2011 Chevrolet Equinox Visibility Problems

Wipers have stopped working, have had it repaired twice and they keep quitting.

NHTSA ID

11714145

Incident

Jan 6, 2026

The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while the windshield wiper was activated, the windshield wiper arms detached. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

NHTSA ID

11709949

Incident

Jan 6, 2026

Mileage

125,000 mi

Joint on the front windshield wiper assembly failed. Was driving in a 4 lane highway doing about 70 mph while it was raining. Windshield wipers stopped halfway through the movement they sat for a moment they moved to as far as they could go towards the driver side and that’s where they stayed. The driver side one was over the edge of the vehicle. I followed tail lights turning onto a side road, pulled over safely. Moved the wipers to a down position, there was no resistance. Checked the fuse and that was fine. Waited a bit for the rain to settle a bit and drove to a safer location. Once off the highway and away from traffic when turning the windshield wipers on I could hear the motor still going so knew it was an issue with the arms. I had been on the road for about 2 hours all major highway with still over 2.5 hours left of my drive when they failed. We had to trailer it home as it was not safe to drive with the amount of rain we were getting. Replaced the motor and arm mechanism when we got it home and saw that it was one of the ball joints that broke. There were no warning lights, we have the old parts if needed for inspection, this looks to be the same issue as the recalled parts on the 2014-2015 equinox.

NHTSA ID

11586206

Incident

Apr 28, 2024

The wipers stopped working on the highway pouring down rain

NHTSA ID

11527613

Incident

Jun 18, 2023

The windshield wipers and yes, available at anytime for inspection. I was traveling Hwy 80 and the wipers stopped working completely in a downpour of rain at 70 mph. I could not see and could not even follow the rear taillights in front of me to stay in my lane. I put my right blinker on and slowly moved to the slow lane in order to take the next exit off the highway. Had to travel over the highway on the overpass and needed to turn right. Couldn’t see detail so ended up running over yellow barriers then made it to the right turn and was barely able to make out a driveway which was a Starbucks. Stopped to confirm wipers would not work and to move wipers by hand to clear windshield. Every 4 or 5 blocks had to stop and get out to physically move wipers by hand to clear rain water from windshield in order to drive further. It was so dangerous, I could of easily caused accidents for others and myself and also could have been fatal! Next time you’re on the highway, close your eyes and keep driving-it was the same and scared me to the point that I was shaking!!! Thank God I didn’t have my grandkids with me!!

NHTSA ID

11511905

Incident

Mar 12, 2023

The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH in the rain, the windshield wipers became inoperable. The contact pulled over and waited until the rain stopped falling before continuing to drive. The dealer was contacted and stated that an unstated bushing needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not taken to be repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage 114,000.

NHTSA ID

11501465

Incident

Jan 5, 2023

Mileage

114,000 mi

The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH during a rainstorm, the contact heard the driver's side windshield wiper making a snapping noise before with the windshield wiper ceased operation. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact had driven the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the windshield wiper transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 156,000.

NHTSA ID

11462209

Incident

Mar 31, 2022

Mileage

156,000 mi

The windshield wiper linkage disconnects when the windshield wipers are placed on the highest setting causing me to not be able to drive in the rain.

NHTSA ID

11456419

Incident

Oct 20, 2021

Driving on the highway while it was raining and I had my wipers on and all of a sudden they stopped working. Wipers aren’t moving at all but can hear the motor turning. Assuming it’s in the wiper trans/linkage assembly.

NHTSA ID

11450624

Incident

Feb 2, 2022

WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN, IN THE LEFT LANE WHILE PASSING A TRUCK AT 65-70MPH, IN THE DARK, THE DRIVER SIDE WIPER ARM CLICKED A FEW TIMES AGAINST THE A-PILLAR THEN CEASED WORKING. FORTUNATELY THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER CONTINUED TO FUNCTION.

NHTSA ID

11365070

Incident

Oct 19, 2020

Mileage

204,700 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. THE DRIVER'S SIDE WIPER BLADE WAS BENT OVER THE DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO VEER OFF THE ROAD INTO A GRASSY AREA AT THE APARTMENT COMPLEX. THERE WAS NO CRASH REPORTED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VIN. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT SHE WOULD BE CALLED BACK IN TWO OR THREE DAYS. THE CONTACT REFERENCED AN UNKNOWN NHTSA INVESTIGATION ABOUT WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 136,000.

NHTSA ID

11353976

Incident

Sep 8, 2020

Mileage

136,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE WARRANTY WAS EXTENDED HOWEVER, THE MILEAGE WAS EXCEEDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 164,000.

NHTSA ID

11350857

Incident

Aug 22, 2020

Mileage

164,000 mi

DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY DURING HIGH DOWNPOUR. WIPERS REACHED THE END OF THE SEQUENCE AND STOPPED. HAD TO PULL OVER IN POURING RAIN AND HIGH TRAFFIC, CAUSING MAJOR CONCERN AND A MAJOR SAFETY EVENT.

NHTSA ID

11348921

Incident

Aug 12, 2020

Mileage

123,000 mi

WIPER LINKAGE FAILED IN HEAVY RAIN WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE

NHTSA ID

11343645

Incident

Aug 3, 2020

Mileage

85,000 mi

DRIVING IN POURING DOWN RAIN AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. HIGH SAFETY CONCERN.

NHTSA ID

11341161

Incident

Jul 23, 2020

Mileage

170,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN ON A HIGHWAY MY FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS SIMPLY STOPPED FUNCTIONING IN THE UP POSITION CAUSING AN INABILITY TO SEE WHERE I WAS GOING. THEY DID NOT RESPOND TO REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO TRY TO TURN THEM BACK ON. THIS CREATED A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHERE I HAD TO DO MY BEST TO SAFELY PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. MY HAZARD LIGHTS ALSO FAILED TO WORK MAKING THE SITUATION EVEN MORE DANGEROUS. BOTH WIPERS AND HAZARDS WHERE PREVIOUSLY WORKING. *TR

NHTSA ID

11323931

Incident

May 8, 2020

Mileage

141,000 mi

I HEARD A POP AND THEN MY WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT COMPLETELY IN THE RAIN. I COULD HEAR THE MOTOR BUT THE WIPERS WOULDN'T MOVE. I HAD NO VISABILITY WHATSOEVER. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ID

11309981

Incident

Feb 18, 2020

Mileage

127,633 mi

WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING DURING DOWNPOUR WHEN DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY. MOTOR STILL WORK BUT WIPERS NOT MOVING.

NHTSA ID

11282025

Incident

Nov 23, 2019

Mileage

108,561 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD AT ABOUT 55MPH AND MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING. THEY GOT STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND THE MOTOR MADE SOUNDS AS IF IT WAS WORKING BUT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DID NOT MOVE. IT WAS RAINING AND WE HAD TO PULL OVER BECAUSE IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ID

11271347

Incident

Oct 26, 2019

Mileage

114,500 mi

I WAS DRIVING MY 2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX HOME ON WEDS SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 IN A TORRENTIAL DOWNPOUR ON THE 696 FREEWAY IN METRO DETROIT. I WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, SLOWER THEN THE SPEED LIMIT BECAUSE OF THE DOWNPOUR, AND I HAD MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON THE FASTEST SPEED. WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF WARNING MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. THE DRIVER'S WIPER HAD MOVED PAST THE WINDSHIELD SO AT FIRST I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE CULPRIT. I PUSHED THE WIPER BACK ONTO THE WINDSHIELD (WHILE DRIVING), BUT THE WIPERS REMAINED STATIONARY AND NO LONGER OPERATED. STILL ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE DOWNPOUR I HAD TO MANEUVER OFF THE NEAREST EXIT, SURPRISINGLY WITHOUT INCIDENT, AND PARKED IN A SUBDIVISION UNTIL THE RAIN STOPPED. THE WIPER TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

11254886

Incident

Sep 11, 2019

Mileage

102,000 mi

MOST RECENTLY WAS DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS JUST STOPPED WORKING IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION, AND VISIBILITY WAS EXTREMELY IMPAIRED. HAD MY GRANDDAUGHTER WITH ME, THEY HAD TO ROLL DOWN WINDOWS TO HELP ME GET SAFELY OFF THE ROAD. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM IN 2015, AIR CONDITIONER QUIT WORKING IN 2014, FAILED OIL CONSUMPTION TEST IN 2016. I BOUGH A NEW CAR BECAUSE IN DIDN'T WANT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS AND THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEM AFTER PROBLEM. IT IS A LEMON.

NHTSA ID

11242771

Incident

Aug 7, 2019

Mileage

129,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE DURING A HEAVY DOWN POUR AT NIGHT WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT WORKING. THEY WERE STUCK IN THE UP POSITION AND NO LONGER MOVED. I IMMEDIATELY LOST ALL VISIBILITY DUE TO THE RAIN WHICH COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY CAUSED A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAD TO PARK MY VEHICLE FOR THE DURATION OF THE NIGHT AND WAIT TO GET IT IN THE MORNING WHILE IT WAS NO LONGER RAINING.

NHTSA ID

11241641

Incident

Aug 2, 2019

Mileage

137,000 mi

FIRST EQUINOX OWNED - GM REPLACED ENGINE AT NO COST TO ME. THOUGHT IT WAS SAFE TO PURCHASE ANOTHER EQUINOX. OWN A 2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX FWD 2.4 LITER ENGINE. EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION; STALLING WHILE AT STOPLIGHTS, ETC.; ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON FREQUENTLY; MULTIPLE WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLIES REPLACED; WIPER TRANSMISSION REPLACED; CLATTERING NOISE WITHIN ENGINE THAT CANNOT BE FIXED PER MECHANIC; STABLITRAK AND ABS LIGHTS ON; LIMP MODE SEVERAL TIMES. HAVE SPENT MANY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX. GOING TO GM FOR COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT. 126,600 MILES AT PRESENT. PURCHASED 9/8/2016 WITH 80,437 MILES.

NHTSA ID

11234961

Incident

Jan 1, 2019

Mileage

110,000 mi

MY WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN THE POURING RAIN. THEY WILL NOT WORK NOW. I WAS FORCED TO DRIVE 60 MILES WITHOUT THEM, IN THE RAIN. IT IS NOT THE FUSE, I CHECKED.

NHTSA ID

11228634

Incident

Jun 30, 2019

Mileage

122,250 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE ROAD @ 55 MPH IN THE POURING RAIN WITH THE WINDOW WIPERS WORKING, THE DRIVER'S WIPER MOVED PAST THE WINDSHIELD AND BECAME WEDGED AGAINST THE DRIVER'S WINDOW. WHILE DRIVING I OPENED THE DRIVER'S WINDOW AND PUSHED THE WIPER BACK ON TO THE WINDSHIELD. THE WIPERS WERE STATIONARY ON THE WINDSHIELD AND NO LONGER OPERATED. I DROVE 10 MILES IN THE POURING RAIN WITHOUT ANY WIPERS. WHEN I ARRIVED HOME, I COULD MOVE THE WIPERS BY HAND. I COULD HEAR A SCRAPING METAL SOUND.

NHTSA ID

11219382

Incident

Jun 11, 2019

Mileage

143,600 mi