2011 Chevrolet Equinox
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
Vehicles › Chevrolet › Equinox › 2011
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
These records cover every 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
3 recalls name the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. Newest first.
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 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox…
If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.
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 service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Camaro, as well as certain 2010-2012 Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, equipped with power height adjustable driver and passenger seats. In the affected vehicles, the bolt that secures the driver's and passenger's power front seat…
If the driver's seat unexpectedly drops, the distraction and altered seat position may affect the drivers' control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the height adjuster shoulder bolts, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed interim letters to owners on September 11, 2014. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14271.
General motors IS recalling certain model year 2011 cadillac SRX, chevrolet equinox and GMC terrain vehicles. the driver and /or front passenger safety belt buckle anchor may fracture and separate near the seat attachment in a vehicle crash.
The safety belt system may not restrain the occupant(s) as designed and could increase the risk of injury.
Dealers will modify the passenger and/or the driver safety belt buckles as necessary. this service will be performed free of charge. the safety recall IS expected to begin on or before january 18, 2011. owners may contact cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, GMC at 1-866-996-9463 and at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while the mother was driving, the vehicle suddenly stalled. The vehicle was towed to the residence and was later diagnosed by an independent mechanic, who discovered metal shavings in the engine oil pan and informed the contact that the engine had seized and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that prior to the engine failure, the vehicle experienced excessive oil consumption over a 14-month period. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 117,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal fuel odor inside the cabin of the vehicle, and the engine was rattling and vibrating abnormally. During the failure, there was no warning light illuminated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and the local dealer were not yet contacted. No further information was available. The failure mileage was 168,000.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 119,000, and at the time of a Carfax report check, it was discovered that the mileage was 175,000.
I was in a rear end collision on May 14th 2026 the impact of the speed totaled my car in my airbags did not deploy and from my understanding where the sensors are on my vehicle they should have I ended up getting a concussion and soft tissue damage because my head hit the steering wheel my seat belt did not lock either.
Vehicle burns excessive oil. Have to put in a quart weekly. Check engine light comes on for camshaft sensor, they’ve already been replaced 3 times and the light won’t go off.
Wipers have stopped working, have had it repaired twice and they keep quitting.
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. While driving at various speeds, there was a misfire coming from the engine while attempting to accelerate. The failure occurred while attempting to accelerate from a stop. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, who diagnosed that a shaft inside the engine had failed, and the engine needed to be replaced. The engine was replaced with a rebuilt engine; however, the failure reoccurred approximately 4 months after the engine was replaced. The vehicle was returned to the mechanic, who diagnosed and determined that the same failure had reoccurred. The engine valves and exhaust were cleaned; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that smoke was entering the cabin of the vehicle and out of the exhaust pipe while the heater was activated. The vehicle was returned to the mechanic, who then diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced another time. The vehicle was repaired again. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 165,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while the windshield wiper was activated, the windshield wiper arms detached. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
While driving, the car wouldn't accelerate even though I was pressing the gas pedal to the floor. It made funny noises and was jerking. I was told not to drive because of the danger to my engine. The engine light did come on
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. In addition, the contact stated that once the fuel gauge displayed that 1/4 tank of gasoline was available, the vehicle jerked, and there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the pistons had failed, and the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. In addition, the vehicle jerked, and an abnormal sound was heard coming from the engine. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the pistons had failed, and the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
I bought this off of a private person ,shortly after it started not taken its gas and dying out on the highway or short errands ,i started putting a bunch of money in it ive replaced all I know to do and it still wont takes its gas ,i have been stalled in an intersection before because I had no pedal if you turn it off it starts but just wont take the gas ,i heard this vehical was recalled and I dont know if its never been fixed or whats going on with it ,ive had it to many mechanics and no one can fix it ,can you tell me if any of this IS on the recall list and if its been taken care of it ? I cant drive it like this its too dangerous . I bought the car in 24 , and its never ran since with out issues that no one can find the problem of fix it the right way ,thank you
three times now my gas pedal has stuck down to the floor and had unsafe speeds reaching 95mph this is unsafe for us and others on the road wrote GM several times now with no help from them this needs to be checked out for everyone out there how many wrecks and rear end collision happened because of this acceleration issue mine seem to happen when you take it off cruise control and then accelerate the gas pedal but he dealerships can't find an answer I am asking for your help before someone get killed because no one wants to take action
Gas is getting into the crankcase because the GDI Fuel pump is faulty and is causing check engine light and the stability Trax light and caused the reduce engine power light and shuts engine off
To whom it may concern: I am writing to notify you that I own a 2011 Chevy Equinox and take very good care of my vehicles. But I wanted to let you know that I have had three incidents in which the gas pedal sticks, and the vehicle goes up to 95 miles an hour. I have contacted the dealership and GM to let them know of this. They cannot explain why this is happening. GM just said trade it in. Well, that's a possibility and who says if the next person purchases it that this could happen to them. So far, we have been able to avoid an accident. I am wondering if anyone else has had this complaint because GM says no., I feel it has something to do with the cruise control that it has a computer glitz. Can you investigate this if anyone else has had this problem.
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel, prompting the contact to discontinue driving the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who observed a small amount of fluid within the engine compartment. The dealer later determined that the fluid was power steering fluid. However, the dealer was unable to determine the exact location of the leak. The contact was advised to continue driving the vehicle for 1 week then return for a follow-up inspection. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 149,000.
It burns oil excessively Stalls out while driving Stability traction control comes on Timing chain has to be replaced now Fuel pump needs replacement All this happened at same time My cost is 2700.00
catalytic converter, exhuast manifold, and whole exhaust system need to be replaced
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15-20 MPH and making a left turn, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the power steering assist was inoperable. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.
Oil burns, no leaks, no lights appear for low oil. I get the oil changed every 3000 miles. We put 3 quarts in and 200 miles later it's burned 1.5 qt.
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the message to “Service Air Bags” was displayed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,243.
Jerking between gears
The contact owned a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving up a hill on a 2-lane road at approximately 45 mph, an oncoming vehicle in the opposing lane had taken too wide of a turn and had entered her lane, to avoid a head-on collision the contact swerved into the guard rail. Upon crashing, the air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were illuminated before the crash. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the residence and deemed a total loss. The contact has an appointment with a doctor to determine whether any injuries were sustained. Nobody outside of the vehicle was injured. A police report was filed. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 142,357.
No warning lamps. I was 3 quarts low only going 1614 miles from last oil change. Oil consumption , piston rings not correct. No oil leaks just consumes a lot of oil. Low oil made my car stall out while driving. No oil light came on to fill. Piston rings recall , needs replaced. Bought from an individual in July.
Trouble code p2138. Replaced accelerator pedal with OEM. Trouble code still persists. Car goes into limp mode while driving posing a safety concern. There is a TSB 07-06-04-019F. Other codes include p0301 and p0697. After limp mode I have to pull over and turn car completely off and crank it up again to get out of it.
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
On June 1, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE20-009 to investigate instances of a momentary increase in steering effort after the vehicle is driven in a straight line for a period of time due to an issue with the steering gear in model year (MY) 2010 through 2012 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain SUVs.If the electric power steering system fails to operate as intended, the driver will experience momentary increased effort when attempting to turn the steering wheel from the straight-ahead position. For this condition to occur, the driver would need to have traveled in a straight line at a sustained high speed, without turning the steering wheel, for approximately 30 minutes or longer. The steering gear contains a servo unit that includes a worm gear with a worm and a worm wheel. General Motors (GM) stated that the primary root cause of the increased steering effort is the supplier's inconsistent application of grease in the interface between the worm and the worm wheel. The grease may have been applied in a location on the worm wheel that didn't interface with the worm, depriving the worm gear of proper lubrication.On November 1, 2014, GM issued Special Coverage 14232 to address the power steering stick-slip issue in MY 2010-2014 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain; MY 2011-2014 Chevrolet Cruze and Volt; MY 2012-2014 Buick Verano; and MY 2013-2014 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. GM notified consumers via mail.The Special Coverage repair includes the replacement of the steering gear with an improved internal worm gear greasing process for MY 2010-2012 vehicles. For the MY 2013-2014 vehicles, the Special Coverage repair includes a reprogramming of the steering gear control module. The new software has an anti-stick feature which senses and reduces the friction between the worm and worm wheel by oscillating the worm gear. GM stated that the difference in remedy is due to the inability of the MY 2010-2012 steering gear control module to accept the new software.The remedy implemented in GM Special Coverage 14232 appears to be sufficient in addressing the safety-related concerns of this issue. Considering the low complaint and warranty rates of steering rack replacement as well as the field exposure time for the subject vehicles, the potential safety consequences of this issue are very low. To date, there have been no reported crashes, injuries, or fatalities related to this issue. ODI has not identified a safety defect or defect-related failure trend in the subject vehicles. In view of the Special Coverage, low rate of failure, and low potential hazard to drivers, this Preliminary Evaluation is closed. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.Review the ODI reports cited above at nhtsa.gov under the following identification numbers:11424633,11421725,11229647,11101375,10919921,10689932,10671557,10664687,10663350, 10593429,10592065,10585476,10585365,10576237,10575693,10532766,10490295,10434128, 10417845,10412535,10403168,10395532,10395171,10391948,10384211,10375515,10366297, 10360999,10360599,10345626,10319530,10305569,10304769,10299745
On December 13, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) upgraded RQ18-002 to an Engineering Analysis (EA19-005) to further assess the MY2010-2016 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain windshield wiper failures. Due to a prior recall, 16V-582, addressing this issue in the MY2013 subject vehicles, MY2013 was not included in the analysis. To date, ODI had received 998 complaints with allegations of the front windshield wiper failing in adverse whether conditions, while the vehicle was in motion.General Motors (GM) initiated Safety Recall 16V-582 on August 3, 2016 to address windshield wiper failure in the Model Year (MY) 2013 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain. Failures were attributed to water and debris intruding into the windshield wiper assembly ball joints, leading to excessive wear and eventual detachment of the affected ball joint resulting in loss of windshield wiper function. ODI?s review focused on 2010-2012 and 2014-2016 Equinox and Terrain vehicles. Owners were reporting a high rate of failures of the windshield wiper system. These failures were the same as that addressed by recall 16V-582. ODI's review of data supplied by GM as well as its own confirmed a high failure rate in model years 2014 and 2015. On March 17, 2022, GM filed a defect information report recalling all MY2014-2015 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles to remedy the potential failure of the front windshield wiper transmission assembly.General Motors is also conducting a special coverage program, N192266181, for MY2010-2012 and MY2016-2017 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The special coverage is for a period of 15 years or 200,000 miles, whichever comes first.Both the recall, 22V-165, and the special coverage program, N192266181, address windshield wiper system failures on the subject vehicles. The dealership will inspect the front wiper assembly for ball joint wear. Depending on the degree of wear, the wiper links will be replaced, and a water shield installed or the entire module will be replaced.In view of the recall and special coverage, ODI is closing this Engineering Analysis (EA). NHTSA reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances.The ODI complaints cited above can be viewed at www.nhtsa.gov under the following ODI identification numbers in a separate attachment.
On November 2, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Recall Query (RQ18-002) to assess the scope of Recall 16V-582.General Motors (GM) initiated Safety Recall 16V-582 on August 3, 2016 to address windshield wiper failure in the Model Year (MY) 2013 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain. Failures were attributed to water and debris intrusion into the windshield wiper assembly ball joints, leading to excessive wear and eventual detachment of the affected ball joint with an attendant loss of windshield wiper function. The recall remedy addressed these conditions with the installation of an improved windshield wiper motor/transmission assembly and the relocation of a drain hole on the Air Inlet Panel at the base of the windshield.RQ18-002 was opened to assess windshield wiper failure rates in the MY 2010-2012 and MY 2014 - 2016 Equinox and Terrain (subject vehicles).During the course of the investigation, ODI received additional consumer complaint traffic bringing its total to 602 concerning the alleged defect in the subject vehicles. In their December 20, 2018 response to ODI's Information Request (IR) Letter, GM reported 1,303 complaints related to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles. Together, these bodies of data correspond to 1,905 unique Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN).GM stated the recalled vehicles exhibited double the warranty rate and five times the complaint rate of the subject vehicles and that continuing complaint traffic concerning the alleged defect in the subject vehicles stemmed from publicity surrounding Recall 16V-582.ODI's review of GM's data confirms the stated difference in failure rates between the recalled and subject vehicles. However, ODI believes that the subject vehicle failure rates are nevertheless elevated and that publicity alone cannot account for the continued consumer complaint traffic concerning the alleged defect in the subject vehicles. ODI is upgrading to RQ18-002 to an Engineering Analysis to compare subject vehicle failure rates and engineering practices to those in peer vehicles.The 602 ODI complaints cited can be viewed in a separate attachment.
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.