What ownership is like, what breaks at what mileage, what the repairs cost, and what to check before you buy one.
← All Chevrolet Equinox generations
NHTSA complaints per catalog listing run from 4.48 for 2009 (94 complaints across 21 listings) to 35.44 for 2005 (638 across 18), against a generation median of 18.03. The highest year, 2005, is 2.0 times that median. No year reaches the 2.0x our rule needs together with an above-median ad share and 30 or more listings, so nothing is flagged.
| Miles | Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| No consistent mileage found in sources | Head gasket failure on the first-generation V6 | About $2,000 (one JustAnswer expert answer on a 2005 with 200,000 miles) | Engine Patrol calls head gasket failure the most common first-generation Equinox problem. Only one price source here, so treat the number as a rough marker. Check for coolant loss, white exhaust smoke and overheating on the test drive. |
| No consistent mileage found in sources | Electric power steering assist loss | $100-$1,500 (Au7o) | Go-Parts describes the 2007-2009 steering assist motor as a common failure point that tends to fail suddenly. The cost spread is wide because it depends on which part failed. Turn the wheel lock to lock at a stop and listen for changes in effort. |
| Not verified | Steering knuckle replacement | $404-$495 (2005-2006), $447-$539 (2007), $699-$791 (2008-2009), RepairPal estimates | RepairPal prices the job by model year; it does not say how often it is needed. Listen for clunks over bumps and check for tire wear. |
| any | Recalls on file (5 campaigns in our records): 04V302000 (2005), 07V242000 (2007), 07V344000 (2007), 07V520000 (2007), 12V459000 (2007) | Free at a Chevrolet dealer when open | Confirm each by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Records for these years include ignition, windshield mounting and air bag recalls, and a 2007 fuel pump recall. Absence of a recall in our records is not proof a car is clear. |
No year in this generation was flagged. A year is flagged by our rule only when all three hold: (1) its NHTSA complaints per catalog listing is at least 2.0x the median for its generation, (2) the share of ads that mention a problem is above the generation median, and (3) we track at least 30 listings for that year. The cutoff was fixed before we looked. Ad mentions are not failures, and a flag is a reason to inspect harder, not a verdict on any one car. We also re-ran the ad test with the 'rust' flaw left out, because the ad reader counts phrases like 'no rust' as mentions, and publish a flag only if it passes both ways.
| Year | Complaints | Top components | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 638 | Electrical System, Engine And Engine Cooling, Power Train | |
| 2006 | 695 | Visibility, Electrical System, Engine | |
| 2007 | 685 | Fuel/propulsion System, Air Bags, Fuel System, Gasoline | |
| 2008 | 370 | Air Bags, Fuel/propulsion System, Steering | |
| 2009 | 94 | Air Bags, Electrical System, Fuel/propulsion System |
source: NHTSA complaints database (api.nhtsa.gov). Complaints are owner reports, not confirmed failures.
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We don't tell you to skip a year; we flag by a fixed rule, and it flags 2010 (784 complaints across 86 listings, 9.12 per listing) and 2011 (782 complaints across 145 listings, 5.39 per listing) against a 2010-2017 median of 2.50. Third-party lists also name 2012 and 2015 (CoverageX) and 2005 to 2008 (Victorville Chevrolet). 2012 has 3.10 per listing and 2015 has 1.91 in our data, under our cutoff.
The 2.4L can. GM issued Special Coverage Adjustments for 2.4L Equinoxes using oil faster than about one quart per 2,000 miles from piston ring wear: 16118 for 2012 and N192291100 for 2013. Dealers replace pistons and rings for the 2012 condition (OEMDTC). Those programs were time-limited, so confirm by VIN. Au7o puts the repair at $2,000 to $7,000.
RepairPal estimates $1,190 to $1,555 for the timing chain and gear set. Daily Car Tips puts the chain kit at $1,200 to $2,200, or $1,800 to $3,000 with the water pump, and CoverageX says $2,000 to $3,000 or more. An owner quote in 2020 was about $1,200 plus $300 for the water pump. Failure is reported around 80,000 to 100,000 miles on the 2.4L (CoverageX).
The 2.4L Ecotec ran 2010 to 2017 (Daily Car Tips). The 2018 redesign replaced it and the 3.6L V6 with 1.5L and 2.0L turbo fours (Automotive Fleet). First-generation cars (2005-2009) used a 3.4L V6 early on (CarBuzz).
Some owners report a shudder under light acceleration at 25 to 45 mph (Apex Tech Nation). CoverageX says software updates and fluid service usually fix it. RepairPal puts a fluid change at $207 to $255. NHTSA records show a GM transmission recall (20V668000) covering 2018-2020 cars; check it by VIN.
We don't rank generations. Our own numbers: the 2010-2017 generation has a median of 2.50 NHTSA complaints per catalog listing and the 2018-2024 generation has 1.08. Those rates are not directly comparable across generations, because newer cars have had less time and different ways of being reported.