YearToAvoid

2018 Chevrolet Equinox Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Caution The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox has a complaint index of 65, ranking 8th worst among 21 model years, and carries a Caution verdict. Brakes are the top problem area with 139 complaints (34% of total) and a median failure mileage of 64,000, backed by five recalls.

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

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
65/100
#8 of 21 Equinox years
Verdict
Caution
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
408
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
5
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
23
reported in complaints
Fires
4
Injuries
30
Top issue
Brakes
Best nearby year
2021
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
27
25 city / 31 hwy
Injuries / deaths
30 / 1

Top 2018 Chevy Equinox problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Brakes139 (34%)
  2. Engine104 (25%)
  3. Electrical System67 (16%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain66 (16%)
  5. Other57 (14%)
  6. Fuel System41 (10%)
  7. Structure & Body23 (6%)
  8. Collision Avoidance & Cameras16 (4%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires16 (4%)
  10. Visibility & Wipers16 (4%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Brake pedal reportedly travels to the floor or locks up hard, leading to failure to stop and collisions.
  • Vehicles have reportedly rolled away unintentionally while parked, even with the gear in park, striking other vehicles or objects.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in side and rear-end collisions, with some owners describing smoke coming from the airbag area.
  • One report describes a front wheel rim detaching at highway speed, causing the vehicle to roll multiple times.
  • Owners report electrical smoke and burning plastic smell under the hood, in one case followed by the vehicle catching fire.
2018 Chevrolet Equinox complaints: complaints filed per quarter222017 Q22018 Q32019 Q42021 Q12022 Q22023 Q32024 Q42026 Q1
408 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2017 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2026 Q1 (22).

2018 Chevrolet Equinox recalls

5 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 20V668000Oct 29, 2020Transmission & Powertrain194,105 vehicles

    Power train:automatic transmission

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.

    Risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.

  2. NHTSA 18V576000Aug 30, 2018Brakes210,628 vehicles

    Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliper

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.

    Risk: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.

  3. NHTSA 18V358000May 31, 2018Fuel System895 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.

    Risk: A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18188.

See all 5 recalls for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox →

2018 Chevrolet Equinox fuel economy and fuel cost

City
25 MPG
Highway
31 MPG
Combined
27 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,950
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.

2018 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
2016Good40396123
2017Good25273023
2018Caution65408527
2019Good35301427.5
2020Caution70308426

All Chevrolet Equinox years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox reliable?
NHTSA data gives the 2018 Equinox a complaint index of 65 and a Caution verdict, ranking 8th worst out of 21 model years for this model. Brakes account for 34% of its 408 complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox?
Brakes are the top problem area, with 139 complaints, 34% of the total, 10 related crashes, and a median failure mileage of 64,000.
Does the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists five recalls for the 2018 Equinox, covering transmission accumulator bolts, brake system bleeding, a fuel pump, front door glass tempering, and a front driveshaft that could fracture.
How does the 2018 Equinox compare to other model years?
Its complaint index of 65 is worse than years like 2017 (25, Good) and 2021 (5, Best), but better than years like 2011 (95, Avoid) and 2025 (100, Avoid).
How many crashes and fires were reported for the 2018 Equinox?
NHTSA data lists 23 crashes, 4 fires, 30 injuries, and 1 death associated with 2018 Equinox complaints.

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.