2025 Chevrolet Equinox
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 228 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 16th highest complaint count among 21 Equinox model years with reports.
Of the 2025 reports, 10 involved a crash. 4 people were injured and 8 people died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
No safety recalls on file.
Representative owner complaints: forward collision avoidance
32 reports, newest first. Show all
Service brakes, Engine, Forward collision avoidance, Sep 3, 2026
On 3 occasions, the last happening today (XXX) traveling north on XXX toward [XXX] at approximately 14:05, the vehicle has stopped abruptly and hard, and will then release. Today, it took it longer to release. When it occurred this time, it braked just as hard but longer, so I had to cross two lanes so the cars behind me would not hit me. The cars swerved around me and the car eventually let go and I was able to accelerate from that dangerous position on the side of the highway. The first time it happened, someone was pretty close behind me. The car stopped hard, real hard, but let go quickly enough to accelerate before a collision. The second time, there was no one in front or behind us, and we were safe. It hadn’t happened in a while, today. We’ve downloaded 2 or 3 software update, and I was hoping it fixed the issue. It did not. Today the car stumbled and the rpm’s jumped. I feel like the car momentarily braked while I was accelerating. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Electrical system, Visibility/wiper, Forward collision avoidance, Aug 19, 2026
After taking a long drive, our phone suddenly stopped connecting via Apple car play, all of a sudden the screen went black while we were doing 80 miles an hour on the highway using GPS and then the phones wouldn’t connect again at all. Multiple attempted to restart the car and display did nothing. This has now become an intermittent error on the vehicle. I was told by a Chevy dealership there was nothing they could do & I just needed to wait for an update to come out. Fast forward two months and countless hours of research I attempted to call onstar to have our connection reset to onstar because I saw that helped out. I found out our vehicle had not been connected for over 6 months while I was paying for the service and the telematics unit was likely the issue. 3 visits to the dealership, 3 modules later & the problem is still persistent. GM will not cover my rental, will not give me a loaner vehicle and will not accommodate my schedule to have the 4th module attempted to be replaced. This is an extremely scary and frustrating concern. I fear for my safety when I’m on the road and my dashboard goes black for several minutes at highway speeds. the issue has been confirmed and is widespread in this model and should be recalled - GM should be forced into a lemon law for anyone who has had this many problems as most of us have.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Aug 11, 2026
My 2025 Chevrolet Equinox RS is experiencing critical active safety and electronic malfunctions. While reversing out of my driveway, the vehicle unexpectedly executed an aggressive "phantom braking" event, violently slamming on the brakes with no actual physical hazards or cross-traffic behind the vehicle. The Reverse Automatic Braking (RAB) and Rear Cross-Traffic Braking systems are hypersensitive and falsely triggering mechanical emergency stops, creating an immediate physical hazard and whiplash risk. Additionally, the Google Built-in infotainment system constantly suffers from communication freezes with Apple CarPlay and media apps like Pandora. Commands to select or play audio tracks freeze and fail to execute on the 11.3-inch screen, indicating a systemic software architecture defect affecting the vehicle's dashboard modules. The vehicle has previously been out of service for an extended duration (30+ days)due to a broken telematics module causing parasitic battery drain down to 3 volts, along with multiple dashboard error messages. The manufacturer has been unable to permanently resolve these electronic and active safety failures.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 20, 2026
My telematics module for onstar is draining power from the car's battery which has been not allowing me to start after I turn it off without having to jumpstart it. Also when I do jump start it, the cruise control don't work and service messages pop up on my HUD. The dealership said it's undrivable due to safety concerns and the part is backordered for an unknown ETA.
Visibility/wiper, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 17, 2026, crash
The Chevrolet Equinox EV has a large blind spot because of the size of the front window pillars and the adjacent side view mirror. To quote from an Internet search, "This creates a significant blind spot when preparing to make left at intersections, making it difficult to spot pedestrians cyclists, or oncoming traffic." My vehicle was involved in an accident during a left turn in which I believe the blind spot was a significant factor. The Chevrolet Equinox EV is supposed to be equipped with "enhanced automatic emergency braking" which, if so, did not function to prevent an accident.
Power train, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Apr 29, 2026
While driving on the freeway, my vehicle displayed a “Service All-Wheel Drive System” warning and unexpectedly switched into two-wheel drive. This created a serious safety concern due to sudden loss of traction and control. Additionally, on multiple occasions while reversing, the vehicle abruptly applied the brakes without any obstruction present, displaying a message that automatic braking had engaged. My foot was on the accelerator at the time, and this created a sudden and unsafe situation. The vehicle has been taken to the dealership for repair, but due to the unpredictable nature of these issues, I no longer feel safe operating the vehicle.
Other or unspecified, Back over prevention, Forward collision avoidance, Apr 22, 2026
Sometimes when I am backing up, the breaks will slam on. Back in 2025 first I noticed, but thought it was human error, just wasn’t sure. After it happened more than a couple of times in 2026, I realized it wasn’t me and must the safety warning system? I googled after it happened this month and (phantom breaking) popped up for the Chevy equinox. I Have an appt. With Chevrolet to check it out in 2 weeks. Scary when it happens. I’ve only noticed it so far when backing up. If it were to happen other than in a parking lot, that could be dangerous, especially if I am going faster.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Apr 7, 2026
Braking issues Sensors go off when nothing aroung Slow backing car engages brakes Bad smell like a strong BO persists after cabin an oil fulter changed Battery / alternator drain 12-07 2025 to 01-17 2026 in auto shop I was told wainting for part ( Onstar ) Prior brake issues early April 2025 the week of having auto brakes and steering lock up during 45mph drive it was documented as a camera issue No power as if brakes applied while, Car has felt when turning like it skips while in a turn during driving all 8 visited on document other 4 not documented System dignostic or dealer service doesn't show issues. Issues have been on going without success other issues possible related or newer Miles first reported brake and steering lockup 145 miles most recent 7750
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Mar 15, 2026
While pulling into a parking spot of a business and approximately 6 feet from the curb, the automatic emergency brake engaged forcing my whole body forward, slamming my head on the visor/roof of the car very forcefully/painfully. I was not in traffic, I was getting ready to park. My front seat passenger slammed against her seatbelt and I had a child in the back seat who slammed forward as well. No dash indicators or seat rumbling occurred, it was just an immediate jolt/hard stop that I was not braced for. At risk of concussion or TBI.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Mar 13, 2026
I purchased a 2025 Chevy Equinox EV last year out of the local Chevy dealership It is my first brand new vehicle and I’m the only owner, I have only had this vehicle for a few months and it has already showed me significant issues with the Electronic components Main issues I’ve experienced are: Randomly shutting off Randomly phantom braking On star capabilities not working No access to WiFi or any apps on the touch screen I.e. maps, music, settings, volume, radio etc. A/C/heating unit not working won’t get cold or hot just blowing air Issues with charging (almost left me stranded multiple times) not fast charging Issues with my Chevy app Took the vehicle to the dealership to get looked at they have had it for a week already and have not given me any update except that I will need a new onstar module. The vehicle is not safe to drive and I’m afraid that it will shut off while I’m driving at a higher speed I.e. on the freeway or that it will phantom brake while I’m on the highway which can cause a life threatening injury This vehicle has not been in any accident No warning lights came on except one message that said service emergency calling No warning messages prior to any of these events
Power train, Electrical system, Forward collision avoidance, Mar 11, 2026
The vehicle’s high-voltage battery system and propulsion system appear to have failed, causing a complete loss of power while driving. The vehicle is currently at the dealership for inspection, The vehicle completely shut down while I was driving on Florida’s Turnpike, creating an extremely dangerous situation on a high-speed highway. There was no warning prior to the shutdown, and I am currently pregnant, which made the situation especially traumatic and heightened the risk to both myself and my unborn child, as well as other drivers on the road. The vehicle has been taken to the dealership for inspection. As of now, the problem has not been reproduced, but the shutdown event is confirmed and documented by the dealer during the incident report and intake process. The vehicle is currently at the dealership for inspection. General Motors engineers or technical assistance center (TAC) may review the vehicle once the dealership reports the incident. No police or insurance representatives have inspected the vehicle for this issue. No warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms appeared prior to the sudden battery drop and complete loss of propulsion. The failure occurred without any prior indication while driving on the highway.
Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Feb 20, 2026
The onstar telematics module has stopped functioning. That means I am not receiving any systems updates, cannot use onstar, and cannot use the my Chevrolet app for remote start or remote unlock. I took it to the dealer 2 weeks ago and they said the telematics module is backordered. They did do a number of system updates. After those updates my adaptive cruise control has completely stopped working. When I called about that, the service department said that one module could have caused the other module to fail and that they won’t try to look at my cruise control until after they can replace the telematics. There is currently no ETA to receive the part.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Feb 16, 2026
VEHICLE INFORMATION Vehicle: 2025 Chevrolet Equinox (Gas) Purchase Price: $46,000 In-Service Date: January 28, 2026 Current Mileage: 2,433 miles First Repair Attempt: Approximately 200 miles DEFECT DESCRIPTION (SAFETY-CRITICAL) The vehicle experiences intermittent but recurring safety system failures while driving, including: • Complete instrument cluster blackout (all gauges dark) • All warning lights and alerts disappear • ADAS / driver-assist systems shut down • System appears to reboot for approximately 15 seconds while in motion • Vehicle settings reset to default (vehicle systems, not radio) • Brake pedal becomes hard during these events • Stopping distance feels increased during braking events This behavior indicates a brake assist interruption and a loss of critical driver information while the vehicle is moving. REPAIR HISTORY SUMMARY • Vehicle has been in the dealership approximately 4–5 times for the same or substantially similar defect • Dealership has performed software updates • Dealership has replaced computer modules controlling the information center and related systems • The defect persists SAFETY ASSESSMENT Loss of braking assist (hard pedal with increased stopping distance) combined with full instrument cluster blackout while driving constitutes a substantial impairment of vehicle safety. This is not an infotainment issue.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Feb 5, 2026, crash
SEE NHTSA Safety Recall Report 25V-12- It appears it should apply to both 2025 FRONT WHEEL DRIVE Chevy Equinox EVs with ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL (and without Super Cruise) in addition to 2025 ALL WHEEL DRIVE Equinox EVs with ACC (also without Super Cruise). This is very dangerous. Here's what happened: My 8 month old 2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV FRONT WHEEL DRIVE w/ACC(no Super Cruise) has had 2 instances where a very large "thunk" sound and vibration emanating from the rear of the car while stopped at an intersection, was immediately followed with sudden brake failure and sudden forward acceleration. The ACC was on in both instances. The first time this happened was alarming but since the was nothing in front of me there was no damage and the problem seemed to resolve itself thereafter. The second time was while waiting at a red light about 10 feet behind another vehicle. My car shot forward and into the other car, which was then pushed into the car ahead of it. Both my car and the car ahead of me had very expensive damages, but fortunately, no injuries. What I experienced sounds exactly like the recall problem described in NHTSA Safety Recall Report 25V-12 which has thus far only been applied to the AWD version of the 2025 Equinox EV, not the FWD version that I have. I believe this needs rapid consideration due to the danger of of sudden acceleration resulting in serious property damage, injury, or death. It appears to me that other instances of this problem have been described in various online forums and YouTubes.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Feb 4, 2026
Just after Thanksgiving, my vehicle displayed a “Service Emergency Calling” message. I brought it to the dealership and they documented the concern, referencing GM bulletin PIP6077B, but no repairs were performed. On December 30th, while parking, I shifted into reverse and the vehicle would not reverse and instead moved forward. A “Service Transmission” warning appeared and the vehicle was towed. The dealer cleared the codes and released the vehicle without performing any diagnostics. About two weeks later, when starting the vehicle after work, several warnings appeared, including “Service Safety Restraint System,” “Forward Collision System Unavailable,” and a rear-seat alert despite no passengers. While driving, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, and blind zone steering assist were not functioning. The next morning, the vehicle suffered a complete electrical failure. It would not start, the screens stayed off, and the doors would not lock or unlock. The vehicle was towed again. The dealer replaced the battery, claimed it had simply died, and attempted to return the vehicle to me. I refused because none of the prior warnings were diagnosed, and I was told the codes “erase when the battery is changed.” After I demanded full electrical and transmission diagnostics, including a parasitic draw test, the dealership informed me the vehicle was unsafe to drive. They stated the OnStar/telematics module was draining the battery and the replacement part was backordered with no estimated arrival date. I was told multiple customers are waiting for the same part, which means this is NOT an isolated event and needs way more attention than it's being given. This defect results in loss of essential safety systems and complete vehicle shutdown, creating a significant safety risk.
Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jan 12, 2026
On three occasions, gas pedal went limp, and required restarting engine to reset controls to get gas pedal working again. On one occasion, brakes failed to operate leading to a collision. And forward collision warning did not activate.
Electrical system, Back over prevention, Forward collision avoidance, Jan 8, 2026
The Equinox is detecting objects in the rear camera that are not there and automatically applying the automatic emergency breaking. This is causing the car to completely stop and has now caused me to injury my back due to the force of the stop. There is no warning given that the breaks are being applied. I was backing up at 7 miles an hour and the Equinox just stopped dead and there was absolutely nothing near the car. The car was in for an oil change and they said nothing was wrong with it. This latest incident of 4 now happened today and caused me to almost be hit in the parking lot of my child’s school while backing into a parking spot.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jan 8, 2026
On 3 separate occasions now, my vehicle has slammed on the brakes abruptly when there were no other cars around me in close proximity. The sensors vibrated the driver seat each time right before slamming brakes on, even though no other cars were even close to me. The sensors often go off when they shouldn’t be. The first time this happened, there were no cars ahead of me or beside me on the highway but there was one car behind me about 50 feet I’d say. Thankfully he was paying attention or he would have rear ended me. The 2nd time my husband was getting off an exit ramp so he was only going about 25mph and the car slammed the brakes on. There were no cars ahead of him or behind him. The 3rd time I was pulling out of a plaza entering a stop light and when I saw no cars coming, I started to pull out and it slammed on the brakes. There was a car behind me, but none beside me, and since I was turning left to approach the stop light, there were a few cars in each lane but they were about 20 feet away from me. None of these incidents should have activated the emergency braking. It has to be faulty sensors as they go off often when they shouldn’t. My husband and I both felt like we had bruised ribs and we thank God that nobody hit us, but at some point, we won’t be so lucky! And I am forced to drive this death trap because it’s not showing any codes for the dealership AND I still have to pay on my loan to drive an unsafe car!
Power train, Forward collision avoidance, Jan 6, 2026
OnStar Module malfunctioned, has been diagnosed and awaits identification of specific type of module to determine if one is available or if it is one that will be on back order. The safety of myself and my family was put at risk, along with others, when vehicle braking system randomly activated and slammed on the brakes despite clear highways all around, almost causing us to be rear-ended more than once. This has happened prior to 12/01 several times randomly but we assumed the sensor was sensitive and was picking up something we couldn't see, however this was not the case in this situation. The battery keeps going dead and needing jumped and there are numerous warning messages/lamps. Dealer service department confirmed OnStar module failure and need for replacement, has not yet reproduced braking issues. Vehicle is currently at dealership service department for inspection and was deemed unsafe to drive at this time. Dealer stated they had no loaner vehicles to supply and instructed us GM would reimburse up to $45 daily for rental at Enterprise, so a rental vehicle was obtained and placed on waiting list at two different dealerships for loaner vehicle. WiFi and Navigation System originally quit working, then car battery started dying and requires being jumped multiple times if not driven within 8 hours, Received alerts off and on of "Lane Change Alert System Off", "Service Parking Break", "Adaptive Cruise Control Temp Unavailable", "Service Power Steering", "Service Electronic Stability Control", "Service Transmission Now, Unable to shift soon", and cruise control/Lane assist etc quit working. We became stranded in another town and had to purchase a portable jumper. Dealer currently has no anticipated repair date.
Forward collision avoidance, Lane departure, Dec 23, 2025
My vehicle randomly turns off the foward collision system causing its supercruise system and adaptive cruise control to turn off while driving on the highway potentially causing and accident. I took it to the dealer in marlton NJ with the foward collision fault light on and they cant find anything wrong with the system as it resets itself after thr vehicle is turned off for two minutes. On our Facebook page I am not the only one who is experiencing this I will attach some documents of similar issues apparently GM has been aware of this for a while and no fix yet.
Electrical system, Forward collision avoidance, Dec 18, 2025
- The telematics module is bad, resulting in vehicle having no connectivity (GPS, entertaintment system, updates) - The car has no other means of hands-free operation for navigation software (no CarPlay or similar phone projection technology) - GM is unable or unwilling to supply the parts for warranty repair. - It is illegal to use the phone while operating vehicle in my state (Florida)
Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Dec 11, 2025
Telematic Module System is malfunctions with a nationwide recall on the part. Chevy representatives have no date for when the part will be in. The computer system in the car is not working. I can't reach OnStar the internet I pay for doesn't work. My car has been in the service department for a month this year for the same problem and it's out again. Engineers from Chevy have worked on it as well. I need help with this situation. It's possible that the this failure could drain my battery causing it stop while driving. The service department and Chevy customer service just keep apologizing with no real dates on when this part will be in.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Dec 11, 2025
I placed my foot on the brake to start my vehicle and when I pushed the start button my brake pedal went to the floor and warning came up stating brake failure ect. I contacted the dealership and was told to drive it to them so the could put it on the scope and tell me if it is safe to drive. I did and then was told it was a master brake cylinder failure and not safe to drive. In researching this is a know failure by gm service notice N252494220
Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Dec 1, 2025
While driving today at about 21 mph, when a warning came on that my car had brake assist failure. It said the speed would be limited and to break hard to enable the car to stop.. I was able to get to a parking lot safely, but my car did not break at the stoplight and went straight through. Luckily there was no one coming.. my car is at the dealership now and they are finding no issue and nothing showed up on my Chevy app. From the articles I have read it said this issue is something that happens on cars that do not have super drive. I drive a 2005 Chevy equinox RS with super Dr. so clearly the brake problem is happening on this vehicle as well.. it took all my strength to get the vehicle to stop.. I called OnStar and was going to have it towed and turned the car off. Once the car came back on all of the warning lights were gone, and then the car drove fine.. I got lucky today, but this is an issue that still needs to be addressed.. The issue was supposed to be taken care of in 2024. I just purchased my 2005 in September and I have 3100 miles on the car.. I was driving in a rural area with many hills and was scared to death. I had to keep my foot all the way on the brakes the entire time to keep myself at a slow speed..
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Nov 10, 2025, crash
I was driving my 2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV on the highway with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) engaged. The vehicle was also set to "One-Pedal Driving" (High regenerative braking). The vehicle in front of me slowed down abruptly. My vehicle's ACC began to slow the car, but it was not decelerating quickly enough to avoid a collision. I immediately intervened by pressing the brake pedal as hard as I could, pushing it completely to the floor. Critical Safety Failure: The vehicle's physical brakes failed to engage. Despite my foot being pressed hard to the floor, the vehicle did not slow down. It felt as though only the regenerative braking was (slowly) working and that my manual brake application had zero effect. The vehicle continued to glide forward with no significant braking power, and I was unable to stop the car in time, resulting in a collision with the rear of the vehicle ahead. Summary of Defect: The primary safety failure was the complete lack of response from the manual brake pedal. My attempt to override the vehicle's automated systems in an emergency was unsuccessful, as the brake pedal was unresponsive. Reporting History: I have already reported this incident to my auto insurance, my local Chevrolet dealership, and the Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center. A representative from Chevrolet recommended that I file this report with the NHTSA to help identify and track similar safety-critical incidents.