Chevrolet Equinox: which model years draw the most owner complaints?
9,213 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Chevrolet Equinox, model years 2005 to 2026. 13 model years stand out for the engine or transmission: 2010 (engine 8.5×, transmission 11×); 2011 (engine 12×, transmission 8.5×); 2013 (engine 12×); 2006 (engine 3.6×). Quietest mature years by complaint count: 2009, 2017, 2019. Counts of unverified owner reports, compared only with other years of the same model; not failure rates.
Complaints by model year
| MODEL YEAR | COMPLAINTS | VS OTHER YEARS | STANDS OUT | RECALLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 Equinox | 636 | engine 4.3×, transmission 6.6× | 1 | |
| 2006 Equinox | 695 | engine 3.6× | 0 | |
| 2007 Equinox | 684 | — | 4 | |
| 2008 Equinox | 369 | quiet: 4 of 15 | 0 | |
| 2009 EquinoxFEW REPORTS | 94 | quiet: 1 of 15 | 0 | |
| 2010 Equinox | 784 | engine 8.5×, transmission 11× | 3 | |
| 2011 Equinox | 782 | engine 12×, transmission 8.5× | 3 | |
| 2012 Equinox | 683 | engine 10× | 3 | |
| 2013 Equinox | 749 | engine 12× | 2 | |
| 2014 Equinox | 549 | engine 6.5× | 1 | |
| 2015 Equinox | 679 | engine 6.5× | 2 | |
| 2016 Equinox | 400 | engine 6× | 1 | |
| 2017 Equinox | 276 | engine 5.3× | 0 | |
| 2018 Equinox | 410 | transmission 3.9× | 5 | |
| 2019 Equinox | 310 | engine 3× | 4 | |
| 2020 Equinox | 320 | engine 2.9× | 4 | |
| 2021 EquinoxFEW REPORTS | 101 | — | 4 | |
| 2022 Equinox | 188 | — | 6 | |
| 2023 EquinoxFEW REPORTS | 99 | — | 3 | |
| 2024 EquinoxFEW REPORTS | 83 | — | 1 | |
| 2025 Equinox | 242 | — | 0 | |
| 2026 EquinoxFEW REPORTS | 80 | — | 1 |
"Stands out" = 40 or more complaints naming that system and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share seen across every vehicle of that model year. Newer years have had less time on the road. "Quiet" ranks only years with 7+ years on the road and 20+ complaints. NHTSA data through November 2026.
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Source: NHTSA public complaints, recalls, service bulletin and investigation databases, data received through November 2026. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not failure rates: sales volumes are unknown, so a model year is only compared with other years of the same model. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Year pages: 20052006200720082010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020222025