2018 Chevrolet Equinox recalls and problems

The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox has 5 safety recalls and 410 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Chevrolet dealer.

Recalls

Complaints

410

Crashes / fires

23 / 4

Injuries / deaths

30 / 1

Recalls may cover only some 2018 Chevrolet Equinox vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2018 Chevrolet Equinox recalls

Recall 20V-668: Power Train

Reported Oct 29, 2020 · 194,105 vehicles affected · General Motors LLC

Problem: 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.

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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.

Recall 18V-576: Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Reported Aug 30, 2018 · 210,628 vehicles affected · General Motors LLC

Problem: 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.

Risk: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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.

Recall 18V-358: Fuel System, Gasoline

Reported May 31, 2018 · 895 vehicles affected · General Motors LLC

Problem: 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.

Risk: A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.

Fix: 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.

Recall 18V-252: Structure, Visibility

Reported Apr 19, 2018 · 379 vehicles affected · General Motors LLC

Problem: 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."

Risk: If the glass is not tempered properly, and the window is broken, the glass can break into large pieces, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: 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.

Recall 17V-516: Power Train

Reported Aug 22, 2017 · 2,905 vehicles affected · General Motors LLC

Problem: 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.

Risk: 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.

Fix: 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.

2018 Chevrolet Equinox problems reported by owners

Problem area	Reports
Service Brakes	118
Engine	86
Power Train	66
Electrical System	61
Unknown or Other	56
Fuel/Propulsion System	33
Forward Collision Avoidance	19
Structure	17
Steering	15
Air Bags	15
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	14
Wheels	13

Most reported parts

Structure › Body — 16
Forward Collision Avoidance › Automatic Emergency Braking — 11
Forward Collision Avoidance › Warnings — 5
Visibility › Sun/Moon Roof Assembly — 4
Lane Departure › Blind Spot Detection — 3
Forward Collision Avoidance › Adaptive Cruise Control — 3
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Engine Control Module (Ecu/Ecm) — 2
Electrical System › Instrument Panel › Speedometer/Odometer — 2

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 23,000 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2018 Chevrolet Equinox complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Visibility · at 30,115 miles · reported Oct 15, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at 30 MPH with the contact seated in the front passenger seat, the contact attempted to open the retractable sunroof shade cover, which retracted only 6 inches. After several attempts, an abnormal loud sound was heard, and the shade cover detached, hanging down and obstructing rear-view visibility. The manufacturer General Motors was notified of the failure via telephone and referred the contact to a dealer and to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 30,115.

Power Train · reported Sep 23, 2026

Complete and sudden failure of Transmission involving the clutches (clutches are burned up inside the transmission). No warning or dash lights. Confirmed by mechanic and the solution is transmission replacement ($10,000). Car would not accelerate and began losing power on highway. After I exited the highway, the car would not engage gears and stopped accelerating resulting in having to push it out of the roadway and get it towed to my mechanic for diagnostic.

Electrical System · reported Sep 15, 2026

Unknown 2018 chevy equinox is known that the radio goes out, even after reset or hard reset (disconnect battery) the screen is black no sounds or music plays and the biggest safety related is no reverse camera

Fuel/Propulsion System · reported Sep 15, 2026

My 2018 Chevrolet Equinox 1.5L developed an active gasoline leak. After the vehicle is cranked/started, gasoline begins leaking from underneath the front/engine area and forms a visible puddle on the ground. Prior to discovering the leak, the vehicle had intermittent hard-starting symptoms where the engine would crank/stutter several times before starting, along with a strong gasoline odor. The exact failed component has not yet been confirmed by a dealer or repair facility. I stopped driving the vehicle because leaking gasoline near the engine/electrical components creates a serious fire and…

Service Brakes · reported Sep 13, 2026

On approximately 09/04/2026, while driving my vehicle and slowing to a stop, I applied the brake pedal and it suddenly became extremely hard to depress. At approximately the same time, the steering became very stiff and difficult to turn. I believed I had lost normal braking ability and had difficulty controlling the vehicle while attempting to stop. The engine then shut off on its own. After the vehicle stopped, attempts to restart it were unsuccessful. The engine would crank/attempt to start but would not complete the ignition cycle and remain running. A ticking noise was also present. The…

Other Chevrolet Equinox years

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Compare all Chevrolet Equinox years · All Chevrolet models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox: 20V-668 (power train), 18V-576 (service brakes, hydraulic), 18V-358 (fuel system, gasoline), 18V-252 (structure, visibility), 17V-516 (power train). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox?

Owners report service brakes problems most often (118 reports), followed by engine (86). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 23,000 miles.

Are Chevrolet recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Chevrolet dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.