YearToAvoid

2012 Chevrolet Equinox Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 84 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox, 12% of the 685 total complaints filed for the year, with a median failure mileage of 75,340. There are no related recalls in NHTSA data for this problem area.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
84
12% of 685
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
1
Median mileage
75,341 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Vehicles unexpectedly drop into neutral while upshifting into second gear, with the engine revving but the car failing to move forward.
  • Owners describe hard, jerky, or delayed gear engagement when starting from a stop, sometimes with a hesitation followed by a hard lurch forward.
  • Some drivers report sudden stalling while in reverse or at low speed, requiring the vehicle to be restarted before it will drive normally again.
  • Multiple contacts report sudden acceleration events tied to the transmission control module, with dealers updating both the transmission and powertrain control modules without guaranteeing a fix.
  • One complaint links persistent transmission sluggishness and incorrect shifting to a documented Chevrolet service bulletin covering the 2.4L engine's timing chain and fuel pump issues, though it says the 2012 model year was not included in that bulletin's coverage.

When 2012 Chevrolet Equinox transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Jan 17, 2012, latest Aug 28, 2025.

2012 Chevrolet Equinox transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per quarter52012 Q12014 Q42016 Q32018 Q12019 Q32021 Q12023 Q3
84 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2012 Q1 to 2025 Q3; peak 2018 Q2 (5).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Equinox model year

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

  1. 2010182 (23%)
  2. 2011145 (19%)
  3. 201284 (12%)
  4. 201380 (11%)
  5. 201440 (7%)
  6. 201563 (9%)
  7. 201626 (7%)
  8. 201732 (12%)
  9. 201866 (16%)
  10. 201936 (12%)
  11. 202039 (13%)
  12. 202117 (18%)
  13. 202210 (6%)
  14. 20235 (5%)
  15. 202411 (14%)
  16. 202534 (15%)

Frequently asked questions

How many transmission complaints does the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox have?
NHTSA lists 84 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2012 Equinox, which is 12% of the 685 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox?
No. NHTSA data shows no related recalls listed for the Transmission & Powertrain problem area on the 2012 Equinox.
At what mileage do 2012 Equinox transmission problems usually show up?
The median mileage at failure for Transmission & Powertrain complaints on the 2012 Equinox is 75,340 miles, based on NHTSA complaint data.
How does the 2012 Equinox compare to other years for transmission complaints?
The 2012 Equinox's 84 transmission complaints and 12% share are lower than the 2010 model year (182 complaints, 23% share) and the 2011 model year (145 complaints, 19% share), based on NHTSA data across model years.

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.