2012 Chevrolet Equinox UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
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 INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
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.
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.
My car just died, stopped, immediate dead car in full on rush hour traffic on the highway main road, me and my two grandchildren sitting in a car not able to move at all, not able to get restart. In review this is happening to 2012 and other years Chevrolet Equinox with no one knowing what the true actual engine problem is. it had to be pushed off the main hwy before we could have been injured or worse. When will the first death occur Chevrolet. This needs to be RECALLED, or BOUGHT BACK CARS BEFORE DEATH LAWSUITS BEGIN.
A knocking nose fm the back passenger side it's heard every time I drive
2012 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A TICKING SOUND COMING FROM VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING.
ON DEC 9TH I TOOK MY CAR TO A CERTIFIED CHEVY DEALER TO HAVE MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER RECALL DONE. AS I WAS DRIVING HOME, THE CAR STARTED TO VIBRATE AND IT WAS DRIVING RUFF. I WAITED A WHILE TO SEE IF IT WOULD GET BETTER AND AFTER A DAY OR SO IT WAS BACK TO NORMAL. THEN IT STARTED, IT WOULD VIBRATE WHILE IDLE ON A STOP LIGHT, OR EVEN GETTING STUCK ON A STOP LIGHT. FIRST IT WAS JUST ONES WHILE OUT, NOE IT HAPPENS QUITE A FEW TIMES. I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND TALKED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY ANALYZED THE PROBLEM IT SEEMED AND DID SOMETHING TO THE CAR, WHAT I DO NOT KNOW, BUT THE ATTENDANT TOLD ME IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS THE AIR INTAKE. IT DID NOT WORK. I HAVE THE FEELING SOMETHING HAPPENED WHILE WORKING ON THE CONVERTER?
THE SUV SOUNDS LIKE ITS TRYING TO START ITS SELF. WE LEAVE OUR KEYS IN THE RIG. DURING THE DAY WE CAN HEAR THIS CLICKING SOUND. WE GO OUT TO THE RIG AND THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON AND MUSIC PLAYING IN THE RIG. THE SOUND THAT IT MAKES SOUNDS LIKE WHEN A RIG IS ALREADY STARTED AND TRYS TO START AGAIN. WE ARE NOT SURE WHAT IS CAUSING THIS. FOUND NO INFO ONLINE ABOUT OTHER RIGS HAVING THIS PROBLEM.
ON TUESDAY FEBRUARY 4, 2020 1:09PM MY 2012 EQUINOX VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE 10 MINUTES AFTER REACHING MY DESTINATION IN A PRIVATE DRIVEWAY. THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF, AND LOCKED WITH THE KEY BEFORE ENTERING THE RESIDENCE. SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY WITH FLAMES. MY CONCERNS: 1) I HAD MY PASTOR WITH ME AND THIS COULD HAVE OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING; 2) MY NEXT DESTINATION WAS PARKING IN MY GARAGE AND I WOULD HAVE HAD A HOUSE FIRE. GOD WAS WATCHING OVER US.
CAR SHAKES PRETTY ROUGH WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF. IT TAKES ABOUT 5-10 SECONDS FOR THE MOTOR TO COMPLETELY STOP AFTER THE KEY HAS BEEN REMOVED. IT HAS BEEN DOING IT FOR ABOUT A MONTH OR 2 AND WHEN THE CAR IS TAKEN IN TO BE SERVICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNS OFF AND NO CODE CAN BE GENERATED. *TR
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY WIPERS FELL APART AND THE WIPER TRANSMISSION STOP WORK AND I HAD NO WIPERS AT ALL. I WAS TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED OF 60 MILES AN HOUR DURING A WINTER STORM. I HAD NO VISIBILITY AT ALL. I WAS ALMOST KILLED BY A TRACTOR TRAILER WHO WAS TRAILING ME FROM BEHIND.
MY WIPERS STARTED DOING INTERMITTENT OPERATING AND IT WAS RAINING AT NIGHT ON HIGHWAY. I WAS TRAVELING AT 55 MILES PER HOUR. THIS WAS THE SECOND INCIDENT.
WE PURCHASED A 2012 CHEVROLET EQUINOX 08/24/2017. IT HAS AN EXCESSIVE OIL USAGE, THE CHEVY GARAGE SAID IT WAS 1/4 OF A QUART FROM BEING COVERED. THE RINGS ARE BAD, REAR MAIN HAS OIL RESIDUE. THE CHEVY GARAGE MONITORED IT EVERY 1000 MILES AND ADDED OIL WHILE DOING SO. WE DID THIS FOR 4000 MILES. THEN WAS TOLD NO COVERAGE. BOUGHT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND IT'S A PREEXISTING PROBLEM. WE STILL OWE A LOT OF MONEY FOR A VEHICLE THAT MAY BLOW A REAR MAIN GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. ENGINE BLOWS, LOSS OF OIL ALL OVER, AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.
MY 2012 EQUINOX JUST DIES FOR NO APPARENT REASON. AT STOP LIGHTS I HAVE TO SOMETIMES JUST PUT IT IN NEUTRAL TO AVOID IT DYING. SOMETIMES IT STILL DOES. THEN IT TAKES FOREVER FOR IT TO GET BACK TO NORMAL ONLY TO EVENTUALLY DO IT AGAIN.
CHEVROLET HAS SINCE FIXED THE ISSUE ON MY VEHICLE HOWEVER I TRULY FEEL THE ISSUE I HAD SHOULD HAVE A RECALL BECAUSE IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN & WOULD CERTAINLY HATE THIS TO HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED IN DEC. 2015 & IT OCCURRED A COUPLE OF TIMES. I CONTACTED OUR NEAREST CHEVROLET DELEARSHIP A FEW TIMES AND THEY NEVER FOUND ANY ISSUES. I THEN SUBMITTED A BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU COMPLAINT BECAUSE I WAS VERY CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF MYSELF & MY FAMILY. I EMAILED GM DIRECTLY ON 12/23/15. GM THEN GOT INVOLVED AND SENT A GM PROFESSIONAL TECHNICIAN TO INVESTIGATE OUR VEHICLE. THE GM TECHNICIAN THEN CONCLUDED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH OUR VEHICLE AND REPLACED SOME PARTS. SINCE THEN WE NO LONGER HAD THAT ISSUE. ONCE WE WERE ON A RED LIGHT OUR VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF. WE HAD TO TURN OUR KEY TO REMOVE IT, PUT IT BACK IN. NOW I DON'T REMEMBER IF WE PUT THE GEAR ON PARK DURING THIS TIME. BUT ONCE WE PUT THE KEY BACK IN, OUR VEHICLE THEN STARTED BACK UP. I CONTACTED COLONIAL CHEVROLET, THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. LEFT & HOPING IT WAS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN. SECOND TIME WE PUT THE VEHICLE ON REAR, THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF. WE THEN DID THE SAME THING BY TURNING THE KEY TO REMOVE IT AND THEN PUTTING IT BACK IN. IT THEN STARTED AFTERWARDS. FROM THOSE 2 INCIDENTS THAT IS WHEN I HAD TO SUBMIT A BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU COMPLAINT BECAUSE THIS SAFETY CONCERN. I DRIVE THIS VEHICLE WITH OUR YOUNG CHILDREN IN THIS VEHICLE SO SAFETY IS MY CONCERN. I HOPE THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED TO ANY ONE ELSE BUT I WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE OTHER'S TO BE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO FORWARD THE EMAILS I EMAILED GM PRIOR ABOUT THIS RECALL & THE COMPLAINT. UNFORTUNATELY I CAN NOT LOCATE THE PAPERWORK FROM THE DEALERSHIP OF WHAT WAS THE ISSUE AND WHAT PARTS THEY REPLACED BUT I AM VERY SURE GM & THE DEALERSHIP HAS A COPY OF THIS.
OIL LIGHT DON'T COME ON WHEN THERE IS KNOW OIL IN THE ENGINE THE P V C FROZE AND BLOWN OUT THE BACK SEAL . THE OIL SYSTEM DO NOT WORK RIGHT. THEY SAY IN 2013 THEY FIX THE OIL SYSTEM BUT WE NEVER TOOK IN TO THE DEALERSHIP SO HOW THEY FIX IT. WE BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2012 AND HAVE HAD PROBLEM SINCE. MY WIFE BROUGHT THE EQUINOXE FROM KELLEY COURTESY MOTORS IN DECATUR IN 46733 . THEY SOLD MY WIFE A LEMON.
TAKARA RECALL, TIMING CHAIN IS LOOSE CAUSING A LOT OF NOISES AND SHAKING IN MY CAR. RECENTLY THE CAR HAD STARTED SHUTTING OFF WHEN BARELY MOVING OR SITTING STILL (WHILE PARKED, WHILE AT A STOP SIGN) AND THE ENGINE WANTS TO KEEP GOING.
STARTS OCCASIONALLY
"TAKATA RECALL" WENT TO GO SOMEWHERE GOT IN STARTED THE CAR, WENT TO PUT IT IN REVERSE IT STALLED. PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND STARTED IT AGAIN, IT STALLED WHILE STILL IN PARK. WAITED A MINUTE OR SO STARTED CAR AGAIN IT WAS OK UNTIL I PUT IT IN REVERSE. STALLED AGAIN. IT WILL START BUT STALLS.
THE WIPER BLADE MOTOR STOPPED WORKING SUDDENLY WHILE WE WERE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN HEAVY RAIN. IT CREATED A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED, FIRST TIME WE HAD IT REPAIRED WAS IN 2015 AND NOW AGAIN IN 2018.
I WAS DRIVING IN A HEAVY RAINSTORM AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED MOVING. I WAS ALMOST IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. I HAVE OWNED 10 OTHER VEHICLES OLDER THAN THIS VEHICLE THAT IS 6 YEARS OLD AND NEVER HAD AN ISSUE LIKE THIS. GM SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS.
WAS ALL DAY WITH MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKING THEN I WENT TO THE MOVIES AT NIGHT TIME AND WHEN I WAS LEAVING IT STARTED POURING AND MY WI DAGWOOD WIPERS WORKED FOR 20 SECONDS THEN CUT OFF. I HAD TO DRIVE 20 MILES ON THE HIGHWAY WITH NO WINDSHIELD WIPERS WHILE IT WAS PORING DOWN RAIN.
MAJOR OIL CONSUMPTION CAUSING PARTS TO BREAK IN VEHICLE AND ENGINE TO GO. WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THAT WHEN IT GOES YOU CAN BE STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND UNABLE TO MOVE VEHICLE AS IT WILL NOT RUN AT ALL. SPECIAL SERVICE VEHICLES ONLY GOOD FOR VEHICLES UNDER 120,000 MILES, BUT MANY PEOPLE RECEIVED LETTERS AFTER THAT MILEAGE. WAS TOLD TODAY BY A CHEVY DEALERSHIP IT WAS UNSAFE TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE UNLESS IT WAS FIXED. FIX IS OVER 1200 UNLESS IT TOTALLY RUINS YOUR VEHICLE OR GETS YOU KILLED WHEN THE VEHICLE STOPS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN LONG BEFORE PROBLEMS ACTUALLY OCCURRED, BUT WAS TOLD BECAUSE IT WAS A LITTLE OVER MILEAGE IT COULD NOT BE FIXED.
EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION HAS HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS. 2012 EQUINOX 130K MILES CAR SHUTS OFF AT STOP SIGNS OR PULLING OUT. I'M NOW REPLACING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND CAMSHAFT ACTUATOR. SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE BEFORE THIS PROBLEM IS TAKEN SERIOULY. NOTHING BUT ISSUES SINCE I PURCHASED 3 YEARS AGO!
VEHICLE LOUDLY IDLES WHEN STARTING. WHEN STOPPED VEHICLE IDLES IN A JUMPING MOTION.
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Quick Summary
The 2012 Chevrolet Equinox has 25 UNKNOWN OR OTHER complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.