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2018 Chevrolet Equinox problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox has been recalled for and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 5safety recalls
- 410owner complaints
- 23crash reports
- 4fire reports
- 30injuries reported
410 complaints, against an average of 358 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 2018 Chevrolet Equinox?
The components named most often in the 410 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2018 Chevrolet Equinox owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 410 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
- Why is the check engine light on in my 2018 Chevrolet Equinox?43 owners · 10.5%
- Why do the brakes feel soft, fail or make noise on my 2018 Chevrolet Equinox?25 owners · 6.1% · Recall 18V576000
- Why does my 2018 Chevrolet Equinox stall, lose power or shut off while driving?24 owners · 5.9%
- Why won't my 2018 Chevrolet Equinox start?15 owners · 3.7%
- Why does my 2018 Chevrolet Equinox idle rough, misfire or hesitate?14 owners · 3.4%
Has the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox been recalled?
5 U.S. safety recalls. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Power Train: Automatic Transmission 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.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Foundation Components: Disc: Caliper 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.
Fuel System, Gasoline: Delivery: Fuel Pump 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.
Visibility 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.
Power Train: Driveline: Driveshaft 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.
What do 2018 Chevrolet Equinox owners report?
12 of the 410 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.
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.
Chevrolet 2018 Equinox with 2.0L has a fail for no OBD communication. The vehicle was take to two separate Smog Local State Inspections; however, the vehicle failed to communicate with the system. I believe from looking at previous complaints on NHTSA that the vehicle has a module with defects and needs to be replaced. Vehicle has 49,000 miles. Previous complaint states that the local dealer was contacted; however, Product Emission Recall: N202298780; repair was available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure.
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…
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
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…
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the service restraint error message was displayed. The dealer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a front passenger's seat air bag sensor failure. The contact was informed that the front passenger's seat air bag sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the parts were on back order. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact reported the…
In my chevy equinox 2018 my vacuum pump and brake booster failed when I was driving and I could not brake. I slid into the gravel side of the road on the 138, luckily there were not alot of traffic at the time cause I would have caused a major accident. Never had any braking issue till now. Now this is a major financial hardship on me to fix this issue that should have not happened if it got recalled to fix this issue on this certain model. No lights, no indicator lights or anything came on either which was scary. And I have no problems or any other issues with the equinox. It just failed all…
While I was getting off the freeway, my vehicle displayed the “Service Brake Assist” warning. When I attempted to brake, the brake pedal became extremely hard and would not respond normally. The vehicle would not stop normally when I pressed the brake pedal. I was almost involved in a crash because I could not brake as expected. I had to use the emergency parking brake to help bring the vehicle to a stop and avoid a collision. Component/system: The exact failed component is UNKNOWN. Based on the “Service Brake Assist” warning and the extremely hard brake pedal, I am concerned there may be a…
While driving, the vehicle experienced a sudden, catastrophic loss of engine power accompanied by severe engine shaking, reduced acceleration, and a lit Check Engine / ESC light. The vehicle was towed to a technician who diagnosed a complete dead misfire in Cylinder 4. Upon detailed inspection, the ground electrode/tip of the spark plug had broken off inside the combustion chamber while the engine was running. The free-floating metal fragment severely gouged the piston crown and scored the cylinder wall, resulting in a total loss of compression and catastrophic engine failure at just under…
My granddaughter was driving the vehicle and experienced a catastrophic engine failure while driving down the road. Warning messages and audible sounds began and said to turn off the vehicle immediately. The brakes completely stopped working at that point. She pulled over immediately and called to ask what she should do. She was approximately 1/2 mile from home and she drove approximately 10mph to her driveway, pumping the brakes helped get the vehicle to her driveway. The vehicle was then towed to the dealership.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was slipping and shifted hard. Additionally, while on an incline, the vehicle failed to get up to speed. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V668000 (Power Train). The vehicle was driven in LIMP Mode back to the residence. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 112,381.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving at various speeds in cold weather, the message "Caution. Engine Power Reduced" was displayed, and the vehicle failed to exceed 30 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the charge air cooler was replaced, and the CAC shutter, the temperature control valve and the winter grill cover were installed. Additionally, the ECM was reprogrammed. The vehicle was repaired. The contact related the failure to TSB Number: N222372590. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not…
2018 Chevrolet Equinox: questions owners ask
Is the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 410 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox; the most common categories were service brakes (132, 32.2%), engine (86, 21%), power train (66, 16.1%). There are 5 safety recalls. 23 complaints mention a crash, 4 mention a fire, 30 injuries were reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox?
Across 410 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are service brakes (32.2% of complaints), engine (21% of complaints), power train (16.1% of complaints), electrical system (14.9% of complaints), fuel/propulsion system (8% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox; the most recent (campaign 20V668000, 2020-10-29) concerns Power Train: Automatic Transmission. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why is the check engine light on in my 2018 Chevrolet Equinox?
43 of the 410 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox (10.5%) describe the check engine light coming on. One owner wrote: "My 2018 Equinox is failing California Smog due to an incorrect CVN error code, which is covered under Emissions Recall N212345540 or N202298780 and the dealership is refusing to reflash it and asking me to pay for a full diagnostics when there is no check…" (NHTSA complaint 11745632, June 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 do the brakes feel soft, fail or make noise on my 2018 Chevrolet Equinox?
25 of the 410 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox (6.1%) describe brakes feeling soft, failing, grinding or squealing. A related recall exists: campaign 18V576000 (service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: caliper). The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. One owner wrote: "I was driving and the brake vacuum pump failed and the metal shards went up into the engine. The service light went on as they failed and I lost the ability to brake." (NHTSA complaint 11744682, June 2026). Recall repairs are free at a dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why does my 2018 Chevrolet Equinox stall, lose power or shut off while driving?
24 of the 410 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox (5.9%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. One owner wrote: "For the 4th time since November 2025, my vehicle has shut off while driving and there was a severe gas smell. Check engine and traction control lights on dash. So far the turbo booster and fuel injector have been replaced but the issue keeps happening." (NHTSA complaint 11716731, February 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 won't my 2018 Chevrolet Equinox start?
15 of the 410 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox (3.7%) describe the car failing to start. One owner wrote: "Vacuum pump failed and broke with no warning signs at all. After replacement now it will not start well and when it does I have lose off power. Lost brakes while driving on a country road and had to have it towed." (NHTSA complaint 11608090, August 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.
Why does my 2018 Chevrolet Equinox idle rough, misfire or hesitate?
14 of the 410 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox (3.4%) describe rough idling, misfires or hesitation when accelerating. One owner wrote: "Car stopped working at 72K miles. sputtered, stopped, cranked but no start. P0017 error - which has a TSB on it. Camshaft position error. Chevy knows about the issue but just hopes it happens outside of warranty, which is not acceptable." (NHTSA complaint 11539741, August 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.
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 2018 only.