YearToAvoid

2012 Chevrolet Equinox Structure & Body Problems

NHTSA lists 31 Structure & Body complaints for the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox, 5% of its 685 total complaints for the year. Owners most often described rear hatch and door problems, door rust, seat and head rest defects, and cases where occupants got locked in. A related recall (14V447000) covers power height adjuster seat bolts.

Structure & Body complaints
31
5% of 685
Crashes reported
2
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
2
Median mileage
68,303 mi
Related recalls
1

Typical body and structure symptoms owners report

  • Rear liftgate opens or lowers on its own and has struck people standing behind the vehicle, even after dealer part replacements.
  • Front and rear doors develop rust and peeling paint along the lower hem seam and door frame, sometimes visible on all four doors.
  • Driver and passenger head rests become stuck in position and cannot be adjusted.
  • Some owners reported being locked inside the vehicle with no warning light indicating a failure.
  • Front seat brackets have separated from the floor during rear-impact collisions, allowing the seat to break loose.
  • Owners tied to recall 14V447000 reported dealers lacked replacement parts for the affected power seat height adjuster.

When 2012 Chevrolet Equinox body and structure complaints were filed

First complaint Nov 15, 2011, latest Mar 15, 2022.

2012 Chevrolet Equinox structure & body complaints: complaints filed per month2Nov 2011Nov 2013Apr 2015May 2016Jun 2017May 2018Jul 2019Mar 2022
31 complaints filed with NHTSA from Nov 2011 to Mar 2022; peak Sep 2013 (2).

Structure & Body recalls for the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox

  1. 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.

Structure & Body complaints by Equinox model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201034 (4%)
  2. 201123 (3%)
  3. 201231 (5%)
  4. 201313 (2%)
  5. 201410 (2%)
  6. 201514 (2%)
  7. 20167 (2%)
  8. 20175 (2%)
  9. 201823 (6%)
  10. 20198 (3%)
  11. 20209 (3%)
  12. 20217 (7%)
  13. 20225 (3%)
  14. 20233 (3%)
  15. 20244 (5%)
  16. 20253 (1%)

Frequently asked questions

How many Structure & Body complaints does the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox have?
NHTSA lists 31 Structure & Body complaints for the 2012 Equinox, which is 5% of the 685 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall related to Structure & Body issues on the 2012 Equinox?
Yes. Recall 14V447000, reported in 2014, covers 2010-2012 Chevrolet Equinox vehicles with power height-adjuster seat bolts; GM replaces the shoulder bolts free of charge.
At what mileage do Structure & Body problems typically appear?
The median mileage at failure for Structure & Body complaints on the 2012 Equinox is 68,303 miles.
Did Structure & Body problems cause crashes or injuries?
NHTSA data shows 2 crashes and 2 injuries linked to Structure & Body complaints on the 2012 Equinox, with no fires reported.
How does the 2012 Equinox compare to other years for this problem area?
The 2012 model's 5% share of complaints tied to Structure & Body is higher than most other Equinox years, which mostly range from 2% to 3%, though 2018 and 2021 also show elevated shares of 6% and 7%.

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.