Free. Instant. No signup. Pulls recalls and complaints for your exact vehicle.
Couldn't find that VIN. Check the digits and try again.
2014 Chevrolet Equinox visibility problems
moderate
Owners of the 2014 Chevrolet Equinox have filed 178 NHTSA complaints about the visibility at roughly $350 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of September 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.See visibility across all vehicles →
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles
Inoperative windshield wipers can reduce visibility in certain driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the wiper module, and repair or replace it as necessary, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed on April 21, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 25, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212352530.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering visibility on this vehicle — documented
repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall
(it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Service Bulletin21-NA-043Jan 2025
This bulletin advises the dealers to maintain the vehicle stock on hand by doing a full inspection on the vehicles before being sold (prepping) to the customer.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning blows warm air. Before calling General Motors Technical Assistance Center technician will need to have high and low pressures, outside temperature, humidity, and vent temperature.
This Preliminary information communicates to the technician the need to inspect the induction system for potential icing issues in very cold ambient temperatures. To allow the ice to melt so that it can be drained from the related components. That any of the listed DTC's may set with or without poor engine performance.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2014 Equinox has a persistent wiper system failure linked to plastic ball joints in the wiper transmission linkage. The problem strikes most often during heavy rain when owners actually need wipers—the arm disconnects or the joint breaks, stopping both wipers mid-swipe. The motor can still be heard, but the blades freeze in place, leaving drivers with zero windshield visibility on highways or in storms.
Failures occur across a wide mileage range (30,000 to 240,000 miles) but are common before 120,000 miles. Owners repeatedly hear a loud clunk before wipers stop. Many have tried replacing just the plastic bushings, only to have the same failure recur days or weeks later, forcing them to buy a full transmission replacement ($180–$560).
General Motors issued a memo in December 2019 acknowledging this as a known safety issue, then expanded a recall in 2022 citing ball joint corrosion. However, recall parts remained unavailable for months after notification, leaving owners with unsafe vehicles. Some were told to pay out-of-pocket and submit for reimbursement—which GM later denied. The 2013 model was recalled; Canada's recall extended through 2017. The U.S. consistently denied coverage to 2014 owners until the 2022 recall, despite the same part being used across model years.
Same Chevrolet Equinox visibility reports on nearby years: 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2015 · 2016
Failure modes owners describe
Wiper Transmission Arm/Linkage Failure
The wiper transmission arm linkage disconnects or breaks at plastic ball joints, causing both or one wiper to stop moving mid-sweep. Motor can still be heard running, but wipers do not move. May also occur when wipers overextend beyond the windshield boundary. Owners report the ball joint popping out of its socket or the plastic bushing wearing out prematurely.
When: Failures occur during or after rain/wet weather operation, typically within first 50,000–120,000 miles. Some incidents reported as early as vehicle startup.
Symptoms owners cite: Wipers stop moving mid-sweep while motor still runs; Both or single wiper stuck in upright or middle position; Wiper arm hyperextends beyond windshield; Ball joint disconnects from motor socket; No wiper movement after restart attempt; Loud clunk sound from dashboard area at moment of failure
Repairs/costs cited: Owners report replacements of plastic bushings (temporary, fail again within days), ball joint repairs, and full wiper transmission replacement ($180–$560 USD depending on shop). Some dealers offered no-charge repair under warranty or during 2022 recall investigation.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM memo marked URGENT (12/17/2019) references TSB N192266180 for wiper transmission arm linkage failure. 2022 recall (NHTSA Campaign 22V165000) issued for ball joint corrosion and wear; however, parts distribution lag delayed repairs. Recall letter stated owners would be notified when parts available. Some owners paid out-of-pocket with promise of later reimbursement; reimbursement denied by GM when recall parts still unavailable. Canadian recall extended through 2017 models; U.S. recall initially limited to 2013 models, then expanded in 2022 but with delayed parts availability.
Wiper Motor Failure / Motor Cover Defect
Wiper motor ceases to function, with no movement despite motor possibly still audible. One report cited a faulty windshield wiper motor cover preventing motor operation.
When: Occurs during rain or wet-weather wiper use; one report occurred on vehicle startup in driveway.
Symptoms owners cite: Wipers fail to move despite switch activation; Wiper motor makes noise but blades do not move; No wiper movement after engine restart; Motor cover identified as faulty in one case
Repairs/costs cited: Wiper transmission replacement cited ($400–$466). In one case, faulty motor cover diagnosed but vehicle not repaired.
Synthesized from 178 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting
7 most recent
visibility
· filed 12/31/2020
While driving during a rain/snow event, the driver side windshield wiper stopped working. The driver side wiper was suspended while the passenger side continued to move. As visibility decreased my 17-year-old daughter had to pull over and call for assistance. She could no longer see out the driver side windshield.
visibility
· filed 12/24/2018
Driving in very heavy rain around 5:30am, so also very dark out. Windshield wipers on auto, medium-high speed. Going around 30mph and hear a moderately loud "clunk" come from area in front of dashboard and steering wheel. Suddenly my wipers no longer worked, and within seconds it was impossible to see out of my windshield. I had to litterally stick my head out of my driver side window and look…
visibility
· filed 12/23/2018
My wife was driving on interstate 40 during a heavy rain when the windshield wipers suddenly stopped working. Because of this she was nearly in an accident. We had to have the vehicle towed back to our home as it was unsafe to drive in the current weather conditions.
visibility
· filed 12/22/2022
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V165000 (Visibility) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated while driving 45-50 MPH on a rainy day, the windshield wipers ceased to operate as needed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving. The local…
visibility
· filed 12/22/2018
While driving home in a rain storm, I heard a noise from my wipers and then they stopped working. The motor can be heard running, but the blades do not move. This was extremely dangerous as I was on the highway and could not see. After researching, the linkage has broken off and the wiper blades will not move. I cannot operate the vehicle safely in rain/snow and I live in new england. This…
visibility
· filed 12/20/2018
Second occurance -- both stationary and in motion the windshield wipers either do not move, move very slow and stop mid-windshield. This part was replaced with and OEM part just over 1 year ago and is doing the same thing again.
visibility
· filed 12/18/2019
Car was in motion and wipers were in use during rain and wiper just stopped! While driving one evening in the rain, driver's side wiper abruptly stopped mid-wipe and stuck upright on the windshield. I was forced to pull over and inch along to a service center as visibility was severely limited. Chevy dealer determined that the wiper motor and transmission had failed and that part recall had not…
Had visibility trouble with your 2014 Chevrolet Equinox?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the visibility problem on the 2014 Chevrolet Equinox?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 178 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $350 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the visibility typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $350 for visibility repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to visibility?
Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover visibility issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2014/Chevrolet/Equinox.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.