2020 Chevrolet Equinox
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Service brakes is the leading concern among 308 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 13th highest complaint count among 21 Equinox model years with reports.
Of the 2020 reports, 20 involved a crash and 7 involved a fire. 12 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Child seat, vehicle latch anchorMay 11, 2023
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The four rear-seat lower child seat LATCH anchorage bars may have excessive powder coating, which could prevent a child seat from being installed with the anchorage bars. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."
The inability to install a child seat with the LATCH anchorage bars could result in an unsecured child seat, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Owners are advised to install child seats using the vehicle's rear seat belts until the remedy is complete. Dealers will inspect the latch anchorage bars, and remove and replace the finish, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 2, 2023. 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 N232403240.
Campaign 23V339000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmissionOct 29, 2020
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.
Campaign 20V668000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, foundation components, disc, caliperOct 3, 2019
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Equinox vehicles. The rear brake calipers may have been produced with an incorrect lubricant, potentially causing the rubber seals to swell and the brakes to drag.
Brake drag may result in overheating of the brake pads, affecting the braking ability and increasing the risk of a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear brake calipers, including the brake hose gasket, brake fluid and wheel to hub lubricant, free of charge. The recall began October 29, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438. GM's number for this recall is N192270920.
Campaign 19V704000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, storage, tank assemblySep 19, 2019
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Equinox all-wheel drive vehicles. The fuel tanks may have been manufactured with an improperly sealed seam, possibly allowing fuel to leak along the seam near the fuel inlet.
A fuel leak in the presence of the ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began October 24, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-586-596-1733. GM's number for this recall is N192271870.
Campaign 19V667000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: forward collision avoidance
14 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Air bags, Forward collision avoidance, Dec 8, 2025, crash
Forward collision system dint notify of an object infront , also breaks locked up when used .Air bags didn’t go off while a forward collision with a bus happened
Other or unspecified, Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 8, 2025
My car won’t stay started as if the gas is not going through the engine. I was told it might be the fuel control module or fuel pump
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Mar 14, 2025
Our car has just around 77,000 miles and the brakes stopped working while driving. To our luck my husband quickly thought to use the e brake to prevent a car crash. We took it into our mechanic who diagnosed a brake pump failure. It looks as though the 2020 equinox has recalls for brake issues but our vin number was not listed. This is very dangerous and could have caused a deadly or serious injury crash. We had no prior warning to this happening. The shop owner is fixing the issue and we are holding onto receipts if this becomes a recall available on our vehicle. Very unsafe and according to my research has happened to alot of GM owners.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Mar 1, 2025
ABS and breaks exploded at 67k miles and at 78k miles car shut off in middle of the street with no warning. Electric issues confirmed by mechanic.
Service brakes, Engine, Forward collision avoidance, Sep 2, 2024
I have 149,000 miles in this car. In my lifetime of being the one owner and purchasing this car brand new the vacuum pump has failed five times. Twice now resulting in blown engines. And still no recalls.
Forward collision avoidance, Apr 23, 2024
Adaptive cruise turn off and vehicle immediately decelerates. When traveling at highway speed with someone following closely behind you there is no warning that you’re decelerating. Also when this happens all cameras are off.
Wheels, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Sep 16, 2023, crash, fire
Got hit at 40 miles an hour in a parking lot while a running dog came through and it was caotic
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Apr 5, 2023
The brakes stop working
Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, Oct 10, 2022
Adaptive Cruise control, and Automatic emergency Braking intermittently fail to function.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 12, 2021, crash, fire
Back in early October 2020, vehicle had about 2000 miles on it. I noticed that when I started up the vehicle The Brake Assist Service message came on the brakes were spongy and had vibrating feel. I drove about a half of a mile and the problem stopped. The engine light came on and stayed on but then went out. Everything was ok for about two weeks when it did it again light came on took it a dealer but light went off. They serviced the vehicle and seem that the problem had stopped. Then in Early April of 2021 it happened again. Took it to the same dealership, they replace some more parts. Week or two weeks later same issue. Took it back to the dealership. They replaced the engine control module. During all these times, an engine light would soon follow after the message about the brake assist message. Thought it was fixed. On June 14 2021 at 1:14PM started my vehicle up the SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST message came on called the dealership. The brakes were vibrating and were not smooth. I stopped and turned off the vehicle and restarted the vehicle message went away brakes appeared to be fine. This time however no engine came on. Dealership was willing to service the vehicle but if the engine light wasn't on it would hard to diagnosed. I took a picture of the message before it had clear. On July 8th 2021, at 2:08PM, I started my vehicle and the SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST message came on. I took a photo of it. I tested the brakes appear to be ok. Turned the vehicle off the message didn't show again. My son borrow the vehicle and he got into an accident the same day approximately 6 hours. He swerved to avoid hitting a deer. He said that brakes appeared not to slow him down. He left roadway and struck a tree head on. The vehicle caught fire and he was lucky to escape. The vehicle was destroyed by the fire and crash. Not putting blame on anyone because I know there were other contributing factors to the accident . I just wanted to report this because of past problems with GM.
Service brakes, Lane departure, Forward collision avoidance, Mar 22, 2021
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, RECEIVED "SERVICE ESC" WARNING ON THE DASHBOARD WITH 4 "LIGHTS" ON THE DASHBOARD. ABS LIGHT, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT, STABILITY CONTROL, AND PARKING BRAKE LIGHT. LANE KEEP ASSIST HAS BEEN DISABLED, FRONT COLLISION WARNING HAS BEEN DISABLED, AND FRONT PEDESTRIAN BRAKING HAS BEEN DISABLED. ALL OF THESE LIGHTS TURN ON AND OFF CONTINUOUSLY WHILE DRIVING AND SOMETIMES WILL TURN OFF FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS AND TURN BACK ON.
Forward collision avoidance, Jan 25, 2021
COMPLAINT: OWNER STATES ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE. OWNER BROUGHT VEHICLE TO LOCAL GM SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO CUSTOMER AS AN UNFOUNDED COMPLAINT. REPORTER FOUND THE FOLLOWING; ALL IPC INDICATORS ARE FUNCTIONING DURING SELF TEST, NO IPC WARNING LIGHTS/MESSAGES PRESENT, DISTANCE FOLLOWING SYSTEM APPEARS TO BE FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED AND RECOGNIZES VEHICLES IN ITS ZONE OF INFLUENCE. REPORTER TEST DROVE VEHICLE WITH CUSTOMERS ADAS SETTINGS AS DROPPED OFF. ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL DID MALFUNCTION AS CUSTOMER INDICATED. ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL ON ENGAGEMENT FUNCTIONED AS DESIGNED AND THEN UNEXPECTEDLY WITHOUT WARNING FAILED. THE MOST DISTURBING PART OF THIS FAULT IS THE ONLY WARNING THE SYSTEM HAS FAILED IS FORWARD COLLISION ALARMS. SECONDLY, THE CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT DISENGAGE UPON THIS WARNING. IF THE PRIOR WERE NOT ENOUGH, NO IPC WARNINGS OR HARD FAULTS WERE RECORDED. THIS MALFUNCTION OCCURS UNEXPECTEDLY AT HIGHWAY AND LOCAL SPEEDS. THIS FAULT, ALL THE MORE WORRISOME, APPEARS ALSO TO BE EITHER A PROGRAMMING ERROR OR TRANSIENT. NO OTHER DIAGNOSTICS WERE CONDUCTED. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ATTACHED. HAVING PERSONALLY OWNED ADAS EQUIPPED VEHICLES FOR OVER EIGHT YEARS AND THE CONFIDENCE OF USING THEM WITHOUT A PROBLEM THIS WAS A FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE FOR ME AND VERY CONCERNING.
Vehicle speed control, Forward collision avoidance, Dec 24, 2020
DRIVING 75 MILES PER HOUR ON INTERSTATE WHILE PASSING TWO VEHICLES AND ONE CAR BEHIND ME THE CAR MADE A DINGING NOISE, THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE NOT AVAILABLE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE CAR DECELERATED CAUSING THE CAR BEHIND ME TO HAVE TO BRAKE. IF I HAD NOT STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR THE CAR BEHIND MAY HAVE HIT ME. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON FOUR DIFFERENT DATES AND ON ONE TRIP IT HAPPENED 8 TIMES IN 80 MILES. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT COULD CAUSE REAR END COLLISION AT HIGH SPEED. THE REPAIR SHOP AT MY CHEVY DEALER IN TOWN SAYS THERE ARE NO ERROR CODES AND THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE IS WORKING AS DESIGNED. IS I GET HIT FROM BEHIND AT HIGH SPEED THIS COULD EASILY CAUSE A DEVASTATING CRASH. I DO NOT TRUST THIS CAR OR THE RESPONSES I AM GETTING FROM THE DEALER. THEY SAY NO ONE HAS COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS BUT I KIND FIND SITES WHERE PEOPLE ARE REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM.
Forward collision avoidance, Mar 26, 2020, crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN RATE OF SPEED, HE PASSED OUT DUE TO A MEDICAL EMERGENCY AND HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HIM. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. THE CONTACT WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL VIA AN AMBULANCE AND WAS TREATED FOR UNKNOWN INJURIES. THE INJURIES OF THE OTHER DRIVER WERE UNKNOWN. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A FORWARD COLLISION ALERT SYSTEM WHICH SHOULD HAVE STOPPED THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS INITIALLY TOWED TO A TOW YARD AND WAS LATER TOWED TO A BODY SHOP WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT SPOKE TO JON HALL CHEVROLET (551 N NOVA RD, DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32114) WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT SINCE HE DID NOT HAVE GPS ACTIVATED IN HIS VEHICLE, THE FORWARD COLLISION ALERT WOULD NOT OPERATE. THE MANUFACTURE HAD NOT BEEN ALERTED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,400.