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2016 Chevrolet Equinox problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox has been recalled for and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 1safety recall
- 399owner complaints
- 14crash reports
- 3fire reports
- 22injuries reported
399 complaints, against an average of 359 for the other 14 Chevrolet Equinox model years.
Every Chevrolet Equinox model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox?
The components named most often in the 399 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2016 Chevrolet Equinox owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 399 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
- Why do the windshield wipers stop working on my 2016 Chevrolet Equinox?95 owners · 23.8%
- Why is my 2016 Chevrolet Equinox burning or losing oil?74 owners · 18.5%
- Why does my 2016 Chevrolet Equinox stall, lose power or shut off while driving?67 owners · 16.8%
- Has the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox had engine failures?49 owners · 12.3%
- Why is the check engine light on in my 2016 Chevrolet Equinox?36 owners · 9%
- What causes a knocking, ticking or rattling noise in the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox engine?29 owners · 7.3%
- Why does my 2016 Chevrolet Equinox idle rough, misfire or hesitate?14 owners · 3.5%
- Why does my 2016 Chevrolet Equinox smell of burning or smoke?14 owners · 3.5%
Has the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox been recalled?
1 U.S. safety recall. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Equipment: Other: Labels General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles manufactured October 16, 2015. The certification labels may have incorrect tire/rim size and cold tire pressure information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: If the information on the certification labels is incorrect, the operator may install incorrectly sized tires or rims or may improperly inflate the tires, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the certification label, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1050, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 46600.
What do 2016 Chevrolet Equinox owners report?
12 of the 399 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
The drivers' side front seatbelt will not retract back into the b pillar when taken off. It will get caught in the door when closing it and prevent the driver's door from closing. The transmission slips out of gear when decelerating and accelerating in traffic. This causes the transmission to slam back into gear.
I am filing this complaint regarding a safety-related engine problem with my 2016 Chevrolet Equinox. My vehicle is currently experiencing excessive crankcase pressure associated with the PCV system. The vehicle requires PCV service, and I have been advised that the excessive crankcase pressure has contributed to multiple engine oil leaks, including a timing cover leak and front main seal leak. I am concerned that the underlying PCV/crankcase-pressure problem is causing or contributing to these failures rather than these being isolated gasket or seal failures. Excessive crankcase pressure can…
Timing chain guide broke and caused catastropic engine failure while driving 70 miles an hour on the highway causing steering, brakes etc to lock up putting me and my family at risk of accident and great bodily harm. Vehicle is available for inspection. No prior knowledge of mechanic problems due to only having purchased the vehicle from Mac's Chevrolet 4 months prior. Have since learned of the oil consumption issue associated with this year equinox which likely contributed to the timing chain failure. Vehicle has been inspected by two independent mechanics. This vehicle completely locking up…
Wipers just stopped working on the highway in a very bad rain storm, when I was taking my daughter to school. We could not see and had to put our hazards on and somehow carefully pull off to the side of the road. We could have easily been rear ended or worse “Killed”. There was no warning given. This was very scary for me and my child. Why isn’t there a recall for the 2016 Equinox??
Wipers stopped working while driving in the rain
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while reversing the vehicle on a cold, snowy day, there was oil on the driveway. There was a fuel odor inside the vehicle, and the engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the failure was related to the PCV system. The mechanic stated that the PCV valve was clogged, causing the gasket to fail. The vehicle was partially repaired. The mechanic later informed the contact that other repairs were necessary. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that there were…
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the air bag warning light illuminated. The warning light remained illuminated constantly. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the weight sensor on the front passenger’s seat had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Coming home from a trip without any warning our 2016 equinox scared me when it made a terrible sound lost power and stopped working. We’re 100’s miles away from home on the side of a road in the dark. We called for towing to a dealer payed for a hotel waited till the next day for it to be looked at. Told the engine was blown that the timing belt and everything in there was bent and in pieces 10,000-12,000 dollars to replace. Mind you this car is a ltz and very well talking care of. Without fixing it it’s worth 1000.00. Shame on gmc we should have been notified about issues. This happens at…
In Feb 2025, I was driving, a day after a snow storm, on the highway when without warning my car stopped accelerating, and just shut down. The mechanic said my oil was all over the ground. He also stated that there's a defect in the 2.4l ecotec motors and the pistons broke on my vehicle. Now I have to pay $3500 to rebuild my motor. He stated that the vehicle has a higher oil consumption rate/ leaks and you will never know
When temperatures were around 0 degrees, I was driving to work and I started hearing a noise and the car was shaking. I oil all over the ground and checked the oil once parked, the dip stick had no oil and there was white foam under the oil cap. This issue could've cause me to lose control of my vehicle while driving, putting myself and anyone around me at risk. I had the vehicle towed to a dealership where they found out that the rear main seal failed. They replaced the rear main seal along with the front main seal and sent me on my way. I had no issues for the next month, but the weather…
Snowy conditions. All of the traction control, stabilitrak, and abs systems are working normally. Sometimes when i accelerate and the wheels start to spin the whole infotainment console turns off. Its almost like the battery is dead for a few seconds then everything turns back on.
It doesn't make sense how much oil this thing burns. We just had the oil changed last month and prior to that we've replaced the solenoids. Why in heavens did this vehicle stall out yesterday when my husband was driving on the highway saying engine power reduced. This vehicle is costing a fortune. There is truly something wrong with these engines! This could have cause a major crash. Thank goodness no one got hurt.
2016 Chevrolet Equinox: questions owners ask
Is the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 399 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox; the most common categories were engine (203, 50.9%), visibility/wiper (114, 28.6%), power train (27, 6.8%). There is 1 safety recall. 14 complaints mention a crash, 3 mention a fire, 22 injuries were reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox?
Across 399 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are engine (50.9% of complaints), visibility/wiper (28.6% of complaints), power train (6.8% of complaints), electrical system (6% of complaints), fuel/propulsion system (4.8% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox; the most recent (campaign 16V449000, 2016-06-21) concerns Equipment: Other: Labels. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why do the windshield wipers stop working on my 2016 Chevrolet Equinox?
95 of the 399 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox (23.8%) describe windshield wipers stopping or failing. One owner wrote: "Wipers just stopped working on the highway in a very bad rain storm, when I was taking my daughter to school. We could not see and had to put our hazards on and somehow carefully pull off to the side of the road." (NHTSA complaint 11766510, September 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why is my 2016 Chevrolet Equinox burning or losing oil?
74 of the 399 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox (18.5%) describe excessive oil consumption or oil leaks. One owner wrote: "Timing chain guide broke and caused catastropic engine failure while driving 70 miles an hour on the highway causing steering, brakes etc to lock up putting me and my family at risk of accident and great bodily harm. Vehicle is available for inspection." (NHTSA complaint 11768744, October 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2016 Chevrolet Equinox stall, lose power or shut off while driving?
67 of the 399 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox (16.8%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. One owner wrote: "Excessive oil consumption with no warning light, loss of power, and stalling. Also caused the master seal to leak and plugged the PCV valve. I have records for the repairs. It continues to excessively use oil and is not a reliable vehicle." (NHTSA complaint 11729651, April 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Has the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox had engine failures?
49 of the 399 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox (12.3%) describe complete engine failure or a replaced engine. One owner wrote: "Timing chain guide broke and caused catastropic engine failure while driving 70 miles an hour on the highway causing steering, brakes etc to lock up putting me and my family at risk of accident and great bodily harm. Vehicle is available for inspection." (NHTSA complaint 11768744, October 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why is the check engine light on in my 2016 Chevrolet Equinox?
36 of the 399 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox (9%) describe the check engine light coming on. One owner wrote: "The vehicle burns oil causing engine failure. This issue occurs without warning (no oil light, and the check engine light appears moments before the vehicle dies)." (NHTSA complaint 11591492, May 2024). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
What causes a knocking, ticking or rattling noise in the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox engine?
29 of the 399 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox (7.3%) describe a knocking, ticking or rattling engine noise. One owner wrote: "Timing chain guide broke and caused catastropic engine failure while driving 70 miles an hour on the highway causing steering, brakes etc to lock up putting me and my family at risk of accident and great bodily harm. Vehicle is available for inspection." (NHTSA complaint 11768744, October 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2016 Chevrolet Equinox idle rough, misfire or hesitate?
14 of the 399 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox (3.5%) describe rough idling, misfires or hesitation when accelerating. One owner wrote: "Engine started with fuel injectors starting leaking out of injector. Then codes started popping up. Bad fuel rail - misfire - imbalanced below threshold catalyst system efficiency. All caused by crack on exhaust manifold. The cost was substantial." (NHTSA complaint 11546814, September 2023). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2016 Chevrolet Equinox smell of burning or smoke?
14 of the 399 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox (3.5%) describe a burning smell or smoke. One owner wrote: "It appears the 2.4L engine is burning oil at a high rate, leading to engine stutters, stalling, and outright engine failure." (NHTSA complaint 11627576, November 2024). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Check your own Equinox
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2016 only.