2016 Chevrolet Equinox
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 396 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 11th highest complaint count among 21 Equinox model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 14 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 22 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Equipment, other, labelsJun 21, 2016
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles manufactured October 16, 2015. The certification labels may have incorrect tire/rim size and cold tire pressure information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
If the information on the certification labels is incorrect, the operator may install incorrectly sized tires or rims or may improperly inflate the tires, increasing the risk of a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the certification label, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1050, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 46600.
Campaign 16V449000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: visibility/wiper
114 reports, newest first. Show all
Visibility/wiper, Jun 30, 2022
I was driving while it was pouring down rain. The wipers were working one minute and then suddenly stopped mid-sweep. I was unable to see clearly and had to slow down significantly, put on my hazards, and pull over. I shut off and turned the car back on, the wipers were still not functioning. I had to wait until the rain had passed to continue my drive safely. We took the vehicle to the dealership the next day. It was determined that the wiper motor transmission came apart.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 9, 2022
The windshield wipers quit working in the middle of a downpour while on the highway, and they still are not working.
Visibility/wiper, May 31, 2022
On May 25th it was pouring rain when my windshield wipers completely stopped working on the interstate. Within seconds I had completely lost visibility. Once I made it to safety I co reacted the dealership to see if it was covered under my warranty. They stated they were aware of the issue and that it was going to be part of a recall but that recall hadn’t been issued yet. The parts to fix the wipers haven’t even been made yet. As of now they have offered no loaner or options to make sure I can safely drive. I have lost my job because I can not afford a rental car out of pocket, and it’s the rainy season. Please be aware that they are putting peoples safety at risk knowingly.
Visibility/wiper, May 13, 2022
About a month ago my four year old and I were driving in the rain at night and my windshield wipers suddenly stopped working. I ended up paying over $500 to get the wiper transmission and motor fixed. Now fast forward one month later , I’m driving in the rain storm again and my wipers suddenly stopped working again which was not only scary but extremely dangerous, I was on a freeway and suddenly could not see properly because of the windshield wiper motor stopping again. I had to pull over while my vision of the road was almost non existent and honestly was scared an accident was going to happen if I didn’t get to the side of the road fast enough.
Visibility/wiper, May 7, 2022
It was storming on Thursday, May 5, 2022 and my front windshield wipers just stop working. I could not see anything. I had to let my glass down so that I would not have a head on collision with cars in the other lane going in the other direction. I made it to a safe location until it stopped raining. This incident scared me.
Visibility/wiper, May 5, 2022
Windshield Wiper transmission failed, front wipers inoperable No visibility while driving when raining No warning lamps or indication other than failure of operation
Visibility/wiper, Apr 10, 2022
Wiper motor stopped working in severe heavy rain storm. Had zero visibility at night. Had to drive 2 miles before I could safely park vehicle and not go in a ditch or hit another car. Next day went to Auto store got replacement $124 later its fixed by myself. Same issue as recall on 2014-2015 models 2016 needs to be included.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 2, 2022
windshield wipers broke . repaired and broke again
Visibility/wiper, Mar 23, 2022
The wipers on our 2016 chevy equinox suddenly stopped working, early yesterday morning, while driving on the interstate, in the rain and in the dark. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CONDITION!!! Contacting the dealer today. We have not had the car inspected by anyone! There have been no previous problems with the wipers. After a long search on the internet, I found a special coverage adjustment N192266180, dated December 2019. This is not recall. It states that the owners will be notified. AS OF 3/22/2022, I HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED!!!!
Visibility/wiper, Mar 14, 2022
Wiper transmission not working. The motor is fine but the transmission keeps disconnecting
Visibility/wiper, Dec 16, 2021
I was driving on the highway in the rain and my windshield wiper stopped in the middle of my windshield.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 26, 2021
Wipers just stopped working in the middle of driving during a rainstorm. Visibility while driving was severely diminished in an unexpected manner.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 22, 2021
Both windshield wipers stopped working at the same. Can still here motor wiper working when selected but no wiper movement at all.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 29, 2021
The front windshield wipers quit working while I was driving home from work during rush hour on the freeway. It was during a very heavy rainstorm and left me with no visibility in heavy traffic. There was no warning signal or system notification. They just stopped working.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 14, 2021
While driving on the interstate through a heavy rain storm, with the windshield wipers on 'high', they suddenly stopped working. The view through the windshield was instantly obscured. I barely was able to pull into the left hand breakdown lane and out of the traffic lane, by rolling the driver side window down and looking out the side window. If I had been traveling in one of the middle lanes and had to navigate through traffic in the other lanes, I am not sure I would have been able to get out of the travel lanes without a crash. If I had been on I10 instead of I95, there would have been no breakdown lane to move to due to construction and lane closures. There was no warning prior to the failure. When I finally got home I found the plastic ball joint linkage had popped apart. The car has 66,240 miles on it.
Visibility/wiper, May 28, 2021
Was driving on the highway and the wipers stopped working putting myself at risk of accident.
Visibility/wiper, May 4, 2021
TRAVELING ON HWY 61 SOUTH DURING HEAVY RAIN WHEN WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING OUT OF THE BLUE. HAD TO BRAKE AND MOVE TO INSIDE LANE SHOULDER. WIPERS APPEARED TO HAVE OVER TRAVELED ALL THE WAY TO THE DRIVER SIDE EDGE OF WINDSHIELD. HAD TO TAKE IT IN TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP.
Visibility/wiper, May 1, 2021
I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 65 MILES PER HOUR. IT WAS POURING DOWN RAIN AND THERE WERE SEMI TRUCKS IN FRONT OF ME AND TO THE LEFT OF ME SPRAYING WATER. THERE WAS ALSO A SEMI BEHIND ME. MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS LITERALLY STOPPED WORKING. AFTER A NANOSECOND OF PANIC, I TURNED MY FLASHERS ON AND PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE. I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING. AFTER CONSIDERING FOR A FEW SECONDS, I DECIDED IT WAS NOT SAFE WHERE I WAS, SO I SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY DROVE SEVERAL MILES ON THE SHOULDER TO MAKE MY WAY TO THE NEXT EXIT. I THEN PULLED INTO A BUSINESS LOT. MY WIPERS WERE STOPPED ON MY WINDSHIELD.....THE LEFT ONE WAS PARTIALLY OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD. I PICKED IT UP AND PLACED IT BACK TOWARD THE CENTER OF WINDSHIELD. BACK INSIDE THE CAR, I TRIED TO TURN THE WIPERS ON AGAIN. I COULD HEAR MECHANICAL NOISE THAT SOUND LIKE THEY SHOULD WORK, BUT THEY DID NOT MOVE. THE CAR IS NOW AT A DEALER FOR SERVICE.
Visibility/wiper, Apr 20, 2021
YESTERDAY, I WAS TRAVELING ON I-95 AT 75MPH WHEN MY WIPERS SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING IN THE POURING DOWN RAIN. I COULDN'T SEE FIVE FEET IN FRONT OF ME AND WAS TERRIFIED. I PULLED OVER AT THE NEAREST EXIT, TRIED TURNING THE CAR OFF AND ON AND ALSO TRIED STARTING THE WIPERS BY HAND BUT TO NO AVAIL. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT CONTINUE MY TRIP WITH LITTLE VISIBILITY AS SEMI-TRUCKS PASSED ME SPLASHING EVEN MORE WATER ON MY WINDSHIELD. I READ THAT THIS WAS A RECALL ON 2013 MODELS, BUT APPARENTLY, IT IS ON OTHER MODELS AS WELL.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 18, 2021
DRIVING IN THE RAIN HOME FROM NEAR BY TOWN AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE ON THEY MADE A STRANGE NOISE AND SUDDENLY STOP WORKING. HAD TO PULL OVER COULD NOT SEE. VERY SCARY. THANK GOODNESS I WAS NOT ON HIGHWAY LIKE THE DAY BEFORE. IT COULD OF CAUSED A ACCIDENT
Visibility/wiper, Mar 15, 2021
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY DURING A STORM MY WIPERS STOPPED WORKING, THEY STOPPED RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF MY WINDSHIELD, MY HEART STOPPED AS I HAD MY KIDS WITH ME. I HAD TO PULL OVER!!!! CALL FOR HELP. THIS VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE RECALLED
Visibility/wiper, Mar 1, 2021
THE WIPERS WERE WORKING PERFECTLY FINE. WE WERE TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MILES AN HOUR AND DURING A POURING RAIN STORM AND THEY IMMEDIATELY STOPPED WORKING. THEY ACTUALLY VIOLENTLY JERKED OUT OF POSITION TO WHERE ONE WIPER WAS ACTUALLY HANGING OFF THE WINDSHIELD BY ABOUT A FOOT. THEY ARE NOT OPERATING NOW
Visibility/wiper, Feb 15, 2021
THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS WITH CHEVROLET EQUINOX'S WIPER COMPONENTS IN RECENT YEARS DUE TO THE WIPER BALL JOINT BUSHINGS CORRODING. AS I WAS DRIVING WITH MY YOUNG SON IN THE MIDDLE OF A TERRIBLE STORM, MY WIPERS STOPPED WORKING PUTTING US IN DANGER ON A HIGHWAY WITH CARS TRAVELING AROUND US IN SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 70 MPH. I TOOK MY EQUINOX TO THE LOCAL SHOP AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE ~$500 TO FIX BECAUSE CHEVY DOESN'T ALLOW FOR THE BUSHINGS TO BE PURCHASED. YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE LINKAGE. THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS AND IT IS UNFAIR FOR MY CAR TO NOT BE APART OF THIS RECALL WHEN IT IS THE SAME EXACT ISSUE THAT OTHERS WERE EXPERIENCING IN THE RECALL. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND CHEVY NEEDS TO STEP UP AND FIX THIS FOR ALL CARS IN THE 2010-2016 RANGE, NOT JUST SOME. PLEASE HELP!!!!
Visibility/wiper, Jan 26, 2021
A PORTION OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE BROKE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THIS PIECE HAS BROKEN WITHIN TWO YEARS. ONCE WAS IN A THUNDERSTORM WITH WIPERS ON HIGH. THIS TIME IT WAS IN SNOW BUT THE WINDOW WAS ALREADY CLEARED OFF BY HAND. THERE'S A LOUD POP AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT WORK. THANKFULLY THIS HAPPENED IN THE DRIVEWAY BUT DOES CAUSE PROBLEMS TRYING TO GET TO A REPAIR SHOP.THIS IS ESPECIALLY TROUBLESOME IN THE WINTER WHEN YOU HAVE ROAD SPRAY.
Engine, Visibility/wiper, Dec 21, 2020
WIPER LINKAGE HAS FAILED AND PCV VALVE FROZE AND CAUSED REAR MAIN SEAL FAILURE