2025 Chevrolet Equinox Visibility Problems

The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV suffers from a severe engineering design flaw in its front dashboard that creates a critical safety hazard. Under normal daylight driving conditions, the design of the dashboard surface produce an extreme, blinding glare across the inside of the windshield. This intense reflection completely obliterates the driver's forward line of sight. Because this visual obstruction occurs suddenly depending on the angle of the sun, it creates an immediate and dangerous crash hazard. It severely compromises the driver’s ability to see pedestrians, oncoming traffic, and road obstacles, making the vehicle unsafe to operate during sunny days. General Motors is aware of this widespread visibility defect but has failed to issue a legitimate safety recall to fix the underlying engineering flaw. Instead, the manufacturer is offering aftermarket fabric dashboard mats to affected owners as a remedy. This band-aid solution is entirely unacceptable. These fabric mats ruin the aesthetic appearance of a brand-new vehicle, present long-term durability and cleanliness issues, and fail to address the root engineering defect. A temporary, cosmetic cover-up is not a substitute for a true safety remedy. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration needs to open a formal investigation into this visibility hazard. The manufacturer must be compelled to issue a proper safety recall that provides a permanent, engineered solution to eliminate this hazardous windshield glare.

NHTSA ID

11748986

Incident

Jul 8, 2026

The Chevrolet Equinox EV has a large blind spot because of the size of the front window pillars and the adjacent side view mirror. To quote from an Internet search, "This creates a significant blind spot when preparing to make left at intersections, making it difficult to spot pedestrians cyclists, or oncoming traffic." My vehicle was involved in an accident during a left turn in which I believe the blind spot was a significant factor. The Chevrolet Equinox EV is supposed to be equipped with "enhanced automatic emergency braking" which, if so, did not function to prevent an accident.

NHTSA ID

11744882

Incident

Apr 16, 2026

The front windshield reflects the dash below making it difficult to see out the windshield. Visibility is extremely important while driving. This is obviously on continual problem during daylight hours.

NHTSA ID

11739549

Incident

Aug 25, 2025

I was driving my car and a "service high voltage battery" message appeared on the screen and a message to reduce charging the car to 68%. The message coincided with the car having no cabin heat and no ability to defrost the windshield. The dealership says that the cabin heat and AC use the same cooling system as the battery and that any failure in the battery cooling system can cause a no heat/AC situation

NHTSA ID

11731500

Incident

Apr 1, 2026

When attempting to engage the Left turn signal, the lever has to be pushed down several times to "catch or engage" and stay engaged. Frequently it won't stay engaged and turns off before the turn is completed. (The Right turn signal works properly). This happens 8 out of 10 times on a consistent basis. The dealer shop supervisor and tech test drove it as well as another brand new lot vehicle and both did the same thing. They said that that's what they all do, and I should push down more firmly, which doesn't help. I'm in my late [XXX] , have driven new GM vehicles for decades and know how to use a turn signal. I have been in the middle of LH turns and the turn signal was not flashing to advise other drivers of my intent to turn. I believe that this is a significant and dangerous safety issue. I bought the vehicle new a little over a year ago and it currently has about 2500 miles on it. I am not sure when this started happening, but I started to notice it at about 1700 miles, 6 months ago when I started driving it regularly in place of my 2024 Chevrolet 1500 pickup. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11729182

Incident

Oct 14, 2025

Notice the windshield was cracked after leaving a restaurant!

NHTSA ID

11726655

Incident

Mar 22, 2026

My vehicle has had recurring interior water intrusion and related safety concerns. The most serious symptom was interior window fogging on the inside of the vehicle for multiple days during or following rainy, snowy, and cold conditions, which significantly reduced visibility while driving and made it difficult to see out of the windshield and side windows. To clear the fogging quickly, I have had to turn off the heated seats and defrosters and open the windows; otherwise, I have needed to pull over and wait until I could safely see through the windshield again. A strong mildew odor would also develop and could last for days after rain. Sometimes the seats felt damp and the odor became worse when the heated seats were turned on. The first repair visit for this issue was January 13 to 19, 2026 and during that visit, the dealer was unable to recreate the issue. The problem continued, and after my navigation/infotainment screen began having issues, I returned the vehicle to the dealer again on March 7, 2026. I was then informed there was water intrusion and water-damaged carpeting, and I was told there was a known issue involving a faulty or broken seal on this model and there was a recall, but I have not been able to confirm that recall by VIN online. It remains unclear whether the leak is the full cause of the repeated interior fogging condition. In addition to the water intrusion issue, the vehicle has also had other electrical and safety-related concerns, including the infotainment screen turning white for weeks, abnormal turn-signal behavior after completing turns, lane-assist steering irregularities that pulled the vehicle toward the lane line, and braking irregularities, including the brakes locking up while backing into a parking space or during slow stop-and-go traffic. It is currently unknown whether moisture intrusion contributed to any of these other issues. My vehicle is still with the dealer for repairs until around April 15.

NHTSA ID

11724440

Incident

Jan 5, 2026

The angle of the windshield reflects the dashboard so much that you can't see out the windshield when heading anywhere towards the sun. It also reflects the dash at night inside the car. It's a significant safety hazard and a driving hazard the car creates for itself. This is a design defect, according to all service departments at GM I have visited to address the issue. Update: The dash cover remedy GM provided did not help; in fact, it's more annoying now than before and distracting.

NHTSA ID

11715362

Incident

Jul 12, 2025

Windshield glare is horrible. It can cause distortion of objects. It can cause dizziness. Especially on bright sunlight and when many lights from oncoming traffic reflect off the windshield. I have had to pull over a few times. The dashboard shininess is a real problem. The dealerships don’t want to order the free dash mat unless they “diagnose” it even though it is a known problem and they ignored my concerns when I went in to the dealership even though a free dash mat is offered by GM The fix for this in reality is a new dashboard that will end this problem but that is too expensive for GM. They all say to wear polarized glasses to help. Wrong. That’s like putting a bandaid over a gunshot wound. If they aren’t willing to fix this error I want them to buy me out cuz it’s not a small problem that could result in injury or death if not addressed. The 2026 models have a new dashboard that corrects the problem. This problem has caused me not feel safe and avoid driving sometimes and this is not acceptable to me.

NHTSA ID

11713045

Incident

Nov 1, 2025

GOT THE EQUINOX BRAND NEW ON MARCH 2025. FEW WEEKS LATER HAD TO TAKE IT TO SERVICE/DEALER WITH BACKUP CAMERA PROBLEMS AND IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. IT STARTED TO HAVE SPEAKERS ISSUES DUE TO A VERY LOUD HUMMING SOUND WHILE DRIVING. ALSO WINDOW FROM DRIVERS SIDE RUNS SLOWER THAN THE REST OF WINDOWS. THE VISIBILITY THROUGH FRONT GLASS IS NON EXISTENT WHEN RAINING DUE TO THE ANGLE. TRANSMITION STARTED SLIPPING AND STARTED TO HAVE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT POP UP AND HAD TO TAKE IT TO SERVICE AGAIN... AND FINALLY AT THE BEGGINING OF NOVEMBER HAD TO TAKE IT TO SERVICE DUE TO A SUDDEN BATTERY DRAIN. SHE WOULDNT TURN ON FOR NO REASON.THE DEFECTIVE MODULE IS ON BACKORDER WITH NO ESTIMATED ARRIVAL DATE, LEAVING THE VEHICLE UNUSABLE. ITS BEEN THERE FOR 2 MONTHS NOW... THEY PROVIDED A LOANER. EVERYTHING HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY DEALER. THEY SAID THAT HAD 3 PAGES OF CODES POP UP TO BE FIXED.

NHTSA ID

11710126

Incident

Nov 2, 2025

Twice, while driving in falling snow away from home, the front wipers did not work properly when switched to LO or HI. They behaved as if set to intermittent wiping. The intermittent wiper setting worked properly to adjust the wipe interval. But setting to LO or HI did not cause the wipers to go constantly. As far as I could tell, the arm pivot area was clear enough for them to wipe. The problem went away on its own without restarting the car. It happened again a few days later when parked in a driveway.

NHTSA ID

11709883

Incident

Dec 21, 2025

The windshield is a major safety issue. It is distorted, warped, and wavy. The dealership has ordered a replacement, but I’m worried it will be the same. As for the blind spot warning, it flashes when there is nothing present. The dealership cannot replicate, and I am not able to record when driving.

NHTSA ID

11709140

Incident

Apr 1, 2025

You can't see clearly out the windshield while driving during the day or night due to dashboard reflection on the windshield. The defect is highly publicised on the internet and on Equinox EV forums. I was told it is an engineering defect due to the windshield's angle and cannot be fixed. I have asked Chevrolet to do a buyback because, even with the TSB fix for the dash cover, it doesn't fully address the safety issue. Chevrolet should not be selling vehicles with window glare that makes it impossible for the driver to see the driving field clearly 30-50% of the time, as it is for me when driving the Chevrolet Equinox EV. I don't feel safe.

NHTSA ID

11708036

Incident

Jul 14, 2025

The dashboard causes a serious glare that prevents visibility. GM has only offered a cheap dash mat as a fix and my local dealer says they don’t know anything about it. They should really replace the dash pad with the updated model and not just lay a piece of cheap carpet over the dashboard of my 50k dollar car. The attached photo dosent even do the problem justice. Due to the way camera lenses work it looks less severe in photos.

NHTSA ID

11701677

Incident

Sep 10, 2025

There is EXTREME glare from the black dashboard reflecting back up onto the windshield in partly sunny to sunny conditions. The glare effectively blocks my vision and I've now had TWO (2) instances, in parking lots, where pedestrians were near my vehicle and my vision was blocked - almost causing me to hit / run over these pedestrians. I've contacted GM and the Dealer (Loyalty Chevrolet Williamsburg , VA) for over three months trying to get this resolved. They contend they've issued a "safety fix" involving a new dash mat to reduce glare, but the parts are not available / on backorder

NHTSA ID

11698721

Incident

Nov 3, 2025

The dashboard on my 2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV RS reflects strongly on the windshield, creating glare that severely reduces forward visibility in daylight. The reflection makes it difficult to see the road clearly and poses a serious safety hazard. I have taken the vehicle to the local dealers various times for this issue, and they acknowledge the problem but have not repaired it, saying they are waiting for a part. The visibility issue remains unresolved and appears to be a design defect that could affect other vehicles of the same model. It poses a serous risk of accident and injury to pedestrians.

NHTSA ID

11698688

Incident

Sep 25, 2025

Visibility under certain conditions is very poor. Reflection on the windshield from the dash creates unsafe driving conditions. It is especially bad when driving into a dark area like a parking garage or car wash. Almost impossible to see other vehicles or people. Polarized, sunglasses, eliminates or reduces the reflection but they are not always within reach. This is not an isolated incident. It is a constant problem with the vehicle design.

NHTSA ID

11696392

Incident

Oct 29, 2025

When driving in sunny conditions, there is an intense glare reflecting from the interior trim- specifically the "chrome" trim on the middle console. The reflection is so bright that it becomes blinding at times, making it difficult to see the road clearly and creating a serious safety hazard. This issue occurs consistently whenever sunlight enters the cabin and reflects off the trim's surface. It is extremely distracting and has the potential to cause temporary vision impairment when driving.

NHTSA ID

11696019

Incident

Apr 2, 2025

When driving with the sun in front of me, the reflections from the front dash on the windshield makes visibility very poor.

NHTSA ID

11694787

Incident

Jun 1, 2025

The contact owns a 2025 Chevrolet Equinox. While the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from the vehicle, and the front sunroof panel fractured. The contact's wife had described the loud sound as like a loud gunshot. The contact stated that the sunroof glass had fractured without impact to the sunroof. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the sunroof needed to be replaced. The vehicle was in the process of being repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 13,500.

NHTSA ID

11694722

Incident

Oct 14, 2025

Mileage

13,500 mi

My windshield has had distortion since I bought it (11/27/2024) and I finally took it to the dealership to get it replaced (09/30/2025). After replacing it they notify me that the new windshield also came with distortion and that unfortunately there is nothing they can do until GM (General Motors) puts something out about it. They said they compared it to the other vehicles and they're all like that but it's not as "bad" as it use to be. The fact that there is no fix and I just have to deal with a brand-new car that causes headaches from how much I have to focus my eyes to be able to see is ridiculous. I don't understand how they're just ok with letting all their customers drive with glares in their windshields and all they can say is "well there's nothing we can do" it's completely unsafe.

NHTSA ID

11690635

Incident

Nov 27, 2024

The contact owns a 2025 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that during a heatwave, the vehicle was parked, and the contact became aware of a "S" shape crack starting from the driver’s side upper windshield. The contact observed multiple reports with other consumers with identical cracks. The vehicle was repaired by a mobile technician. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a complaint was filed. The contact stated that while looking out of the passenger’s side windshield, the view was distorted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 21,000.

NHTSA ID

11688920

Incident

Sep 9, 2025

Mileage

21,000 mi

I purchased my 2025 chevy equinox in January of 25. In March I noticed some distortion on the passenger side of my window while making a right turn. I have had the windshield replaced twice by chevy/gm. Both replacements have the same issue. The dealership pulled up a new 25 or 26 equinox to find it has the same issue. The local chevy/gm rep claims, even without seeing my vehicle, that this is with tolerances/spec. This is a safety issue as it distorts my vision.

NHTSA ID

11679188

Incident

Jan 15, 2025

The windshield has a defect on the right hand side. It seems like blurry waves. I noticed it because I got nervous thinking that there were cars riding next to me very close but it is just a glare from the defect.

NHTSA ID

11662935

Incident

May 24, 2025

While driving my 2025 Chevrolet Equinox, both the digital instrument cluster and infotainment screen suddenly turned off without warning. This blackout lasted for several seconds before both systems rebooted and returned to normal. This has happened multiple times and does not seem related to any specific driving condition, speed, or weather. The vehicle itself continues to operate normally during the blackout, but the sudden loss of all visual information — including speed, alerts, and navigation — poses a serious safety risk. No warning lights or error messages appeared before or during the incident. This issue started shortly after receiving an over-the-air software update labeled GM N25-F172AE. The problem has not yet been confirmed or resolved by a dealer, and the vehicle has not been inspected by police or insurance.

NHTSA ID

11652702

Incident

Apr 4, 2025