The Verdict
Worst problem area
Brakes
Brakes leads by volume: 139 of 410 complaints (34%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Airbags & Restraints include more deaths (1) than those mentioning any other identified area.
Complaints filed rose from 276 in 2017 to 410 in 2018.
At a glance
- NHTSA complaints
- 410
- Recall campaigns
- 5
- EPA fuel cost per year
- $2,200–$3,200
- Combined MPG
- 24–32
Complaints by model year
Where owners report problems
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Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | vs. 2018 Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 2,400–3,450 | 2,500–3,450 | 2,200–3,200 | 2,200–3,200 | 2,200–3,200 | |
| Combined MPG | 18–26 | 18–25 | 24–32 | 24–32 | 24–28 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 16–22 / 23–31 | 16–21 / 23–31 | 22–28 / 28–39 | 22–28 / 28–39 | 22–26 / 28–31 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 347–482 | 355–489 | 314–367 | 315–367 | 315–367 | |
| Complaints filed | 400 | 276 | 410 | 310 | 319 | |
| Recalls issued | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 4 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 14 | 18 | 23 | 23 | 22 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 3 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 7 | |
| Injuries reported | 22 | 16 | 30 | 9 | 12 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Configurations compared | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox have?
5 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Nov 7, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox?
Brakes: 139 of 410 NHTSA complaints (34%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox get?
EPA rates it 24–32 MPG combined.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox?
EPA estimates $2,200–$3,200 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (6)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic 6-spd | 4 | 1.5L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | 26 mpg | 32 mpg | 28 mpg | $2,200 (low) | 314 g/mi (low) |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic 6-spd | 4 | 1.5L | All-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 24 mpg | 30 mpg | 26 mpg | $2,400 | 337 g/mi |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic 9-spd | 4 | 2.0L | Front-Wheel Drive | Premium | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | 22 mpg (low) | 29 mpg | 25 mpg | $3,100 | 355 g/mi |
| Configuration 4 | Automatic 9-spd | 4 | 2.0L | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 22 mpg (low) | 28 mpg (low) | 24 mpg (low) | $3,200 (high) | 367 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 5 | Automatic 6-spd | 4 | 1.6L | Front-Wheel Drive | Diesel | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | 28 mpg (high) | 39 mpg (high) | 32 mpg (high) | $2,950 | 319 g/mi |
| Configuration 6 | Automatic 6-spd | 4 | 1.6L | All-Wheel Drive | Diesel | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 28 mpg (high) | 38 mpg | 32 mpg (high) | $2,950 | 319 g/mi |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 94 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 66 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 41 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| Electrical | 61 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Brakes | 139 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Steering | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 16 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 21 | 9 | 1 | 15 | 1 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 30 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 23 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 22 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Other | 58 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (5)
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
- Defect
- 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
- 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.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
- Defect
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
- Consequence
- A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
- Defect
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.
- Consequence
- A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18188.
VISIBILITY; STRUCTURE:EMERGENCY:ESCAPE/EGRESS/EXIT
- Defect
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Equinox vehicles. The driver and front passenger door window glass may not be properly tempered. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 205, "Glazing Materials."
- Consequence
- If the glass is not tempered properly, and the window is broken, the glass can break into large pieces, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the glass in the front doors, free of charge. The recall began May 15, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18136.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
- Defect
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles and 2017-2018 GMC Acadia vehicles. The right front intermediate driveshaft may fracture and separate while driving.
- Consequence
- If the front right intermediate drive shaft assembly separates while driving, the vehicle will lose propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. If the assembly separates while parked on a grade, without the park brake engaged, the vehicle may move unintentionally, increasing the risk of a vehicle roll-away.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the right front intermediate drive shaft assembly, free of charge. The recall began August 25, 2017. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 17329.