IllustrationTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, FUEL LEAKED DOWN FROM THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,040.
2009 Chevrolet Equinox
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Fewer warning signs than most model years
Owner complaints for the 2009 Chevrolet Equinox are lower than the model-year median of 382.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Equinox years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
80–25K
625–50K
2050–75K
2275–100K
16100–150K
5150K+
77 reports with mileage · 17 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports1 fire reports4 injury reports
What owners actually said
94 reportsFUEL LINE OF VEHICLE IS LEAKING FUEL SOMEWHERE NEAR THE FUEL PUMP OR FUEL TANK. FUEL WILL DRIP FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE AND ACCUMULATE. VEHICLE CONSTANTLY SMELLS OF FUEL AND TAKES A LONG TIME TO START AS A RESULT OF THE FUEL LINE HAVING NO INITIAL PRESSURE. CONSTANT FUEL LEAK POSES A DANGER TO OUR HOME AND OTHER VEHICLES ON THE RO…
Read full complaint
FUEL LINE OF VEHICLE IS LEAKING FUEL SOMEWHERE NEAR THE FUEL PUMP OR FUEL TANK. FUEL WILL DRIP FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE AND ACCUMULATE. VEHICLE CONSTANTLY SMELLS OF FUEL AND TAKES A LONG TIME TO START AS A RESULT OF THE FUEL LINE HAVING NO INITIAL PRESSURE. CONSTANT FUEL LEAK POSES A DANGER TO OUR HOME AND OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD NOT TO MENTION OUR PERSONAL SAFETY.
WHEN I HIT 20-30 MPH THE SUV HAS A HESITATION AND THEN I HAVE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND THEN SERVICE STABILITREK AND THER IS ANOTHER I FORGET WHAT IT SAYS AND WHEN I TURN SOMETIMES THE WHOLE DASH LIGHTS UP
WHEN I HAVE A PASSENGER (ADULT OR CHILD) SIT ON THE FRONT (PASSENGER SEAT) THE AIR BAG LIGHT SOMETIMES ILLUMINATES THAT THE AIRBAG IS "ON" AND SOMETIMES IT'S "OFF" WHILE THE PASSENGER IS SITTING. I'VE ALSO NOTICED THAT IF MY PASSENGER IS SITTING STILL, THE LIGHT WILL STAY "ON" BUT AS SOON AS THE PASSENGER MOVES, THE LIGHT WILL C…
Read full complaint
WHEN I HAVE A PASSENGER (ADULT OR CHILD) SIT ON THE FRONT (PASSENGER SEAT) THE AIR BAG LIGHT SOMETIMES ILLUMINATES THAT THE AIRBAG IS "ON" AND SOMETIMES IT'S "OFF" WHILE THE PASSENGER IS SITTING. I'VE ALSO NOTICED THAT IF MY PASSENGER IS SITTING STILL, THE LIGHT WILL STAY "ON" BUT AS SOON AS THE PASSENGER MOVES, THE LIGHT WILL CHANGE TO "OFF". AT FIRST IT SEEMED LIKE A "TEMPERAMENTAL" ISSUE BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT JUST STAYED ON THE "ON" POSITION WHILE THE PASSENGER SAT. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE GM DEALER WHEN THE ISSUE BECAME MORE OFTEN AND THEY DIAGNOSED AN ISSUE RECOMMENDED TO HAVE THE PASSENGER PRESENCE MODULE REPLACED. ON RESEARCHING, I FOUND THAT THERE ARE RECALLS FOR THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE BUT ON EARLIER CHEVY MODEL CARS.
PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT WILL TURN ITSELF OFF/ON WHILE DRIVING OR IF VEHICLE IS AT A STANDSTILL. EVEN IF NO ONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON EVERY TIME PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR TURNS OFF. *TR
IN 2015, I TOOK MY CAR TO MONUMENT CHEVROLET AND TOLD THE DEALERSHIP THAT MY CAR IS NOT UNLOCKING THE DOORS WHEN I AM USING THE REMOTE. I HAD TO USE MY KEY TO UNLOCK MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR MANUALLY AND THE REACH OVER TO UNLOCK THE OTHER DOORS. BEFORE THE DEALERSHIP EVEN RAN A DIAGNOSIS TEST, THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS MY LOCK MECHANI…
Read full complaint
IN 2015, I TOOK MY CAR TO MONUMENT CHEVROLET AND TOLD THE DEALERSHIP THAT MY CAR IS NOT UNLOCKING THE DOORS WHEN I AM USING THE REMOTE. I HAD TO USE MY KEY TO UNLOCK MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR MANUALLY AND THE REACH OVER TO UNLOCK THE OTHER DOORS. BEFORE THE DEALERSHIP EVEN RAN A DIAGNOSIS TEST, THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS MY LOCK MECHANISM AND IT WAS GOING TO COST ME $300.00 PER DOOR TO FIND THE PROBLEM. I DECLINE AND TOLD THEM I WILL DO IT THE OLD FASHION WAY BY USING THE KEY. IT LOOKS AND SEEMS LIKE THE DEALERSHIP KNEW THERE WAS A EXISTING PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL VEHICLE AS QUICKLY AS THEY QUOTED ME A PRICE WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING AT THE PROBLEM AND THAT THERE IS A MAJOR ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THE MALFUNCTION. NOW ITS OVER A YEAR AND I STILL HAVE TO UNLOCK MY CAR THE OLD FASHION WAY EVEN AFTER I CHANGED THE BATTERY IN THE REMOTE.
PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG IS INTERMITTINGLY ON AND OFF. IN MOTION AND SITTING STILL. GET "SERVICE AIR BAG" ON DIC, AND PASSENGER AIR BAG ON/ OFF INDICATOR SHOWS OFF WITH PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPIED. NO PATTERN - JUST SPORADIC. VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IT NOT WORKING IN A CRASH, AS WELL AS GOING OFF ON ITS OWN. HAPPENS STATIONARY AND IN…
Read full complaint
PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG IS INTERMITTINGLY ON AND OFF. IN MOTION AND SITTING STILL. GET "SERVICE AIR BAG" ON DIC, AND PASSENGER AIR BAG ON/ OFF INDICATOR SHOWS OFF WITH PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPIED. NO PATTERN - JUST SPORADIC. VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IT NOT WORKING IN A CRASH, AS WELL AS GOING OFF ON ITS OWN. HAPPENS STATIONARY AND IN MOTION.
PASSENGER AIRBAG WILL TURN OFF WHILE DRIVING AND WITH A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. SERVICE AIRBAG WARNING DISPLAYED IN INFORMATION CENTER. THIS NOW OCCURS EVEN WHILE STATIONARY. CAN NO LONGER HAVE A PASSENGER IN THAT SEAT WHILE DRIVING.
THE PASSENGER SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. THE PASSENGER "ON / OFF" LIGHT STAYS ON THE OFF POSITION WHEN A PASSENGER IS SETTING IN THE SEAT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT AND THE SERVICE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. …
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT AND THE SERVICE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.