UsedScore

2015 Chevrolet Equinox: Solid

Owners filed 218 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Chevrolet Equinox in its first five years on the road, about 81 for every 100,000 sold: 1.1× the rate of a typical Equinox year. That's close to a typical year.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is visibility (glass, wipers, mirrors) (46% of complaints, median 71,000 miles).

Complaint index
1.1×
per vehicle sold, vs. a typical Equinox year
Rank
11th of 14
1st = fewest complaints
Complaints
218
first five years; 81 per 100,000 sold
Recalls
2
campaigns
2nd generation, 2010–2017 · Updated September 24, 2026 · How we rate
2011 Chevrolet Equinox LTZ

Photo: 2011 Chevrolet Equinox LTZ · IFCAR, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Problem areas

Ranked by severity-weighted complaints · share · median miles
  1. Visibility46% · 100 complaints · median 71,000 miles
  2. Air bags8% · 17 complaints · median 39,000 miles
  3. Engine18% · 40 complaints · median 57,000 miles
  4. Electrical8% · 18 complaints · median 23,000 miles
  5. Brakes7% · 16 complaints · median 21,000 miles
  6. Body and structure2% · 5 complaints
  7. Powertrain5% · 11 complaints · median 55,000 miles
  8. Seats and belts2% · 5 complaints
  9. Steering5% · 10 complaints · median 17,000 miles
  10. Speed control3% · 6 complaints · median 23,000 miles

Bars rank problem areas by complaints weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries and deaths count more). A complaint can name more than one area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

What owners describe

Air bags

Owners of this model report crashes, including hard front and side impacts, where the air bags did not deploy, sometimes alongside seat belts that failed to retract. Others describe recurring 'service air bag' warnings and passenger sensor problems needing costly repairs.

Warning signs:
Many describe a 'service air bag' dashboard message or dinging alert, sometimes with a burning smell or white smoke, appearing before or after a crash.
What shops did:
Some had dealers replace the air bag module, passenger presence detector, or sensor, often at owner expense after warranty expired; a few report Takata-related recall parts on order.
Mileage:
most between 35,000 and 85,000 miles, among 24 complaints that give it

“My seat belt locked, but none of the front or side curtain air bags deployed.”

“Service airbag dash light/alarm comes on every 10 seconds whether someone is in the seat or not.”

Engine

Owners of this Equinox commonly report the engine stalling unexpectedly while driving or losing oil rapidly, sometimes leading to a damaged or replaced engine. Many say there was little or no warning before the problem appeared, and repairs often involved costly engine or seal replacement.

Warning signs:
Owners often mention rough idling, rattling, knocking or tapping noises, hesitation between brake and gas, illuminated check-engine or reduced-power lights, and sometimes a burning smell or visible oil under the car before the failure.
What shops did:
Dealers and mechanics frequently replaced camshaft position actuator solenoids, PCV components, or rear main seals, and in many cases recommended or performed a full engine replacement; some shops could not duplicate or diagnose the stalling.
Mileage:
most between 60,000 and 110,000 miles, among 110 complaints that give it

“Engine stalled in heavy traffic. Restarted after turning ignition off and on. Car kept hesitating every time from brake to gas when trying to move forward from stopped.”

“Car started rattling, shaking, stalling with no indication beforehand of any problems.”

Visibility

Many owners describe their windshield wipers abruptly quitting while driving in rain or snow, leaving them with little to no visibility until they could pull over. Repairs usually involved replacing a wiper transmission, linkage, or motor assembly, and many owners mention a related recall in Canada or for other model years that didn't apply to their vehicle.

Warning signs:
Owners describe wipers moving erratically, becoming stuck upright or off to one side, or a motor that runs but no longer moves the blades, usually during rain or snow.
What shops did:
Dealers and mechanics most often replaced the wiper transmission, motor assembly, bushings, or module, sometimes after saying the vehicle wasn't covered by a recall.
Mileage:
most between 60,000 and 100,000 miles, among 212 complaints that give it

“The contact noticed that the windshield wiper arms pulled away from the windshield and the windshield motor remained activated.”

“It's the plastic bushels on the windshield linkage that keep coming off causing my windshield wipers to either not come up at all”

Summaries are written with AI from the owner complaints shown on NHTSA's site and checked against them; quotes are word for word.

Recalls (2)

Check a VIN on NHTSA ›
  • NHTSA 22V165000March 2022681,509 vehicles

    Visibility: windshield wiper/washer: motor

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The ball joints in the windshield wiper module may corrode, causing one or both windshield wipers to fail.

    Risk: Inoperative windshield wipers can reduce visibility in certain driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Dealers will inspect the wiper module, and repair or replace it as necessary, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 15V666000October 2015395 vehicles

    Air bags: side/window

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro, Equinox, Malibu, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The affected vehicles have front seat-mounted side impact air bags whose inflator may rupture upon its deployment.

    Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of one or both of the side impact air bags, the air bag's inflator may rupture and the air bag may not properly inflate. The rupture could cause metal fragments to strike the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death. Additionally, if the air bag does not properly inflate, the driver or passenger is at an increased risk of injury.

    Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side impact air bag modules, free of charge.

A recall only helps if the repair was done. Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup before you buy.

Service bulletins

Chevrolet sent NHTSA 1,579 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2015 Equinox. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

  • 00-06-01-026R · June 2025This service bulletin provides information on replacing the intake manifold when the engine is replaced after severe internal engine damage.
  • 23-NA-153 · May 2025The service bulletin advises the tech of a normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle response when the throttle plate is opened rapidly and advises the customer that it is normal…
  • 15-NA-010 · May 2025This service bulletin provides information to dealership personnel for new vehicles with less than 1,000 miles that may not pass California smog inspection or smog inspection in other states.
  • 25-NA-052 · March 2025This bulletin advises the technician to flush the cooling system multiple times if oil has been found in the cooling system and replace the parts that may be contaminated due to oil in system.
  • 21-NA-043 · January 2025This bulletin advises the dealers to maintain the vehicle stock on hand by doing a full inspection on the vehicles before being sold (prepping) to the customer.
  • 22-NA-074 · January 2025This service bulletin provides service information to technicians on guidelines to replace Oil Cooler, Oil Cooler Lines and Oil Tank if the engine was replaced where large amounts of debris has…
  • 09-06-04-026Z · January 2025This bulletin provides information on identifying Non-GM Engine Calibrations for Gasoline Engines using the Tech 2 or GDS 2.
  • 19-NA-219 · November 2024This diagnostic tip bulletin provides additional information on how to diagnose a possible valve, lifter or camshaft issue.

All 2015 Equinox bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2015 Chevrolet Equinox reliable?
Owners filed 218 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 Chevrolet Equinox in its first five years on the road, about 81 for every 100,000 sold: 1.1× the rate of a typical Equinox year. That's close to a typical year. Ratings compare Equinox years with each other using complaints filed with NHTSA; they don't measure every problem owners have.
What are the most common 2015 Equinox problems?
Owners' complaints most often involve visibility (glass, wipers, mirrors) (46%), the air bags (8%) and the engine (18%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2015 Chevrolet Equinox been recalled?
Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2015 Chevrolet Equinox, the most recent in March 2022 (visibility). Enter the vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether the repairs were done.

Sources

Owner complaints, recalls and manufacturer communications from NHTSA's public data files, as of September 24, 2026. Complaints are counted once each, over the model year's first 60 months on the road. UsedScore is not affiliated with NHTSA or Chevrolet. The 2015 Chevrolet Equinox on NHTSA.gov · How we rate