2013 Chevrolet Equinox Problems, Recalls & Reliability

988 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2013 Chevrolet Equinox, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 78/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 95,000 miles.

Avoid this year if you can. The 2013 Chevrolet Equinox sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 2009, 2021.

988Complaints
78/100Trouble index
2Recalls
80,000Typical trouble mileage

Avoid

Where 2013 sits among all Equinox years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Engine 422 complaints (43%) · typically ~95,000 miles
“Driving on a road at 50mph the engine lost power slowed down and both the check engine light and stabiltrack light came message saidstabiltrac needs service. I had engine work done just two weeks ago”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Equinox
Visibility & wipers 164 complaints (17%) · typically ~56,000 miles
“Windshield wipers do not work. When turned on i can here the motor running as if they were on but nothing happens”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Equinox
Other 84 complaints (9%) · typically ~82,500 miles
“Because of fast oil consumption the check engine that came on and the vehicle continues to stall when idling.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Equinox
Transmission & drivetrain 80 complaints (8%) · typically ~85,307 miles
“My 2013 equinox has a oil consumption issue and a engine noise ,causing the engine to turn off while driving, loosing the power brakes, steering causing loos of control of the vehicle”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Equinox
Electrical 76 complaints (8%) · typically ~40,000 miles
“Car would not start. Charged battery up car started. Inside controls would not work. Sommers dealership charged me $800.00 to put a brand new blower motor in. Blower motor stopped working and now service power steering light comes on.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Equinox
Fuel system 45 complaints (5%) · typically ~100,000 miles
“My 2013 equinox chevy, i was driving down on the highway without engine light warning. Acting funny till i got home... Then the engine light came on, next morning we were going to take it to gm for take a look at but won't stay running. Still didn't give any alert.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2013 Equinox

Mileage when trouble shows up

Among the 657 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 80,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 51,861 and 110,163 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.

Recalls (2)

VISIBILITY 16V582000 2016

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the ball joints in the windshield wiper module may corrode and wear over time, possibly resulting in one or both of the…

Fix: GM will notify owners, dealers will repair the AIP-hole, inspect and, if necessary, replace the front wiper module, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet…

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 16V502000 2016

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011…

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer…

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2012peak 142 in 20192026

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2013 Chevrolet Equinox reliable?

The 2013 Chevrolet Equinox drew 988 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 78/100, scored against the model's worst year (2011).

What are the most common 2013 Chevrolet Equinox problems?

The top reported problems for the 2013 Chevrolet Equinox are engine (422 complaints), visibility & wipers (164), and other (84).

At what mileage do 2013 Chevrolet Equinox problems show up?

Owners most often report 2013 Chevrolet Equinox problems around 80,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 51,861 and 110,163 miles.

Does the 2013 Chevrolet Equinox have recalls?

2 recall campaigns apply to the 2013 Chevrolet Equinox. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

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Data updated 2026-08-12 from NHTSA's public records

Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.