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, Nov 10, 2020
DRIVING ON A DARK ROAD DURING A STORM AND THEY JUST STOP.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 10, 2020
WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FAILURE- COMPLETE FAILURE MIDDLE OF RAIN STORM
Visibility/wiper, Aug 30, 2020
WHILE I WAS DRIVING THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS IN THE RAIN, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. I ATTEMPTED TO TURN THEM BACK ON, BUT THEY WOULD NOT MOVE, BUT A SOUND COULD BE HEARD LIKE THEY WERE MOVING.
Visibility/wiper, Aug 11, 2020
I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON THE NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY IN A RAIN STORM WHEN MY WIPERS JUST STOPPED WORKING. I HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE THRUWAY AND WAIT IT OUT UNTIL THE RAIN STOPPED. MY FATHER IN LAW (RETIRED AUTOMOTIVE TEACHER) DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM TO BE A BALL JOINT ON THE WIPER TRANSMISSION HAD COME APART DISCONNECTING THE WIPER TRANSMISSION FROM THE WIPER MOTOR. HE REPLACED THE WIPER MOTOR ASSEMBLY WITH A NEW UNIT FROM CHEVROLET PARTS DEPARTMENT WHICH WAS MODIFIED TO INCLUDE A DEFLECTOR TO KEEP THE ELEMENTS AWAY FROM THE WIPER TRANSMISSION BALL JOINTS. I LEARNED GM HAD A RECALL ON THE 2013 MODEL YEAR EQUINOX FOR THE SAME ISSUE BUT NEVER EXTENDED IT TO THE 2016 MODEL YEAR DESPITE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 11, 2020
2016 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, 87,000 MILES HIGHWAY MILES. WHILE DRIVING IN THE POURING RAIN THIS MORNING THE WIPERS COMPLETELY STOPPED. HAD TO IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER SINCE I COULD NOT DRIVE IN THE RAIN WITHOUT THEM. THE MOTOR WAS STILL RUINING BUT THE WIPERS WERE NOT MOVING. CALLED ONSTAR TO ASK FOR THEM TO RUN A DIAGNOSTIC. THE CORPORATE RESPONSE WAS THE WIPER SYSTEM WAS NOT CONSIDERED AN ESSENTIAL FUNCTION EVEN THO IT SHOULD BE IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS. HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO THE SHOP SINCE WE ARE IN A DOWNPOUR RIGHT NOW AND IT COULD NOT BE DRIVEN THERE. THE SHOP SAID THE MOTOR WAS FINE, IT WAS THE WIPER TRANSMISSION THAT IS COMPLETELY BURNT OUT/SHOT! THIS CAR IS 4 YEARS OLD THE WIPER TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT BE COMPLETELY SHOT/BURNT OUT.
Visibility/wiper, Jun 27, 2020
DURING PERIOD OF HEAVY RAIN, WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING APPROX 60MPH CAUSING SEVERE VISIBILITY ISSUES. HAD TO PULL CAR TO SIDE OF ROAD WAITING FOR RAIN TO STOP BEFORE PROCEEDING. ISSUE CAUSED BY FAULTY WIPER TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY. VEHICLE HAS APPROX 74000 MILES. *TR
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Jun 8, 2020
WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN. CLIMATE CONTROL SWITCH IS FAULTY. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Mar 27, 2020
2016 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO DEFECT WITH LINK BALL SOCKET IN WIPER TRANSMISSIONS. *AS THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE REPAIRED AT NO COST TO THE OWNER, BEFORE THE KNOWNFAILURE OCCURS. *JS
Visibility/wiper, Feb 27, 2020
THE WIPER ASSEMBLY IS FAULTY. THE RINGS THAT ATTACH THE WIPERS TO THE MOTOR ASSEMBLY HAS BROKEN 3 TIMES. CONTACTED A GM DEALER AND THEY NO LONGER REPAIR THE RINGS BUT HAVE RESORTED TO A WHOLE NEW ASSEMBLY, BUT IT IS THE SAME ASSEMBLY AS THE ORIGINAL AND WILL MOST LIKELY BREAK AGAIN, JUST NOT AS QUICKLY. I HAVE BEEN IN BAD WEATHER (RAIN,SNOW) SITUATIONS INCLUDING DURING MEDIUM SNOW ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN IT GAVE OUT. I COULD BARELY SEE TO EVEN PULL OF THE HIGHWAY DUE TO THE FALLING SNOW AND FROM SEMIS AND OTHER VEHICLE SPRAY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE RESOLVED IMMEDIATELY.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 21, 2020
RECEIVED LETTER "SOME VEHICLES MAY HAVE A CONDITION WHERE A LINK BALL SOCKET IN THE WIPER TRANSMISSION MAY SEPARATE. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR THE DRIVER WOULD EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN LOSS OF WIPER FUNCTION"
Visibility/wiper, Feb 20, 2020
WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM GM SAYING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COULD FAIL, HOWEVER THEY AREN'T FIXING THE ISSUE UNLESS THEY ACTUALLY FAIL. HOW IS THIS A SAFE SITUATION? THEY HAVE A KNOW ISSUE BUT WON'T FIX IT UNLESS I'M DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN A STORM AND MY WIPERS FAIL? IS THIS REALLY ACCEPTABLE? ATTACHING A COPY OF THE LETTER.
Visibility/wiper, Feb 12, 2020
WHILE DRIVING MY EQUINOX IN THE RAIN THROUGH TOWN, THE WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OFF THE ROAD AND PUSH THEM DOWN WITHOUT ANY RESISTANCE. THE WIPER MOTOR WAS STILL RUNNING BUT THE WIPER BLADES DID NOT MOVE. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL CHEVY DEALER AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED. THEY GAVE ME AN APPOINTMENT AND SAID THEIR WAS A RECALL TO REPLACE WIPER TRANSMISSION ARM AND IT WAS COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THIS IS THE SECOND TRANSMISSION ARM TO BE REPLACED ON THIS VEHICLE.
Engine, Visibility/wiper, Feb 8, 2020
THE TIMING BELT ON MY ENGINE WENT OUT RESULTING IN MY VEHICLE DYING WHENEVER MY CAR IDLED LOW. IF I DIDN?T CONSTANTLY GIVE IT SOME GAS, THE CAR WOULD SHUT OFF. THIS WOULD HAPPEN AT RED LIGHTS AND STOP SIGN WHERE I COULDN?T GIVE THE CAR GAS, SO I?D END UP STOPPING IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION WITH INCOMING TRAFFIC. I HAD TO GET MY CAR REPAIRED AND TWO DIFFERENT MECHANICS (ONE AT A CHEVY DEALERSHIP) SAID THAT TIMING BELTS ARE AN ISSUE WITH CHEVY EQUINOX. THIS WAS THE VERY FIRST REPAIR I NEEDED DONE ON MY CAR AND AT ONLY 77,000 MILES. THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP SAID I?D MOST LIKELY ONLY GET ANOTHER 50,000 MILES OUT OF THE ENGINE. THAT WOULD BE SHORT OF 130,000 MILES. I THINK IF TIMING BELTS ARE SUCH AND ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL OF VEHICLE THEN THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THEM.
Visibility/wiper, Jan 27, 2020
WINDSHIELD WIPERS IN FRONT STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING IN WET WEATHER
Visibility/wiper, Jan 4, 2020
MY COMPLAINT & SAFETY CONCERN RELATES TO THE DEEP WINDOW TINTING THAT IS ALLOWED IN MANY OF THE SOUTHERN STATES AND IT'S IMPACT ON ACCIDENTS -- PEDESTRIAN, BICYCLISTS, AND OTHER MOTORISTS (MOTORCYCLES INCLUDED). THE AMOUNT OF ALLOWABLE TINTING HAS TO IMPACT PEOPLE'S SAFETY -- ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT, DURING RAINSTORMS, FOG, ETC. WITH MORE MOTORISTS ON THE ROADS, I SHOULD THINK IT'S TIME TO REVISIT THE TINTING LAWS. THANK YOU!
Visibility/wiper, Dec 13, 2019
WIPERS SUDDENLY STOP WORKING WHEN DRIVING
Visibility/wiper, Oct 31, 2019
WHILE DRIVING EARLY IN THE MORNING TO WORK IT WAS DARK OUTSIDE AS TIME HAS NOT CHANGED YET ABOUT 45 DEGREES. I DROPPED MY DAUGHTER TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ABOUT 10 MINUTES PRIOR AND IT WAS RAINING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WHEN I TURNED THE CORNER ONTO TWO WAY HIGHWAY AND ACCELERATED ABOUT 25-30 MPH. THE WINDSHIELD WAS NOT VISIBLE AND I WAS UNABLE TO GET OFF OF ROAD FOR ABOUT TWO MINUTES, NEARLY CAUSED HEAD ON COLLISION AND SIDE SWIPED CARS. I HAD TO DRIVE AND STOP OR PULL OVER IN A MEDIAN TO CLEAR WINDSHIELD AND EVEN HANG OUT DRIVER WINDOW TO PULL THE WIPERS IN ORDER TO GET TO A SECURE PLACE. CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP STATED WINDSHIELD WIPER TRANSMISSION, LATER CALLED TO SEE IF IT WOULD BE COVERED AND HE TOLD THEM IT WAS FASTENER OR BALL JOINT TO KEEP IN PLACE CORRODED AND IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED. THE COST IS ABOUT $565 TO BE REPLACED. THEN THE CHEVY SERVICE REP STATED THEY DONT HAVE THE PART TO BE REPLACED, WOULD TAKE ABOUT A COUPLE OF DAYS BECAUSE OF GM ISSUES WITH STRIKE. AS WELL AS CHEVY DOESN'T HAVE ANY LOANER CARS WHILE MY EQUINOX STAYED AT THE DEALER. IT WAS ALSO RAIN EXPECTED AGAIN DURING THE DAY. TRULY UNACCEPTABLE WHEN THERE HAVE BEEN PRECIOUS ISSUES WITH WINDSHIELD WIPERS.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 8, 2019
ON 10/7/19 WHILE DRIVING MY 2016 CHEVY EQUINOX HOME FROM WORK ON THE HIGHWAY, IT BEGAN TO RAIN TORRENTIALLY. I TURNED MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON HIGH. SUDDENLY THE LEFT DRIVERS SIDE WIPER FLUNG TO THE LEFT RIGHT OFF OF THE WINDOW HANGING BY THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW AND MIRROR. I WAS LEFT WITH JUST ONE WIPER IN NEAR DARKNESS AND POURING RAIN 10 MILES FROM HOME. IT WAS PRETTY SCARY. ONCE HOME, MY HUSBAND AN ELECTRICIAN LOOKED AND ADVISED ME THAT ONE OF THE PLASTIC CONNECTORS ON THE WIPER TRANSMISSION JUST CAME APART. HE FEELS IT WAS POORLY ENGINEERED. NEEDLESS TO SAY, IT CREATED A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. IT MY SAFETY IN JEOPARDY AS WELL AS THE PEOPLE AROUND ME. NOTE: I ONLY HAVE A LITTLE OVER 50,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE.
Visibility/wiper, Oct 2, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS BECAME INOPERABLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED HANK GRAFF CHEVROLET (800 N STATE RD, DAVISON, MI 48423, (810) 412-0547), BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000.
Visibility/wiper, Sep 22, 2019
DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN THE RAIN AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPER STOPPED WORKING. YOU CAN HEAR THE WIPER MOTOR RUNNING, BUT THE WIPERS DO NOT MOVE
Visibility/wiper, Sep 8, 2019
TAKATA RECALL MY WIPERS JUST STOPPED WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF POURING RAIN YOU CAN HEAR THE MOTOR WORKING BUT WIPERS JUST STOPPED DRIVING IN THE CITY BRINGING THE KIDS HOME FROM SCHOOL CITY STREET TRAVELING 25-29 MPH CHECKED TO FUSE IT WAS SOK WE HAD TO PULL OVER AND WAIT THEN GET A UBER IT WAS SCARY!!!!
Visibility/wiper, Aug 21, 2019
WINDSHIELD WIPERS SUDDENLY STOPED WORKING. I CAN HEAR THE MOTOR RUNNING, BUT THE WIPERS DON'T MOVE.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 23, 2019
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF A STORM WHILE DRIVING.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 12, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH IN POURING RAIN, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. NEMINCHT CHEVROLET (1550 CASSAT AVENUE, JACKSONVILLE, FL) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 10, 2019
I WAS DRIVING IN VERY HEAVY RAIN ON THE HIGHWAY DURING A TIME WHERE THERE WAS LOW VISIBILITY AND MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. I HAD 3 CHILDREN IN THE CAR WITH ME (2 WERE IN A CAR SEATS). ONCE I WAS ABLE TO GET OVER TO THE SHOULDER I CALLED ONSTAR/ CHEVY ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE ONLY WAY THEY COULD ASSIST WAS TO TOW MY CAR TO A DEALERSHIP WHICH IN REALITY WASN'T POSSIBLE BECAUSE THE 3 KIDS AND I WERE NOT GOING TO FIT IN THE TRUCK WITH THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER. SO THE KIDS AND I WAITED IN THE CAR ON THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY DURING HEAVY TRAFFIC UNTIL THE RAIN STOPPED SO THAT I COULD DRIVE MY CAR TO A SAFER PLACE..