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2013 Chevrolet Equinox

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2013 Chevrolet Equinox do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 382.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

515 reports with mileage · 236 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.

  • Engine. Review the 412 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility/wiper. Review the 144 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 80 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

20 crash reports5 fire reports13 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

69 reports
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16,000 miles · Feb 25, 2021
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or Other

MY 2013 EQUINOX IS USING A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL I HAVE THE OIL CHANGED EVERY 2000 MILES AND STILL HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON IT NO OIL LIGHT COMES ON TO WARN ME MY CAR ALSO DIED ON ME RIGHT AFTER STARTING IT AND WHEN I PULLED THE DIP STICK SO MUCH AIR PRESSURE BLEW OUT AND BLEW OIL ON ME I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY AN…

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MY 2013 EQUINOX IS USING A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL I HAVE THE OIL CHANGED EVERY 2000 MILES AND STILL HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON IT NO OIL LIGHT COMES ON TO WARN ME MY CAR ALSO DIED ON ME RIGHT AFTER STARTING IT AND WHEN I PULLED THE DIP STICK SO MUCH AIR PRESSURE BLEW OUT AND BLEW OIL ON ME I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY AND PEDAL POSTINGS SENSOR AS WELL AS MY BACK UP CAMARA WENT COMPLETELY YELLOW WITH A BLUE LINE GOING ACROSS IT MY DATE IS NEVER RIGHT AND I STILL OWE 6000 ON IT I'VE HAD MY CAR 2 YEARS AND 6 MONTHS

NHTSA ODI #11397831

139,000 miles · Sep 14, 2020
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train

SO FIRST STARTED TO USE OIL MORE THAN IT SHOULD BETWEEN CHANGES BUT IT WOULD BE JUST 1 QUART LOW IT WOULD KNOCK. THAN TRANSFER CASE WENT OUT THAN A WHEEL BEARING WENT OUT. I LIKE MY CAR BUT IT'S STUFF I KEEP MAINTAINED BUT SEEMS LIKE EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND SOMETHING GOES WRONG. NOW WHEN YOU OPEN THE DOOR AN THE KEYS ARE IN M…

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SO FIRST STARTED TO USE OIL MORE THAN IT SHOULD BETWEEN CHANGES BUT IT WOULD BE JUST 1 QUART LOW IT WOULD KNOCK. THAN TRANSFER CASE WENT OUT THAN A WHEEL BEARING WENT OUT. I LIKE MY CAR BUT IT'S STUFF I KEEP MAINTAINED BUT SEEMS LIKE EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND SOMETHING GOES WRONG. NOW WHEN YOU OPEN THE DOOR AN THE KEYS ARE IN MY HAND I HEAR A CLICKING NOISE LIKE THE COMPUTER IS ONE IN IT ALSO ONCE AN AWHILE YOU CAN SMELL GAS NOT ALWAYS. IT'S LIKE IT'S COSTING MONEY TO FIX IT ON STUFF THAT SHOULDN'T GO BAD IF YOU MAINTAIN IT. I TALKED TO FOUR OTHER PEOPLE WHO OWN EQUINOX AN DIFFERENT YEAR RANG FROM 2011 TO 2017 WITH SAME ISSUES. WHY IS IT WE THE PUBLIC HAVE TO FIX ISSUES WHEN YOU MAINTAIN THE CAR!! I DON'T WANT TO TRADE BUT IF IT GOES DOWN AGAIN IT'S GOING TO BE TRADE FOR A NON CHEVY CAR I HAVE HAD CHEVY SINCE I STARTED DRIVING 40 PLUS YEARS MY SECOND EQUINOX NEVER HAD ISSUES WITH THE FIRST ONE LIKE I HAVE THIS ONE . I CHANGED BATTER IN IT THINKING IT WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE CLICKING BUT IT DIDN'T I ALMOST DON'T WANT TO DRIVE IT TO MY DOCTORS APPOINTMENTS WHICH ARE QUIT OFTEN DUE TO WILL IT DIE ON ME AN LEAVE ME STRANDED ON THE ROAD

NHTSA ODI #11354998

6 miles · Jun 18, 2020
Electrical SystemEngine

MY CAR ENGINE LIGHT HAS CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. I TAKE CARE OF MY CAR AND WITH COVID HAVEN'T BEEN DRIVING MANY PLACES. WHEN INSPECTED BY A LICENSED MECHANIC THEY TOLD ME IT IS SOMETHING WITH THE ELECTRIC COMPUTER COMPONENT OF MY CAR AND MY CAR RUNS CORRECTLY AS OF NOW. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11329567

99,567 miles · May 27, 2020
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train

MOTOR WHEN I GOT IT THEY TOLD ME THEY DID HAVE IT CHECK AND THERE AS NO RECALLS ON IT. I DRIVE IT FOR ABOUT A MOTH AN THE MOTOR STATED TO MAKE A TICKETING NOSE CHECK THE OIL AN IT WAS ABOUT AROUND A 1,000 MILES IT NEEDED AN OIL CHANGE WHEN I HAD IT CHANGE IT LOOK LIKE IT HAD NOT BEEN CHANGE IN A LONG TIME. AN AROUND THE SAME TI…

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MOTOR WHEN I GOT IT THEY TOLD ME THEY DID HAVE IT CHECK AND THERE AS NO RECALLS ON IT. I DRIVE IT FOR ABOUT A MOTH AN THE MOTOR STATED TO MAKE A TICKETING NOSE CHECK THE OIL AN IT WAS ABOUT AROUND A 1,000 MILES IT NEEDED AN OIL CHANGE WHEN I HAD IT CHANGE IT LOOK LIKE IT HAD NOT BEEN CHANGE IN A LONG TIME. AN AROUND THE SAME TIME AGAIN I CHECK THE OIL AGAIN IT WAS A LOW AGAIN SO I HAD IT CHANGE AGAIN THIS TIME THE OIL FILTER LOOK GOOD IT TO LOOK THE FIRST TIME, LIKE IT HAD NOT BEEN CHANGE. THEN IT STARTED SKIPPING AND LIKE IT DID WANT TO STAY CRACK UP LIKE IT WANTED TO CUT OFF ON,IT STILL DOING IT HARDLY EVER DRIVE IT THEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO ACT UP I STARTED TO HAVE IT NOT WANTING TO CHANGE GEARS BUT THEN IT STOP. IT DOES IT NOW SOMETIMES. I'LL CHECK THE TIME AND IT USUALLY SLOW THAN WANT IT SUPPOSED TO BE, ALSO THE LOCKS DO NOT WORK MOST OFF THE TIME WHEN I PUSH THE BUTTON MOST OF THE TIME AN ALSO THE CAR WANT START SOMETIMES IN THE MORNING WHEN I GO TO CRACK IT UP WITH THE KEY. I BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER, FIRST THE FREON WENT OUT THE FIRST TIME I USE IT, ALSO THEN IT STARTED TO MAKE NOSE WHEN I TURN AROUND ARE TURN A CORNER AND THE FREON WOULD TURN A CORNER THEN IT STARTED TO LEAK INSIDE THE CAR WHEN I WAS STANDING AT A STOP SIGNAL WOULD STOP LEAKING SO MUCH WHEN I WOULD GO THAT JUST STARTED I FINALLY LOOKED UP RECALLS AN SEEN THAT ALL THESE THINGS WERE IN A RECALL OF MAY 19, 2019 I BOUGHT MY CAR IN OCT 19, 2019. THEY SAID THEY WERE NO RECALLS , BUT WHEN I LOOKED IT RECALLS IT HAD EVERY THING WRONG WITH IT THAT ALL THE RECALLS WAS ON THERE AN A FEW EXTRAS' THEY ALSO SUED AND THEY DO NOT PUT MY CAR IN THE PROBLEMS AREAS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11326114

56,250 miles · Feb 21, 2020
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Exterior Lighting

DIGITAL SPEED WON'T LIGHT UP. NO LIGHT DRIVING OR STILL M

NHTSA ODI #11310593

1,500 miles · Dec 28, 2019
Electrical System

I PURCHASED MY 2013 CHEVY EQUINOX NEW. WITHIN MONTHS THE RADIO TURNED OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING, THE DISPLAY SCREEN WENT BLACK, AND THEN CAME BACK ON TO THE CHEVY LINK DISPLAY. THIS WOULD HAPPEN WHETHER OR NOT THE RADIO WAS ON. THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE REPLACED THE CENTER STACK; NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE. AS A NO…

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I PURCHASED MY 2013 CHEVY EQUINOX NEW. WITHIN MONTHS THE RADIO TURNED OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING, THE DISPLAY SCREEN WENT BLACK, AND THEN CAME BACK ON TO THE CHEVY LINK DISPLAY. THIS WOULD HAPPEN WHETHER OR NOT THE RADIO WAS ON. THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE REPLACED THE CENTER STACK; NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE. AS A NOTE, I WAS TOLD THAT OTHER DRIVERS WITH THIS ISSUE REPORTED THE CAR TURNING ITSELF OFF WHEN THE SCREEN WENT BLACK. I HAVE ALSO PAID $150 FOR 'SOFTWARE UPDATES' WHEN THE CAR SEEMED TO 'LOSE ITS SETTINGS' AFTER IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. SIX YEARS LATER THE ISSUE PERSISTS, INCLUDING LOSS OF BLUETOOTH CAPABILITY FOR SEVERAL DAYS, AND THE CLOCK ALWAYS RUNS 2 MINUTES SLOW. I CAN RESET THE TIME, BUT EACH TIME THE CAR IS RESTARTED, THE TIME IS INCORRECT. THE CAR HAS ALSO EXPERIENCED LOSS OF 'BLINKER SOUND' WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL IS ON. THE SIGNAL WORKS, THE LIGHT IS WORKING ON THE DASH, BUT THERE IS NO SOUND.

NHTSA ODI #11291698

150,000 miles · Nov 22, 2019
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTOFF WITH NO WARNING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY BLOCKING TRAFFIC LIGHTS DID NOT DIM OR ANYTHING. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS ENGINE . TIMING. WAS THE ISSUE DUE TO BURNING SO MUCH OIL.

NHTSA ODI #11281882

8,000 miles · Aug 12, 2019
Electrical SystemEngineWheels

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS RETRIEVING ITEMS FROM THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE EXPLODED UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE IN PARK. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, VARIOUS WARNING INDICATORS, INCLUDING THE AIR BAG, CHECK ENGINE, AND POWER STEERING, ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. IN ADDITION, TH…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS RETRIEVING ITEMS FROM THE VEHICLE, THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE EXPLODED UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE IN PARK. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, VARIOUS WARNING INDICATORS, INCLUDING THE AIR BAG, CHECK ENGINE, AND POWER STEERING, ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE SERPENTINE BELT FRACTURED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE PULLEY INSIDE THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO VARIOUS INDEPENDENT MECHANICS TO HAVE IT SERVICED; HOWEVER, THE SERPENTINE BELT AND THE WARNING INDICATOR FAILURES PERSISTED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.

NHTSA ODI #11243352

188,000 miles · Jun 1, 2019
Electrical SystemSteeringCrash

POWER STEERING FAILED; LOST POWER TO CONTROL PANEL; IN TRYING TO STEER VEHICLE AROUND A CURB I HIT A TREE AND CAR ROLLED TO SIDE. ALL AIRBAGS INFLATED.

NHTSA ODI #11217242

Mileage unknown · Sep 22, 2018
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

CAR WOULD NOT START. CHARGED BATTERY UP CAR STARTED. INSIDE CONTROLS WOULD NOT WORK. SOMMERS DEALERSHIP CHARGED ME $800.00 TO PUT A BRAND NEW BLOWER MOTOR IN. BLOWER MOTOR STOPPED WORKING AND NOW SERVICE POWER STEERING LIGHT COMES ON.

NHTSA ODI #11130791

Official recalls

2

16V582000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor

Aug 4, 2016

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the ball joints in the windshield wiper module may corrode and wear over time, possibly resulting in one or both of the windshield wipers becoming inoperative.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Inoperative windshield wipers may reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, dealers will repair the AIP-hole, inspect and, if necessary, replace the front wiper module, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 25302.

16V502000 · Electrical System:ignition; Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

Jul 5, 2016

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Electrical System:ignition

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

Consequence: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.

Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

Consequence: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Chevrolet Equinox problems