BRIEFLY, FOR THE LAST MONTH AND A HALF I HAVE EXPERIENCED ROUGH IDLE ON START AND ROUGH IDLE & STALL WITH THE CAR LOSING POWER AND GOING DEAD AT RED LIGHTS AND IN TRAFFIC WHILE IN DRIVE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE AUTO MECHANIC AND STORED CODES SUGGESTED REPLACING O2 SENSORS, THE…

12/29/2018 · NHTSA ODI #11164048.0

2012 Equinox · engine

MY MOTOR BLEW DUE TO A OIL LEAK AND SEIZED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC I OWNED THE CAR FOR 37 DAYS AND I OWE 18K ON IT.

12/29/2015 · NHTSA ODI #10816841.0

2012 Equinox · electrical

I was driving my equinox coming up on a red traffic light. Upon pushing down on the brake pedal the radio shut off and the dash started flashing all of the lights very rapidly. The light turned green and i pushed on the accelerator, and there was little or no power and the car…

12/28/2022 · NHTSA ODI #11499239.0

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Active recalls showing 1 of 1

severe NHTSA 11V511000 19/10/2011

GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 CHEVROLET EQUINOX AND GMC TERRAIN VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 18, 2011, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 6, 2011, FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NUMBER 138, "TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM" (TPMS)

UNDERINFLATED TIRES CAN RESULT IN TIRE OVERLOADING AND OVERHEATING, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A BLOWOUT AND POSSIBLE CRASH. THE RESULTING CRASH COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY. UNDERINFLATED TIRES CAN ALSO RESULT IN PREMATURE OR IRREGULAR WEAR, POOR HANDLING, AND POOR FUEL ECONOMY.

Fix: GM DEALERS WILL UPDATE THE BODY CONTROL MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT NOVEMBER 9, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 AND GMC AT 1-866-996-9463.

Common questions

Is the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox reliable?

It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.6 out of 10 based on 681 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.

What's the most common problem on the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox?

Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is engine, with 254 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop.

What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?

The engine is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $3,100 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.

How do I check if my Chevrolet Equinox has open recalls?

Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.

Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox?

Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 681 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $3,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans aren't always better value.

Related vehicles

Recall and complaint data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database, last synced 10 hours ago. Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics. We are not affiliated with chevrolet. Some links on this page are affiliate links and we may earn a commission if you complete a quote or purchase.