YearToAvoid

2011 Chevrolet Equinox Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

95/100

#2 most-complained of 21 Equinox years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2011 Chevrolet Equinox has 782 owner complaints and 3 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 95 out of 100 — #2 highest of 21 Equinox model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is engine (443 complaints, 57% of the total). Complaints report 30 crashes, 3 fires, 41 injuries, and 2 deaths.

Complaints
782
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
30 / 3
Injuries / deaths
41 / 2
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
19.5
16.5 city / 23.5 hwy

Top 2011 Chevy Equinox problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine443 (57%)
  2. Transmission & Powertrain145 (19%)
  3. Brakes77 (10%)
  4. Electrical System75 (10%)
  5. Fuel System75 (10%)
  6. Visibility & Wipers74 (9%)
  7. Other62 (8%)
  8. Airbags52 (7%)
  9. Steering43 (5%)
  10. Structure & Body23 (3%)
2011 Chevrolet Equinox complaints: complaints filed per quarter562010 Q42012 Q42014 Q42016 Q42018 Q42020 Q42022 Q42024 Q4
1102 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2010 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2019 Q3 (56).

2011 Chevrolet Equinox recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 16V502000Jul 5, 2016Electrical System8,367 vehicles

    Electrical system:ignition

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

    Risk: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.

  2. NHTSA 14V447000Jul 23, 2014Structure & Body414,333 vehicles

    Seats:front assembly:power adjust

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Camaro, as well as certain 2010-2012 Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, equipped with power height adjustable driver and passenger seats. In the affected vehicles, the bolt that secures the driver's and passenger's power front seat height adjuster may fall out causing the seat to drop suddenly to the lowest vertical position.

    Risk: If the driver's seat unexpectedly drops, the distraction and altered seat position may affect the drivers' control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the height adjuster shoulder bolts, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed interim letters to owners on September 11, 2014. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14271.

  3. NHTSA 10V623000Dec 15, 2010Seat Belts97,843 vehicles

    Seat belts:front:buckle assembly

    General motors is recalling certain model year 2011 cadillac srx, chevrolet equinox and gmc terrain vehicles. The driver and /or front passenger safety belt buckle anchor may fracture and separate near the seat attachment in a vehicle crash.

    Risk: The safety belt system may not restrain the occupant(s) as designed and could increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will modify the passenger and/or the driver safety belt buckles as necessary. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before january 18, 2011. Owners may contact cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc at 1-866-996-9463 and at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.

2011 Chevrolet Equinox fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16.5 MPG
Highway
23.5 MPG
Combined
19.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,325
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2011 compared with other Equinox years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2009Best094019.5
2010Avoid90784321.5
2011Avoid95782319.5
2012Avoid75685321.5
2013Avoid80751221.5

All Chevrolet Equinox years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox ranks #2 of 21 among Equinox model years (Complaint Index 95/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 782 complaints and 3 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox?
The most reported problem areas are engine (443 complaints), transmission & powertrain (145 complaints), and brakes (77 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 80,000 miles.
Does the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox, most recently reported 2016, covering electrical system, structure & body, and seat belts.
What is the fuel economy of the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox?
EPA rates the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox at 19.5 MPG combined (16.5 city / 23.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,325. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.