Your vehicle report
2013 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
- 751
- Received Dec 2012 to Sep 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Engine burns excessive oil between changes137 complaints · 18% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail57 complaints · 7.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine suddenly shuts off while driving28 complaints · 3.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #16V582000General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the ball joints in the windshield wiper module may corrode and wear over time, possibly resulting in one or both of the windshield wipers becoming inoperative.
- 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."
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: Apr 2017
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 20 crashes, 5 fires, 20 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 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
- Engine burns excessive oil between changes
- Engine suddenly shuts off while driving
- Chevrolet Silverado loses power and hesitates
9 more problems
- Check engine light comes on repeatedly
- Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips
- Timing chain fails and destroys engine
- Head gasket leaks coolant into engine
- Unintended acceleration despite braking
- Engine knocking from rod or main bearings
- Ford Escape engine overheats from coolant intrusion
- Ford Focus transmission clutch slips and hesitates
- Exhaust manifold cracks and leaks fumes
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
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 |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 14 |
| 2014 | 34 |
| 2015 | 21 |
| 2016 | 87 |
| 2017 | 101 |
| 2018 | 95 |
| 2019 | 106 |
| 2020 | 80 |
| 2021 | 66 |
| 2022 | 36 |
| 2023 | 50 |
| 2024 | 30 |
| 2025 | 21 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 9 |
| Total | 751 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 137 | 18% | 8.2× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Apr 2017 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.4% |
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 57 | 7.6% | – | NHTSA recall #16V582000 |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 28 | 3.7% | – | |
| Chevrolet Silverado loses power and hesitates | 16 | 2.1% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 16 | 2.1% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 15 | 2.0% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 14 | 1.9% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 14 | 1.9% | – | |
| Timing chain fails and destroys engine | 14 | 1.9% | – | |
| Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its own | 12 | 1.6% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 12 | 1.6% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 11 | 1.5% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 11 | 1.5% | – | |
| Ford Escape engine overheats from coolant intrusion | 10 | 1.3% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 9 | 1.2% | – | |
| Ford Focus transmission clutch slips and hesitates | 9 | 1.2% | – | |
| Exhaust manifold cracks and leaks fumes | 8 | 1.1% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 7 | 0.9% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 7 | 0.9% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 7 | 0.9% | – |
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 #16V582000August 4, 2016367,808 vehicles affected
visibility: windshield wiper/washer: motor
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the ball joints in the windshield wiper module may corrode and wear over time, possibly resulting in one or both of the windshield wipers becoming inoperative.
Inoperative windshield wipers may reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, dealers will repair the AIP-hole, inspect and, if necessary, replace the front wiper module, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 25302.
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.
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 2013 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