2026 Chevrolet Equinox Owner Complaints

I have owned my Chevy since 6/30/25 when I bought it new. Since then, the blind spot warning system has activated many times when there hasn’t been anything there or remotely nearby. It’s like a ghost. It’s usually the driver’s side mirror that gets activated. I have cleaned the sensors too and it still occurs, making me think I’m going to get hit, or hit a person, pedestrian etc. i have read of other owners on social media experiencing same issue & thought I should report it.

NHTSA ID

11765451

Incident

Sep 18, 2026

While pulling forward out of a parking lot at a low speed, the vehicle's Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system suddenly and aggressively engaged without warning. There were no vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles whatsoever in the vehicle's path. The deceleration was extremely severe and violent, mimicking the sensation of hitting a brick wall. This unprompted, false-positive system activation subjected my body to intense, sudden forces, resulting in a painful back injury that requires medical attention. The system completely failed to accurately evaluate the path of travel, creating an immediate and unexpected hazard to my physical safety and that of anyone following behind me.

NHTSA ID

11764675

Incident

Sep 16, 2026

Breaks failed almost crashed on a highway

NHTSA ID

11762656

Incident

Sep 8, 2026

I am driving a rental Chevrolet Equinox with the steering-column-mounted electronic gear selector. I believe this shifter design creates a serious safety hazard. The gear selector is a stalk on the steering column positioned and operated similarly to controls commonly used for windshield wipers in other vehicles. While driving, pulling back on this stalk can immediately shift the transmission into Neutral, even at highway speeds. My wife and I have unintentionally shifted this vehicle into Neutral approximately a dozen times because of this control arrangement. Once the vehicle is in Neutral while moving, we have been unable to shift it back into Drive until coming to a complete stop. This creates a dangerous situation: the vehicle suddenly loses propulsion in moving traffic, and the driver cannot simply restore Drive. The driver must coast, find a safe place to stop, come to a complete stop, and then select Drive. This is particularly dangerous while merging, crossing an intersection, driving on a highway, or anywhere that maintaining acceleration may be necessary to avoid a collision. This is not a complaint that the controls are merely unfamiliar. The vehicle accepts a Neutral command at road speed from a simple movement of a steering-column stalk, while preventing the driver from immediately restoring Drive. Because the stalk’s location and operation can conflict with established driver muscle memory for steering-column controls, I believe this represents a foreseeable human-factors safety hazard. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this design and determine whether it presents an unreasonable risk to drivers and other road users.

NHTSA ID

11762382

Incident

Sep 5, 2026

When you accelerate from a stop, the car wobbles and shimmy’s until you reach about 15mph and then it stops and drives normally.

NHTSA ID

11762353

Incident

Jul 1, 2026

At approximately 5pm EST, my wife stopped the EV vehicle after backing out of the garage and put the vehicle in park. After exiting the driver's seat, she was outside the open driver's door, had both feet on the ground and cleared the door enough that she was preparing to close it, when the vehicle began moving with no one in the driver's seat. The vehicle traveled down our inclined driveway, across the street and striking my neighbor's house. A [XXX] neighboring child was in the vehicle's path. My wife believed the vehicle would strike the child and screamed for her to move. The child moved clear before the vehicle reached her, and no contact occurred. The vehicle stopped when it hit the left side of the neighbor’s garage causing damage to the stone siding and framing of the garage. The vehicle then started to move forward over the lawn and into the street. At some point after it started moving forward the neighbor, an adult male, was attempted to stop the vehicle physically but was unable to. I came out of the house and saw what was going on and was able to help stop the vehicle, entered it and apply the brakes. My wife also tried to enter the vehicle to stop it during these events causing her to get ran over, substantial scraps, bruising and other injuries. We are reporting unintended movement after driver exit and request investigation of park engagement, the shift-by-wire system, electric parking brake, Automatic Vehicle Hold/driver-exit functions, reverse automatic braking and propulsion/brake controls. 2 GM EV Concierge agents separately were unable to retrieve remote diagnostic information. The vehicle was towed to [XXX] in [XXX] with very specific instructions. I opened a case with GM EV Concierge and they escalated it to "the executive team". Despite multiple calls and emails the executive team has not reached out. The case was even closed once and I had it reopened. I opened ticket # XXX but can't find it so I'm opening this one. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA),

NHTSA ID

11762083

Incident

Aug 30, 2026

my 2026 equinox is having an issue with the blind spot warning on my driver side mirror will either say on or flash. this is regardless of driving, or being parking. i have washed my car, checked my sensor, and i am still having issues. the dealership does not see any issue with the car, however, while driving at night, this is such a distraction because i'm constantly checking my mirror to make sure there's nobody there. there was one day, i had open my trunk from my keyfob, in the house, and when i walked up on the driver side of my car (the car was turned off) it beeped and when i looked over, the blindspot light was on and flashing.

NHTSA ID

11762008

Incident

Jun 30, 2026

On XXX, at approximately 5pm EST, my wife stopped our 2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV after backing out of the garage and put the vehicle in park. After exiting the driver's seat, she was outside the open driver's door, had both feet on the ground and cleared the door enough that she was preparing to close it, when the vehicle began moving with no one in the driver's seat. The vehicle traveled down our inclined driveway, continued onto neighboring property, and continued through grass. A [XXX] neighboring child was in the vehicle's path. My wife believed the vehicle would strike the child and screamed for her to move. The child moved clear before the vehicle reached her, and no contact occurred. The vehicle stopped when it hit the left side of the neighbor’s garage causing damage to the stone siding and framing of the garage. The vehicle then started to move forward over the lawn and into the street. At some point after it started moving forward the neighbor, an adult male, was attempted to stop the vehicle physically but was unable to. I came out of the house and saw what was going on at this point and was able to help stop the vehicle, entered it and apply the brakes. My wife also tried to enter the vehicle and stop it during these events which ended in substantial scraps, bruising and other injuries. We are reporting unintended movement after driver exit and request investigation of park engagement, the shift-by-wire system, electric parking brake, Automatic Vehicle Hold/driver-exit functions, reverse automatic braking and propulsion/brake controls. Two Chevrolet EV Concierge agents separately were unable to retrieve remote diagnostic information. The vehicle is currently at my house and has only been driven to secure it in the garage since the incident. Opened a case with GM EV Concierge and they escalated it to "the executive team". It should be towed to a dealer today. Police report submitted but I do not current know the report number. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5

NHTSA ID

11761249

Incident

Aug 30, 2026

Under light-moderate acceleration, a feeling of the transmission slipping is felt. From my understanding, this is a known issue with the newest generation of Equinox & Terrain. I previously owned a 2025 Chevrolet Equinox LT AWD and it had the exact same issue. My local GM Dealership replaced the CV Axle and Axle and the issue was corrected temporarily, but soon after the issue returned. I then recently purchased a brand new 2026 Chevrolet Equinox LT AWD and the issue started with mine around 300 miles, but worse than my previous 2025 model. I am not sure if this an issue with only the AWD models or not, but an investigation needs to be conducted because I am concerned about the safety and longevity of the the axles and or other affected components on the vehicle that is causing the persistent issue.

NHTSA ID

11761245

Incident

Jul 22, 2026

On Saturday, August 29, 2026, at approximately 12:00 PM, I was driving my 2026 Chevrolet Equinox EV RS on the highway at about 65 mph. The weather conditions were clear and sunny. Without warning, the vehicle's automatic emergency braking (AEB) system abruptly engaged with full force, causing a severe and sudden deceleration. There were no vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles in front of my vehicle at the time. There was active traffic trailing my vehicle. Fortunately, the driver directly behind me had enough following distance to react in time and avoid a severe rear-end collision. Today, August 31, 2026, I spoke directly with my Chevrolet dealership, and they confirmed that my vehicle's software had already been updated to be compliant with GM TSB #N252521591 (Image Processing Module / Unwanted Integrated Brake Assist) prior to this event. This phantom braking event occurred despite the vehicle already having the official software patch applied, indicating that the safety hazard persists.

NHTSA ID

11761002

Incident

Aug 29, 2026

Had problewith the gas pedal being to close to the brake pedal found later from the head mechanic after we had a problem with it. He taught us this problem with big people and big feet their shoe catching on the brake pedal which causes your foot to hold down the gas pedal. We should have been told about this when we brought car

NHTSA ID

11760739

Incident

Aug 8, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a clunking sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The failure was a recurring failure. The dealer was contacted and diagnosed the vehicle with wheel bearings failure on the shaft. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 343.

NHTSA ID

11759727

Incident

Jun 4, 2026

Mileage

343 mi

I am reporting a serious safety issue involving my 2026 Chevrolet Equinox. While I was driving on the highway, the vehicle suddenly shut down and became completely immobilized in a travel lane. I was unable to move the vehicle out of the lane or shift the transmission into Neutral. This created an extremely dangerous situation, and a truck nearly struck my vehicle while I was stopped in the roadway. The vehicle had to be towed to a Chevrolet dealership. It has now been at the dealership for three days, and as of this complaint, the dealership has not been able to determine the cause of the failure. I am extremely concerned that the vehicle suddenly lost power while being driven and could not be moved to a safe location. I believe this presents a serious safety risk to the driver, passengers, and other motorists if the failure occurs again. I have also opened a case with Chevrolet/General Motors regarding this incident. I am requesting that NHTSA document and review this incident as a potential vehicle safety defect.

NHTSA ID

11759591

Incident

Aug 24, 2026

I was on the way back home from the office driving [XXX]. Speed limit of the road was 45mph and I was driving around 40 mph. There was a traffice light and it changed to yellow. The card in front of me stopped but the brake was slipping and my vehicle couldn't stop, ended up hitting vehicle in front of me. My vehecle equipped with Automatic Emegency Brake and Front collison warning but no warning popped up and automatic brake didn't work. I pushed brake so hard but it was slipping. I was holding steering wheel with both hand and stepping on the brake. and triied to avoid crash by turning vehicle to the right. But couldn't avoid crash and hit the passenger side of the vehicle in front of me with my driver side corner. Brake did not work and none of the emergency features equiped in the vehicle responded, INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11759542

Incident

Aug 17, 2026

I feel compelled to report this issue after 3rd incident and also after raising with the dealer service. I think this is a very very serious issue which should be investigated and dealt with promptly before it results in serious death or debilitating injuries. Let me describe the latest incident that happened yesterday with me in [XXX] between on XXX between 10:30 - 10:45 am PT. I was in a parking lot looking for a parking spot possibly driving at about 10-20 mph. A vehicle approached from the opposite side and it suddenly it slammed emergency braking. I and my family were shaken and felt a crushing jerk. This has also happened at least twice before - one time when I was pulling out of my driveway and another time on highway 1 in [XXX] near [XXX]. The highway incident could be very dangerous but possibly the slow traffic saved us. Driver behind me who is a friend called me immediately asking why I braked unsafely which I told him I did not. I have also 2 prior issues before the latest to the dealer who listened to me and documented it but I was told they don’t know anyone reporting this issue. Internet forum talks about this issue but OEM is possibly ignoring it. The dealer says they updated some camera software but that’s about it. This 3rd incidence has shaken me and I thought of reporting to you. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11757265

Incident

Aug 15, 2026

Three times over the past month, this car has slammed the automatic emergency brakes, thinking there was an obstacle in the road. Each time, it has caused whiplash to everyone in the car, feeling like we were slammed by another car. It is related to the collision avoidance and is triggered by either a shadow on the road or a glare. If I turn off the feature, I have to do it every single time I get in my car. If I forget to turn off this dangerous feature, it could trigger again. I'm beginning to get nervous driving it, thinking it could engage at any second. Eventually, someone will crash into me because it's so sudden, the car behind won't be able to stop. This is apparently a major problem with others I've seen online with no remedy.

NHTSA ID

11757249

Incident

Aug 15, 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The contact owns a 2026 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at high speeds, the vehicle stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the oil gauge fluctuated. The vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with fuel pump failure. An appointment was scheduled to inspect the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,678.

NHTSA ID

11745575

Incident

Jun 20, 2026

Mileage

3,678 mi