with the check engine warning light intermittently flashing. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that no failure was found with the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 87,865. | Crash: No Fire: No | 87,865 |
| Jul 2025 | STEERING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | My vehicle has been completely shutting off without warnings on me on major freeways , highways , roadways, other motorists gives my car a jump each time. This is a serious safety hazard for me & other motorists | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | My vehicle completely stopped. My vehicle would not start. I had to have it towed to a mechanic. I was advise that fuel pump module had to be replaced. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | I was driving my vehicle and went to make a left turn out of a parking lot into traffic and my engine shut off and my car rolled into traffic and the check engine light turned on. All of the other functions in the car stayed on i.e. radio, air and all the lights. I had to have the car towed to a mechanic the mechanic was unable to diagnose my car so it was then brought to a chevy dealership. The dealership stated my car worked fine with no issues and tried to return the vehicle back to me I insisted they keep testing the vehicle. They drove the vehicle around the parking lot again in circles and the cars engine shut off and is unable to be turned back on. GM and CHEVY are stating they have no idea why this is happening. I am very concerned about this considering they tried to return the vehicle to me stating their were no issues and ignoring my concerns at first, I had to insist that they keep checking the vehicle and now it will not even turn on. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | ENGINE | Oil consumption issue requiring engine tear down. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | TIRES | I purchased 2 Hankook Kinergy PT tires from TireAgent and had them installed and 1 ended up being defective and they will not do anything about it. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | While driving, the car started making a whining sound on acceleration. As I was driving up my street the car went into limp mode and shut down, only allowing enough time to park. If this had happened on a main road or freeway it could have caused an accident due to the sudden loss of power. The issue is the high pressure fuel pump and has been confirmed by a Chevrolet dealer service center. I reported the issue to GM asking for assistance with the repair and to explore whether or not this could fall under the power train warranty. Mileage at the time of the incident was 39113. The only warning lights that appeared came on as the car went into "limp mode" but no warning prior to this incident. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2024 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Modern white LED Headlights too bright, even on Equinox (constantly flashed with low beams on). My son (20), wife (56), and I (52) are dazzled by new LED headlights. It's actually a huge problem, headlights are too dazzling. I know we're not the only ones dazzled. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2024 | ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | I was driving in rush hour traffic on a freeway in Houston when the engine lost power and stalled out (50 mph) without warning. I had to remain on the freeway while cars whizzed past me. Car finally started back up after 30 minutes of trying. Vehicle only has 8800 miles on it and acted like it had run out of gas as it sputtered before dying. Engine light came on and remained on after it finally started back up. All fluids in range and was at 1/2 tank of gas. In process of diagnostics. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the horn was intermittently inoperable while driving. The contact stated that the failure progressively worsened, causing the horn to become permanently inoperable. Additionally, the seat belt warning light was illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 55,000 |
| Nov 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,LANE DEPARTURE | When purchase vehicle there was only 9,567 miles on it . I had the car for 1 year when lane changing warning and front camera went out. Also effected my car started. Dont know when it was first purchase and they say warranty is up. It could of been the end of 2024 but they say 1/2024.. Miles is under 36000 and the end of 2024 is 3year. My bill they stat is over 1500. I can afford it in this economy. And chevy should honor the bumper to bumper warranty. Im disappointed in Chevy, that there electronics go in less then 3 years. I hope that chevy for a large corporation will make this right. Cause right now im not happy with chevy vehicle [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2024 | STEERING,POWER TRAIN | There is a vibration and wobble upon acceleration. This issue has been confirmed by an independent service center. It is not an issue with the tires. GM has a service bulletin on the front axles. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Water leaks into the rear of the vehicle from The shark fin (I am told from the dealership GM I purchased the car from). It has however now entered into the fuse box and is getting fuses wet which IS a safety issue if they were to short while driving in a rainstorm. This is a major issue with multiple reports online on forums and complaint boards. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2024 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware of a failure with the transmission. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate above 25 MPH. The contact stated that the engine power reduced message was displayed, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,371. | Crash: No Fire: No | 60,371 |
| Jul 2024 | STEERING,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | My front collision alert system has stopped working, I have taken it to multiple dealerships within my certified vehicle company. Next, my automatic High beams do not function at all, which is difficult to navigate at night without them. I have tried to update my vehicle and sent it to other dealerships and they cannot figure out what is wrong. And lastly, my lane assistance system is not working either, every time I have tried to reset, nothing has happened. Due to all of these functions not working the automatic high beams, I have had to be extra careful when driving at night. The lane assist system not functioning at all has made driving in compact roadways more difficult. Lastly the front collision alert system not working at all has caused many incidents that could have led to multiple accidents. I have talked to customer service agents, mechanics, and car managers from dealerships and they can't figure it out either. Please help! | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEATS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | I purchased this vehicle 3 months ago and it had a terrible smell and still does. When I got the car home I started cleaning and seen mold under the weather mats. 1 month after purchase the sun roof and sun shade stopped working. The smell got worse and I noticed every time it rains the floor is soaking wet. Massive amounts of water is draining into the car from the rear seats causing black mold. After doing research this is a known issue with this vehicle. Terrible. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2024 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE,LANE DEPARTURE | Front camera inoperative. Not listed as a safety concern. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Vehicle begins to chug like it’s going to stop. Then goes back to driving normal | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The screen behind the steering wheel got all streaky and now I can not see anything on it. It won’t be able to show me a safety warning, mileage, and the digital speedometer. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | SERVICE BRAKES | Vehicle vibrated when applying the brakes. It started being noticeable when braking at high speeds around January of 2023 and progressively became worse over time. Took it to dealership in January of 2024 to get inspected under warranty. Per dealership, the front brake pads looked brand new (only 21,000 miles on car and no excessive braking) but the rotors were warped and had hot spots on them. It was unclear how the rotors became hot when the brake pads looked brand new, to the point the dealership asked if we had replaced the pads recently. The dealership had no answers as to why the rotors became hot. Per dealer, front rotors had vertical wave lines indicative of excessive heating. They turned the rotors but they still showed hot spots. Rotors were replaced. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2024 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Computer system failed on multiple occasions since we purchased the vehicle NEW. The first time, the entire touch screen display went black and could not control the climate or radio, second time the touch screen display was not showing that it was not attached to the GPS, no time or weather readings, and the instrument panel had no readings (such as oil/speed, etc). The dealership reset the car's computer and we continue to see "the SD card has been removed" on the panel (the SD card has NOT been removed). Any actions taken by the dealership has not fixed this ongoing problem. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2024 | LANE DEPARTURE | blind spot monitor light comes on and off; occurs only on driver side; will occur sporadically - also may occur when left blinker is activated; taken to dealership who states sensor not working and has been an issue with other Chevrolet equinox vehicles over the past several years; extended warranty does not cover it; I am now always needing to look for vehicles to my side as the light is not accurate and there are times when there is a vehicle in my blind spot but the sensor does not activate to warn me; the service bulletin report states: "Correction: if the blind side zone has been found not working properly, apply a piece of aluminum butyl tape to the bottom of the driver side object sensing alert module" ----- QUITE A UNSAFE SOLUTION to an ongoing issue with this vehicle over the past several years. I have already paid for diagnostic test - $188.00; the repair cost is another $598.00 -- unacceptable for an ongoing issue for this vehicle. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2023 | WHEELS,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Tire thread is coming off for some reason also my car was stalling to pick up speed like if it was stoping and going | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2023 | POWER TRAIN | The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the front of the vehicle shuddered significantly, and the vehicle hesitated to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the failure was related to TSB Number: 20-NA-227. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where the same assessment was made. The dealer contacted the manufacturer, who advised that they would partially cover the repair because the TSB was not a recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 62,000 |
| Sep 2023 | SEAT BELTS,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | The contact leased a 2021 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30-35 mph, he made a right turn going across an intersection and collided with a 2012 Ford Focus. The brakes were applied, but the response was too slow. There were no warning lights illuminated. The air bags deployed. The vehicle was filled with smoke. The driver's side front door failed to open. The fire department was on the scene, but there were no reported fire. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a towing lot. The air bag struck the driver in the chest. The contact sustained internal bruising, including bruising on her abdomen and on her arms. The driver was taken to the hospital, where medical attention was provided. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer body shop, where it was discovered that the failure was due to the seat belts not engaging. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 11,000. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | 11,000 |