2021 Chevrolet Equinox Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
BestComplaint Index
0/100
#16 most-complained of 16 Equinox years
The 2021 Chevrolet Equinox has 94 NHTSA complaints, a complaint index of 0, and ranks 16th worst out of 16 model years, making it the
- Complaints
- 94
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes / fires
- 6 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 5 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 27.5
- 25.5 city / 30.5 hwy
Top 2021 Chevrolet Equinox problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System20 (21%)
- Fuel System20 (21%)
- Engine18 (19%)
- Other18 (19%)
- Transmission & Powertrain17 (18%)
- Brakes7 (7%)
- Structure & Body7 (7%)
- Airbags4 (4%)
- Seat Belts4 (4%)
- Steering4 (4%)
What owners report
- Intellibeam headlights automatically engaged high beams at various speeds without warning.
- Transmission felt rough shortly after leaving the garage with only around 800 miles on the vehicle.
- Sharp turns from a standstill produced a grinding noise and steering wheel vibration traced to the electric dual pinion rack and pinion steering gear.
- In cold weather, the engine dropped into reduced power mode, cutting speed from highway pace to about 30 mph unexpectedly.
- Airbags failed to deploy in low-speed crashes including a T-bone collision and a traffic circle impact.
2021 Chevrolet Equinox recalls
4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 23V339000May 11, 2023Other668,187 vehicles
Child seat:vehicle latch anchor
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The four rear-seat lower child seat LATCH anchorage bars may have excessive powder coating, which could prevent a child seat from being installed with the anchorage bars. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."
Risk: The inability to install a child seat with the LATCH anchorage bars could result in an unsecured child seat, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Owners are advised to install child seats using the vehicle's rear seat belts until the remedy is complete. Dealers will inspect the latch anchorage bars, and remove and replace the finish, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 2, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N232403240.
- NHTSA 23V013000Jan 19, 2023Fuel System23,323 vehicles
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump:control/drive module
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Chevrolet Equinox and 2022 GMC Terrain vehicles. The fuel pump module may not consistently provide sufficient fuel to the engine, resulting in an engine stall.
Risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 5, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222372310.
- NHTSA 21V612000Aug 5, 2021Suspension, Wheels & Tires9,597 vehicles
Tires
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles equipped with certain Hankook tires. The tires may have been manufactured with an insufficient amount of curative agent, which could cause tread separation.
Risk: Tread separation can result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the tire DOT numbers, and replace any affected tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 31, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782; and Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N212343560.
2021 Chevrolet Equinox fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 25.5 MPG
- Highway
- 30.5 MPG
- Combined
- 27.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,350
- 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.
2021 compared with other Equinox years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox reliable?
- Among the 16 Equinox model years with data, 2021 has a complaint index of 0 and ranks 16th worst first, meaning it has the fewest reported problems relative to other years and carries a 'Best' verdict.
- What are the most common problems with the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox?
- NHTSA complaints are led by Electrical System issues (20 complaints, 21% share) and Fuel System issues (20 complaints, 21% share), followed by Engine (18 complaints) and Transmission & Powertrain (17 complaints).
- Does the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2021 Equinox, covering the fuel pump module, Hankook tire curative agent issues, seat belt bolts, and child seat LATCH anchorage bars; none are do-not-drive recalls.
- At what mileage do 2021 Equinox problems typically show up?
- Median mileage at failure across all complaints is 57,685.5 miles, though Brakes issues appeared much earlier at a median of 10,997.5 miles.
- How does the 2021 Equinox compare to other years?
- The 2021 Equinox has a complaint index of 0 and is rated 'Best,' compared to years like 2010 and 2011 which carry 'Avoid' verdicts with complaint indexes of 87 and 93.