2012 Chevrolet Equinox Electrical System Problems
NHTSA lists 74 electrical system complaints for the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox, 11% of its 685 total complaints, with a median failure mileage of 64,000. One crash, one fire, and two injuries are tied to this component, though the only related recall found (16V502000) applies to a different GM model.
- Electrical System complaints
- 74
- 11% of 685
- Crashes reported
- 1
- Fires reported
- 1
- Injuries reported
- 2
- Median mileage
- 64,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 1
Typical electrical symptoms owners report
- Battery and alternator failures cause the vehicle to lose charge, throw computer codes, and shut off while driving.
- Instrument panel and gauge displays become dim or blurry, sometimes making the speedometer unreadable in daylight.
- Interior electrical systems flicker or strobe before the vehicle stalls or dies while driving at low speed.
- All-wheel-drive warning lights illuminate and the system becomes inoperable, requiring a manual restart to reset the computer.
- Radio, GPS unit, and air conditioning controls freeze or stop responding after the engine is started.
- Key fob and door lock functions stop working intermittently until the fob is inserted into the ignition.
When 2012 Chevrolet Equinox electrical complaints were filed
First complaint Aug 6, 2012, latest Sep 1, 2026.
Electrical System recalls for the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
- 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.
Electrical System complaints by Equinox model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How common are electrical problems on the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox?
- NHTSA lists 74 electrical system complaints for the 2012 Equinox, which is 11% of the 685 total complaints filed for that model year.
- At what mileage do electrical problems typically show up?
- The median mileage at failure for electrical system complaints on the 2012 Equinox is 64,000 miles.
- Is there a recall for the 2012 Equinox electrical system?
- NHTSA's related recall record, 16V502000, covers an electronic park lock lever issue, but it applies to the 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, not the 2012 Equinox.
- Did the electrical issues cause any crashes or fires?
- NHTSA data tied to this component on the 2012 Equinox lists 1 crash, 1 fire, and 2 injuries among the reported complaints.
- Are electrical complaints worse in 2012 compared to other Equinox years?
- The 2012 Equinox's 74 electrical complaints and 11% share are close to the 2010 (83 complaints, 11%), 2011 (75 complaints, 10%), and 2013 (73 complaints, 10%) model years, suggesting a similar pattern across those years.