2013 Chevrolet Equinox
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 751 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 3rd highest complaint count among 21 Equinox model years with reports.
Of the 2013 reports, 20 involved a crash and 5 involved a fire. 20 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Visibility, windshield wiper/washer, motorAug 4, 2016
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the ball joints in the windshield wiper module may corrode and wear over time, possibly resulting in one or both of the windshield wipers becoming inoperative.
Inoperative windshield wipers may reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
GM will notify owners, dealers will repair the AIP-hole, inspect and, if necessary, replace the front wiper module, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 25302.
Campaign 16V582000 on NHTSA.gov
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
Representative owner complaints: other or unspecified
63 reports, newest first. Show all
Other or unspecified, Jan 8, 2018
PCV SYSTEM REAR MAIN SEAL FROZE AND BURST RESULTING LOOSING OIL IN THE VEHICLE.....WAS TOLD THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD TO BE PULLED ALSO TO CHECK IF ANYTHING WAS BLOCKING. VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN WORK PARKING LOT ALL DAY AND DROVE HOME ONLY TO FIND THAT OIL WAS LEAKING FROM CAR. I WAS TOLD IT HAD TO BE TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP LEARNED THAT THERE IS A BULLETIN FROM GM STATING THAT WHEN THE SEAL BURTS, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAS TO BE PULLED AND CHECKED FOR BLOCKAGE...WHICH THE CONSUMBER HAS TO PAY FOR.....GM DOES NOT.....WHY??
Other or unspecified, Feb 10, 2017
OIL CONSUMPTION. CAR IS BURNING MORE OIL THAN IS "RECOMMENDED". WENT TO GET AN OIL CHANGE AND THERE WAS NO OIL IN MY CAR. THERE IS NO LEAK.
Steering, Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Sep 9, 2016
AT ABOUT 95,000 MILES THE 2013 CHEVY EQUINOX'S ENGINE STARTED STALLING WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO STOP OR WHILE IDLING IN DRIVE/REVERSE. THINKING IT WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE GAS, THE GAS WAS RAN OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND NEW GAS WAS PUT IT; THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE ISSUE. CAR IS ABLE TO IDLE WITHOUT STALLING IF IN PARK OR NEUTRAL.
Other or unspecified, Sep 8, 2016
DRIVERS DOOR INSIDE HANDLE LAMINATION SEPARATES CAUSING CUTS TO OCCUPANTS HANDS WHEN TRYING TO OPEN DOOR TO EXIT VEHICLE.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Engine, Aug 8, 2016
VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WHILE IN DRIVE , LOOSING ALL POWER TO THROTTLE , POWER STEERING AND ALL OTHER COMPONENTS OF VEHICLE. THIS HAS BEGUN HAPPENING OVER THE LAST THREE DAYS AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE FOR ONLY THREE MONTHS. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 39,000 MILES ON IT . TODAY WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR SHUT OFF CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO FIGHT THE CARS STEERING TO SAFELY BRING IT TO A COMPLETE STOP IN THE BREAKDOWN LANE. I HAD TO PUT THE CAR INTO PARK REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION AND THEN RE INSERT KEY AND RE START THE VEHICLE.
Other or unspecified, Jun 7, 2016
MY ENGINE CUT OFF TWICE WHILE DRIVING IN A HIGH TRAFFIC AREA. THIS IS EXTREMELY SCARY AND CERTAINLY SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO A CAR WITH LESS THAN 50K MILES ON IT. I BOUGHT THE TRUCK TO HAVE PIECE OF MIND ONLY TO FIND OUT THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT WITH THIS MODEL. IT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Feb 22, 2016
THE RADIO FAILED IN OCT 2015. NO DISPLAY OR CONTROLS. REPORTED IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY ORDERED A NEW RADIO. IT TOOK 3 MONTHS. THEY INSTALLED THE NEW RADIO IN JAN 2016. ON 2/21/16, RADIO FAILED AGAIN. NO CONTROLS AND BLANK SCREEN. AM STATIONS APPEARED BUT IT STUCK ON AN FM STATION. I ONLY STARTED THE VEHICLE AND HADN'T MOVED YET. I DIDN'T RECEIVE A WORK ORDER FOR THE REPAIR, BUT DID ON THE INITIAL COMPLAINT.
Other or unspecified, Jan 23, 2016
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND THE DASH WENT COMPLETELY OUT FOR A FEW MINUTES.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, Nov 24, 2015
I HAVE HAD MY CAR TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES FOR THE MIDDLE CONSOLE THAT CONTROLS THE HVAC, RADIO, CAMERA, ECT. THE RADIO WAS REPLACED ONCE. NOW, I HAVE A COMPLAINT WITH GM AND THEY TOLD THE DEALERSHIP, GIVE THE CAR BACK, THERE ISN'T ANYTHING WE CAN DO IF YOU CAN'T REPLICATE IT. THIS HAPPENS USUALLY WHEN I AM STARTING THE CAR, BUT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS ON THE PHONE DRIVING. THE CALL CAME BACK WHEN THE SYSTEM REBOOTED. THESE ISSUES BEGAN AROUND THE 18K MILES AND I AM AT 31K MILES NOW. IT HAPPENS NO LESS THAN TWICE BEFORE I TAKE IT INTO THE SHOP. I HAD IT IN THE SHOP ANOTHER TIME BECAUSE I PRESSED THE GAS PEDDLE AFTER A COMPLETE STOP AND DIDN'T GO ANYWHERE. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, I WAS AT 3000RPMS. THIS ISSUE BEGAN AT THE 31K MILES AND ONLY OCCURRED ONCE. AGAIN, THEY COULDN'T REPLICATE IT, SO THERE WAS NOTHING TO FIX. THE CAR IS STILL UNDER ORIGINAL FACTORY WARRANTY.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Sep 15, 2015
I PURCHASED THIS 2013 CHEVROLET EQUINOX AND WAS LOOKING THROUGH THE OWNERS MANUAL. I FOUND THAT THERE IS NO WAY TO CHECK THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVEL. TALKED TO THE SERVICE MANAGER ABOUT THE ABSENTS OF A WAY TO CHECK THE FLUID AND WAS TOLD ALL NEW VEHICLES NO LONGER HAVE A DIP STICK TO CHECK TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVELS. THIS TO ME IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS IF YOU RELY ON SOME SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO TELL YOU THAT YOUR FLUID IS LOW OR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED YOU COULD BE PAYING MONEY THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE NECESSARY. IF YOUR ON A TRIP OF ANY DISTANCE YOU COULD BE STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE WITH A TRANSMISSION THAT WAS DESTROYED BECAUSE OF LACK OF FLUID THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD THE FLUIDS BEEN CHECKED PRIOR TO YOUR TRIP. HOW ABOUT DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND THE TRANSMISSION COMES APART FOR LACK OF FLUID AN YOU HAVE AN 18 WHEELER BEHIND YOU AND THE TRANSMISSION LOCKS UP THAT 18 WHEELER WOULD ROLL RIGHT OVER THE TOP OF DISABLED VEHICLE. I BELIEVE A SAFETY RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED TO ALL MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLES WITH NO FLUID DIPSTICK FOR FLUID CHECK OF THE TRANSMISSION SUCH AS THAT OF MY 2013 CHEVROLET.
Other or unspecified, May 22, 2015
HAVE HAD TROUBLE GETTING THE VEHICLE IN AND OUT OF PARK. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES.
Other or unspecified, May 18, 2015
THE VEHICLE OPERATOR INSERTED THE SWITCHBLADE STYLE KEY INTO THE IGNITION. OPERATOR WENT TO TURN THE IGNITION OVER TO START THE ENGINE. THE KEY FOB'S METAL CASING FOR THE KEY BROKE. THIS RESULTED IN 3 PIECES, THE REMOTE KEY FOB BODY, THE KEY & THE METAL COVER OF THE KEY. THE HINGE OR THE SWTICHBLADE PORTION IS STILL CONNECTED TO THE FOB. CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE COULD NOT GIVE AN ANSWER AS TO WHAT ACTIONS COULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN OR ANSWER IF THE IGNITION SWITCH BEEN BUMPED WHILE THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN DRIVE. THIS VEHICLE IS 1200 MILES OUT OF THE "COVERED" WARRANTY.
Other or unspecified, Sep 23, 2013, crash
2013 EQUINOX LT WAS STRUCK ON PASSENGER SIDE BY A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA WHILE DOING UNDER 10 MPH. THE SPEED LIMIT WAS 35 MPH FOR THE SONATA. THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT CAUSED THE EQUINOX TO ROLL OVER ONTO ITS SIDE AND ONLY THE SIDE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. EQUINOX RECEIVED DAMAGE TO ALL AREAS OF THE VEHICLE EXCEPT PASSENGER SIDE FENDER AND FRONT END.