2012 Chevrolet Equinox
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
Vehicles › Chevrolet › Equinox › 2012
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
These records cover every 2012 Chevrolet Equinox. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
3 recalls name the 2012 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 (gm) IS recalling certain model year 2012 chevrolet equinox and GMC terrain vehicles, manufactured from july 18, 2011, through september 6, 2011, for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard number 138, "tire pressure monitoring system" (TPMS). the tire pressure monitoring system IS designed to…
Underinflated tires can result in tire overloading and overheating, which could lead to a blowout and possible crash. the resulting crash could cause serious injury. underinflated tires can also result in premature or irregular wear, poor handling, and poor fuel economy.
Gm dealers will update the body control module free of charge. the safety recall IS expected to begin on or about november 9, 2011. owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and GMC at 1-866-996-9463.
We would like to know what kind of Airbag is mounted in the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox ? pertaining to the Detroit News Article ,September 5 2026 Page 3B = 11th Death tied to Chinese Air Bag made by Jillin Province Detiannuo Automotive System Co Ltd, known as DTN . 3 People were killed in a Hyundai ,10 faital General Motors Crashes. General Motors did not comment on the Crashes . The Airbag sending large Fragments into Driver's Chest Necks ,Eyes and Faces . The Chevrolet Dealer in Rochester would not and could not respond to the Incidents ! We are concerned to drive the Equinox ,because we like it and wand to keep it for a long Time . Your Respond is very much appreciated ! M.+ O Arentzen @ monottoarentzen@gmail.com
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox. While the contact's daughter was driving 70 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and the engine shut off. The contact's daughter attempted to restart the vehicle, and the vehicle started. There was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of oil. The contact stated that the oil was topped off every two days. The failure occurred while minor children were inside the vehicle. The failure was a persistent failure. The dealer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with internal engine failure and timing chain failure. The manufacturer was contacted by phone, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 156,000.
See attached document for complaint.
Wipers do not work Seems to not recognize when idling and starts to shake if stopped at a red light. Randomly will go through 2 quarts of oil in one day
The abs braking and stability control light came on and has stayed on and took to mechanic shop and was told to repair would be $4000 .that's more than what the car is worth!changed motor oil many times since I owned the car and it uses oil quite much.ihe oil gauge can say I have 70 percent oil and the dipstick reads no oil so I must put 2 -3 quarts of oil in car because I can hear lifters rattle due to lack of oil.the abs stability control keeps car steady especially in i snow or rain weather and can lose control of the 2012 Chevy equinox.if I was to drive vehicle on long trip the motor could freeze up while driving and shut down and cause dangerous situation in traffic.
The vehicles oil needs to be checked every day to make sure the levels are not low. The vehicle has no visible oil leaks on the ground or inside, but the oil levels will drop. With that I have to constantly have oil on hand to make sure I refill it or the engine would be dry. It’s becoming a hassle because I have to constantly monitor and make sure that the engine has oil so it doesn’t blow up.
ABS stabilizer light on dash shows ABS malfunction.took it to certified mechanic to check the problem and was told the system had to be replaced at the cost of $4000.
Recently got an oil change, and in a month I’ve had to “top-off” my oil. Constantly have to make sure I carry a few quarts of oil to make sure my oil is filled. One day, I forgot to check the oil and my car was stalling on a busy road. Had to pull over to make sure I put the oil in there. Everyone that I’ve asked said they have the same issue. I stopped asking people after the 10th person. My uncle is a mechanic and he said the same thing about the oil. He said he wasn’t sure where is goes but it just disappears.
1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The rear suspension trailing arm and subframe assembly rusted completely through, causing the suspension to separate from the frame. The corroded and broken components are still attached to the vehicle and are available for inspection upon request. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The rusted frame and failed trailing arm caused the rear wheel alignment to shift dangerously, making the vehicle unstable and unsafe to drive. If the part had completely detached while driving, it could have caused a total loss of control and a serious accident, endangering the driver, passengers, and others on the road. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. The issue was visually inspected and confirmed by an independent repair facility, which advised that the frame is structurally compromised and the vehicle is unsafe to drive without major frame replacement. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Not yet by the manufacturer, but photos and documentation are available. The damage has been assessed by a certified mechanic who confirmed the severity and the safety hazard. 5. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No warning lights or messages appeared. The issue was first noticed after hearing unusual noises and instability from the rear of the vehicle. Upon inspection, severe frame rust and separation of the rear trailing arm were discovered.
I had the excessive oil consumption recall repair done when it was recalled originally, however the problem has returned and from my research it appears that the piston rings were not the proper size to stop the oil from blowing back out the exhaust. Is there anything I can do about that as far as having those repairs covered again?
Rear tailgate. Borrowed vehicle from a friend for a trip. When opening the tailgate with the external switch it opens all the way and immediately comes back down about 12 inches or so then it immediately goes back up and immediately comes all the way down. My wife was almost trapped between the bottom of the tailgate and the floor of the storage compartment. When I tried it, I tried to hold it up when it started down for the second time and it was impossible for me to stop the tailgate from closing. It substantially overpowered me. There is a PROBABILITY that it could have broken her back or strangled her. Even more so if she was packing the car by herself. I exerted all my strength trying to stop the tailgate as I indicated before. I have not contacted anyone about this situation. The vehicle has a little over 84K miles and is in excellent condition. When I called my friend about the problem she said she was aware of it and is living with it because it would cost over $1,000.00 to fix it. I know she bought it used from Ferman Chevrolet in Tampa a few years ago. I was hoping to get it fixed for her before returning the car to her.
Its iz using 2 or 3 courts of oil every 200 miles
I purchased this vehicle on[XXX]. I was advised that there was an open recall for the O2 SENSOR. On 11/11/24, I took this vehicle to LOU BACHRODT in Coconut Creek,Fl. where they performed the recall. Shortly after having the recall done my vehicle's check engine light came on and then would turn off and continue to come intermittently. I took it to one of my local parts store that does the check engine light scan and it was giving the code for a faulty O2 sensor. I took it back to same dealership on 12/17/24. I explained to Charles Ramasir ( service advisor) what was happening. He ran a scan even though the check engine was not on at that moment. The code that was stored was a transmission modular code. He said I would have to bring the vehicle back when the engine light was actually on because he could not accept a scan/fix finder report from any other then this dealership. The problem continued and was now affecting the performance of my vehicle. I was able to get the vehicle back to Lou Bachrodt while the lite was on and their scan did indicate the O2 sensor. The part was reordered and the recall was done a second time by Lou Bachrodt Chevrolet. My vehicle continues to have the same problem. The engine lite continues to come on intermittently and the scans continue to indicate a problem with the O2 sensor: code on [XXX] =P0138 code on [XXX] =P2271 I returned to Lou bachrodt on may 3,25 while the lite was on. As I drove into the service area the service greeter advised me to drive up and wait for the service advisor-Charles. I proceeded to turn off he vehicle and wait. As soon as I turn the vehicle back on to show Charles the engine lite, it was no longer on. And once again I was told that if the lite was not on he could not run the scan or accept the scan report from Auto Zone from the day before. He also seems to be fixated on the transmission code that no longer comes up in current scan reports. problem not solved and continues. please help. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (
About six months ago, my steering wheel would get hot in the middle of it, but I kind of didn’t know what that was but then now my airbag sensor came on and then went off. I’m not really sure but I feel like something’s not right with it. Gonna go get it fixed, but I don’t feel like it should be something that was not recalled because it’s not right
the abs light came on the dash and traction control.i was driving in a rain storm and went around a corner and front end started to slide.was only going 35 mph so I didn't lose control.this happened on.04/15/2025 .if I would have been going any faster I would have lost control.this is very dangerous as I realized. it should be fixed by GM for safety concerns.
My check engine light has been on and I've had people with machines to turn it off. It came back on each time. It is available for inspection. I don't feel totally safe as I don't know when or where it might fail and what that would look like. No, the it has not been inspected by anyone. The only warning I have is that the check engine light stays on.
In 2023, I purchased my 2012 Chevrolet Equinox from a private seller. It was in excellent condition, inside and out with only 75,000 miles on it. She had purchased it brand new. The vehicle was serviced and maintained regularly. She gave me all the receipts and service records when I signed the title. Everything was fine until it hit 76,000 miles. Without any type of warning, the motor went in limp mode and wouldn't accelerate over 24 mph and the valves were rattling very loudly. I immediately pulled over and called triple A and got towed to an auto repair shop. The triple A dispatcher told me what the problem was as soon as I told him it was a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox. There was NO OIL in it. Sure enough, the mechanic added 5 quarts of oil and it thankfully, I had pulled over immediately before it blew the engine. I'm a [XXX] so I really don't know how mechanicals and motors work but the gist of it, as explained to me by Chevrolet dealers and mechanics have, the 2012 Chevrolet equinoxes are notoriously famous for excessive oil consumption due to faulty Pistons. CHEVROLET SHOULD'VE INCLUDED THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL IN THE RECALLS! I will NEVER purchase another Chevy or GMC. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the engine revved up abnormally. While driving at various speeds, there was a humming sound coming from the underbody of the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the catalytic converter had failed, the throttle body failed, and the exhaust manifold had fractured. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failures and confirmed there was no recall on the VIN. The failure mileage was 137,000.
My Vehicle had an open Recall N192268180 TAILPIPE EMISSIONS - OXYGEN SENSOR. I made an appt for the recall for 1/20/2025 at Capital Chevrolet in Wake Forest, NC. The appt was cancelled and rescheduled for 2/10/2025 due to them needing to order parts for the recall. On 2/10/2025 my vehicle was dropped off and i was told it should be finished by end of day 2/10 or early morning 2/11/2025. On 2/11/2025 I called the dealership to see when my vehicle would be ready and was told the recalled part caused damage to my Catalytic Converter and they would need to replace it but this would be covered under the recall. At that time I asked about a Loaner car from the dealership because they were estimating 3 additional days and I do not have another vehicle to use to get to work or transport my children. The dealership reached back out to me on 2/12/2025 to say I did not qualify for a loaner because it is outside my vehicles extended warranty but they would have the part in hopefully that day or the next. I followed up on 2/13/2025 and was told they did not have the part yet. On 2/14/2025 I contacted the dealership to see when they were estimating I would have my vehicle done and was told that I could pickup my vehicle that day even though the repair was not complete because it was drivable and they just were waiting on a harness. i was scheduled to bring my vehicle back the following Monday for the harness to be installed. On Monday, [XXX] when I went to start my vehicle to take it to the dealership it made unusual noises then cut off and will not turn back on. I have left voicemails for the dealership and the manager, and I have contact my insurance to have it towed to the dealership but at this point I have missed a week of work causing me to lose income and do not have the $168 needed to tow the vehicle to the dealership. I have attempted to get assistance from the dealership and the manufacturer with no solution offered other than to pay out of pocket to tow it. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATIO
purchased this car in June 2024.didnt notice it was leaking oil until having oil changed.the mechanic said the engine was dry with not much oil.the mechanic told me the oil pan seal is bad.i checked and it doesn't take a gasket,and the oil pan must be removed and a sealant must be applied rather than a gasket form.this 2012 Chevy equinox ls ,and does not have a gasket form only the sealant.if the engine doesn't have oil the motor could lock up in traffic and cause accident.suspension is noisey like bushings are bad and need lubrication but no where to lubricate.
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that upon slowing down, the vehicle rocked back and forth violently. The contact stated that the check engine and reduced engine power warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to exceed 23 MPH. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed and the contact was informed that there was excess crankshaft pressure, the crankshaft faces were faulty, and the pistons needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 127,000.
Why is consuming a lot of oil This car the mileage is Les the 130000 I buy and didn’t know the issue Can you please fix it Sometime I hear noise from the engine
My drivers side wiper blade stopped working while the passenger side is still working. I saw a recall for this linkage on the site but it’s not for my specific VIN. Additionally, my catalytic converter has damage due to excessive oil consumption. Halfway through my regular oil changes the oil is almost completely empty. Again, there’s a recall on this for my specific make, model and year but not for my VIN. I feel these should be covered to be fixed by manufacture due to symptoms equivalent to recall.
In May 2024 there was an open recall regarding o2 sensor which was "fixed" by the dealer in July 2024. On September 22, 2024 the check engine light was triggered and diagnostics revealed o2 sensor failure. It could be a safety issue.
Bought in May 2024 and at that time had a open recall post catalytic converter o2 sensor which led to the discovery of a cracked exhaust manifold and according to service advisor would release toxic fumes in the cab of the vehicle.
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.