2015 Chevrolet Equinox
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Visibility/wiper is the leading concern among 679 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 7th highest complaint count among 21 Equinox model years with reports.
Of the 2015 reports, 24 involved a crash and 6 involved a fire. 19 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Visibility, windshield wiper/washer, motorMar 17, 2022
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The ball joints in the windshield wiper module may corrode, causing one or both windshield wipers to fail.
Inoperative windshield wipers can reduce visibility in certain driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will inspect the wiper module, and repair or replace it as necessary, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on April 21, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 25, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212352530.
Campaign 22V165000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, side/windowOct 16, 2015
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro, Equinox, Malibu, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The affected vehicles have front seat-mounted side impact air bags whose inflator may rupture upon its deployment.
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of one or both of the side impact air bags, the air bag's inflator may rupture and the air bag may not properly inflate. The rupture could cause metal fragments to strike the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death. Additionally, if the air bag does not properly inflate, the driver or passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side impact air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on October 19, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 01320.
Campaign 15V666000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
679 reports, newest first.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 15, 2021
Windshield wipers have been repaired 3x in 5 months because in heavy rain when wiper was increased from low to next level they go to left and stop. It’s been a bushing replacement. The last incident occurred on 8/13/2021 during heavy rainstorm in Cincinnati, OH. I am a 63 yr old female, driving by myself at night. The wipers quit working. Found spot to pull over, set for over an hour waiting for rain to ease up, which it didn’t. Luckily for me I was about 2 miles from my home. I finally braved it in the rain which had let up to a steady pace, put on my flashers and made it home on a back road. What a hazard, when I think I could have been on an interstate instead of 45 mph back road, my blood pressure goes sky high. My VIN says no recalls, but numerous articles mention 2015 Equinox wiper issue. What recourse do I have?
Steering, Electrical system, Jul 18, 2021
Service power steering message comes on when starting vehicle.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 9, 2021
While on the highway in the rain, the wipers were engaged to the highest setting and suddenly went was the windshield and stopped working. The wipers are in perfect condition, the wiper motor no longer engages or turns on. Super lucky to not have crashed as I had ZERO visibility from the rain.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 4, 2021
I was driving back from Albany to Troy NY on 787 in a steady light rain when the rain roared to full torrential downpour. I put my wipers from the regular steady setting up to high, and they instantly both went all the way to the left and turned off in the upright position. They would not respond again. Middle lane, 65 mph, thunderstorm, and I can’t see anything out my windshield and cars are flying beside me on both sides. I rolled my window down but couldn’t see around my hood to the road and steer at the same time. I couldn’t get to the right lane to pull over because of the traffic and even if I could it was dangerous to be on a narrow shoulder at that point in this rainstorm. I put my flashers on, slowed to 40 and stayed in the middle lane as best I could based on the white lane markers as I still had zero visibility out my windshield. One I was past the last of the on ramps for that section I could pull over to the right lane at least and I got off at the next exit. Once I was on a city street to pull over, there was still so much traffic I had to wait until I could get out and put my wipers at least in the down position. They did not feel broken or slack at all. I waited a while for the rain to let up, but it would soon be dark, so I decided to slowly drive the rest of the way. it took me a half hour to drive the length of Troy on side streets slow enough so I had some measure of visibility in the still downpour. I cannot believe the wipers stopped working at the high speed setting on a highway in the middle of a storm. I could have crashed my car easily. What if my children had been with me? A failure like this is unacceptable and incredibly dangerous. It is a holiday weekend. I will call the dealership tomorrow in hopes they are open to speak to them about this.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 26, 2021
Driving today during a thunderstorm and the windshield wipers just quit working. The wiper blades stopped half way and that was it we made it to the side of the road and I could move the wipers back and forth really easy and could here a clunking down in by the motor needles to say my 2015 equinox with only 90,023 miles on it can’t go down the road with no windshield wipers this could’ve really been bad had not known my surroundings because I immediately couldn’t see the road !!! My 2000 silverado still has all its factory wiper arms and motor yet why is this pile falling apart ?? GM better go back to the drawing board on this major malfunction
Visibility/wiper, Jun 25, 2021
On 25 June 2021, about 12:30 pm, driving from home to Bank then Shopping Center in Slidell, La. East bound on I-12 then at I-12/I-59/I-10 junction merged right on I-59s to I-I0w lane merge. In right lane approaching exit 263 (Gause Blvd) when a sudden thunderstorm happened. Switched Wipers on to High. About 1/2 mile from exit lane without any warning the wipers suddenly quit. I eased onto shoulder/turned on Hazard Lights, and continued at a slow speed to exit the Interstate and exit as it was a very heavy rain and I was afraid of being plowed into from someone from behind driving too fast for conditions. Also there is a Truck Stop on this exit and it was a very un-safe to be in on the shoulder. I exited to the right and pulled into the Truck Stop Parking Lot. After about 30 or so minutes the rain stopped so I drove home. My Equinox is well maintained and has about 98,000 miles on it. As an 82 yo driver both myself and my wife(passenger) were in a very dangerous situation as were the others traversing the highway at this time. As it is a Friday afternoon, I will have a mechanic check it on Monday. I think it linkage problem same as been reported in the 2010 to 2016 models, but only the 2013 models were recalled.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 20, 2021
The windshield wiper assembly broke off and windshield wipers no longer function. I have not had it repaired yet, so it is available for inspection. My son was driving on the freeway when it started pouring rain. He had to pull over to the side of the Freeway because the windshield wipers didn’t work. I have not brought the vehicle to be inspected yet. No official inspection of any kind has occurred as of yet. There were no warnings.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 15, 2021
While driving home in a pretty good rainstorm, put windshield wipers on high and they completely stopped working. Couldn't see anything on a busy interstate while driving 75 miles per hour. I feel that this could have endangered my safety and the other vehicles driving on the highway as I had to pull from the middle lane of 3 lane I-75 to find the shoulder, which I could barely see. No warning. Vehicle has 89,000 miles on it. Took to dealer and vehicle was still under my personal extended warranty, but would have been a $400 repair. Couldn't drive the vehicle for a week until it was fixed because I didn't want to put my safety in jeopardy in case it rained.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 15, 2021
I was driving with grand babies in my car and a severe rainstorm hit. I turned on the wipers and they went back and forth 2 times then I heard a clunk and they stuck to left side. I could not see at all and almost had an accident! I did some research and see that you have been aware of this issue since at least 2015. NHTSA has been investigating since then as well. There have been over a thousand reports so far. Please advise as to where I should bring my car to get it fixed by GM.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 14, 2021
My wife and son were driving through town in a pouring rain and had the windshield wipers running on high. All of the sudden the wipers stopped and never started working no matter what was selected on the switch. My wife had to blindly pull to the side of the road and wait for the rainstorm to stop. When she got home I went online and researched the problem and it sounded very common that the Chevy Equinox has defective wiper transmissions that have plastic bushings that pop loose. Sure enough when I removed the wiper cowl cover this was the problem. The motor ran fine but the wiper transmission plastic bushing that connects to the motor linkage was worn out and popped off. 2015 Chevy Equinox with 82K miles. The local parts store had a replacement from Dorman that I purchased to replace the wiper transmission with and he said they sold a lot of these as this was a common problem with the Equinox. This caused a very unsafe driving condition during a rainstorm, especially if my wire had been on a bridge or an area where she could not have quickly pulled to the side of the road.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 8, 2021
Was driving in the rain when my windshield wipers stopped working causing me to lose visibility. I struggled to pull over to safety since I was unable to see during the downpour.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 5, 2021, crash
Without warning, windshield wipers suddenly stopped working during a significant rain storm that resulted in loosing all visual of interstate. Traffic had slowed to 45 MPH due to rain prior to the complete failure of windshield wiper transmission. As we were lowering driver and passenger windows to get a bearing of where we were in the interstate, we were sideswiped by a semi that caused significant damage to the entire drivers side of the car and a flat tire. This was a serious safety issue that was very close to causing a fatality and/or multi-car collision.
Service brakes, Jun 3, 2021
The brakes stop working and then the card turns off
Other or unspecified, Jun 1, 2021
Vehicle stalled out at a stoplight, no warning lights or errors. Brought to dealership for service, where they found the cam shaft actuator solenoid control valve wasn’t working, and had to be replaced. Looking online, saw others having the same issue with this particular car (and a history of recall for the same issue on an older model) and so decided to submit a report. Obviously having a car stall in the middle of traffic is a safety risk. I am a relatively new driver, and fortunately had a friend in the car, otherwise I probably wouldn’t have known what to do, and my stalling might have presented a real hazard to others on the road.
Visibility/wiper, May 26, 2021
While driving 65 mph in a 70 mpg speed limit interstate highway zone in a rain storm: the wipers were working and then a noise happened and then the wipers stopped, stuck, in "up" on windshield. Had to slow down with other vehicles behind me and to the side of me to move over 2 lanes to get to the shoulder of road to pull over and stop.
Other or unspecified, May 26, 2021
While driving car starts to sputter and stalls, just shuts off, both on city streets and highway. While going 70 mph it just stopped. We were lucky no one was driving right behind us or we would have been plowed over. Called Chevy corporate on at least 2 different occasions. They document and that’s as far as it goes. This is a random occurrence. It gets better and is fine for a while and then all of the sudden the issue starts again. We have changed gas, changed gas cap, & have had 2 timing solenoids replaced (all on different occasions) All of this seems to work for a bit and then the issue starts back. There is no warning when this happens. We have had the vehicle at an independent service center last year and it is now currently at another service center. It is just a matter of time before it stalls on the highway and someone gets killed. I’ve added the 1st initial time this happened (below). But there have been many more with the most recent being yesterday, May 25, 2021.
Visibility/wiper, May 23, 2021
Wipers stopped working.
Structure, May 22, 2021
My 2015 Equinox has about 90k miles. Today the lift gate (automatic) started to not stay open. It would open fully and slowly fall. After a few minutes, it would close. About 1 hour later, the tail gate will open, start to close, try to open and then closed quickly. I was under the door and could not hold the door open. If I hadn't moved, I would have lost an arm.
Engine, May 17, 2021
While driving, the check engine light came on. After getting the code we called our local mechanic and he told us the first thing we should do was check the oil level, as this is a common problem with 2015 Equinoxes. We had to add 2 quarts just to get the oil to even reach the dipstick. At no time did we ever receive an indicator about the oil being low, we just got the check engine light. Our mechanic said if we were lucky that an oil change might fix the issue. After leaving the shop, the Equinox kept stalling and the engine light came back on. We took it back in and he replaced both solenoids, which we thought had fixed the problem, but he informed us about this being a well-known issue. We then had to take the Equinox to a GM dealership anyway to fix the windshield wiper transmission issue (which is a known issue that I only discovered after my wipers broke while I was driving on a busy highway in the rain) and we asked them to do a fuel consumption test. The diagnosis came back that the pistons and rings need to be replaced, which appears to be the same issue that the 2011-2013 Equinoxes/Terrains have. There are special coverages for the previous model years and there was also a class-action lawsuit, so I don't understand why I'm repeatedly being told by GM that it's not a common issue with 2015s. As someone who works for a supplier to GM and who has friends and family members who work for GM, I'm not ignorant to how the automotive industry works. It's no secret that these engines get used across multiple model years, so it seems likely that this is the same 2.4L engine. Yet GM has repeatedly told me that even though I believe that this is a common issue, it actually is not.
Visibility/wiper, May 5, 2021
THIS OCCURRED TWICE NOW. FIRST ON MARCH 24TH 2021, AND SECOND ON MAY 5TH, 2021. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE RAIN BOTH TIMES, AND THE WIPERS STOPPED AT THE TOP OF THE WINDSHIELD WHEN I PUT THEM ON THEIR HIGHEST SPEED. I WAS TRAVELLING AT 65MPH BOTH TIMES, LUCKILY AWAY FROM CARS, SO I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENTS. THE WIPER TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED ON MARCH 27TH, AND I AM IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING IT BACK TO THE SHOP TODAY. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE WIPER MOTOR APPEARED TO RUN WHEN THE STICK WAS LIFTED TO ACTIVATE THE WIPERS, SO IT WAS NOT A MOTOR ISSUE.
Engine, Apr 27, 2021
MY 2015 CHEVY EQUINOX WAS SCHEDULED FOR ITS REGULAR OIL CHANGE ON TUESDAY, APRIL 27TH AT 8 AM. THE WEEK PRIOR I STARTED HEARING A "KNOCKING" NOISE AND TWO WEEKS PRIOR SMELLED AN ODOR THROUGHOUT THE CABIN. THREE DAYS BEFORE MY APPOINTMENT I DROVE CAR 5 MINUTES ONSITE AND WORK AND PARKED IT. I CAME OUT 40 MINUTES LATER AND IT WOULD NOT START (HOWEVER, IT DID TURN OVER). ATTEMPTED TO JUMPSTART VEHICLE TO NO AVAIL. CONTACTED TOW COMPANY ON MONDAY AFTER CHECKING AGAIN AND HAD IT TOWED TO LOCAL SHOP THAT WAS SCHEDULED TO DO SERVICE. RECEIVED A CALL AT 10:47 AM STATING THAT VEHICLE NEEDED NEW ENGINE, SOMETHING BROKE INSIDE. I AM AT A LOSS FOR WORDS. 120 K MILES AND ENGINE DOWN??!! NO WARNING SIGNAL, NO LOW ENGINE LIGHT, NOTHING!! GMC NEEDS TO STAND BEHIND THEIR VEHICLES AND INCLUDE ALL EQUINOX IN THE RECALL, FOR OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A NATIONWIDE PROBLEM.
Power train, Engine, Apr 27, 2021
CONSTANT BURNING OF OIL, UP TO 1 QUART IN LESS THAN 1,000 MILES. HAD OIL CONSUMPTION TEST DONE DUE TO ALL THE NEGATIVE REVIEWS ON OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUES WITH THIS MOTOR, AND LIFETIME POWERTRAIN WARRANTY REFUSES TO COVER ANY REPAIRS THAT COULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH OIL CONSUMPTION.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 19, 2021
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED WAS INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND MANUALLY WIPED THE WINDSHIELD TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE BACK TO HER RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. NEITHER A DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.
Engine, Apr 19, 2021
HIGH OIL CONSUMPTION 1 1/2 QUARTS EVERY MONTH
Visibility/wiper, Apr 15, 2021
DRIVING FROM DETROIT MICHIGAN ON I-94 HIGHWAY BACK TO MY HOME IN JACKSON MICHIGAN, MY WIPER BLADES WERE ON THE INTERMITTENT SETTING DUE TO SPRINKLING AND LIGHT RAIN ON APRIL 15TH, 2021. THE WIPERS FAILED AND THE RIGHT SIDE WIPER WAS STUCK IN A VERTICAL POSITION IN THE FIELD OF VIEW OF THE DRIVER, THE LEFT WINDSHIELD WIPER WAS ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT AND PART OF THE TIP WAS HANGING OFF THE WINDSHIELD. THIS HAPPENED NEAR DEXTER, MI WHERE I EXITED THE HIGHWAY AND TOOK THE BACK WAY HOME WHICH CONSISTS OF DIRT ROADS AND PAVED STREETS FOR THE LAST 20 MILES OF MY JOURNEY HOME. THE WIPERS NO LONGER WORK, BUT I WAS ABLE TO PLACE THEM BACK IN THE CORRECT STARTING POSITION. IN RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, IT CLEAR THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH CHEVY EQUINOX'S OF MY YEAR. I DO HAVE AN APPOINTMENT SCHEDULED WITH MY LOCAL CHEVY DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THIS ISSUE ADDRESSED. THAT APPOINTMENT IS NOT UNTIL APRIL 23RD, OF 2021.