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.
Other or unspecified, Jan 15, 2026
My Onstar module and Telematics is not working and Chevy/GM is trying to refuse to fix it and claim it's due to not having the Onstar internet plan. If that was the case it would never work, yet it works some days then other days it shows me in another city. My Google assistance will show not connected when Google maps doesn't work. I've only had this car since April 2025. This needs to become a recall. GM can't keep doing this to their customers.
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.
Power train, Electrical system, Visibility/wiper, Jan 10, 2026
GOT THE EQUINOX BRAND NEW ON MARCH 2025. FEW WEEKS LATER HAD TO TAKE IT TO SERVICE/DEALER WITH BACKUP CAMERA PROBLEMS AND IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. IT STARTED TO HAVE SPEAKERS ISSUES DUE TO A VERY LOUD HUMMING SOUND WHILE DRIVING. ALSO WINDOW FROM DRIVERS SIDE RUNS SLOWER THAN THE REST OF WINDOWS. THE VISIBILITY THROUGH FRONT GLASS IS NON EXISTENT WHEN RAINING DUE TO THE ANGLE. TRANSMITION STARTED SLIPPING AND STARTED TO HAVE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT POP UP AND HAD TO TAKE IT TO SERVICE AGAIN... AND FINALLY AT THE BEGGINING OF NOVEMBER HAD TO TAKE IT TO SERVICE DUE TO A SUDDEN BATTERY DRAIN. SHE WOULDNT TURN ON FOR NO REASON.THE DEFECTIVE MODULE IS ON BACKORDER WITH NO ESTIMATED ARRIVAL DATE, LEAVING THE VEHICLE UNUSABLE. ITS BEEN THERE FOR 2 MONTHS NOW... THEY PROVIDED A LOANER. EVERYTHING HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY DEALER. THEY SAID THAT HAD 3 PAGES OF CODES POP UP TO BE FIXED.
Electrical system, Visibility/wiper, Jan 9, 2026
Twice, while driving in falling snow away from home, the front wipers did not work properly when switched to LO or HI. They behaved as if set to intermittent wiping. The intermittent wiper setting worked properly to adjust the wipe interval. But setting to LO or HI did not cause the wipers to go constantly. As far as I could tell, the arm pivot area was clear enough for them to wipe. The problem went away on its own without restarting the car. It happened again a few days later when parked in a driveway.
Communication, Jan 9, 2026
The contact's wife owns a 2025 Chevrolet Equinox. While his wife was driving approximately 40 MPH, the message "Service Emergency calling Issue" was displayed. The driver pressed the car phone button on the steering wheel, but the message "Cannot Connect" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The contact then pressed the OnStar button, but the system failed to connect, with the message "Cannot Connect" displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the Telematic Control Module needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 10,484.
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, Jan 7, 2026
Transmission fluid leaking from the bolts
Suspension, Jan 7, 2026
My 2025 Chevrolet Equinox (VIN: [XXX] ) was at Island Chevrolet from Thursday, June 26, 2025, through Monday, July 14, 2025, due to the transmission seizing. The vehicle was not even a year old at the time, as I purchased it in April 2025. Today, [XXX], my Equinox is at Freehold Buick because the OnStar hardware has failed. There is currently no estimated time of arrival for the replacement parts. The OnStar hardware controls critical vehicle functions, including diagnostics, automatic crash response, navigation, and remote commands such as remote start and door locking. A known issue with this OnStar failure is that the vehicle’s battery can drain as the system continuously attempts to reconnect. These types of major issues should not be occurring within the first year of ownership. At this time, there is still no date for when the OnStar hardware will be available. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Other or unspecified, Lane departure, Jan 7, 2026
I purchased my 25 Equinox in December 2024 and immediately started having issues. I worked with multiple dealerships when the issues began and then reached out to GM for further help. After more than 6 months of GM giving me the run around, I've been left with an unsafe vehicle that even they don't want back. I had no intention of trading the vehicle within the first 3 years, but I don't feel safe in this vehicle. When I left the dealership the day I bought it, the vehicle drastically depreciated once I cleared their mailbox and to this point, GM hasn't offered any assistance with offsetting my trade difference. I also got 0% financing with GM that isn't currently being offered if I were willing to take the massive loss on my trade in. Here are just a few of the issues that I'm dealing with. The blind spot warning light stays on for no reason. Multiple updates have been done, and modules were changed and the issue remains. At night the warning light shines right in my face. I've tried adjusting the mirror completely outward and it's still an issue. I try avoiding driving at night all together because it makes it very unsafe. If I do have to drive in the dark, I have to use my arm to try blocking the light from my face, but my arm isn't big enough to block all of it. The entire dash has gone black leaving me with no speedometer or gauges. It did come back on, and the dealership ran updates. Most recently, while driving the car will slam on the brakes and put the red triangles on the windshield for no reason. I've had vehicles behind me that almost hit me because it is a drastic drop in speed. Like brake checking. Sometimes the adaptive cruise will start slowing me down like when a car is in front of you only there's nothing there. Dealership doesn't have a solution for these issues. I've also been places and come back out to the car to find that the rear hatch has opened on its own. The dealership ran updates to hopefully prevent this from reoccurring.
Steering, Power train, Service brakes, Jan 6, 2026
The car automatically brakes when nothing is in front of you and all of sudden it slams on its breaks. This is going to cause someone to rear end you. The steering is all over the road and does. It feels safe to drive. Transmission gets stuck and revs really high until it catches and they say nothing is wrong. Safety sensors go off all the time and nothing is near you. Key fob not detected, multiple awd issues
Visibility/wiper, Lane departure, Jan 6, 2026
The windshield is a major safety issue. It is distorted, warped, and wavy. The dealership has ordered a replacement, but I’m worried it will be the same. As for the blind spot warning, it flashes when there is nothing present. The dealership cannot replicate, and I am not able to record when driving.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Engine, Jan 6, 2026
I am on 20 service calls.Mine is currently having onstar issues screens glitching, Apple CarPlay won’t connect, sensors on mirrors are going off nothing beside me, when I hit my breaks it keeps turning my emergency brake on and engine power reduced keeps coming on dash but the dealership is saying GM said my warranty is voided due to a aftermarket part
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.
Other or unspecified, Jan 6, 2026
I am submitting this letter to formally notify the NHTSA of a safety critical defect in my 2025 Chevrolet Equinox Activ starting on 12/9/25 involving the Telematics Control Module (TCM), GM part number 85669062. This defect results in intermittent or complete failure of essential OnStar safety functions, including Automatic Crash Response, emergency communication, and accurate GPS location reporting. During normal driving, the vehicle experiences the following failures: •Loss of telematics connectivity •Inability of OnStar services to initialize or maintain a connection •GPS location drift or inaccurate positioning •Failure to reliably transmit vehicle location or contact emergency services These failures occur without user action and under normal operating conditions. The defect directly impairs systems intended to provide crash detection and emergency communication. If a collision occurs, the vehicle may not contact emergency services or may transmit an incorrect location. This represents a loss of a safety system that General Motors advertises as part of the vehicle’s crash response capability. On December 9, 2025, my Chevrolet dealer confirmed that the Telematics Control Module had failed and requires replacement. General Motors has placed this part on national backorder with no estimated availability, leaving the vehicle in an unsafe condition with no available remedy. General Motors has not issued a recall, service bulletin, or customer satisfaction program addressing this defect. The absence of available replacement parts suggests a potential supplier level issue affecting multiple vehicles. Given the safety implications, part unavailability, and potential for a broader pattern of failures, I respectfully request that NHTSA: •Review this defect as a potential systemic issue •Evaluate whether similar failures are occurring in other GM vehicles •Consider opening a Preliminary Evaluation (PE) if warranted. Thank you.
Lane departure, Jan 5, 2026
vehicle gives false blind side alerts on driver side. Happens when no objects are approaching. Happens when vehicles pass from opposite direction. System otherwise works as advertised.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jan 5, 2026
The vehicle’s heating system operates intermittently or takes an excessive amount of time to produce heat, reducing cabin visibility and comfort in cold conditions and creating a potential safety concern.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jan 5, 2026
The vehicle’s display screen intermittently goes black, rendering the rearview camera inoperative. This failure significantly impairs rear visibility and creates a safety hazard while reversing
Other or unspecified, Jan 2, 2026
Telematics unit in my Chevrolet equinox EV 2025 has failed. GPS/navigation/wifi does not work anymore. Calls to onStar for collision data / support in emergencies also do not work anymore. Also, basic features on the myChevrolet app to unlock/lock the car do not work. This happened gradually over time. Around 6 months after owning the vehicle, the GPS unit would sometimes randomly turn on/off and show my current location 1-2 miles away from my actual location. Then around 9 months after owning the vehicle, the unit as a whole failed and the whole tablet doesn’t work anymore. The dealer initially claimed that it was an issue with my onStar plan, but it is actually an issue with the telematics unit that needs to be replaced. This is a very well known problem is searched online across all newer GM vehicles that depend on Onstar.
Visibility/wiper, Dec 31, 2025
You can't see clearly out the windshield while driving during the day or night due to dashboard reflection on the windshield. The defect is highly publicised on the internet and on Equinox EV forums. I was told it is an engineering defect due to the windshield's angle and cannot be fixed. I have asked Chevrolet to do a buyback because, even with the TSB fix for the dash cover, it doesn't fully address the safety issue. Chevrolet should not be selling vehicles with window glare that makes it impossible for the driver to see the driving field clearly 30-50% of the time, as it is for me when driving the Chevrolet Equinox EV. I don't feel safe.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Dec 29, 2025
The vehicle became completely disabled due to a sudden battery drain at approximately 5482 miles. I purchased the car with 2553 on it in May. The vehicle would not start a few times and had to be towed to the dealership on Friday Dec. 26, 2025. The dealer confirmed that the OnStar/telematics module is malfunctioning and continuously draining the battery. The defective module is on backorder with no estimated arrival date, leaving the vehicle unusable. They also do not know if they have a loaner for me. This creates a safety risk because the vehicle can become inoperable without warning, potentially stranding the driver. The issue has been reproduced and confirmed by the dealership. Prior to the failure, the OnStar system stopped functioning, but no warning lights appeared on the dashboard. My Chevy App stopped working 26 days ago as well. I now have a Loan payment to make for a car that isn't even working and brand new. Dealership doesn't know a timeframe either.
Exterior lighting, Dec 25, 2025
While driving in snowy conditions the headlights become packed with snow and slush. Lights become dim and I’ve had to pull over in unsafe conditions to clear them.
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, Back over prevention, Dec 23, 2025
I bought this vehicle brand new on January 18th 2025 and it has been into the dealership 3 times now for a backup camera malfunction. My rear traffic alert or any of my other safety features when backing up are not working. On several occasions the entire instrument display including my speedometer and everything has completely blacked out.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Dec 22, 2025
My Equinox EV telematics module does not work. Prevents the use of navigation features and Onstar navigation features.