2010 Chevrolet Equinox
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 784 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the highest complaint count among 21 Equinox model years with reports.
Of the 2010 reports, 15 involved a crash and 9 involved a fire. 23 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Electrical system, ignitionJul 5, 2016
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.
Campaign 16V502000 on NHTSA.gov
Seats, front assembly, power adjustJul 23, 2014
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Camaro, as well as certain 2010-2012 Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, equipped with power height adjustable driver and passenger seats. In the affected vehicles, the bolt that secures the driver's and passenger's power front seat height adjuster may fall out causing the seat to drop suddenly to the lowest vertical position.
If the driver's seat unexpectedly drops, the distraction and altered seat position may affect the drivers' control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the height adjuster shoulder bolts, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed interim letters to owners on September 11, 2014. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14271.
Campaign 14V447000 on NHTSA.gov
Visibility, defroster/defogger/hvac systemDec 23, 2009
GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 CHEVROLET EQUINOX AND GMC TERRAIN VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 103, "WINDSHIELD DEFROSTING AND DEFOGGING SYSTEMS AND WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 101, CONTROLS AND DISPLAYS". THE SOFTWARE IN THE CENTER INSTRUMENT PANEL CAN CAUSE THE HEATING, AIR CONDITIONING, DEFROST, AND RADIO CONTROLS, AS WELL AS THE PANEL ILLUMINATION TO BECOME INOPERATIVE.
DRIVING WITHOUT A FUNCTIONING DEFROST SYSTEM CAN DECREASE YOUR VISIBILITY UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS AND COULD RESULT IN A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE COMPUTER MODULE IN THE CENTER INSTRUMENT PANEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JANUARY 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463 OR AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.
Campaign 09V489000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: visibility/wiper
132 reports, newest first. Show all
Visibility/wiper, Jan 10, 2019
WINDSHIELD TAKES UP TO HALF AN HOUR TO DEFROST WHEN FIRST STARTED IN COLD WEATHER. I HAVE TO MANUALLY WIPE OFF THE INSIDE WINDSHIELD A FEW TIMES SO THAT I CAN DRIVE TO WORK. WINDSHIELD WILL FOG UP WHILE DRIVING IN CERTAIN CONDITIONS, SUCH AS RAIN, ESPECIALLY IF THERE IS MORE THAN ONE PERSON IN THE VEHICLE, AND IT WILL TAKE TOO LONG TO DEFOG, LIMITING VISIBILITY. WHEN THE HEAT IS ON FOR LONG PERIODS, THE RADIO OVERHEATS AND STOPS WORKING PROPERLY. HEAT CONTINUES TO COME OUT OF THE VENTS EVEN WHEN IT IS TURNED OFF. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON MAY 21, 2016.
Visibility/wiper, Jan 3, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECAME INOPERABLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CLEMENTS CHEVROLET (1000 12TH ST SW, ROCHESTER, MN 55902, (507) 289-0491) AND THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 9-4957761457. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 20, 2018
WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH DURING A RAIN STORM, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. AFTER GETTING THE VEHICLE HOME, WE DISCOVERED THE WIPER LINKAGE HAD FAILED. THE BALL JOINTSIN THE LINKAGE WERE SEVERELY CORRODED AND WORN. SEEMS.TO.BE THE EXACT FAILURE THAT WAS RECALLED ON THE 2013 EQUINOX MODELS (16V582000). WHEN ORDERING REPAIR PARTS I NOTED THE WIPER LINKAGE IS COMMON TO ALL EQUINOX MODELS FROM 2010-2017. VEHICLE HAS ROUGHLY 80,000 MILES AT TIME.OF FAILURE.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 8, 2018
9/24/2018 POURING RAIN MY WIPERS STOPPED ON I75 IN TENNESSEE. SCARIEST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE TIME. WAS ABLE TO GET TO A DEALER IN CLEVELAND TN. $432 TRANSMISSION WIPER FAILED. I AM NOW SEEING OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE.
Electronic stability control (ESC), Engine, Visibility/wiper, Dec 3, 2018
MY VEH STALLED ON ME MID DRIVE SAID ENGINE POWER REDUCED, IT DID NOT LET ME ACCELERATE AND I ALMOST GOT HIT. SIMULTANEOUSLY THE STABILITRACK MESSAGE CAME ON AND WATCH FOR ICE, DID THIS HAPPEN BECAUSE OF THE COLD? ALSO FEW DAYS LATER IT WAS STORMING AND MY WIPERS STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDOW AND I WAS ON THE FWY IN THE FAST LANE. I HAD TO GET SOAKED FROM ROLLING M WINDOW DOWN TO PULL OVER. ROADSIDE CAME TO STOP TRAFFIC TO LET ME ON THE RIGHT SIDE SHOULDER BECAUSE I WAS LUCKY I HAD ROOM TO PULL OVER OR EVEN SEE IN THE FIRST PLACE. I COULDNT SEE ANYTHING!
Visibility/wiper, Dec 2, 2018
I HAVE HAD TWO INCIDENTS OF WIPER FAILURE ON MY USED 2010 CHEVY EQUINOX. I JUST PURCHASED MY USED EQUINOX THE END OF AUGUST 2018. IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE, I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 95 IN MARYLAND, AND THE WIPERS STOPPED WORKING DURING A RAIN INCIDENT. FORTUNATELY I MADE IT HOME. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED IT AND THEY SAID THEY REPAIRED THE BUSHINGS ON THE LINKAGE. THE 2ND INCIDENT HAPPENED IN NOVEMBER OF 2018 DURING A SNOW INCIDENT. MY WIFE WAS USING THE EQUINOX TO DRIVE TO THE BANK. IT WAS SNOWING AND SHE WAS USING THE WIPERS. AGAIN THE WIPERS STOPPED WORKING! SHE WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME AND PARK IT SAFELY IN THE DRIVEWAY. WHEN SHE BROUGHT IT HOME, I WAS ABLE TO HEAR THE WIPER MOTOR WORKING, BUT THE ARMS WERE NOT MOVING. WE HAVE NOT USED THE VEHICLE SINCE THIS LAST INCIDENT HAPPENED. WE HAVE HAD TWO WIPER LINKAGE FAILURE INCIDENTS IN APPROX. 3 MONTHS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WOULD HAVE DONE IF WE WERE ON A LONG FAMILY TRIP. IT IS VERY SCARY WHEN YOUR WIPERS STOP WORKING AND YOU CANNOT SEE THE ROAD YOU ARE DRIVING ON, OR TRAFFIC AROUND YOU.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 1, 2018
I WAS DRIVING TO THE STORE IN THE RAIN AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE WIPER STOPPED WORKING. MY SON REPLACED THE BUSHINGS, THEN ON MY WAY INTO WORK IN THE RAIN BOTH STOPPED WORKING I TOOK IT TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY TELL ME IT IS THE WIPER TRANSMISSION AND THE TRANSMISSION LINKAGE. THERE IS A RECALL IN THE US FOR 2013 BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE FOR 2010-2013 LIKE CANADA HAS. THIS DANGEROUS
Visibility/wiper, Nov 28, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHEN THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER SWITCH, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TRANSMISSION UNIT WAS INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000 *BF 'PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Nov 26, 2018
ORIGINAL RECALL 09 V4 89000 WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE FIXED VISIBILITY ISSUE. CAR WAS TAKEN IN AT THE TIME OF THE ORIGINAL RECALL. THE VEHICLE IS SHOWING SYMPTOMS OF THE EXACT SAME ISSUE AS BEFORE WHERE DEFROSTER IS NO LONGER WORKING BECAUSE OF CONTROLS NOT FUNCTIONING. RADIO IS ALSO OUT ALONG WITH POSSIBLE OTHER UNKNOWN ELECTRICAL ISSUES. WE'VE TURN THE CAR ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES HOPING IT WAS JUST A GLITCH, HOWEVER IT APPEARS THE PROBLEMS OF THE FIRST RECALL ARE BACK AGAIN. DRIVING THE VEHICLE POSE A THREAT HAS WE LIVE IN WEATHER WE'RE HAVING TO HAVE CONTROL OVER THE DEFROSTING IS NEEDED. DEFROSTER AND PANEL DO NOT WORK BECAUSE OF LACK OF ELECTRICAL CONTROL. MY WORRY IS THAT THIS IS SYSTEMIC, THE THE ISSUE IS REOCCURRING, EVERY SO YEARS OR SO, THAT OTHER ISSUES WILL CONTINUALLY MAKE THIS AN ISSUE IN THE FUTURE.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 8, 2018
DRIVERS SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED TO OPERATE.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 29, 2018
WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING IN RAIN STORM ON TOLL ROAD AT HIGH SPEED. HAD TO KEEP DRIVING WITH VERY LIMITED VISION. DID NOT WANT TO STOP ON TOLL ROAD. THE ARM FROM WITH WIPER TRANSMISSION CAME OFF THE MOTOR WHEEL THAT SPINS.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 27, 2018
WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING DURING A DOWNPOUR ON A 6 LANE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT. WIPER WAS OFF THE SIDE OF THE DRIVERS WINDOW, WAS ABLE TO PUSH THEM BACK INTO PLACE, AND YOU CAN HEAR THE WIPER MOTOR RUNNING, THE SPRAY STILL WORKED AND THE BACK WIPER BUT THE FRONT WIPERS WILL NOT MOVE. THIS WAS A VERY SCARY SITUATION, EVEN MORE AO THAT MY 6 YEAR OKD WAS IN THE XAR WITH ME. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD.
Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Visibility/wiper, Oct 16, 2018
I COULD NOT TURN ON MY DEFROST ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING I HAD TO PULL OVER AND WAIT FOR IT TO KICK BACK ON SO IT COULD DEFROST ENOUGH FOR ME TO SEE WHERE I WAS GOING TO GET HOME I HAVE THE VIDEOS
Visibility/wiper, Oct 10, 2018
THE ARM/LINKAGE OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TRANSMISSION BROKE CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO STOP WORKING. HAPPENED WHILE IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 5, 2018
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. I TOOK THE CAR TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP WHO IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS ARISING FROM A KEY PART IN THE WIPERS BEING MADE OF PLASTIC INSTEAD OF THE PREVIOUSLY USED METAL AND THIS WEARING OUT. HE SAID THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT A RECALL WAS LIKELY BUT THAT CHEVY WAS DRAGGING THEIR FEED. I UNDERSTAND THEY HAVE ISSUED THE RECALL IN CANADA. THE WIPERS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING DURING A MAJOR RAIN STORM, CREATING A VERY REAL SAFETY HAZARD AS I DROVE WITH YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE CAR.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 10, 2018
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE OVER EXTENDING.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 21, 2018
WHILE DRIVING DURING A RAINSTORM THE WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. CHECKED THE FUSES, BUT ALL FUSES WERE GOOD. THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID WAS WORKING BUT NOT THE WIPERS THEMSELVES. AFTER GETTING THE VEHICLE BACK HOME TOOK A LOOK AT THE WIPER ASSEMBLY AND ONE OF THE BUSHINGS BROKE OFF. HAD TO REPLACE THE BUSHING TO GET THE WIPERS TO WORK AGAIN.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 16, 2018
WIPERS STOPPED WORKING DUE TO A WORN BALL JOINT ON WIPER MOTOR. IT DOES SHOW A RECALL FOR NEWER ONES BUT NOT FOR THE 2010 YEAR. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A STATE HIGHWAY ALMOST CAUSED DRIVER TO RUN INTO THE DITCH, HEAVY RAIN.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 16, 2018
I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK. IT STARTED TO RAIN, SO I TURNED ON THE WIPERS, AND THEY SWIPED A FEW TIMES AND STUCK IN THE UPWARD LEFT POSITION AND STOPPED. I WAS ON A STATE HIGHWAY, AT THE TIME, AND FOUND IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE TO DRIVE. THE WIPERS HAVE NOT WORKED SINCE THAT DAY. UPON CHECKING ONLINE, I'VE FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND HAPPENS TO OTHERS EXACTLY THE SAME WAY IT HAPPENED WITH MY WIPERS. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE CANADIAN MODEL FOR 2013, BUT HAVE NOT FOUND ONE FOR 2010 AND THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON ALL OF THE WIPERS FOR THIS MODEL. THE ARMS ON THE TRANSMISSION COME APART AND STOPS THE WIPERS FROM WORKING. NO WARNING......THEY JUST STOP. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. AND TO ADD TO THE PROBLEM...... TO REPAIR IT, THE MORE APPROPRIATE OPTION IS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION/MOTOR ASSEMBLY AND THAT PART IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE, AROUND $300. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL BY CHEVY, AS IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND CAN CAUSE TERRIBLE ACCIDENTS IN THE BLINDING RAIN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 27, 2018
WHILE DRIVING DEFROSTERS & RADIO QUIT WORKING AND HAD TO STOP BECAUSE WINDSHIELD FOGGED UP AND CANNOT SEE. SHUT OFF CAR AND WAITED 10 MINUTES OR SO AND STARTED BACK UP AND WORKED FINE, ABOUT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO SAME THING AGAIN DEFROST STOPPED WORKING WITH RADIO AND HAD TO STOP AGAIN. KNOWN ISSUE BUT NOT ON RECALL LIST.
Electrical system, Visibility/wiper, May 7, 2018
2010 CHEVY EQUINOX LTZ WINDSHIELD FAILURE! WEDNESDAY NIGHT, MAY 2, 2018, I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM THE FOUR WINDS CASINO, SOUTH BEND, IN, IT WAS POURING DOWN RAIN...WHEN I GOT INTO MISHAWAKA, IN, MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS SUDDENLY STOPPED AND LODGED TO THE LEFT OF THE DRIVERS SIDE! I GOT OUT OF THE CAR, PUSHED THE WIPERS BACK DOWN IN THERE PROPER PLACE AND I COULD HEAR THE MOTOR RUNNING! I GOT BACK INTO THE CAR AND TURNED ON THE WIPERS SEVERAL TIMES, THEY WOULD NOT BUDGE...I TOOK THE EQUINOX INTO BASNEY HONDA ON THURSDAY, MAY 3, 2018 AND THEY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THEY TOLD ME THE WINDSHIELD MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED! I BOUGHT THIS SUV IN MARCH FROM BASNEY HONDA! I HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR A COUPLE OF MONTHS AND PROBLEMS ALREADY? THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, PLUS, THE COST OF REPAIR! TOTAL COST= $453.43. ALSO, MY RESEARCH SHOWS MANY RECALLS ON THIS SAME ISSUE BY GM! MANY COMPLAINTS BY CONSUMERS! WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING, AND WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED? NO WONDER NO ONE WANTS TO BUY A CHEVY! WHEN I PURCHASED MY 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY SOLARA USED IN 2010, IT WAS YEARS BEFORE I HAD ANY REPAIRS! NEVER A WINDSHIELD ISSUE LIKE THIS...NEVER! I THOUGHT I HAD MADE A GOOD CHOICE BUYING THIS CHEVY EQUINOX SUV, LIKING IT A LOT, BUT, NOW, I AM LOOKING TO GET ANOTHER TOYOTA, HONDA, NISSAN OR MAZDA AND TRADE THIS ONE IN! I HAVE CALLED A CERTIFIED CHEVY DEALER TO HAVE AN INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSTIC DONE ON THURSDAY, MAY 10, 2018. AFTER THAT, I WILL CALL THE CHEVY RECALL NUMBER FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE! THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SAFETY HAZARD! I COULD NOT SEE! I COULD HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT AND RAN OFF THE ROAD, OR WORSE YET, BEEN KILLED OR KILLED SOMEONE ELSE! I HOPE I CAN GET REIMBURSED THE COST OF THIS REPAIR!
Visibility/wiper, Apr 22, 2018
WHEN I ACTIVATED THE SWITCH TO TURNED ON THE WIPER BLADES, I COULD HERE THE MOTOR, BUT THE BLADES WOULD NOT MOVE AT ALL. THE PROBLEM WAS THE WIPER TRANSMISSION WAS BROKEN. THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING IN A SNOW STORM ON 4-15-2018. I TOOK THE CAR TO A CHEV. DEALER AND IT WAS REPAIRED FOR 371.44 INCLUDING TAX.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 14, 2018
WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN THE WIPERS STOPPED WORKING IN THE VERTICAL POSITION.
Visibility, Visibility/wiper, Mar 6, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE DEFROSTER FAILED TO BLOW OUT AIR. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Visibility/wiper, Feb 7, 2018
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DEFROST FAILED TO PRODUCE HOT AIR. ADDITIONALLY, THE ODOR OF EXHAUST FUMES WAS NOTICED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEN TO BENSON AUTO CHEVROLET (28 N MAIN ST, FRANKLIN, NH 03235), BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000. *TT *TR