2017 Chevrolet Equinox
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 273 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 15th highest complaint count among 21 Equinox model years with reports.
Of the 2017 reports, 18 involved a crash and 4 involved a fire. 14 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
No safety recalls on file.
Representative owner complaints
273 reports, newest first.
Engine and engine cooling, Sep 28, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at various speeds, she heard abnormal knocking sounds coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where the camshaft was replaced; however, the failure reoccurred while driving. The vehicle was then taken to a second dealer Kelley Chevrolet (5220 Value Dr, Fort Wayne, IN 46808) where it was diagnosed that the camshaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that oil was not properly travelling to the top of the engine, which caused the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000.
Air bags, Fuel/propulsion system, Aug 17, 2022, crash
I was in a vehicle accident the 4th of August. After the accident I noticed the airbag light on. I check the passenger seat belt and it wouldn't budge, but the air bags never deployed from the accident. About a month ago I had an issue with the car. I was driving down the road and I took a sharp left turn and the car acted like it was starving for gas. It was on a full tank and I was stranded for a few hrs until the car cooled down to where it was operational.
Engine, Jul 28, 2022
Driving down the road I started experiencing very strange engine noises with no warning lights or other indications. When I arrived home I found that the dipstick showed no engine oil. Gauges showed no issue and engine oil life still showed well over 50% (I believe there were about 2600 miles since the oil change). I took it to the dealer and they indicated they could not find any source of oil leak, changed the oil and asked me to stop in at 1K miles to investigate. When we finally did have it checked the advised that pistons and rings needed to be replaced as well as timing components. Then I read online about significant oil consumption issues with this engine AND that there can be a sudden loss of oil causing the engine to seize up. This can cause the wheels to lock up and create a dangerous situation. The engine is now using about 2Qts per 1,000 miles but the gauges are still showing normal.
Visibility/wiper, Jul 9, 2022
Back hatch window blew out overnight sometime between 1am and 8am for no reason. No signs of vandalism as this vehicle is parked in the driveway several feet away from sidewalk and multiple other vechicles parked in same driveway. No projectiles types found inside vehicle cargo hold either. Temps were in the low to mid 60s during this timeframe. Remaining glass appears to be slightly pushed outward. Would create serious safety hazard if this happened while driving.
Power train, Jun 30, 2022
Several transmission components and functions have failed. This has caused dangerous lurching while gears change and the loss of the ability to move forward, all while driving and without warning. The transfer case also failed, resulting in similar lurching, as well as bouncing and grinding. This problem has been attempted to be repaired multiple times with the dealership returning the car each time claiming that it was repaired, inspected and found good. In all cases the same problem reoccurred within 50 miles of driving. There were no warning lights or symptoms leading up to the failure which would worsen as time went on. The lurching generally occurred when reducing speed, which would unexpectedly bounce the vehicle towards other slowing vehicles, greatly increasing the likelihood of rear ending another driver. When the complete loss of forward function occurred, it had done so similarly while slowing down, which nearly resulted in another driver rear ending us. Fortunately, the reverse gear still worked and the car was able to be removed from the road. The unexpected nature of the behavior of the car and the failures in general, paired with the false assurance from the dealership that the problem was fixed, left the driver highly likely of being involved in a collision.
Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Jun 16, 2022, crash
I was driving at 330am had cruise control to 70 the speed limit and when I hit my breaks the cruise control didn't disengage instead it speed faster making me lose control of me vehicle took out a sign and went over the hill. My vehicle was totaled.
Visibility, Jun 16, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that on several occasions the rear hatch window shattered while parked. The contact stated that the failure occurred during extreme heat or extremely cold weather. The contact stated that the window was replaced several times. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.
Engine, Jun 14, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH the check engine and traction stability warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle continued running but failed to exceed 15 MPH. The contact took back roads to her home and then later drove to a dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed and it was determined that the ECO switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The contact took the vehicle back to the same dealer two more times however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.
Power train, Engine, May 19, 2022
Chevy is already well aware there is a prominent issue with timing chains on their equinox model and refuses to acknowledge or recall the issue. This is the second major repair I am needing to my vehicle in just barely over 1 year. Both the timing chain and the rear main seal need repairs in approx 1 years time. Again, these are known issues Chevy refuses to acknowledge that is costing many customers thousands of dollars.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Engine, May 19, 2022
Rear main seal blew out due to known (and recalled in previous years) fault with the PCV valve. The check engine light never came on and neither did the oil light when there was no oil left due to the seal blowing out. This incident caused damage to crucial engine parts including the transmission.
Air bags, May 18, 2022, crash
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that as his wife attempted to make a left turn at 5 MPH, another vehicle hit the front passenger side of her vehicle at approximately 40 MPH. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. His wife was taken to the hospital by ambulance and was treated for an injury to her right knee as well as chest pain. The other driver sought medical treatment after the accident; however, their injuries, if any, are unknown. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was deemed a total loss. A police report was filed. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be destroyed. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.
Power train, Mar 28, 2022
The gear shift when in drive can be pushed into other gears without pushing the button. When driving down the highway going 70 mph, my dog has more than 10 times pushed it into neutral. It’s extremely dangerous.
Engine, Mar 15, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle started sputtering and then lost motive power and stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact checked the oil and noticed that there was no oil in the engine. The oil indicator showed 46 percent oil life remaining. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the rear main seal needed to be replaced. Additionally, there was condensation in the engine and main seal had popped out. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified but no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 134,000. The VIN was not available.
Air bags, Seat belts, Mar 10, 2022, crash
In February 26, 2022, my wife was driving and I was in passenger seat. At approximately 2123 hours, we came over a slight hill and hit a cow at 70 miles an hour on state Highway 95 between Academy, Texas and Temple, Texas. Our airbags did not deploy and my seatbelt malfunctioned as I hit my head on dash.
Engine, Feb 14, 2022
The contact’s daughter owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, his daughter noticed that oil was leaking underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that he checked the oil level of the vehicle and noticed that the vehicle was low on oil. The contact added 3 quarts of oil to the engine. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving 50-55 MPH, the vehicle started making abnormal sounds. The contact’s daughter veered to the side of the road. The contact met his daughter and checked the oil level. The contact noticed that the oil level was 2 quarts low and topped off the oil; however, the failure reoccurred the following day and the vehicle was jerking. The warning message “Reduced Power” was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the PCV valve had caused a rear main seal failure, which damaged the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and the contact inquired why his daughter’s vehicle was not included in GM Technical Service Bulletin No.: 14882 but the manufacturer referred the contact to NHTSA for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 8, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH and slowing down, the vehicle started to lose power. The contact mentioned there was a strong odor coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that she then saw smoke, and drove her vehicle to the nearest independent mechanic. The contact was advised that her PCV valve had fractured due to it being frozen, causing the rear main oil seal to explode. The contact was also advised that the smoke was due to the oil leakage underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that she then had her vehicle towed to the dealer who advised that they had several vehicles that were the same year, make, and model as her vehicle, already being repaired for the same failure and that she had to take her vehicle to another dealer. The contact stated that she then had her vehicle towed to another dealer where it remains currently. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 67,000
Engine, Feb 7, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the oil warning light illuminated. The contact was stranded in the cold for approximately four hours. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer. The contact stated that the vehicle was not covered under warranty or TSB: PIP5093C. The vehicle was diagnosed and the contact was informed that the rear main seal needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the warranty program should be extended. The manufacturer was contacted but, no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 90,261. Driving on the expressway at 65mph alarm went off so the consumer got off the expressway and stopped the car. Dead in the water.
Power train, Feb 1, 2022
This is a well known issue with the Equinox. The rear main seal goes and oil pours out the vehicle causing other issues to the engine, like the intake manifold. My rear exhaust manifold was cracked and now codes are coming up for timing chain. The dealer wanted over $2600 to repair since my warranty was expired. Haven’t had the car 3 yrs and I personally only put under 50 K miles on the vehicle. Still owe $12000 for a junk SUV. The recall only covers 2010-2014 models yet GM is putting the same engine in newer models. This should be recalled due to all the complaints. My mechanic sees this all the time with the Equinox. I found a mechanic to repair for $1560+ but did not include timing chain. Still have check engine light on.
Power train, Jan 28, 2022
It seems to be a known problem with the pvc valve getting moisture in it, freezes, and then blowing the main seal. I found lots of records online of other victims. It caused loss of vehicle power and dumped oil on the road. Chevy refuses to cover it with a recall and I'm stuck with a $2500 repair on a vehicle with less than 100k miles. I have it at a shop now. I have talked to a dealership and Chevrolet customer service and they say they know it's a problem but there's no recall on it.
Engine, Jan 24, 2022
Excessive oil consumption. My car started burning oil even though I get frequent oil changes and now my engine is blown.
Power train, Jan 23, 2022
The vehicle shutters when shifting up and hard shifts down in lower power bands.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jan 22, 2022
Yesterday, my son noticed that his 2017 Chevy Equinox LX four-cylinder was not accelerating as much. He purchased this vehicle only one year ago. It is a five-year-old vehicle with not many miles on it. The oil was just changed in November 2021. He only drives 8 miles to and from work. While stopped at a light or stop sign yesterday, my son's SUV would "putt-putt" or shut off completely. There was a strong smell of oil coming from the air vents and filling the SUV. When my son pulled over to park, he decided to check it out. From underneath the vehicle, where the transmission is located, there was a huge puddle of oil on the ground. A leak between the oil pan and transmission was discovered when my son took his car to his mechanic. It shouldn't be like this. I checked if there were any recalls. For 2017, I did not find any under the VIN number, however, there were quite a few complaints from customers about the same issue. Is there anything my son should do? He needs the car for work.
Engine, Jan 16, 2022
Regular oil changes. Most recent was 67 days prior to my 63500 mile engine being ruined due to No Oil. Was driving on the highway, first time the vehicle made any noise, within 2 miles car was completely done. Had it towed and mechanic said there was no sign of a hole, there was just no oil! He said it is a known problem with GM and that there are no motors available because everyone is having to replace! No diagnostic saying oil % was low or at 0%! New engine quote was $9000, would take at least a month to get and will have the same issue most likely.
Engine, Jan 16, 2022
My 2017 Chevy Equinox’s engine got ruined because of no oil. It’s impossible for no oil because I took it to the dealership for an oil change two months ago (November 12, 2021). It had 42,922 miles. On January 10th, with approximated 43,500 miles driven, my car started to shake on red lights or when on idle so the next day I took it to the dealership to figure out the problem with my car. They told me that I was driving with no oil. Which caused the engine to fail and has to be replaced, however I never got the low oil light. Warnings did apear on the dashboard, Low Oil Pressure, check engine light, and engine power reduce and service StabiliTrak but once I arrived to the dealership which was already too late by then. I was never informed by the oil consumption even by the dealership mechanics. Which I always took it there. Since it was my first car and being the newest car model at the time I always wanted to be well taken care of. And it’s impossible that the oil would be completely gone within two months and 590 miles driven. As of now, my car is currently being work on by a different auto shop. I’m going to pay up to $8,000 to get my engine replace. I’m in need in getting it repaired as fast as possible due to needing it to drive between jobs and picking up my siblings from work/school. Apparently I’m not the only person that has had this exact problem with their Chevy Equinox. Thankfully I experienced the problems when I was closed to the dealership and had no one with me. I read other people’s experience that they had a full car packed with family members or having the car staled in the middle of the street. This problem is a high risk to everyone on the road.
Engine, Jan 16, 2022
My 2017 equinox started sounding and running rough. It lost power and engine lights came on. Car died. Tried to drive it to dealership to get looked at and it continued to lose power and ended up having to tow it to dealership. They finally found the problem and said the timing belt stretched, causing all 16 valves to hit the pistons, bending all 16 valves. Only 73,000 miles on vehicle. Power train warranty expired at 60,000 miles (naturally) and will cost us $5500 to have fixed. My husband and i have had Chevrolet all our lives and never am issue like this. I feel this is a safety issue because this could have left me stranded on the side of the road in bitter cold weather. I feel it is a manufacturing defect that caused the issue and it should be covered by a power train warranty lasting longer than 60,000 miles!