Your vehicle report
2012 Chevrolet Equinox
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 685
- Received Nov 2011 to Sep 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail102 complaints · 15% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine burns excessive oil between changes95 complaints · 14% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine suddenly shuts off while driving39 complaints · 5.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #16V502000General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
- Recall #14V447000General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Camaro, as well as certain 2010-2012 Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, equipped with power height adjustable driver and passenger seats. In the affected vehicles, the bolt that secures the driver's and passenger's power front seat height adjuster may fall out causing the seat to drop suddenly to the lowest vertical position.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Engine burns excessive oil between changesFirst signal: Oct 2015
- Anti-lock brakes fail or lock upFirst signal: Mar 2026
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 16 crashes, 6 fires, 13 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 21 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 17 |
| 2013 | 16 |
| 2014 | 31 |
| 2015 | 38 |
| 2016 | 39 |
| 2017 | 86 |
| 2018 | 117 |
| 2019 | 112 |
| 2020 | 83 |
| 2021 | 54 |
| 2022 | 30 |
| 2023 | 19 |
| 2024 | 21 |
| 2025 | 14 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 6 |
| Total | 685 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 102 | 15% | – | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 95 | 14% | 14.7× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Oct 2015 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.6% |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 39 | 5.7% | – | |
| Timing chain fails and destroys engine | 27 | 3.9% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 17 | 2.5% | – | |
| Chevrolet Silverado loses power and hesitates | 14 | 2.0% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 14 | 2.0% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 12 | 1.8% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 12 | 1.8% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 11 | 1.6% | – | |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 11 | 1.6% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 11 | 1.6% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 11 | 1.6% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 9 | 1.3% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 9 | 1.3% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 9 | 1.3% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 8 | 1.2% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 8 | 1.2% | – | |
| Power steering cuts out while driving | 8 | 1.2% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 7 | 1.0% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 6 | 0.9% | 10.2× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Mar 2026 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.3% |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #16V502000July 5, 20168,367 vehicles affected
electrical system: ignition; power train: automatic transmission: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.
NHTSA recall #14V447000July 23, 2014414,333 vehicles affected
seats: front assembly: power adjust
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Camaro, as well as certain 2010-2012 Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, equipped with power height adjustable driver and passenger seats. In the affected vehicles, the bolt that secures the driver's and passenger's power front seat height adjuster may fall out causing the seat to drop suddenly to the lowest vertical position.
If the driver's seat unexpectedly drops, the distraction and altered seat position may affect the drivers' control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the height adjuster shoulder bolts, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed interim letters to owners on September 11, 2014. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14271.
NHTSA recall #11V511000October 19, 201133,964 vehicles affected
tires: pressure monitoring and regulating systems
General motors (gm) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet Equinox and Gmc terrain vehicles, manufactured from july 18, 2011, through september 6, 2011, for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard number 138, "tire pressure monitoring system" (TPMS). The tire pressure monitoring system is designed to illuminate the tire pressure warning light when the pressure in a tire is 25% below the recommended cold tire pressure. On these vehicles, the light will not illuminate until the tire pressure is more than 25% below the recommended cold tire pressure.
Underinflated tires Can result in tire overloading and overheating, which could lead to a blowout and possible crash. The resulting crash could cause serious injury. Underinflated tires Can also result in premature or irregular wear, poor handling, and poor fuel economy.
Remedy
Gm dealers will update the body control module free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about november 9, 2011. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and Gmc at 1-866-996-9463.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN