This service bulletin provides information on the proper Reflective High Temperature Heat and/or Insulating Tape to use for certain repairs, such as Wiring Harness Repairs.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2017 Chevrolet Equinox electrical problems
severe Owners of the 2017 Chevrolet Equinox have filed 16 NHTSA complaints about the electrical at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
16
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 Equinox | 54 |
| 2014 Equinox | 37 |
| 2015 Equinox | 37 |
| 2016 Equinox | 20 |
| 2017 Equinox (this page) | 16 |
| 2018 Equinox | 47 |
| 2019 Equinox | 36 |
| 2020 Equinox | 29 |
| 2021 Equinox | 14 |
2fires
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical 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.
The intent of this service bulletin is to identify aftermarket ALDL or DLC interface devices as potential sources for causing multiple customer concerns that do not have other diagnostic methods to identify them.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Service Programming System (SPS) Error Codes E4398, E4399, E4401, E4403, M4404, M4413, M6954, M6955, E4414, E4423, E4491, E4492, or E6961 and resolution information.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This service bulletin provides information to diagnose batteries that have set for a long period of time and/or cold weather climates and testing those batteries.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗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.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report a constellation of starting and electrical failures that dealers struggle to diagnose. Battery drains repeatedly within months of replacement; vehicles won't crank or take multiple tries to start. One owner got stranded with children in the car several times. A separate defect involves the infotainment system dying entirely—radio, display, backup camera, climate control, ADAS, and warning alarms all stop working with no advance warning. Owner notes this affects vehicles from 2012 onward with hundreds of online complaints but no recall.
Engine power loss strikes drivers mid-highway: the vehicle enters limp mode, slows dramatically, and won't accelerate even after throttle body replacement. Dashboard warning lights (service airbag, tire monitor, stability track) flash falsely and can't be cleared, leaving owners uncertain if safety systems actually function.
Water intrusion from the sunroof/headliner area drenches the driver's face at highway speed. Oil consumption occurs without any low-oil warning, leading to complete engine depletion and stalling; dealers replaced rear main seals on multiple vehicles around 130,000 miles. Two separate owners report the vehicle catching fire—one at 3,800 miles while parked, another while driving at 65 mph—with manufacturer attribution to computer rebooting issues. A burned vehicle was retrieved by GM with no public resolution or recall issued.
Same Chevrolet Equinox electrical reports on nearby years: 2015 · 2016 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020
Failure modes owners describe
Starting failures and battery drain
Vehicle won't crank or cranks slowly; complete battery failure; repeated dead battery requiring jumps or charging. Root cause undiagnosed by dealers in multiple cases.
When: First year of ownership; one case at 3,800 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Engine won't turn over or takes multiple attempts; Complete battery failure; Unusually loud windshield wiper motor preceding failure; Lights on dash flickering on and off; Remote start working intermittently
Codes mentioned: P2138 (Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor Voltage Correlation)
Repairs/costs cited: Battery replaced; problem recurred within months. Dealer unable to identify cause of drain. Throttle body replaced (for P2138) but starting issues persisted in some cases.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM Roadside Assistance called in at least one case; dealer inspections inconclusive; computer reboot mentioned in one case
Water intrusion through headliner/sunroof
Water pouring from headliner or microphone assembly area directly into driver's face while driving. Creates immediate vision hazard at highway speeds.
When: Weeks into ownership of certified pre-owned vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: Water pouring from headliner/microphone assembly; Intermittent dripping for hours after initial incident
Reduced Engine Power (limp mode) with throttle issues
Vehicle enters reduced power mode without warning, loses acceleration suddenly and repeatedly, even after throttle body replacement. Creates highway safety hazard.
When: Daily occurrences, multiple times per day
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden loss of acceleration; Vehicle enters reduced engine power mode without warning; Cannot maintain highway speed; Reproducible, ongoing issue
Codes mentioned: P2138
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle body replaced; problem continued after repair
Infotainment system power loss / central electronics shutdown
Complete loss of infotainment power causing cascading failures: radio, display, ADAS systems, warning alarms, backup camera, climate control, blinker sound, interior lighting all stop working. No warning before onset.
When: Occurs without warning during operation
Symptoms owners cite: Infotainment system loses power completely; All ADAS systems stop working; No warning alarms or blinker sound; Backup camera disabled; Radio and GPS stop functioning; Climate control unresponsive; Blank radio display; No dome light or interior noises
Repairs/costs cited: Infotainment center replacement quoted at $2,200. Radio replacement recommended. Owner notes this is widespread issue from 2012 to present across internet.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall issued despite hundreds of online complaints
Dashboard warning lights malfunction
Service airbag, service tire monitor, stability track, and engine light display with no apparent cause or resolution. Some lights can be temporarily reset by moving driver seat.
When: Started November 2020 in one case; ongoing for weeks in another
Symptoms owners cite: Service airbag warning appears without correlation to actual airbag status; Service tire monitor system message appears; Stability track warning light; Engine light illumination; All dashboard gauges stop working intermittently; Multiple false readings; Warnings reset temporarily when driver seat moved (initially)
Repairs/costs cited: BCM (Body Control Module) mentioned by dealer as possible cause but never confirmed or fixed. Vehicle serviced 4 times by dealership with no resolution.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No fix provided despite multiple service visits
Engine fire under dashboard
Vehicle caught fire while parked or immediately after stopping on highway with no apparent external cause. Vehicle destroyed, diagnosed post-fire as computer reboot issue with buzzing noise in engine.
When: At 3,800 miles; another case during highway driving at 65 mph
Symptoms owners cite: Fire started under dashboard while at red light; Vehicle made pop sound before catching fire on highway; Buzzing noise from engine, audible even while parked
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle towed to junkyard then retrieved by manufacturer; destroyed by fire; cause attributed to computer rebooting
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer retrieved vehicle; no details on resolution or recall
Oil consumption and rear main seal failure
Excessive oil consumption not explained by leaks; low oil warning light never illuminates. Rear main seal blows out, causing engine shutdown without warning. Multiple vehicles with same model year fail at similar mileage (~130,000 miles).
When: Started May 2018; seal failure around 130,000 miles; one case at unknown mileage on highway
Symptoms owners cite: Extreme oil consumption; Oil level drops rapidly between changes; Low oil light does not illuminate (no warning); Engine stalls without warning; Rear main seal leaks; Complete oil depletion in some cases; Engine automatically shuts off (limp mode)
Repairs/costs cited: Rear main seal replacement performed. One owner refused service ($2,200+ repair cost) due to disability income. Check engine light remains after repair in at least one case.
Synthesized from 16 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had electrical trouble with your 2017 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 electrical problem on the 2017 Chevrolet Equinox?
It's a meaningful issue. 16 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 16 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 69,988 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical 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 electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
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/2017/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.