RoadVitals

2026 Chevrolet Equinox

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
58
+2 complaints in 30 days
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Feb 26, 2026
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
3
2 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 58 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2026 Chevrolet Equinox, most frequently naming the driver assistance, brakes and powertrain (other) categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 157 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

Feb 26, 2026
5,861 units potentially affected
The defect: General Motors has decided that certain 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV, 2025-2026 Cadillac OPTIQ, Chevrolet Colorado, Equinox EV, GMC Canyon, 2026 Buick Enclave, Envision, Cadillac CT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade IQ, Escalade IQL, LYRIQ, VISTIQ, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Corvette Convertible, Corvette Coupe, Corvette Convertible E-Ray, Equinox, Silverado 1500, 2500, 3500, Silverado EV, Suburban 1500, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Hummer EV Pickup, Hummer EV SUV, Sierra 1500, 2500, 3500, Sierra EV, Terrain, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The radio may not have been set to the correct status to download the electronic owner's manual during production. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, “Occupant Protection.”
The risk: Without an owner's manual to consult, owners may not know how to safely use and operate the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
The remedy: Dealers will reset the vehicle radio, which will facilitate automatic download of the electronic owner’s manual, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 16, 2026. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-866-467-9700, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. The manufacturer's number for this recall is N252540430. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 26, 2026.
General Motors, LLCManufacturer number N252540430View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Driver assistance
Filed Jul 28, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving with the cruise control activated, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated from 50 MPH to 80 MPH. No warning light was illuminated. During the failure, three minor occupants were seated inside the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 10,500.

NHTSA ID
11753238
Incident
Jul 27, 2026
Mileage
10,500 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 18, 2026

This has happened 5 times since purchasing this 2026 Chevy Equinox RS. While driving, all of a sudden, without any notice, the dashboard lights up with warnings about "BRAKES"...Not exactly sure what is said because it doesn't stay on the screen very long. Next it says, STEERING ASSIST IS REDUCED..DRIVE WITH CARE....and a small area under, "Mileage till empty" says....BRAKE...in red, while still being in DRIVE. When pressing on the brakes to slow down to pull over, there ARE NO BRAKES.!!! The brake pedal goes to the floor and Equinox very slowly comes to a stop, so I can pull off the road and stop. Now if I turn off the engine, turn it back on, it seems to reset itself and I start driving again, not knowing when I might die because of the brakes going out again when someone pulls out in front of me. HOW CAN A VEHICLE THAT SPORADICALLY LOSES THE BRAKES, BE ALLOWED TO BE SOLD ON THE MARKET ??? This vehicle now has 13,147 miles on it and had very few when it first happened. We are now at 5 times, not knowing if the 6th time there will be death for my family to deal with. My dealer said they would let us know as soon as they learn about this issue, as they know nothing the 1st time..Several cases have been reported and our dealer failed to notify us about anything...Do I drive the Equinox until someone is killed or do I demand my dealership to furnish me a SAFE Equinox to drive until they fix mine. ? It's obvious that I will eventually be injured or killed in this Chevy Equinox caused by General Motors' incompetence..I am going to demand my dealer to furnish me with an equivalent vehicle.

NHTSA ID
11751307
Incident
Jul 10, 2025
BrakesSteering
Filed Jul 15, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard, and the vehicle gradually came to a stop. The service brake and service power steering warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with ECM failure. The contact was informed that the ECM needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with brake control module failure. The contact was informed that the brake control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired again; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with brake master cylinder failure. The contact was informed that the brake master cylinder needed to be repaired. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 700.

NHTSA ID
11750550
Incident
May 13, 2026
Mileage
700 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jul 12, 2026

Possible O2 sensor. Engine misfired, bucking under acceleration, engine light flashing and auto hold system shutdown. Upon pulling out into traffic, I hit the gas and this happened, which was a risk to me and other drivers as I could not accelerate properly. I am taking my car to Reedman Toll on July 13. I can reproduce the problem every time I heavy accelerate.

NHTSA ID
11749865
Incident
Jul 3, 2026
ElectricalInterior & seats
Filed Jul 10, 2026

My name is [XXX], I live at [XXX]. I own a 2021 Honda Passport, VIN ending in [XXX]. Two serious safety issues: 1. The multifunction camera behind the windshield has failed with codes [XXX] and U0416-F8. This is the same known defect that is the subject of a class action lawsuit. The dealer quoted me $1700 to fix it. I have only had the car for two years and I should not have to pay this much for a major safety failure. 2. The front passenger power seat moves backwards on its own and does not stop. On one occasion it trapped my young nonverbal autistic son in the car seat. I had to physically intervene to stop it from crushing him. I reported this issue to Honda USA customer service, and they told me to take it to the dealer. Both of these are serious safety defects. The seat issue especially is extremely dangerous for a child who cannot speak or scream for help. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate these defects immediately. Thank you, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
11749643
Incident
May 20, 2026
BrakesEngineVisibility
Filed Jul 7, 2026

No warning messages or check engine lights. However, I am concerned for my safety as my 2026 equinox I bought last year in may of 2025 from motion chevy in hackettstown NJ with 21k miles (as of now, bought it brand new last year) has a windshield distortion that when looking to the passenger side of the windshield, it’s very wavy and distorted and I already had a Chevy dealership named Mcguire’s Chevy in newton dismiss it saying others on the lot had the same issue (which they did as I saw but still unacceptable!!) I also noticed many other owners of my vehicle have the same complaint via online forums and even after several replacements from GM the issue persists which is unacceptable. The next issue are the rotors. They most likely are warped as when I step on the brakes the steering wheel vibrates slightly and the car shakes slightly which is not safe. Again, McGuire Chevy in newton dismissed it saying normal. And lastly, the front end of the car shakes when starting vehicle with or without the air conditioner on. It shakes for 10-30 seconds and you can feel it strongly in the brake pedal area as well as rest of the front end of vehicle before going away which seems unsafe, yet the first dealer Mcguire’s said it’s normal. I am having these issues looked at by a local GMC dealer and hope they rectify the issue or else GM may need to do a buyback if they can’t fix the issues and keep saying it’s “normal”. They opened a case with GM for the shaking so far not the other issues yet so we will see. Honorable mention is the blend door actuator making a noise (another known issue) on this car via online forums making a noise every time you go from hot to cold and vice versa. Mine is affected to just not severely but enough to where it’s very irritating and it’s had this issue since new and the McGuire dealer said it’s normal….. at this point GM needs to issue recalls instead of dismissing customers.

NHTSA ID
11748677
Incident
May 20, 2025
Visibility
Filed Jul 6, 2026

The interior trim has many problems affecting safety. 1. Plastic chrome trim reflects blinding sun in my eyes. 2. Dash finish reflects severely onto the windshield, cannot see clearly. These are extreme safety issues. I believe GM should provide fix kits in a recall before someone is killed. And required design standards for this. Note: the camera lessens the glare in the attached pictures

NHTSA ID
11748606
Incident
Jul 5, 2026
Brakes
Filed Jun 25, 2026
Crash reportedFire reported

The contact owns a 2026 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH, another vehicle crashed into the front of the vehicle. During the crash, the parking braking activated, and smoke and flames were coming from both the rear wheels. The contact used a bottle of water to extinguish the flames. During the failure, the maintenance icon was displayed. There was no injury sustained. A Police report was not filed. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer, but the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact was advised to notify the insurance company of the failure. The failure mileage was 1,100.

NHTSA ID
11746399
Incident
Jun 12, 2026
Mileage
1,100 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

19.00

• Smoother vehicle startups in cold temperatures

PIT6517C

This PI advise dealers If U3000 is present, follow the correct service doc by Symptom Byte before contacting PQC; if not present, verify the camera is clean, then contact PQC if no issue is found.

PIT5099J

PI to help diagnose A/C concern

662.20

• Improvements to the performance of driver assistance features • Fixes to help ensure accurate driver display messages and alerts

PIT5966F

This Preliminary information communicates an issue with an OTA pending message still displayed after an OTA event and how to reset/clear the message.

PIT6503B

This preliminary information is to inform technicians that GM is placing the B174W Front View Camera Module (ACP2) on part restriction due to elevated replacement rates and ongoing engineering investigation. Technicians must not replace the front camera module unless they have: 1.Completed the diagnostic procedure in this PI, and 2.Contacted TAC and received authorization, including the SI document number and specific step that directs camera replacement.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Chevrolet Equinox by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2027000
2026Viewing581049.0
20252120043.6
2024711051.1
2023913055.9
20221605062.9
2021884058.7
20202994060.9
20192954059.1
20183965058.7
20172710047.8
20163921252.1
20156792255.4
20145451249.3
20137492047.6
20126823356.2
20117813357.1
20107843354.6
2009940036.9
20083700033.5
20076854046.3
20066950034.3
20056381043.2

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.