RoadVitals

2020 Chevrolet Equinox Airbags Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Airbags reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Nov 4, 2026
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
3%
of 320 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
8
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
7

What this page shows

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming airbag

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

AirbagsBody & structureEngine
Filed Nov 4, 2026
Crash reported

A large work pickup truck pulled out in front of our vehicle and into the oncoming lane. The larger pickup truck's driver miscalculated their turn by turning too widely, side-swiping a smaller pickup truck, ricocheting off of the smaller pickup, and lastly, impacting us on the front drivers-side wheel offset.(front-left wheel offset) Our vehicle's front axle and wheels are now inclined to the right. Only the front two airbags were deployed, even though the impact was distributed slightly to the driver's door.

NHTSA ID
11775757
Incident
Nov 3, 2026
Airbags
Filed Oct 8, 2026
Crash reported

None of the airbags deployed in an accident. The right front end of the car hit a utility trailer and nothing went off. The car has been deemed a total loss after being trailered to the lot and assessed by the insurance inspector.

NHTSA ID
11769923
Incident
Sep 27, 2026
AirbagsDriver assistancePowertrain (other)
Filed Dec 8, 2025
Crash reported

Forward collision system dint notify of an object infront , also breaks locked up when used .Air bags didn’t go off while a forward collision with a bus happened

NHTSA ID
11703653
Incident
Dec 5, 2025
Airbags
Filed Oct 14, 2025

My passenger seat belt light on can you let me know what to do

NHTSA ID
11693430
Incident
Oct 6, 2025
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Jul 13, 2025
Crash reported

We were in a 9car pile up. Front and back and drivers side were hit and severely damaged. Airbags did not deploy. After the accident smoke was seen coming from the sides of the car where the seat belts come out of. Both front and back were white puffs of smoke from all four seatbelts. The front passenger seatbelt failed to tighten on impact as all the other seatbelts did. Passenger was thrown about the front area, hitting multiple parts of the body. Car is currently in a tow lot. Insurance is going to inspect it.

NHTSA ID
11673195
Incident
Jul 13, 2025
Airbags
Filed Oct 19, 2022
Crash reported1 injury reported

side impact from another vehicle damaging left front and rear doors including pillar panel

NHTSA ID
11489917
Incident
Oct 18, 2022
Airbags
Filed Sep 19, 2021
Crash reported3 injuries reported

While having the right of way driving thru an intersection, going approximately 40 mph, another vehicle disregarded a stop sign and t-boned my vehicle on the drivers side. My vehicle was pushed off the road and came to rest in a ditch. Impact was directly on the drivers side door which sustained severe damage. My vehicle also sustained damage to front corner panel along with damage to the rear driver side door. Driver side-impact curtain airbag did not deploy on my vehicle. My vehicle was declared a total loss by insurance company. The at faults front end sustained severe damage and driver and passenger front airbags both deployed.

NHTSA ID
11433523
Incident
Aug 16, 2021
Airbags
Filed Jan 1, 2021
Crash reported1 injury reported

I WAS HIT BY A CHEVROLET AVALANCHE ON MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR AND FRONT/SIDE OF MY VEHICLE. THE SPEED LIMIT WAS 60 AND THE ROADS WERE ICY AND SNOWY. I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35MPH AND THE OTHER VEHICLE MUST HAVE BEEN GOING AT LEAST 55-60MPH. THE POLICE REPORT STATED THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS DRIVING TOO FAST FOR ROAD CONDITIONS. MY SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY AND I SUFFERED A CONCUSSION AND HAVE ADDITIONAL INJURIES DUE TO THE IMPACT. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE ACCIDENT AND LOCATION OF THE IMPACT I FEEL MY AIRBAG SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. SO FAR THE ESTIMATE ON MY VEHICLE DAMAGES IS ANYWHERE FROM 10-15K.

NHTSA ID
11386012
Incident
Dec 24, 2020
AirbagsBody & structureBrakes
Filed Nov 29, 2020
Crash reported2 injuries reported

I PURCHASED THE 2020 EQUINOX SUV. IMMEDIATELY LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP AFTER A HEAVY RAIN THE SUV WASN'T ABLE TO STOP WHEN I APPLIED THE BREAKS & APPROACHED A STOP SIGN ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AND I WAS STRUCK ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CAR. I WOKE UP IN A TRAUMA CENTER IN SPRINGFIELD MO. THE VEHICLE HAD 84 MILES ON IT. $17,500 IN DAMAGE NOT INCLUDING SERIOUS INJURIES NOT JUST TO MYSELF BUT THE CAR THAT STRUCK ME. I WAS ALSO SITED A TICKET FROM THE MISSOURI HIGHWAY PATROL FOR FAILURE TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN, THOUGH I APPLIED THE BREAKS WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. I STILL HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE BREAKS IN WET/COLD CLIMATES. IT'S TERRIFYING

NHTSA ID
11376913
Incident
Dec 31, 2019
Mileage
83 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .