2016 Chevrolet Equinox Problems, Recalls & Reliability
490 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox, alongside 1 recall campaign and 2 defect investigations. It scores 43/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 87,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2016 sits among all Equinox years
What owners report
“My Equinox was knocking. It had very little oil in the engine and no oil light ever came on. And in between oil changes it uses more than usual oil.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Equinox
“The windshield wipers suddenly stopped working in the middle of a storm while driving.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Equinox
“Car died while in reverse, car placed in park then turned off. Then turned back on placed in drive then check engine light came on. While driving the car it just shuts off. The rpm goes to zero and shuts off.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Equinox
“My car smells like burning wires. My ac turns from cold to hot without even touching any buttons. My phone charger in the middle council doesn't work. I only have 53000 miles on this car.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Equinox
“What started as my car guzzling just a little too much oil too quickly, turned into my engine sitting at 1200RPM while parked, and then yesterday all the oil had leaked out, oil pressure was very low and the car wouldn’t run, and I’m being told by my mechanic that I need a whole new engine.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Equinox
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 210 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 65,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 30,000 and 90,501 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (1)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles manufactured October 16, 2015. The certification labels may have incorrect tire/rim size and cold tire pressure information. As such, these vehicles fail…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the certification label, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 22V165000.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox reliable?
The 2016 Chevrolet Equinox drew 490 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 43/100, scored against the model's worst year (2011).
What are the most common 2016 Chevrolet Equinox problems?
The top reported problems for the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox are engine (209 complaints), visibility & wipers (117), and other (38).
At what mileage do 2016 Chevrolet Equinox problems show up?
Owners most often report 2016 Chevrolet Equinox problems around 65,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 30,000 and 90,501 miles.
Does the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
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.