Chevy Equinox Years to Avoid
Before buying a new car, review these Chevy Equinox years to avoid due to a variety of issues drivers reported.
Written by Alexandra Maloney
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
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Debuting the first generation in 2005, the Equinox has been one of
Chevrolet’s
longest-standing vehicles. If you’re considering buying a Chevy Equinox, you’ll be met with no shortage of model years, so it’s important to know which are the best and worst years of the Equinox. While some models are great, others have big issues and
low driver satisfaction
, so be sure to do your research before you hit the dealership. Jerry
, the car ownership super app
, looks at the best model years, and the Chevy Equinox years to avoid. 2011 Chevy Equinox
The 2011 Chevy Equinox has had a variety of large issues be reported, making it one of the worst years of the Equinox.
One of the most glaring is the engine issues.
MotorBiscuit
reports the 2011 Chevy Equinox has excessive oil consumption, and one driver even noticed they were adding about 1.5 quarts of oil to their vehicle every thousand miles. It was also reported engine issues were caused by cracked chains and failed interior parts, before cars even had 100,000 miles on them. In addition to oil issues, many drivers reported engine stalling issues with the 2011 Chevy Equinox.
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2012 Chevy Equinox
While the 2011 model was bad, Chevrolet didn’t redeem themselves with the 2012 Chevy Equinox in the following year.
Consumer Reports
rated both the 2011 and 2012 models a 1 out of 5 in both reliability and owner satisfaction, and both had an overall fuel economy of 22 mpg. The 2012 model seemed to
also have engine issues
, with Consumer Reports stating the biggest reliability trouble spots reported by drivers were with the engine major, engine minor, transmission major, and transmission minor. 2005 Chevy Equinox
According to WVDOT, the main issues with this first generation Equinox included transmission failure, air conditioning malfunctioning, frontal control arm bushing, and gas cap issues. All of these are expensive issues to fix and can all be detrimental to the car if left untreated.
2015 Chevy Equinox
There were multiple issues reported with the 2015 Chevy Equinox, the worst of which being electrical issues throughout the car. MotorBiscuit reports drivers were frustrated with the vehicle because the battery drained quickly—so quickly, that drivers would park their vehicle overnight only to find it with a dead battery in the morning.
In addition to battery issues, there were also electrical issues reported with the radio cutting out, engine not starting, and technology freezing. Not to mention, even the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found engine problems in this model year.
2016 Chevy Equinox
It seems like bad Chevy Equinox years tend to come in twos, because 2015 and 2016 are also Chevy Equinox years to avoid.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stepped in again with the 2016 Chevy Equinox. According to WVDOT, the safety organization reported receiving over 60 complaints with this car, the main ones being engine issues. Others said they smelled gasoline, and the NHTSA had 57 exterior accessory issues reported as well.
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