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2020 Chevrolet Equinox

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 382.5.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

83 reports with mileage · 223 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.

  • Service Brakes. Review the 97 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 87 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 50 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 reports7 fire reports9 injury reports

What owners actually said

306 reports
Mileage unknown · Jan 23, 2024
Engine

This model has an acceleration problem like its older counterparts. While on the interstate and in traffic it chooses to decelerate and almost cut off. No prior warning given.

NHTSA ODI #11567325

Mileage unknown · Jan 20, 2024
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemUnknown Or Other

I was driving on the highway on my way to work and received the error message “engine power reduced”. My car immediately dropped speed and I was unable to go over 40mph. My check engine light came on. I made it to work and contacted the dealer to make an appointment to bring the car in, which I did as soon as I finished working …

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I was driving on the highway on my way to work and received the error message “engine power reduced”. My car immediately dropped speed and I was unable to go over 40mph. My check engine light came on. I made it to work and contacted the dealer to make an appointment to bring the car in, which I did as soon as I finished working for the day. Driving 30-40mph with my hazards on for almost 50 miles on a highway where the minimum speed limit is 55 was hazardous in itself. I was almost run off the road by a truck and cars were honking and passing me. I am a [XXX] and have driven many cars in my lifetime. I have never experienced this type of scare. I took to the dealer and they advised “CAC frozen and the parts need replacement”. They said it’s not a warranty issue. The repair cost is $3000 and this car is only 3 years old. I found an existing recall on this same model car and year for this same issue - but they advised that my car wasn't affected in this recall. Apparently, this car is exhibiting these same issues. I contacted Chevrolet and they are trying to escalate. In the meantime, I have no vehicle, and told the dealer to halt any repairs until Chevrolet gets back to me. I have taken great care of this car. I start my car and allow it to warm up at least 20-30 minutes in the winter. I also make sure that I get all my oil changes and have all preventive maintenance done as required. This issue could not have been prevented by me - but it could have been prevented by the car manufacturer. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11566633

Mileage unknown · Jan 15, 2024
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train

PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE—replaced now transmission issues. UNKNOWN—everything that’s recalled I’m having those problems

NHTSA ODI #11565565

Mileage unknown · Jan 15, 2024
Engine

I was driving at about 25 miles per hour and the vehicle made a banging noise and shut off. I went to restart and nothing would happen. I then had it towed to a local dealership. Upon evaluation the vacuum pump went out and caused catastrophic engine failure. I purchased brand new and there was no indication I had a problem. …

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I was driving at about 25 miles per hour and the vehicle made a banging noise and shut off. I went to restart and nothing would happen. I then had it towed to a local dealership. Upon evaluation the vacuum pump went out and caused catastrophic engine failure. I purchased brand new and there was no indication I had a problem. The vehicle was making no noise and no lights were on prior to the incident. I am told the repairs to the motor on a vehicle 3 years old are going to be $4,500. I have told the dealership I would like all of the parts that are removed and replaced from the vehicle when repairing

NHTSA ODI #11565559

Mileage unknown · Jan 11, 2024
Unknown Or Other

I was driving my car and it shut down in the middle of traffic on the freeway on [XXX] I thought I was dead I almost had a accident the car started back up and it did it again 4 times I am afraid to drive the car when it shuts down the steering wheel locks up and nothing happens I am so afraid of this Equinox please help. Not k…

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I was driving my car and it shut down in the middle of traffic on the freeway on [XXX] I thought I was dead I almost had a accident the car started back up and it did it again 4 times I am afraid to drive the car when it shuts down the steering wheel locks up and nothing happens I am so afraid of this Equinox please help. Not knowing what to do went to the dealer guy did a simply scan on the car and tried to sell me a car instead of trying to find the cause I am just so upset I love my car please please help me. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11564804

Mileage unknown · Jan 4, 2024
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

Premature headlamp (low beam) failure. The light abruptly failed and it was acknowledged by the manufacturer that this should not have occurred. The failure occurred in October of 2023. Light fixture has since been replaced. The low beam bulb is not accessible for replacement in our vehicle. Instead the entire headlight assembly…

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Premature headlamp (low beam) failure. The light abruptly failed and it was acknowledged by the manufacturer that this should not have occurred. The failure occurred in October of 2023. Light fixture has since been replaced. The low beam bulb is not accessible for replacement in our vehicle. Instead the entire headlight assembly has to be replaced. The estimated cost for a single replacement was approx $2,600.00. After back and forth with the manufacturer they agreed to replace both headlight assemblies for approximately $1,900.00. A previous recall was issued for GM vehicles in the early 2000s that had similar premature headlight failures. This poses a safety risk because vehicles of this age are likely to still be financed and owners are unlikely to be able to afford a near $3,000 repair for a low beam headlight manufacturing defect. Please note the mileage on the vehicle was roughly 42k. There is the potential that owners will be forced to operate the vehicle with failed headlight(s) while the manufacturer refuses to fully acknowledge it is a manufacturing defect.

NHTSA ODI #11563502

Mileage unknown · Dec 28, 2023
Electrical SystemService Brakes

During the month of November while driving on Interstate 35 inTexas I attempted to administer my braking system during slowed traffic and they did not respond. The brake pedal became completely stiff and I had to apply incredible pressure to get the vehicle to slow down until I turned on my hazards and rolled to a stop on the sh…

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During the month of November while driving on Interstate 35 inTexas I attempted to administer my braking system during slowed traffic and they did not respond. The brake pedal became completely stiff and I had to apply incredible pressure to get the vehicle to slow down until I turned on my hazards and rolled to a stop on the shoulder. I did not have any alerts or warnings until I powered the vehicle off and powered back on to find my engine light on and the service brake assist alert on as well. I had it towed for service to which they replaced the vacuum pump, brake booster pressure sensor and brake fluid. Everything seemed to be working fine however a month later the same exact issue occurred. I took it in to the same place for service and had a brake inspection done and was told everything looked good and they were not sure what was wrong other than the ecm and ebcm were now reading codes. The issue is that this is intermittent with no warning and has been incredibly difficult to pinpoint the exact issue. This has also been incredibly pricey trying to chase an issue that appears one day and clears itself the next and lastly this has been terrifyingly frustrating as I do not know if i will have valid brake control or not on each ride. This issue could be life or death and was traumatizing as I had my son and mother in the car with me during the first event.

NHTSA ODI #11562463

Mileage unknown · Dec 19, 2023
EngineService Brakes

I was traveling the interstate I90/94 , merged to the exit ramp and found the brake pedal hard and unable to push to brake. I had to slide the car into neutral and use two feet on the brake pedal to slow down enough to make the corner at the end of the off ramp. All due to a faulty vacuum pump. The debris from the exploded vacuu…

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I was traveling the interstate I90/94 , merged to the exit ramp and found the brake pedal hard and unable to push to brake. I had to slide the car into neutral and use two feet on the brake pedal to slow down enough to make the corner at the end of the off ramp. All due to a faulty vacuum pump. The debris from the exploded vacuum pump were sent through the engine. And after having the car fixed it now uses about a quart of oil every 500 miles. Engine is shot! Seriously bad engineering design that will kill someone if it hasn't already. I am 5'11" and weigh 190 lbs. I estimate it took around 200-250 lbs of force to push the pedal to even start to slow. If I hadn't had over 40 years of driving experience, this would have ended in a catastrophic incident.

NHTSA ODI #11560882

71,000 miles · Dec 15, 2023
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds speed, an abnormal grinding sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the rear brake calipers had failed and needed to be repl…

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The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at slow speeds speed, an abnormal grinding sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the rear brake calipers had failed and needed to be replaced. The mechanic replaced the rotors and the calipers; however, the contact stated the failure returned while driving at slow speeds. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V704000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and linked the failure to the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000.

NHTSA ODI #11560237

Mileage unknown · Nov 22, 2023
Fuel/propulsion System

On 10/19/2023, I came out of a store and saw a large puddle forming under my 2020 Chevy Equinox and fluid spilling out. I immediately drove it to the car repair business I have used for 10 years, which was less than one mile away. The bottom line was a cracked gas tank. They confirmed the warranty had expired in February of 2023…

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On 10/19/2023, I came out of a store and saw a large puddle forming under my 2020 Chevy Equinox and fluid spilling out. I immediately drove it to the car repair business I have used for 10 years, which was less than one mile away. The bottom line was a cracked gas tank. They confirmed the warranty had expired in February of 2023, so with no reason to think otherwise, I had them order and replace the gas tank. I filed a report with GMC, only to be told that since I didn't have an authorized GMC dealership make the repairs, there was nothing they could do, to reimburse me. I felt that this as an emergency situation, not only for myself but others around me. I'm not sure how I was supposed to know to take it elsewhere. The bottom line is this...how can a vehicle that is only just over 3 years old, need a new gas tank? This is not typical and should be investigated.

NHTSA ODI #11556413

Official recalls

4

23V339000 · Child Seat:vehicle Latch Anchor

May 11, 2023

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The four rear-seat lower child seat LATCH anchorage bars may have excessive powder coating, which could prevent a child seat from being installed with the anchorage bars. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: The inability to install a child seat with the LATCH anchorage bars could result in an unsecured child seat, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy: Owners are advised to install child seats using the vehicle's rear seat belts until the remedy is complete. Dealers will inspect the latch anchorage bars, and remove and replace the finish, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 2, 2023. 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 N232403240.

20V668000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Oct 29, 2020

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.

19V704000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:caliper

Oct 3, 2019

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Equinox vehicles. The rear brake calipers may have been produced with an incorrect lubricant, potentially causing the rubber seals to swell and the brakes to drag.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Brake drag may result in overheating of the brake pads, affecting the braking ability and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear brake calipers, including the brake hose gasket, brake fluid and wheel to hub lubricant, free of charge. The recall began October 29, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438. GM's number for this recall is N192270920.

19V667000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly

Sep 19, 2019

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Equinox all-wheel drive vehicles. The fuel tanks may have been manufactured with an improperly sealed seam, possibly allowing fuel to leak along the seam near the fuel inlet.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of the ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began October 24, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-586-596-1733. GM's number for this recall is N192271870.

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