2017 Chevrolet Equinox Complaints

ENGINE — Filed 09/29/2026

I own a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox with a 2.4L 4-cylinder engine and approximately 50,000 miles. The vehicle suddenly stopped starting without any prior warning signs, unusual noises, or dashboard warnings indicating a serious mechanical problem. After the vehicle was inspected by a mechanic, I was told that the timing chain had failed, causing the engine to lose proper timing and resulting in internal engine damage, including damage to the pistons and other engine components. I am concerned that such a serious failure occurred at approximately 50,000 miles and without any advance warning. The vehicle has had normal, limited use, mainly for taking my children to school and driving to work, which is located very close to my home. I am reporting this issue because I believe NHTSA should be aware of this failure and determine whether similar problems have occurred in other 2017 Chevrolet Equinox vehicles with the same engine, and whether this may represent a potential safety defect.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE — Filed 09/25/2026

ENGINE OIL MESSAGE SYSTEM FAILED. Vehicle available for inspection upon request. PERSONAL SAFETY and SAFETY of PASSENGER and OTHERS AT RISK due to driving car with no to little oil burning oil presents loss of control of vehicle while operating. PROBLEM CONFIRMED by Independent Insurance Servicer. VEHICLE COMPONENT INSPECTED by Certified Manufacturer Dealership Service Department. SYMPTOMS of burning oil mid-late August 2026 SYMPTOMS of stalling shaking loud rattling from engine SEPTEMBER 25, 2026 ENGINE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP appeared SEPTEMBER 25, 2026

AIR BAGS — Filed 12/17/2025

The contact owned a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle collided with a deer. During the crash, the air bags became inoperable and failed to inflate or expose themselves out of the housing, and an “Air Bag Needs Service” warning message was displayed. The contact also noticed a strong fume-like odor following the impact and stated that the air bag system appeared to engage but did not deploy. No injuries were sustained, and no medical attention was required. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not towed, and law enforcement advised the contact that the vehicle could be safely driven home. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was later deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance agency. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 104,000.

ENGINE — Filed 10/26/2025

Driving on the highway, nothing unusual or out of the ordinary. Within a 30 second span of time, the car started making a horrible rattling sound, followed by a loud snap sound, then smoke, then I was off the road with oil pouring out of the bottom of the car. Towed home, car was dropped off at the Chevrolet dealership mechanic. As far as I can tell, it fits the description that others have had with this car, namely that some apparent oil consumption issue that never came up on warning lamps resulted in the catastrophic engine failure that nearly launched me off the highway. The vehicle is currently awaiting diagnostics from the mechanic, and I have yet to hear back from them over a week later. There were no warning lights of any sort, and the oil life meter said there was 38% oil life remaining before it would need an oil change. If I had known about this issue before I bought the car, there is a 0% chance I would have bought it.

AIR BAGS — Filed 07/16/2025

I was in a car accident (car total loss), my air bags did NOT deploy and a light came on after the crash to say the airbags malfunctioned.

AIR BAGS — Filed 10/01/2024

The contact owned a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while stopped in traffic, he was involved in a rear end crash. The contact stated that the vehicle was pushed forward by the impact into the rear end of another vehicle. The contact stated that the rear end of the vehicle was crushed in to the rear wheel wells, and the front end of the vehicle, the hood, front bumper, and grill were also crushed back into the front wheel wells. The contact stated that the front air bags had not deployed after being pushed into the rear of the other vehicle. The contact was not sure what happened to the other two vehicles. The contact stated that the Police were called and EMS was also on scene. The contact stated that a Police report was filed. The contact stated that he was not transported to the hospital, but later had been taken by a friend to seek medical attention. The contact stated that the jolt of the impact had caused a concussion. Additionally, there were some bruising from the seat belt to the left shoulder. The contact stated that after the crash the seat belt failed to retract and the issue might be due to a sensor failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to an impound lot and later declared a total loss by the Insurance Company. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 143,000.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 10/18/2024

Driving down a 4 lane busy highway. Going 65 when the car made a pop sound. We pulled over. Car caught on fire 5 mins after we were out

AIR BAGS,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 01/31/2024

Was in an accident, where my front bumper was hit going about 60 and air bags did not deploy.

ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 12/31/2023

On 12/31/23, my 2017 Chevrolet Equinox burst into flames in the driveway. I had not driven it in three weeks due to a medical problem, so my husband cranked up the car and idled briefly to keep the battery operational. About 15 minutes after he exited the SUV, it caught fire. I have seen recalls for other model years that describe the Equinox's excessive oil consumption, which can lead to engine fires and other hazards. Although there is no recall on the 2017 model, those complaints are consistent with my experience. The insurance company has declared the car a total loss.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 01/08/2023

The exhaust is coming into the cab. Was told that Chevy is allowed to kill people slowly with carbon dioxide poisoning. Also was told NHTSA is paid by Chevy to keep the information of the exhaust issue under wrapps. I understand killing babies is no crime in the liberal world but I am not an ugly liberal.

AIR BAGS,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 08/04/2022

I was in a vehicle accident the 4th of August. After the accident I noticed the airbag light on. I check the passenger seat belt and it wouldn't budge, but the air bags never deployed from the accident. About a month ago I had an issue with the car. I was driving down the road and I took a sharp left turn and the car acted like it was starving for gas. It was on a full tank and I was stranded for a few hrs until the car cooled down to where it was operational.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 06/13/2022

I was driving at 330am had cruise control to 70 the speed limit and when I hit my breaks the cruise control didn't disengage instead it speed faster making me lose control of me vehicle took out a sign and went over the hill. My vehicle was totaled.

AIR BAGS — Filed 05/13/2022

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that as his wife attempted to make a left turn at 5 MPH, another vehicle hit the front passenger side of her vehicle at approximately 40 MPH. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. His wife was taken to the hospital by ambulance and was treated for an injury to her right knee as well as chest pain. The other driver sought medical treatment after the accident; however, their injuries, if any, are unknown. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was deemed a total loss. A police report was filed. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be destroyed. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.

AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS — Filed 02/26/2022

In February 26, 2022, my wife was driving and I was in passenger seat. At approximately 2123 hours, we came over a slight hill and hit a cow at 70 miles an hour on state Highway 95 between Academy, Texas and Temple, Texas. Our airbags did not deploy and my seatbelt malfunctioned as I hit my head on dash.

ENGINE — Filed 05/01/2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT OIL WOULD LEAK OUT OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AS THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK FORWARD AS THE SERVICE STABILITRAK WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. ONE DAY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER ADDING OIL INTO THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK UNCONTROLLABLY AND A BLUEISH SMOKE BEGAN TO EMIT FROM THE ENGINE. DUE TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO EAST HILLS CHEVROLET OF ROSLYN( 1036 NORTHERN BLVD, ROSLYN, NY 11576) WHERE AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST WAS PERFORMED AND THEY DISCOVERED THAT HER ENGINE SEALS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAD YET TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200.

AIR BAGS,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 01/16/2021

ON JANUARY 16, 2021, I WAS TRAVELING DOWN MAIN STREET IN ROUND ROCK, TEXAS WHERE I REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. AS I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES TO STOP, I FELT MY BRAKES STARTED PULSATING, MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR ME TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. MY CAR WAS DEEMED UNREPAIRABLE, AND WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THE RADIATOR WAS CRACKED, AND THE FRAME WAS BENT MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO OPEN THE DOOR. I HAD A COUPLE BRUISES NOT SEVERE THAT I NEEDED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING THE ACCIDENT, WHICH TO MYSELF DID NOT SEEM TO BE NORMAL. DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF THE DAMAGES TO MY CAR, IT WAS CONSIDERED NOT OPERATIONAL AND HAD TO BE TOWED.

AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE — Filed 10/22/2020

AIRBAGS DID'T DEPOLY WITH FRONT END CFRASH GOING ABOUT 25TO30HMPH HWY 278 WEST CULLMAN

AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 09/20/2020

AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY OR COME OUT UPON EXTREMELY HIGH IMPACT: THE AIR BAGS IN MY 2017 EQUINOX DID NOT DEPLOY OUT OR COME OUT WHEN WE WHERE HIT AT A EXTREMELY HIGH IMPACT FROM THE HIT AND RUN DRIVER AND THE IMPACT CAUSED US TO HIT HEAD ON INTO AN WHITE SUV THAT WAS IN FRONT OF US ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE STREET GOING SOUTH ON LARAMIE. MY FIANC WAS DRIVING AND I WAS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IN WE WAS GOING WEST ON EXPRESSWAY AND WE HAD EXITED OF LARAMIE AND HARRISON. FIANC LASHANTI SCOTT THAT'S ON MY INSURANCE ON THE MY 2017 EQUINOX WAS DRIVING SO WE MADE AN RIGHT TURN ON LARAMIE GOING NORTH TOWARDS LARAMIE AND HARRISON. AS WE WHERE APPROACHING AND CROSSINGS THE LIGHT THAT WAS GREEN AT THE NEXT LIGHT, AS WE PROCEEDED CROSSING THE GREEN LIGHT, AN SS BLACK SUV WAS COMING FROM WEST OF HARRISON TOWARDS US AT AN EXTREMELY HIGH SPEED 60-65 MILES PER HOUR. THERE WAS NO TIME TO ADJUST AND RECOVER TO AVOID THE SUV THAT HIT US AT SUCH A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE SS BLACK SUV THAT HIT US IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF MY 2017 EQUINOX IN WHICH CAUSED MY 2017 EQUINOX FROM THE IMPACT TO CRASH HEAD ONTO AN WHITE SUV THAT WAS DRIVING THE OPPOSITE SIDE GOING SOUTH OF LARAMIE TOWARDS HARRISON. AND FROM THE HIGH IMPACT OF THE SS BLACK SUV THAT HIT US SPENT AROUND AND HIT US AGAIN ON THE BACK REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF MY 2017 EQUINOX ALSO.

SEAT BELTS — Filed 02/28/2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. DURING A CRASH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DETACHED FROM THE FLOOR AND FAILED TO RESTRAIN THE DRIVER DURING THE CRASH. THE CAUSE WAS NOT DETERMINED. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED BUT THE DRIVER WAS CONCERNED THAT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS INJURIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH A SECOND VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN AROUND BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. AFTER THE CRASH THE DRIVER DISCOVERED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT HAD DETACHED FROM THE FLOOR. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE REINKE FORD (1360 GREELY CHAPEL RD, LYMA OH). THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

AIR BAGS,SERVICE BRAKES — Filed 11/21/2018

I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON FREEWAY. I TRIED SLOWING THE CAR BY PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT IT WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO STOP THE SLOW THE CAR HENCE CAME THE SITUATION WHERE I HAD TO HIT THE BRAKE PEDAL HARDER TO ABLE TO STOP THE CAR TO AVOID THE ACCIDENT. I WAS NOT ABLE TO BREAK AT ALL AND IT ENDED UP COLLIDING WITH THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. IT WAS SURPRISING TO ME THAT NOT A SINGLE AIRBAG WAS POPPED OPEN, GIVEN THE MAGNITUDE OF AN ACCIDENT AND THE DAMAGE IT CAUSED (ESTIMATED DAMAGE OVER $10,000). I HAD MY SON AND TWO OF HIS FRIENDS IN THE CAR. IT IS VERY SHOCKING THAT THE AIRBAGS OR BREAK DID NOT WORK IN BRAND NEW SUV.

AIR BAGS — Filed 06/07/2018

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHERE ANOTHER CAR HIT ME IN THE PASSENGER SIDE UP FRONT IN A HARD CRASH.THE ENTIRE FRONT END AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED FRAME RAILS WERE BENT AND AC COMPONENTS WAS IN THE MOTOR.AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY INSURANCE TOTALED THE VEHICLE 17,200 OF DAMAGES

AIR BAGS — Filed 06/28/2017

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHERE IT BROADSIDED ANOTHER VEHICLE IN A HARD CRASH. THE ENTIRE FRONT END AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. FRAME RAILS WERE BENT AND THE MOTOR MOVED. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. INSURANCE TOTALED THE VEHICLE.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 05/07/2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE WAITING AT A RED LIGHT, A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE DASHBOARD. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT PRESENT. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A JUNK YARD AND THEN RETRIEVED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SWEENEY CHEVROLET/GMC IN YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO DUE TO A BUZZING NOISE EMERGING FROM THE ENGINE, EVEN WHILE PARKED IN THE GARAGE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE NOISE WAS DUE TO THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER REBOOTING. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,800.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL — Filed 04/07/2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED, UNOCCUPIED VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP ON ITS OWN. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT A FAILURE CODE COULD NOT BE LOCATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

AIR BAGS — Filed 12/21/2016

I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 60MPH ON A HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLES IN THE LANE NEXT TO ME WERE STOPPED FOR AN OBSTRUCTION. A VEHICLE FROM THAT LANE TRAVELED INTO MY LANE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. I COLLIDED WITH THE VEHICLE - I ESTIMATE THE COLLISION TO HAVE OCCURRED AT 30-40MPH. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.