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2012 Chevrolet EquinoxProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 685 owner complaints about the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox, most often about the engine. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-447 the manufacturer reports only 75% of affected cars repaired.

2012 Chevrolet Equinox
43
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.3× the Equinox median · #7 of 20 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 75%Owner complaints68533 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage89kEngine, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 20, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Complaints by system

Where the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox has problems

685 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine3556
Visibility/wiper1212
Power train843
Electrical system703
Fuel/propulsion system541
Steering362
Electronic stability control (ESC)261
Structure263
Air bags199
19 other systems998

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

2012 Chevrolet Equinox recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

98%repaired · 2018 Q1

Electrical system: ignition

Recall 16V-502 · Jul 5, 2016 · 8,367 vehicles · 8,176 repaired

Risk. If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

75%repaired · 2016 Q1

Front assembly: power adjust

Recall 14V-447 · Jul 23, 2014 · 414,333 vehicles · 312,762 repaired

Risk. 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…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Tires: pressure monitoring and regulating systems

Recall 11V-511 · Oct 19, 2011 · 33,964 vehicles

Risk. UNDERINFLATED TIRES CAN RESULT IN TIRE OVERLOADING AND OVERHEATING, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A BLOWOUT AND POSSIBLE CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Chevrolet.

Mileage at failure

When do engine problems start?

89kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 246 engine complaints. 61% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
9under 30k miles150under 100k miles96100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Engine

32 owners mentioned a cost

$3,050median

Middle half: $2,000 – $5,583

Visibility/wiper

10 owners mentioned a cost

$330median

Middle half: $300 – $367

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2012 vs. every other Equinox year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Equinox median. How we score

'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26'27
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2012 Chevrolet Equinox safety ratings

2012 Chevrolet Equinox SUV AWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

★★★★★Overall rating
2012 Chevrolet Equinox frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crash★★★★★
2012 Chevrolet Equinox side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrier★★★★★
2012 Chevrolet Equinox side pole test, NHTSA
Side pole★★★★★
  • Rollover: 4 stars (17.4% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: Optional
  • Lane departure warning: Optional
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Front Wiper Transmission InoperativeEA19005 · closed Nov 28, 2022
    Led to recall 22V-165
  2. Momentary Increased Steering EffortPE20009 · closed Jun 3, 2022
    No recall
  3. Windshield Wiper Transmission FailureRQ18002 · closed Dec 19, 2019
    No recall
In owners' words

What Equinox owners report

Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

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…
Complaint 11765306 · Sep 18, 2026 · 156,000 miles
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…
Complaint 11724278 · Mar 14, 2026
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…
Complaint 11714384 · Jan 30, 2026

Own a 2012 Equinox?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.