2011 Chevrolet Equinox VISIBILITY/WIPER
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
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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.
Wipers have stopped working, have had it repaired twice and they keep quitting.
Joint on the front windshield wiper assembly failed. Was driving in a 4 lane highway doing about 70 mph while it was raining. Windshield wipers stopped halfway through the movement they sat for a moment they moved to as far as they could go towards the driver side and that’s where they stayed. The driver side one was over the edge of the vehicle. I followed tail lights turning onto a side road, pulled over safely. Moved the wipers to a down position, there was no resistance. Checked the fuse and that was fine. Waited a bit for the rain to settle a bit and drove to a safer location. Once off the highway and away from traffic when turning the windshield wipers on I could hear the motor still going so knew it was an issue with the arms. I had been on the road for about 2 hours all major highway with still over 2.5 hours left of my drive when they failed. We had to trailer it home as it was not safe to drive with the amount of rain we were getting. Replaced the motor and arm mechanism when we got it home and saw that it was one of the ball joints that broke. There were no warning lights, we have the old parts if needed for inspection, this looks to be the same issue as the recalled parts on the 2014-2015 equinox.
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH in the rain, the windshield wipers became inoperable. The contact pulled over and waited until the rain stopped falling before continuing to drive. The dealer was contacted and stated that an unstated bushing needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not taken to be repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage 114,000.
The wipers stopped working on the highway pouring down rain
The windshield wiper linkage disconnects when the windshield wipers are placed on the highest setting causing me to not be able to drive in the rain.
Driving on the highway while it was raining and I had my wipers on and all of a sudden they stopped working. Wipers aren’t moving at all but can hear the motor turning. Assuming it’s in the wiper trans/linkage assembly.
DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY DURING HIGH DOWNPOUR. WIPERS REACHED THE END OF THE SEQUENCE AND STOPPED. HAD TO PULL OVER IN POURING RAIN AND HIGH TRAFFIC, CAUSING MAJOR CONCERN AND A MAJOR SAFETY EVENT.
WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN, IN THE LEFT LANE WHILE PASSING A TRUCK AT 65-70MPH, IN THE DARK, THE DRIVER SIDE WIPER ARM CLICKED A FEW TIMES AGAINST THE A-PILLAR THEN CEASED WORKING. FORTUNATELY THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER CONTINUED TO FUNCTION.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. THE DRIVER'S SIDE WIPER BLADE WAS BENT OVER THE DRIVER'S SIDE MIRROR AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO VEER OFF THE ROAD INTO A GRASSY AREA AT THE APARTMENT COMPLEX. THERE WAS NO CRASH REPORTED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VIN. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT SHE WOULD BE CALLED BACK IN TWO OR THREE DAYS. THE CONTACT REFERENCED AN UNKNOWN NHTSA INVESTIGATION ABOUT WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 136,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE WARRANTY WAS EXTENDED HOWEVER, THE MILEAGE WAS EXCEEDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 164,000.
DRIVING IN POURING DOWN RAIN AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. HIGH SAFETY CONCERN.
WIPER LINKAGE FAILED IN HEAVY RAIN WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE
I HEARD A POP AND THEN MY WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT COMPLETELY IN THE RAIN. I COULD HEAR THE MOTOR BUT THE WIPERS WOULDN'T MOVE. I HAD NO VISABILITY WHATSOEVER. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY.
I WAS DRIVING MY 2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX HOME ON WEDS SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 IN A TORRENTIAL DOWNPOUR ON THE 696 FREEWAY IN METRO DETROIT. I WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, SLOWER THEN THE SPEED LIMIT BECAUSE OF THE DOWNPOUR, AND I HAD MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON THE FASTEST SPEED. WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF WARNING MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. THE DRIVER'S WIPER HAD MOVED PAST THE WINDSHIELD SO AT FIRST I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE CULPRIT. I PUSHED THE WIPER BACK ONTO THE WINDSHIELD (WHILE DRIVING), BUT THE WIPERS REMAINED STATIONARY AND NO LONGER OPERATED. STILL ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE DOWNPOUR I HAD TO MANEUVER OFF THE NEAREST EXIT, SURPRISINGLY WITHOUT INCIDENT, AND PARKED IN A SUBDIVISION UNTIL THE RAIN STOPPED. THE WIPER TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED.
WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING DURING DOWNPOUR WHEN DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY. MOTOR STILL WORK BUT WIPERS NOT MOVING.
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE ROAD @ 55 MPH IN THE POURING RAIN WITH THE WINDOW WIPERS WORKING, THE DRIVER'S WIPER MOVED PAST THE WINDSHIELD AND BECAME WEDGED AGAINST THE DRIVER'S WINDOW. WHILE DRIVING I OPENED THE DRIVER'S WINDOW AND PUSHED THE WIPER BACK ON TO THE WINDSHIELD. THE WIPERS WERE STATIONARY ON THE WINDSHIELD AND NO LONGER OPERATED. I DROVE 10 MILES IN THE POURING RAIN WITHOUT ANY WIPERS. WHEN I ARRIVED HOME, I COULD MOVE THE WIPERS BY HAND. I COULD HEAR A SCRAPING METAL SOUND.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD AT ABOUT 55MPH AND MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING. THEY GOT STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WINDSHIELD AND THE MOTOR MADE SOUNDS AS IF IT WAS WORKING BUT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DID NOT MOVE. IT WAS RAINING AND WE HAD TO PULL OVER BECAUSE IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS.
MAY 22ND 2019 IT WAS READING A LOT, AS I WAS DRIVING, MY DRIVER SIDE WIPER WENT UP AND STARTED THERE, AS THE PASSENGER SIDE CONTINUED WORKING. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, I HEARD THE SNAPPING OF THE BAR. THANK GOD FOR RAINX. I ENDED UP ADJUSTING THE WIPER BLADE TO MAKE A "EURO" WIPER, THEN JUST REPLACED THE WIPER TRANSMISSION ALL TOGETHER.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. THE CONTACT HAD TO DRIVE HOME SLOWLY IN THE INCLEMENT WEATHER. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1000,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD TRAVELING AT 65MPH IN THE RAIN WHEN MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. THE MOTOR WAS WORKING, STATING THAT IT WAS HEARD. THE WIPER TRANSMISSION ON THE OTHER HAND HAD STOPPED. THE PLASTIC BUSHINGS WERE LOOSE AND SNAPPED OFF. THIS WILL BE THE 3RD TIME REPLACING THEM IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS. GOING TO CHANGE THE WHOLE SYSTEM NOW.
I WAS ON MY WAY BACK 1 HOUR INTO A 5 HOUR TRIP FROM WASHINGTON DC TO NEW YORK. IT WAS POURING RAIN AND THE TRAFFIC WAS MOVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH. I HAD 3 KIDS IN THE CAR WITH ME. SUDDENLY, WITH NO WARNING, MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS FLIPPED OFF OF THE DRIVERS SIDE AND STOPPED AND WOULD NOT GO BACK ON. I COULD SEE NOTHING. IT WAS TERRIFYING. MY KIDS AND I ARE LUCKY TO BE ALIVE TODAY. FORTUNATELY THERE WERE SHORT BREAKS IN THE RAIN SO I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY AND PARK IN A SAFE PLACE, HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE WIPER TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE ARE SO MANY REPORTS ON CAR GURUS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. SAME YEAR, SAME MAKE MODEL, AS WELL AS OTHER YEARS.
I WAS DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE DURING A HEAVY DOWN POUR AT NIGHT WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT WORKING. THEY WERE STUCK IN THE UP POSITION AND NO LONGER MOVED. I IMMEDIATELY LOST ALL VISIBILITY DUE TO THE RAIN WHICH COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY CAUSED A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HAD TO PARK MY VEHICLE FOR THE DURATION OF THE NIGHT AND WAIT TO GET IT IN THE MORNING WHILE IT WAS NO LONGER RAINING.
THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN. A PLASTIC BUSHING BROKE AND CAUSED THE FAILURE. AFTER RESEARCHING PROBLEM, I FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM IN SEVERAL MODEL YEARS OF THE CHEVROLET EQUNIOX.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.
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Quick Summary
The 2011 Chevrolet Equinox has 59 VISIBILITY/WIPER complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.