2016 Chevrolet Equinox: problems, recalls and reliability
1 recall and 393 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is engine (45% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · 2 new complaints in the last 90 days · latest recall Jun 2016
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 393 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“: "I live in my car. The 2016 Equinox 2.4L burned all its oil in 2 weeks with no leaks, failed to give a dashboard warning, and the engine is now knocking, threatening to leave me unsheltered." This ties my vehicle's specific failure to the federal database for future legal payouts.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Jul 2026
“While driving with windshield wipers on, they suddenly stopped working. The wipers were stuck in position in the center of my windshield. Upon inspection, it appeared that one of the arms had become disconnected from the piece it was connected to. Snapped right off during unsafe driving conditions.”Owner report · Visibility/Wiper · Nov 2025
“This car used so much oil that I had to put it in constantly. Eventually the time belt broke, and the car stopped because it literally had no oil in it causing the engine to blow. This is a known problem I found out later on.”Owner report · Lane Departure · Nov 2025
Show 7 more owner reports
“When I was driving home from the grocery store a very heavy thunderstorm started I turned my wipers off because of the sudden rain just to realize that they were not working. I had to pull over because I couldn't see. Causing me to almost get rear ended with my 6 month old, 18 month old and 6 year old I was finally able to start driving 45 minutes later when the rain stopped. This was a very dangerous incident that happened that could have ended in a car catch INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”Owner report · Visibility/Wiper · Sep 2025
“The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the air bag warning light illuminated. The warning light remained illuminated constantly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the weight sensor on the front passenger's seat had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.”Owner report · Air Bags · Sep 2025
“The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that one and a half quarts of oil needed to be added every two days. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed and it was determined that the failure was caused by the timing belt sagging, and the piston being burned. The dealer stated that the gasket kit, timing chain, tensioner, sensor, guards, actuator, and bolts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and filed a claim. The failure mileage was approximately 148,000.”Owner report · Engine And Engine Cooling · Jul 2025
“The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle intermittently lost power steering functionality, making it difficult to steer the vehicle. The failure persisted and became a complete failure. The contact stated that the "Service Power Steering" warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a Firestone Certified mechanic, who informed the contact that the vehicle needed to be taken to a dealer for assistance. The certified mechanic had diagnosed the vehicle with power steering failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,688.”Owner report · Steering · May 2025
“The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard a loud sound coming from the vehicle with a gasoline odor coming from the engine compartment. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the exhaust manifold had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.”Owner report · Fuel System, Gasoline · May 2025
“The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and then stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to coast the vehicle to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 117,583.”Owner report · Engine · Apr 2025
“The wipers quit working while I was driving in a thunderstorm. Safety was definitely a risk as I was on a major highway. I pulled over and waited for rain to stop and made it to an auto parts store to replace fuse. Unfortunately, this wasn't the issue. The recall does not include 2016 equinox. I don't understand why it's not included.”Owner report · Visibility/Wiper · Apr 2025
When filing, owners marked a crash in 14 of these complaints and injuries in 22 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 1 campaign
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles manufactured October 16, 2015. The certification labels may have incorrect tire/rim size and cold tire pressure information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the certification label, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1050, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 46600.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2016 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Equinox by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox reliable?
NHTSA has 393 owner complaints and 1 recall campaign on record for the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox. The most complained-about area is engine (45% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2016 Chevrolet Equinox problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 68,000 miles or less.
Does the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox have open recalls?
1 recall campaign has been issued, the latest concerning tires. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.