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
782 reports, newest first.
Engine, Jul 18, 2020
MY VEHICLE IS DYING WHEN STOPPING AND RUNNING ROUGH WHEN COLD STARTED. IT JERKS AND TURNS OFF AT A STOP, BUT TURNS ON IMMEDIATELY AFTER. IT USED TO OCCASIONALLY HAPPEN, NOW IT'S EVERY TIME I STOP.
Engine, Jul 12, 2020
I HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY PUT QUARTS OF OIL IN TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T RUN DRY. IT'S BEEN A CONSTANT ISSUE WITH MECHANICS I'VE TAKEN IT TO AT THE DEALERSHIP SAYING THEY'VE SEEN EVERY EQUINOX THEY WORKED ON HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINES BURNING THROUGH OIL.
Engine, Jul 7, 2020
MY EQUINOX SUFFERS FROM THE OIL CONSUMPTION DEFECT WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO CONSUME OIL AT AN USUALLY HIGH RATE. ALTHOUGH SEVERAL FEATURES OF THE VEHICLES' ENGINES CONTRIBUTE TO THE OIL CONSUMPTION DEFECT, THE PRIMARY CAUSE IS FAULTY PISTON RINGS. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES AND THEIR WAS EVEN A LAWSUIT THAT WAS RECENTLY SETTLED. I HOWEVER DO NOT QUALIFY FOR THE FREE REPAIR BECAUSE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE LATER MAY 16, 2019. I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE A RECALL SINCE GM IS AWARE OF THE FAULTY ENGINEERING THAT WENT INTO THE MANUFACTURING OF THIS VEHICLE.
Power train, Seat belts, Electronic stability control (ESC), Jun 19, 2020
I DROVE HOME AND PARKED MY CAR. WHEN TO STARTED MY CAR THE FOLLOWING MORNING AND PUT IT IN DRIVE. MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD ONLY BACKWARDS. I HAD KNOW IDEA THAT MY TRANSMISSION WAS GOING. I WENT TO THE CHEVY DEALER MANY TIMES EARLIER FOR OIL CONSUMPTION AND MY THE SOUND OF MY TRANSMISSION AND THEY SAID THAT THE JUST SOUND OF THE CAR. IF THEY HAD BEEN HONEST AND TOLD ME THE TRUTH I COULD HAVE GOTTEN MY TRANSMISSION FIXED MANY YEARS EARLIER. THANKFULLY MY OIL CONSUMPTION WAS FIXED ONLY BECAUSE I CALLED CORPORATE AND PUSHED THE ISSUE. I BELIEVED THE DEALER WHEN HE TOLD ME ALL THE EQUINOX SOUND LIKE THAT. NOW I HAVE TO PAY OVER $3000.00 FOR THAT LIE. MY CAR IS BEING FIXED BY HOBBY'S TRANSMISSION IN HICKSVILLE, NY AS WE SPEAK. MY CAR IS A LEMON. CORPORATE TOLD ME THAT MY CARE WAS IN THE BATCH OF CARS THAT HAVE OIL CONSUMPTION. I WILL BE CALLING THEM ABOUT MY TRANSMISSION ON MONDAY, 6/22/20. *TR
Steering, Jun 10, 2020
POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY STOPS WORKING . IT DID IT TO MY WIFE ON 6/8/20 IN THE RAIN .IT DID IT TO ME 6/9/20. IT WAS DRY. IT HAS DONE THIS SEVERAL TIMES TO ME . IT DOES NOT STALL NO LIGHTS OR ANYTHING IT JUST STOP WORKING .ALWAYS WHEN TURN RIGHT . MY WIFE WAS DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE. IM NOT SURE MY WIFE WILL BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT, *TR
Air bags, May 19, 2020
CHEVY EQUINOX WAS TRAVELING IN THE SLOW LANE ON HIGHWAY. SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED ERRONEOUSLY, NO CONTACT TO THE VEHICLE. *TR
Suspension, Vehicle speed control, Engine, May 13, 2020
IT KEEPS CUTTING OFF AND THE OIL KEEPS GOING EMPTY SOME SAY RECALL 11195A MITE BE THE PROBLEM BUT I DON'T KNOW JUS GOT THE CAR AND WHEN I START IT UP THE PEDDLE GETS STUCK AND STARTS RITE BACK UP IN MOTION AND SOON AS YOU BACK UP AND SOON AS YOU TURN OUT IT CUTS OFF ON THE HIGH WAY AND ON CITY STREET AND TURNING. *TR
Power train, May 11, 2020
VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 109,000 MILES AND SUDDENLY, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING. I FIGURED OUT THAT IT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IN REVERSE ONLY, SO I MOVED IT TO A SAFE LOCATION. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED INTO THE DEALER (OUT OF WARRANTY) AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT SINCE IT WAS A CLOSED SYSTEM THAT THERE WERE A FEW OPTIONS. IN THE END, I WENT TO REPLACE WITH A NEW TRANSMISSION AND HAVE THE WARRANTIES...THE COST WAS ABOUT $2000 FOR MINIMAL WARRANTIES OR OVER $5000 FOR FULL WARRANTY. I FELT THAT WHEN I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW WITH 5 MILES ON IT THAT IT WOULD LAST LONGER THAN IT DID. I REALLY HAVE HAD NO UNHANDLED PROBLEMS WITH THE DEALER OR GM IN GENERAL, BUT FEEL THAT TO HAVE NO WARNING, LIGHTS, FLUID CONCERNS OR ANYTHING OCCUR TO GIVE ME WARNING THAT THIS IS HOGWASH...I HAVE KEPT UP MY MAINTENANCE, OIL AND FLUID PER GUIDELINES AND AS STATED...DO NOT FEEL THAT THIS SHOULD HAVE OCCURRED WITHOUT ANY WARNING! *TR
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, May 8, 2020
WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN ON A HIGHWAY MY FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS SIMPLY STOPPED FUNCTIONING IN THE UP POSITION CAUSING AN INABILITY TO SEE WHERE I WAS GOING. THEY DID NOT RESPOND TO REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO TRY TO TURN THEM BACK ON. THIS CREATED A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHERE I HAD TO DO MY BEST TO SAFELY PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. MY HAZARD LIGHTS ALSO FAILED TO WORK MAKING THE SITUATION EVEN MORE DANGEROUS. BOTH WIPERS AND HAZARDS WHERE PREVIOUSLY WORKING. *TR
Suspension, Engine, May 2, 2020
OIL CONSUMPTION HIGH, METAL PARTICLES IN OIL, CV AXEL JOINT BAD
Steering, Power train, Apr 15, 2020
LAST YEAR OUR TRANSFER CASE BROKE. FORTUNATELY THE FAILURE WAS IN A PARKING LOT AND WE AVOIDED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT DUE TO THE COMPLETE FREEZING UP OF THE FRONT END. WE SIMPLY STARTED DRIVING AND THERE WAS A LOUD CRACK AND THEN THE STEERING FROZE. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT, COLLISION OR ANY OFF ROAD OR ON ROAD EXPERIENCE THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS. IT WAS CLEARLY A MAJOR PART THAT SHOULD NEVER FAIL THIS WAY. THE MECHANICS HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE. OTHERS SINCE HAVE SUGGESTED WE FILE A COMPLAINT AND SEEK COMPENSATION BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE FAILURE. WE HAVE WRITTEN GM AND INCLUDED PHOTOS. WE ATTACHED THE REPAIR BILLS, WHICH TOTALED $4,466.63, AND ARE SEEKING FULL COMPENSATION. *TR
Engine, Apr 7, 2020
THIS CAR IS INTERNALLY BURNING EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL IN BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. I HAVE NO EXTERNAL OIL LEAKS. I AM ADDED AT MINIMUM 5 QUARTS BETWEEN OIL CHANGES, OTHER PARTS ARE BEGINNING TO FOUL BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUES, THE OIL LIGHT DOES NOT EVEN COME ON TO LET ME KNOW IF IT LOW ON OIL. I AM A WINDOWED WOMAN AND THIS IS NOT RIGHT. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED. I DO WHAT I AM SUPPOSE TO DO AND TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF THIS CAR, HOWEVER THIS IS OUT OF MY CONTROL AND APPARENTLY IS A HUGE ISSUES. WISH I WOULD HAVE KNOWN THIS, I WOULD NEVER HAVE PURCHASED IT TO BEGIN WITH. CHEVY NEEDS TO MAKE THIS RIGHT! *TR
Engine, Mar 30, 2020
OIL CONSUMPTION
Power train, Engine, Mar 20, 2020
BURNS OIL EXCESSIVELY, 1 QUART PER 10 DAYS. NO LEAKS . COSTLY REPAIRS, AND MAINTENANCE
Power train, Mar 16, 2020
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AN I STOPPED. TRIED GIVING IT GAS AN RPMS JUST WENT UP. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT IN 1ST GEAR AN GO ABOUT 20MPH FOR ABOUT 2 MILES AN THEN LOST ALL GEARS. IT IS AT THE SHOP NOW AN I JUST GOT THE DIAGNOSIS. NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. I BELIEVE IT IS TIME FOR GM TO TAKE ALL OF THIS SERIOUSLY AN FIX THE PROBLEM THERE ARE TO MANY COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME THING WITH NOTHING BEING DONE. I CANT AFFORD THIS AN MOST PEOPLE CAN'T BUT YET WE ARE FORCED TO PAY FOR IT. AFTER 100S OF THE SAME ISSUE IT CANT BE THE OPERATOR ERROR IT HAS TO BE THE MANUFACTURE ITS SELF
Engine, Mar 9, 2020
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF IN MIDDLE OF ROAD WITHOUT WARNING. IT WOULD NOT RESTART AND HAD TO PUSH IT OFF THE STREET AS TO NOT GET HIT.
Power train, Mar 9, 2020
WITH NO WARNING, THE CAR JUST STOPPED. I HAD NO REVERSE OR FORWARD. I WAS IN MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY AND YOU COULD TELL IT WAS HESITATING. WENT A FEW MORE MILES AND THANKFULLY MADE IT TO A PARKING LOT. WHEN MY HUSBAND ARRIVED, THE CAR WOULD JUST REV. WE HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED. THE CAR HAS UNDER 80,000 MILES ON IT AND THE TRANSMISSION GOES? THIS IS JUST RIDICULOUS THAT CHEVY IS RIPPING PEOPLE OFF WITH THESE CARS! I HAVE READ SOO MANY COMPLAINTS WITH THIS HAPPENING TO THE 2011 EQUINOX AND THERE IS NOT SOMETHING FISHY OR RECALLS ON THIS? YOU PAY ALOT OF MONEY FOR VEHICLES AND THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO A CAR THAT HAS BEEN BABIED, TAKEN CARE OF! I WOULD NEVER BUY ANOTHER CHEVY AGAIN!! WHEN IS THIS GOING TO BE RECALLED??????? AFTER HOW MANY COMPLAINTS AND CARS DOES IT TAKE TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM???
Other or unspecified, Engine, Mar 1, 2020
IT STARTED MAKING A LOUD NOISE LIKE A DIESEL ENGINE AND IT WILL JUST CUT OFF FOR NO REASON. I KEEP UP ALL MY MAINTENANCE IT HAS LOW MILEAGE. IT WAS IN MOTION WHEN IT CUT OFF AND I ALMOST HIT AN 18 WHEELER.
Other or unspecified, Feb 29, 2020
THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE! I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IN MY CITY AND IT CUT OFF SEVERAL TIMES WHEN I WAS SLOWING DOWN APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT CAUSING SOMEONE TO ALMOST HIT ME! I HAVE HAD SO MANY ISSUES SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR(WISH I NEVER WOULD HAVE) I HAD TO REPLACE MY TRANSMISSION AT 102,000 MILES, I HAVE TO PUT 2-3 QUARTS OF OIL IN MY CAR EVERY 2 WEEKS, AND NOW IT IS CUTTING OFF WHILE I AM DRIVING! THESE VEHICLES NEED TO BE RECALLED AND NEVER MADE AGAIN!!!
Power train, Feb 28, 2020
2 DAYS AGO (2/26/2020) NOTICED 2 "JUMPS" AS REVERSING AND AGAIN YESTERDAY. THIS MORNING, BARELY WAS ABLE TO GET CAR REVERSED OUT OF DRIVEWAY. IT FELT AS IF REVERSE GEAR WAS "SLIPPING". AFTER WORK, REVERSE GEAR TOTALLY USELESS, HAD TO PUSH CAR OUT OF PARKING SPACE AT WORK AND ALL FORWARD GEARS WERE "SLIPPING" AND UNABLE TO ACCELERATE VEHICLE. TOWED CAR MECHANIC WHO SAID, "YOUR TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REBUILT OR REPLACED " AND "THESE CARS ARE KNOWN FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER PROBLEMS". HE SAYS REPAIR WILL BE AT LEAST $2500 AND MAYBE AS HIGH AS $4,000.
Power train, Feb 24, 2020
VEHICLE WON'T REVERSE, RPM SURGING DURING ACCELERATION CAUSING HARD SHIFTING/JERKING OR NO SHIFT AT ALL. GOOGLING THE ISSUES BROUGHT UP MANY OTHER 2011 EQUINOX'S WITH SAME ISSUES.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 18, 2020
I HEARD A POP AND THEN MY WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT COMPLETELY IN THE RAIN. I COULD HEAR THE MOTOR BUT THE WIPERS WOULDN'T MOVE. I HAD NO VISABILITY WHATSOEVER. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY.
Engine, Jan 31, 2020
I HAD THE OIL CONSUMPTION TEST DONE AT THOMAS CHEVROLET IN MEDIA, PENNSYLVANIA DUE TO OIL BEING LOW. FOLLOWED UP EVERY 1,000 MILES AND THE OIL WAS ALWAYS 1/2 QT OR MORE LOW. ON DECEMBER 3, 2018, I HAD MY OIL CHANGED AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO ISSUES WITH THE OIL. THE MILEAGE WAS 71,392. I BROUGHT IT BACK FOR AN OIL CHANGED ON MARCH 14, 2019 WITH THE MILEAGE BEING 73,996, WHICH IS ONLY 2,604 MILES LATER. THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT MY ENGINE WAS DESTROYED. THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND DESTROYED MY ENGINE! HOW DOES AN OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE GO FROM YOU HAVE AND ISSUE WITH YOUR CAR BURNING OIL TO NO THERE ARE NO ISSUES WITH OIL CONSUMPTION???? I COULD HAVE BROKEN DOWN ON A HIGHWAY WITH THIS ISSUE! THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BUT REPLACE THE ENGINE FOR $8,000.00 BUT NO GUARANTEES! I COULDN'T AFFORD TO PAY $8,000 SO I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO MY HOUSE WHERE IT HAS BEEN SITTING EVER SINCE. HOW CAN GMGET AWAY WITH THIS? EVEN THE GENERALMANAGER TOLD ME THAT GM KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND WON'T FIX IT!
Electronic stability control (ESC), Engine, Jan 21, 2020
I STARTED HAVING ISSUES AFTER A COUPLE MONTHS OF BUYING MY VEHICLE. MY RPM WOULD SPUTTER AND I WOULD ALWAYS CHECK MY OIL AND IT WOULD BE A QUART LOW. THIS WENT ON FOR MONTHS AND I CONTINUED TO DRAIN MONEY INTO MY VEHICLE WITH BUYING OIL. I REPLACED SEALS THINKING IT WAS A OIL LEAK AND IT WASN'T IT. MY ENGINE FINALLY WAS JUST SHOT SO NOW I'M OUT OF A CAR AND OWE MONEY ON IT STILL AND DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO REPAIR MY VEHICLE. I AM VERY UPSET WITH THIS MODEL OF VEHICLE BC I DID RESEARCH ON IT AND A LOT OF COMPLIANTS ON THIS CAR BURNING OIL. CRAZY THAT NO ONE IS DOING ANYTHING TO FIX THE ISSUE. I GUESS CHEVY IS CRAP NOW AND JUST WANT TO LOOSE CUSTOMERS. I WON'T BE BUYING A CHEVY AGAIN AND WILL NOT RECOMMEND
Engine, Jan 4, 2020
I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON HWY 35 OUTSIDE OF DRESSER, WI AND THE CAR DASH LIGHTS SUDDENLY LIT UP AND THE CAR MADE A LOUD RATTLE AND SMELLED LIKE BURNING OIL. THERE WAS NO WARNING. I WAS 2 MILES FROM HOME SO I CAME STRAIGHT HOME. WE CHECKED THE OIL AND ADDED 3 QUARTS OF OIL BEFORE TAKING IT APROXIMATELY 2 MILES TO OUR MECHANIC. THEY CHECKED THE ENGINE AND CONFIRMED THE RATTLE WAS DEEP IN THE MOTOR AND THE MOTOR HAD BLOWN. AFTER INSPECTION, THEY FOUND THAT A SMALL PORT IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CLOGGED. THIS CAUSED A PRESSURE BUILD UP AND THE REAR SEAL TO BLOW. WE WERE ALSO THEN TOLD THEY HAD BEEN SEEING A LOT OF THIS PROBLEM IN CHEVY EQUINOX MODELS. WE HAD TO REPLACE THE MOTOR FOR A TOTAL COST OF $5750.51.