What are the most common problems with the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox?

Owners name the engine group most often with 105 complaints, then brakes with 83. See the problems section above for how owners describe them.

Does the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox have recalls?

Yes. The by-year data shows 4 recalls for this model year. They are listed in the Recalls section of this page.

Is the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox reliable?

NHTSA has 306 owner complaints on file. They are unverified and not adjusted for sales, so read them with the year comparison section on this page.

How much does the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox cost to run?

See the fuel economy section of this page for mpg and yearly fuel cost, which are built from EPA data.

Is 2019 a good year for the Chevrolet Equinox?

The year comparison section shows how 2019 stacks up against other years of this model, using the complaint and recall counts.

2019 Chevrolet Equinox Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 306 owner complaints on file for the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox^[1]. The engine group is named most often, with 105 complaints^[2].

306owner complaints^[1]

4recalls^[3]

24–32MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

5★NHTSA overall rating^[5]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups owners name most, biggest first. One complaint can name more than one group, and these are unverified reports.

Engine. 105 complaints^[2]. In the stories we read, owners describe the engine shutting off at stops and then restarting slowly or with a lurch. Some say this made pulling into traffic feel unsafe, and some wish they could switch the feature off. Others describe a loose hose that triggered a reduced power warning.
Brakes. 83 complaints^[6]. Owners describe brakes that grab suddenly on the highway with cruise control set, rear brakes that stick after getting wet, and a few cases of weak braking or a car that rolled into a crash.
Electrical System. 44 complaints^[7]. Owners describe the car stalling or taking a long time to wake up after an automatic stop. Others mention a glitchy infotainment screen and sound.
Fuel/Propulsion System. 42 complaints^[8]. Owners describe lost power while driving, a smell of fuel with a wet spot under the car, and a fuel injector part that broke on a nearly new vehicle.
Power Train. 37 complaints^[9]. We did not read enough of these stories to describe a clear pattern.
Unknown Or Other. 37 complaints^[10]. These do not fit a single group.
Speed Control. 12 complaints^[11]. This is a small group.
Air Bags. 11 complaints^[12]. It is small, but it has a high share of crash reports compared with the other groups.

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2019 Equinox is necessarily included.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission (20V668), October 2020. About 194,105 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: fire, a crash. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly (19V667), September 2019. About 301 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: fire. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[14]
Seats (19V184), March 2019. About 120 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, injury. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[15]
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Caliper (18V576), August 2018. About 210,628 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, reduced braking. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[16]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Equinox FWD, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 9-spd, Premium, Front-Wheel Drive^[17]	22 / 29 / 25	$3,300
Equinox FWD, 1.5L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[18]	26 / 32 / 28	$2,400
Equinox AWD, 1.5L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, All-Wheel Drive^[19]	25 / 30 / 27	$2,500
Equinox AWD, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 9-spd, Premium, All-Wheel Drive^[20]	22 / 28 / 24	$3,400
Equinox AWD, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 6-spd, Diesel, All-Wheel Drive^[4]	28 / 38 / 32	$3,000
Equinox FWD, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 6-spd, Diesel, Front-Wheel Drive^[21]	28 / 39 / 32	$3,000

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD^[5]	5	5	5	4	18.5%
SUV FWD^[22]	5	5	5	4	16.4%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2019 Chevrolet Equinox with 1.5L 4-cylinder^[23]	170 hp
2019 Chevrolet Equinox with 1.6L 4-cylinder^[24]	136 hp
2019 Chevrolet Equinox with 2.0L 4-cylinder^[25]	252 hp

These are Canadian-market specifications from Transport Canada, so US models can differ slightly.

Version	Length	Width	Height	Wheelbase	Curb weight
EQUINOX 4DR SUV 1.5L AWD^[26]	183 in	72 in	65 in	107 in	3,512 lb
EQUINOX 4DR SUV DIESEL FWD^[27]	183 in	72 in	65 in	107 in	3,486 lb
EQUINOX 4DR SUV DIESEL/2.0L AWD^[28]	183 in	72 in	65 in	107 in	3,651 lb
EQUINOX 4DR SUV FWD^[29]	183 in	72 in	65 in	107 in	3,274 lb

How 2019 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Equinox model year. The 2019 is highlighted^[3].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
2005	638	1
2006	695	0
2007	685	4
2008	370	0
2009	94	0
2010	784	3
2011	782	3
2012	685	3
2013	751	2
2014	548	1
2015	680	2
2016	399	1
2017	276	0
2018	410	5
2019	306	4
2020	318	4
2021	100	4
2022	185	6
2023	99	3
2024	190	2
2025	400	6
2026	85	3
2027	1	0

NHTSA's counts for the Equinox show 306 complaints and 4 recalls for 2019^[3]. Among the 23 model years listed, 8 have fewer complaints than 2019 and 14 have more^[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2027 (1) and the most are for 2010 (784)^[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2019 Equinox?

The 2019 Equinox has a real complaint record, with 306 owner reports on file^[1]. Engine and brake reports lead the list, at 105 and 83 complaints^[2]^[6]. The engine reports often center on how the car restarts after stopping, which is something you can test on a drive. Recalls exist for this year, so check the Recalls section before you buy^[3]. These are unverified owner reports and are not sales adjusted, so treat them as questions to ask, not a final score.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox?: Owners name the engine group most often with 105 complaints^[2], then brakes with 83^[6]. See the problems section above for how owners describe them.
Does the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox have recalls?: Yes. The by-year data shows 4 recalls for this model year^[3]. They are listed in the Recalls section of this page.
Is the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox reliable?: NHTSA has 306 owner complaints on file^[1]. They are unverified and not adjusted for sales, so read them with the year comparison section on this page.
How much does the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox cost to run?: See the fuel economy section of this page for mpg and yearly fuel cost, which are built from EPA data.
Is 2019 a good year for the Chevrolet Equinox?: The year comparison section shows how 2019 stacks up against other years of this model, using the complaint and recall counts^[3].

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Chevrolet Equinox

2010 784 complaints, 3 recalls
2011 782 complaints, 3 recalls
2012 685 complaints, 3 recalls
2013 751 complaints, 2 recalls
2014 548 complaints, 1 recall
2015 680 complaints, 2 recalls
2016 399 complaints, 1 recall
2017 276 complaints, 0 recalls
2018 410 complaints, 5 recalls
2019 this page

Compare all model years of the Chevrolet Equinox

All Chevrolet models

Similar cars from 2019: small suvs

2019 Hyundai Tucson 385 complaints, 1 recall
2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class 47 complaints, 12 recalls
2019 Mitsubishi Outlander 56 complaints, 6 recalls
2019 Nissan Pathfinder 76 complaints, 2 recalls
2019 Volkswagen Atlas 482 complaints, 12 recalls
2019 Volkswagen Tiguan 193 complaints, 5 recalls

All small suvs we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 306 owner complaints on file for the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox (23 mention a crash, 7 a fire, 9 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
105 complaints name the engine component group (3 crashes, 3 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 4,785). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Chevrolet Equinox model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Equinox AWD, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 6-spd, Diesel, All-Wheel Drive: 28 city / 38 highway / 32 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,000. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV AWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 5 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 18.5%. NHTSA vehicle records
83 complaints name the brakes component group (10 crashes, 1 fires, 3 injuries, median mileage at failure 57,000). NHTSA vehicle records
44 complaints name the electrical system component group (1 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 8,500). NHTSA vehicle records
42 complaints name the fuel/propulsion system component group (3 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 9,932). NHTSA vehicle records
37 complaints name the power train component group (0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 15,099). NHTSA vehicle records
37 complaints name the unknown or other component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 1,700). NHTSA vehicle records
12 complaints name the speed control component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 8,753). NHTSA vehicle records
11 complaints name the air bags component group (9 crashes, 1 fires, 5 injuries, median mileage at failure 13,150). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 20V668, filed October 29, 2020: Power Train › Automatic Transmission. NHTSA recall database
Recall 19V667, filed September 19, 2019: Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly. NHTSA recall database
Recall 19V184, filed March 7, 2019: Seats. NHTSA recall database
Recall 18V576, filed August 30, 2018: Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Caliper. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Equinox FWD, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 9-spd, Premium, Front-Wheel Drive: 22 city / 29 highway / 25 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,300. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Equinox FWD, 1.5L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 26 city / 32 highway / 28 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,400. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Equinox AWD, 1.5L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 6-spd, Regular, All-Wheel Drive: 25 city / 30 highway / 27 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,500. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Equinox AWD, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 9-spd, Premium, All-Wheel Drive: 22 city / 28 highway / 24 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,400. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Equinox FWD, 1.6L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic 6-spd, Diesel, Front-Wheel Drive: 28 city / 39 highway / 32 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,000. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV FWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 5 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 16.4%. NHTSA vehicle records
EPA Test Car List, 2019 Chevrolet Equinox with 1.5L 4-cylinder: rated 170 hp. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2019 Chevrolet Equinox with 1.6L 4-cylinder: rated 136 hp. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2019 Chevrolet Equinox with 2.0L 4-cylinder: rated 252 hp. www.epa.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, EQUINOX 4DR SUV 1.5L AWD: length 183 in, width 72 in, height 65 in, wheelbase 107 in, curb weight 3,512 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, EQUINOX 4DR SUV DIESEL FWD: length 183 in, width 72 in, height 65 in, wheelbase 107 in, curb weight 3,486 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, EQUINOX 4DR SUV DIESEL/2.0L AWD: length 183 in, width 72 in, height 65 in, wheelbase 107 in, curb weight 3,651 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, EQUINOX 4DR SUV FWD: length 183 in, width 72 in, height 65 in, wheelbase 107 in, curb weight 3,274 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2019 Chevrolet Equinox: problems, recalls and fuel economy