2011 Chevrolet Equinox
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 782 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 2nd highest complaint count among 21 Equinox model years with reports.
Of the 2011 reports, 30 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 41 people were injured and 2 people died.
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
Seat belts, front, buckle assemblyDec 15, 2010
GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 CADILLAC SRX, CHEVROLET EQUINOX AND GMC TERRAIN VEHICLES. THE DRIVER AND /OR FRONT PASSENGER SAFETY BELT BUCKLE ANCHOR MAY FRACTURE AND SEPARATE NEAR THE SEAT ATTACHMENT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
THE SAFETY BELT SYSTEM MAY NOT RESTRAIN THE OCCUPANT(S) AS DESIGNED AND COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY.
DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE PASSENGER AND/OR THE DRIVER SAFETY BELT BUCKLES AS NECESSARY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 18, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463 AND AT THE OWNER CENTER AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.
Campaign 10V623000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: other or unspecified
57 reports, newest first. Show all
Other or unspecified, Engine, Dec 3, 2015
I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM GM/CHEVROLET IN AUGUST 2015 REGARDING OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUES IN MY 2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX (SERVICE BULLETIN NO.: SB-15285). I AM CURRENTLY HAVING THIS ISSUE MONITORED FOR THIS AS I WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE BRING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP EVERY 1,000 MILES FOR MONITORING BEFORE THEY WOULD DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. IN THE MEANTIME I HAVE GOTTEN A CHECK ENGINE CODE P0420 WHICH RELATES TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. MY EQUINOX HAS JUST AT 84,500 MILES ON IT AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WARRANTY IS ONLY 80,000. I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER THIS MORNING AND WAS TOLD THE CONVERTER NEEDED REPLACING. AFTER SPEAKING WITH MULTIPLE DEALERSHIPS AND MECHANICS I UNDERSTAND AND HAVE BEEN TOLD MULTIPLE TIMES THAT THE OIL CONSUMPTION AND PISTON ISSUES HAVE CAUSED THIS PROBLEM YET GM/CHEVROLET IS TELLING ME THEY WILL ONLY HELP ME APPROXIMATELY $200 TO HELP WITH THE NEW CONVERTER. THEY MUST KNOW THIS IS WHAT'S CAUSED THIS ISSUE AS IT APPEARS THAT A LOT THE 2010 EQUINOX HAD THE EXACT SAME ISSUE AND PROBLEMS. I WOULD REALLY LIKE FOR GM/CHEVROLET TO FIX THE CONVERTER ON MY EQUINOX AT 100% THEIR COST AS IT HAS HAD MULTIPLE OTHER ISSUES INCLUDING TRANSMISSION (COVERED UNDER A BULLETIN LISTED ON YOUR SITE HERE) , CAMSHAFT ACTUATOR (COVERED UNDER A BULLETIN LISTED ON YOUR SITE HERE), ETC. THE CONVERTER PER QUOTES ARE ANYWHERE FROM $600-$1,200 WHICH IS A LOT OF MONEY FOR AN ISSUE THAT WAS CAUSED BY THE OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE THEY KNOW ABOUT, BUT HAVE TO MONITOR FIRST BEFORE THEY WILL FIX IT.
Other or unspecified, Oct 20, 2015
THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WILL NOT UNLOCK.
Other or unspecified, Sep 30, 2015
THE CAR DOORS WILL NOT STAY LOCKED. AFTER LOCKING THE CAR OVER NIGHT WITH THE KEY FOB I WILL GO OUTSIDE AND FIND MY CAR UNLOCKED. UNSURE IF THIS AFFECTS THE CHILD SAFETY LOCK FEATURE ON THE REAR DOORS. THE CAR IS STATIONARY SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY. THIS ISSUES HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR SOME TIME NOW. MY CAR WAS LOCKED OVERNIGHT AND THIS MORNING I FOUND IT UNLOCKED AND SOMEONE HAD GONE THROUGH IT.
Other or unspecified, Aug 16, 2015
ON THE AFTERNOON OF AUGUST 12,2015 I WAS WALKING TOWARDS THE REAR OPEN DOOR THAT MY NEPHEW HAD OPENED. I DID NOT SEE THE DOOR COMING DOWN, NO BEEPING....IT HIT THE TOP OF MY HEAD AND KEPT GOING DOWN PUSHING ME TO THE GROUND. I HAD A CONCUSSION AND THE AMBULANCE TOOK ME TO THE HOSPITAL BEING AS I HAD BEEN UNCONSCIOUS. SPENT ONE DAY IN THE HOSPITAL WITH LOTS OF TESTS TO SEE IF MY SPINE WAS DAMAGED. NO DAMAGE THERE AFTER LYING IN THEIR BED WITH A NECK BRACE ON. WILL HAVE FOLLOW UP WITH NEOUROLOGIST WITH MORE TESTS. YOU NEED TO HAVE SOME KIND OF WARNING SOUND TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHEN THE DOOR IS COMING DOWN. NO RESISTANCE TO THE DOOR WHEN MY BROTHER IN LAW TESTED IT ALSO. PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS....[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *JB
Other or unspecified, Jun 8, 2015
COLUMBIA, SC--I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO REPAIR AN IGNITION ISSUE AND TOLD THEM THAT I WAS HAVING A WHINING-TYPE ENGINE NOISE WHEN I ACCELERATED WHILE THE A/C WAS ON, AND THAT THE A/C WAS STARTING TO LOSE ITS COOLING CAPACITY. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED ME THAT MY COMPRESSOR WAS GOING OUT, BUT THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY LAST INTO THE SUMMER, BUT BY THE END OF APRIL I HAD TO HAVE IT REPLACED, TO THE TUNE OF $1260. EVEN THOUGH MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BECAUSE OF YEARS, IT HAD LESS THAN 28,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THE COMPRESSOR FAILURE. I CONTACTED GM AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS BEYOND THEIR 3-YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD. I POSTED THIS ISSUE ON A SITE CALLED REPAIRPAL, AND I HAVE RECEIVED NUMEROUS EMAILS FROM OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 30, 2013
I HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH MY 2011 CHEVY EQUINOX THAT STARTED OCCURRING ABOUT A YEAR AFTER I PURCHASED IT. THE MAIN CONCERNS ARE THE ENGINE NOISE AND HOW ROUGH IT RUNS, FEELING AS THOUGH I AM BEING REAR-ENDED IN TRAFFIC (WHEN MOVING FORWARD FROM A COMPLETE STOP IT LURCHES FORWARD, GIVING THE FEELING OF BEING HIT), ROUGH START UP (SOUNDS LIKE AN OLD CAR AT TIMES) AND THE CAR STUTTERS WHEN ACCELERATING (ALMOST FEELS LIKE IT WANTS TO STALL OUT). I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR NOW AND HAVE READ THAT MANY OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES. I HAVE TAKEN IT FOUR TIMES GIVING THEM THE SAME DESCRIPTION EACH TIME AT WHICH THEY STATE THAT THEY CANNOT REPLICATE THESE ISSUES. THEY KEEP MY CAR FOR HOURS AND DO NOTHING TO IT. I AM A SINGLE MOM SO I CAN'T LEAVE MY CAR WITHOUT IT CAUSING MAJOR ISSUES FOR ME AS I HAVE TO TAKE MY SON TO AND FROM SCHOOL. I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM GM STATING THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE FUEL PUMP AND ENGINE BALANCE CHAIN AND DESCRIBES WHAT MY VEHICLE IS DOING NOW-I BELIEVE I HAVE ENGINE DAMAGE AND I AM WORRIED THAT I WILL END UP BREAKING DOWN ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AT SOME POINT OR WORSE STALL OUT AND END UP IN AN ACCIDENT! IN ADDITION TO THE ENGINE PROBLEMS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE DEFROSTER, IT JUST DOESN'T CLEAR THE WINDOWS FAST ENOUGH, ON GOING PROBLEMS WITH THE STEREO (MAKES A STATIC, DISTORTED SOUND WITH THE USB PORT) AND THE DRIVERS SIDE SQUEAKS BECAUSE IT RUBS UP AGAINST THE MIDDLE CONSOLE. IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE THE PROBLEMS ARE INTERMITTENT. I AM HOPING THAT ENOUGH PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS SAFETY ISSUES WITH REGARD TO THE ENGINE AND CAUSE GM TO DEAL WITH IT APPROPRIATELY! WE SHOULD NOT FEEL AFRAID THAT OUR NEW CAR WILL BREAK DOWN ON US, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLES! *TR
Other or unspecified, Feb 21, 2011
NOT SURE OF THE EXACT DATE OR MILEAGE VEHICLE MESSED UP FIRST TIME. WE BOUGHT IT ON JANUARY 19, 2011, MESSED UP WITHIN FIRST FEW DAYS OF HAVING IT. IT'S HAPPENED TWICE, WHEN VEHICLE IS STOPPED, BUT IN DRIVE (EX. RED LIGHT), THEN PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL IT WILL EITHER NOT GO AT ALL, OR BARELY GO AND THEN NOT GO ANY FURTHER. HAVE TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK, SHUT OFF, THEN TURN CAR BACK ON TO MAKE IT WORK RIGHT. TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP MULTIPLE TIMES, THEY SAY THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG OR DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, OR ANY LIGHTS AT ALL. CONTACTED GM ALSO, THEY ARE NOT MUCH HELP EITHER, SAY WE HAVE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BEFORE TAKING ANY FURTHER STEPS. DON'T FEEL SAFE IN THE CAR, I HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN. THEY HAVE BEEN WITH ME BOTH TIMES IT HAS MESSED UP. THE FIRST TIME WE WERE STRANDED BETWEEN TWO LANES OF ON COMING TRAFFIC.