2016 Chevrolet Equinox Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
GoodComplaint Index
40/100
#10 most-complained of 16 Equinox years
The 2016 Chevrolet Equinox has a complaint index of 40, ranking 10th out of 16 model years, with a Good verdict relative to other Equinox years. It has 396 complaints, 1 recall, and the top problem area is Engine at 54% of complaints.
- Complaints
- 396
- Recalls
- 1
- Crashes / fires
- 14 / 3
- Injuries / deaths
- 22 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 4 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 23
- 20 city / 28 hwy
Top 2016 Chevrolet Equinox problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine214 (54%)
- Visibility & Wipers120 (30%)
- Other32 (8%)
- Electrical System26 (7%)
- Transmission & Powertrain26 (7%)
- Fuel System21 (5%)
- Airbags12 (3%)
- Brakes12 (3%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires9 (2%)
- Steering7 (2%)
What owners report
- Owners report airbags failing to deploy in moderate-speed collisions despite significant impact.
- Some drivers describe brake pedals going to the floor or vehicles rolling backward unexpectedly, including one case with the vehicle in park.
- One owner reported the engine emitting black smoke and triggering the check engine light while driving 32 MPH.
- A steering system reportedly locked into one position while driving on the interstate, causing loss of control.
- One electrical system complaint described a fire starting near the engine minutes after a low-speed rear-end collision.
2016 Chevrolet Equinox recalls
1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.
- NHTSA 16V449000Jun 21, 2016Other17 vehicles
Equipment:other:labels
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles manufactured October 16, 2015. The certification labels may have incorrect tire/rim size and cold tire pressure information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: If the information on the certification labels is incorrect, the operator may install incorrectly sized tires or rims or may improperly inflate the tires, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the certification label, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1050, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 46600.
2016 Chevrolet Equinox fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 20 MPG
- Highway
- 28 MPG
- Combined
- 23 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,800
- 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.
2016 compared with other Equinox years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox reliable?
- Relative to other Equinox model years, the 2016 is rated Good, with a complaint index of 40 ranking 10th out of 16 years tracked by NHTSA complaint data.
- What are the most common problems with the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox?
- NHTSA complaints show Engine issues make up 54% of complaints, followed by Visibility & Wipers at 30%, Electrical System at 7%, and Transmission & Powertrain at 7%.
- Does the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2016 Equinox, covering an incorrect tire/rim size and cold tire pressure certification label; it is not a do-not-drive recall.
- At what mileage do 2016 Equinox problems typically show up?
- The median mileage at failure across all reported issues is 65,000 miles, with engine-related complaints reported at a median of 85,000 miles.
- How does the 2016 Equinox compare to other years?
- With a complaint index of 40, the 2016 Equinox ranks better than years like 2010 and 2011 (Avoid, index 87 and 93) but has more reported issues than the 2017 Equinox (Best, index 20).