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
228 reports, newest first.
Engine, Apr 24, 2026
This is a 2025 vehicle with 25,000 miles and the Check Engine Soon light stays illuminated due to a faulty PCV Valve or possibly a poorly designed crankcase. The engine code is P04FB and is commonly found as an issue when you do a search. As a safety precaution, the vehicle is programmed to not allow the remote start to work as designed when the engine light is on so this issue affects the overall functionality of the car. Having spoken with the dealership, they report seeing that engine code often and that the part is on backorder. The dealership seems to think it's the crankcase causing the issue and not the PCV Valve as the fix they have been ordering for them is the case. It will potentially go away as the weather is hotter, but if a chilly night or morning comes up, then the light will come back on because there is moisture buildup on the PCV Valve when the temperature drops that causes the light to come on. With all of the complaints I have read online for this very issue, I would like to see NHTSA step up and make Chevy fix their problem. Thank you.
Electrical system, Apr 23, 2026
For the second time the service high voltage system warning has came on first time it was updated the dealership said now it’s back on again A/C not working properly
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Apr 23, 2026
While driving, a burning odor developed followed by visible smoke entering the passenger cabin from the dashboard/HUD area. We pulled the vehicle over and had it towed due to safety concerns. Dealer required dashboard disassembly to investigate potential electrical/fire condition but was unable to replicate the issue.
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, Apr 21, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the high-voltage system message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where an unknown diagnostic test and repair were performed on the computer, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer again, where the AC receiver was ordered; however, the part ordered was the incorrect part. The dealer informed the contact that the part was on back order. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 6,065.
Electrical system, Apr 21, 2026
wiring harness on PCV Valve causes check engine light to come on as soon as it rains or gets wet. Dealer has tried multiple times to fix issue to no avail. The parts are on national back order and they can not get them. Dealer has told me that this is a know issue with this model year equinox.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Apr 20, 2026
The navigation system and the one-pedal driving system started malfunctioning. The navigation system began displaying a different location during remote driving, causing it to send me down a street against traffic. This issue has never been resolved and continues unabated. Then, while on the highway, when I needed to slow down, the one-pedal driving system deactivated, causing me to almost collide with another vehicle. This has happened more than three times this month. GM and Chevrolet just keep saying they'll call me back to resolve the issue, but they never do, and they refuse to fix it.
Power train, Electrical system, Visibility/wiper, Apr 16, 2026
I was driving my car and a "service high voltage battery" message appeared on the screen and a message to reduce charging the car to 68%. The message coincided with the car having no cabin heat and no ability to defrost the windshield. The dealership says that the cabin heat and AC use the same cooling system as the battery and that any failure in the battery cooling system can cause a no heat/AC situation
Other or unspecified, Apr 12, 2026
OnStar Module failure. This did not trigger any type of notification. I had to make several phone calls to OnStar to determine I would need to schedule a service appointment for a technician to look at the vehicle. After inspection it was noted that the OnStar Module is not working and will need to be replaced. Upon ordering the part I was informed it is on backorder with no delivery time noted. If I were to get into a crash OnStar would not have triggered a call to first responders for my safety - which is a service that I pay for. No warning lights appeared and the the OnStar button still shows "green" as in active service.
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
Electrical system, Service brakes, Apr 7, 2026
On Monday, April 6th, I was turning into a parking lot and the braking system, specifically the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and electronic brake control module, appeared to malfunction. While driving, I received a warning indicating the ABS was off, and the brake pedal became soft with reduced stopping ability. The check engine light also came on. I had to coast the vehicle to a complete stop. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The loss of normal braking function significantly reduced my ability to stop the vehicle safely, increasing the risk of a collision. This created a dangerous situation for myself, passengers, and other drivers on the road. Brake failure at any speed presents a serious safety hazard.I am aware of similar complaints reported for this issue. My vehicle was towed to and inspected by a dealership where it sat overnight before being diagnosed; however, they were unable to reproduce the issue at the time of service. Despite this, the braking failure did occur and remains a safety concern. The service advisor told me to "bring it back if it happens again" and that it "lost communication with the EBCM" which sometimes happens. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer directly, police, or insurance representatives. There were no warning lamps or other symptoms of this problem prior to the failure.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Visibility/wiper, Apr 4, 2026
When attempting to engage the Left turn signal, the lever has to be pushed down several times to "catch or engage" and stay engaged. Frequently it won't stay engaged and turns off before the turn is completed. (The Right turn signal works properly). This happens 8 out of 10 times on a consistent basis. The dealer shop supervisor and tech test drove it as well as another brand new lot vehicle and both did the same thing. They said that that's what they all do, and I should push down more firmly, which doesn't help. I'm in my late [XXX] , have driven new GM vehicles for decades and know how to use a turn signal. I have been in the middle of LH turns and the turn signal was not flashing to advise other drivers of my intent to turn. I believe that this is a significant and dangerous safety issue. I bought the vehicle new a little over a year ago and it currently has about 2500 miles on it. I am not sure when this started happening, but I started to notice it at about 1700 miles, 6 months ago when I started driving it regularly in place of my 2024 Chevrolet 1500 pickup. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Electrical system, Apr 1, 2026
On four occasions while operating the vehicle down the roadway the dash screen and infotainment / vehicle information displays all have went dark off and reset causing disruption to vital information. Cruise control stayed active. It is unknown if the advanced safety features failed during the reset.
Exterior lighting, Mar 29, 2026
There are two issues with the headlights as it relates to the instrument panel and controls. First, the symbol on the instrument panel is the same for both headlights and running lights. This means at dusk, I cannot know whether my auto-headlights have turned or if I need to override the auto-feature to turn them on manually. Second, the headlight controls are buried in a menu, hidden behind the steering wheel. The "quick menu" is inconvenient, but the fact that it is hidden bedding the steering wheel means that I have to lean forward and around to fiddle with it, which has led to me drifting into another lane as I am distracted. From the driver's perspective, the "quick menus" are all hidden behind the wheel, and the control panel is just far enough out of reach that the driver must adjust and lean forward to reach for any controls not on the steering column.
Electrical system, Mar 29, 2026
1 March, Onstar failed while utilizing the gps late at night. Stuck on side of the road until a passersby assisted me. 2 March, took truck to dealership, after 4 days said no issue found. Driving home, same issue persisted. Called dealership, told to bring back, 45 minutes away. Declined because was told no issue found. 6 March, morning truck completely dead. Called dealership and was told to have towed back to dealership. I declined because you didn’t find any issues when it was there. Following morning, 7 March, had truck towed to local dealership. After a week, was told Onstar telematics module failed and needs to be replaced. As of today, March 29, the part is on back order.
Electrical system, Engine, Mar 24, 2026
The vehicle has experienced repeated failures of the integrated telematics system, including loss of GPS location accuracy, loss of data connectivity, navigation malfunction, and intermittent failure of voice command and steering wheel controls. On one occasion, the vehicle experienced a complete display blackout while driving, during which both the infotainment screen and digital instrument cluster went entirely black. The condition has occurred repeatedly and persisted despite multiple repair attempts. The vehicle has been out of service for approximately 82 cumulative days for diagnosis and repair of these issues. An authorized Chevrolet dealership ultimately diagnosed a failure of the telematics control module, which was replaced under warranty. Following this repair, the same data connectivity failure recurred and was documented with photo and video evidence. The vehicle was returned to the dealership for further diagnosis. The failure is intermittent and may not be present during every inspection. The telematics system supports navigation, driver information displays, and emergency communication features, including transmission of vehicle location and system data. Loss of GPS and connectivity may impair the vehicle’s ability to provide accurate location information during an emergency. The prior display blackout resulted in loss of driver information while the vehicle was in motion. The condition has been reported multiple times to authorized Chevrolet dealerships. Diagnostic procedures and programming were performed, and the telematics module replacement confirms a system-level failure. Recurrence after component replacement indicates the condition has not been permanently resolved. Prior symptoms included loss of GPS signal, incorrect location, loss of connectivity, navigation failure, and intermittent driver assistance alerts.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Mar 24, 2026
Notice the windshield was cracked after leaving a restaurant!
Wheels, Mar 24, 2026
The rim has a crack in it and it won’t hold air
Steering, Lane departure, Mar 23, 2026
The lane keep assist never works properly, it vehicle doesn’t stay in lane, also gps has never worked properly, it’s been to the dealers several times and parts have been replaced with out any success
Other or unspecified, Mar 19, 2026
On Star module failure with severe backorder on parts
Other or unspecified, Mar 17, 2026
The telematic control module drains the battery. I bought the car in February 14, 2026 and it was towed to the dealer on February 20. Today is March 17 and I have had no results. I opened a case with GM directly but I receive nothing but canned automatic emails. The dealer isn't taking my calls. Please help.
Wheels, Mar 16, 2026
21" Equinox EV RS wheel cracked at the lip even though we do not recall hitting anything. No known potholes or other impacts. This caused air loss from the tire and had to refill the air at least once a day. When the tire shop removed the tire to inspect it further we found no damage to the tire, just the wheel was cracked. Called dealership and they claimed it would not be a warranty issue. We ended up putting different wheels on the car as we didn't want to have this issue again.
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.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Mar 15, 2026
My vehicle has had recurring interior water intrusion and related safety concerns. The most serious symptom was interior window fogging on the inside of the vehicle for multiple days during or following rainy, snowy, and cold conditions, which significantly reduced visibility while driving and made it difficult to see out of the windshield and side windows. To clear the fogging quickly, I have had to turn off the heated seats and defrosters and open the windows; otherwise, I have needed to pull over and wait until I could safely see through the windshield again. A strong mildew odor would also develop and could last for days after rain. Sometimes the seats felt damp and the odor became worse when the heated seats were turned on. The first repair visit for this issue was January 13 to 19, 2026 and during that visit, the dealer was unable to recreate the issue. The problem continued, and after my navigation/infotainment screen began having issues, I returned the vehicle to the dealer again on March 7, 2026. I was then informed there was water intrusion and water-damaged carpeting, and I was told there was a known issue involving a faulty or broken seal on this model and there was a recall, but I have not been able to confirm that recall by VIN online. It remains unclear whether the leak is the full cause of the repeated interior fogging condition. In addition to the water intrusion issue, the vehicle has also had other electrical and safety-related concerns, including the infotainment screen turning white for weeks, abnormal turn-signal behavior after completing turns, lane-assist steering irregularities that pulled the vehicle toward the lane line, and braking irregularities, including the brakes locking up while backing into a parking space or during slow stop-and-go traffic. It is currently unknown whether moisture intrusion contributed to any of these other issues. My vehicle is still with the dealer for repairs until around April 15.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Mar 13, 2026
The illuminated dashboard, center control console, and headlights suddenly turned off while the vehicle was in motion during a dark night. The blackout lasted approximately 10 seconds and I was unable to see to keep the vehicle on the roadway. After running onto the unpaved shoulder, I was able to fully stop the vehicle without hitting anything. All of the lights came back on and the dashboard showed a message that said "Auto shutoff". Then everything returned to normal. This problem hasn't been reported to the dealer yet, but will be discussed during an upcoming service to correct one of the other problems that keep occurring with this vehicle.