Free. Instant. No signup. Pulls recalls and complaints for your exact vehicle.
Couldn't find that VIN. Check the digits and try again.
severe Owners of the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox have filed 13 NHTSA complaints about the visibility, typically surfacing around 21,000 miles at roughly $350 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See visibility across all vehicles →
| Model year | visibility complaints |
|---|---|
| 2014 Equinox | 178 |
| 2015 Equinox | 264 |
| 2016 Equinox | 108 |
| 2017 Equinox | 8 |
| 2018 Equinox (this page) | 13 |
| 2019 Equinox | 3 |
| 2022 Equinox | 3 |
If the glass is not tempered properly, and the window is broken, the glass can break into large pieces, increasing the risk of injury.
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.
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 ↗This PI provides information on Rear and Side Tempered Glass Spots (Quench Marks) and that they are a normal characteristic.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This technical bulletin provides a procedure for air conditioning refrigerant desiccant replacement due to A/C Not Cooling or refrigerant loss.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗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.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This PI provides information on Rear and Side Tempered Glass Spots (Quench Marks) and that they are a normal characteristic.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The 2018 Equinox visibility and sunroof complaints cluster around several distinct problem areas.
Sunroof failures dominate: one owner experienced a loud whining sound followed by an explosion that blew a hole in the panoramic sunroof while driving in rain; another suffered severe water intrusion that flooded the cabin to ankle height and grew mold despite multiple dealer repair attempts. A third reported the sunroof shade clip fractured at 70 mph and struck their face—and the same clip failed again on three subsequent dealer visits.
Windshield and wiper issues are recurring: two owners report wipers that stopped working without cause during snow and while driving (one stopped merging onto I-295, blew a tire, and needed emergency towing); a third says wipers never worked correctly from purchase; rear wipers also quit. One owner's passenger windshield exploded at 65 mph with no impact. Cold weather causes windshield fogging that's hard to clear.
Other visibility defects include a driver-side mirror camera that flickers and goes black (part backordered with no delivery estimate), a defroster emitting mold odor, and a seat design flaw that created a blind spot on the front passenger side, causing one owner to hit a flower bed.
Dealers have struggled to fix most of these issues. The manufacturer typically defers or doesn't respond.
Same Chevrolet Equinox visibility reports on nearby years: 2015 · 2016
Water leaks into the cabin through the panoramic sunroof, soaking the floor and pooling up to ankle height. Multiple dealer repair attempts failed to resolve the leak, and mold growth was documented in the vehicle.
When: Approximately 36,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Floor soaked with moisture upon entering vehicle; Vehicle flooded with water; Moisture dripping onto driver's head while driving; Mold growth detected inside vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple dealer repair attempts performed; failure persisted after each repair
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was notified; vehicle was not repaired
Loud whining sound followed by a loud boom; hole appeared in sunroof with glass pushed outward, indicating internal pressure or blast. Owner reports clear roadway and daylight conditions; dealer attributed to roadway debris without evidence.
When: During daytime rain while driving 55 mph
Symptoms owners cite: Loud constant whining sound for 3–5 minutes before failure; Loud boom or explosion noise; Visible hole in sunroof with glass pushed outward from inside
Repairs/costs cited: Taken to GM dealer; dealer blamed roadway debris
Sunroof shade clip fractured and separated while driving 70 mph, striking the driver's face. The same failure recurred three times across separate repair visits to the dealer.
When: 17,500 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Sunroof shade clip fractured; Clip separated, striking driver's face; No warning indicators
Repairs/costs cited: Shade clips replaced on three separate occasions at Randy Marion Chevrolet Buick Cadillac; failure recurred after repairs
Wipers stop working while driving, with no apparent cause. One owner reported wipers never functioned properly from purchase; another owner researched and found recalls for older model years but not for the 2018. Owner notes many reports of the same issue online dating back to 2000.
When: Owner #3: during snow/slush conditions; Owner #10: initially checked October 2018, complete failure later; Owner #12: two years after purchase
Symptoms owners cite: Wipers stopped working without warning while driving; Wipers never functioned correctly from purchase; Wipers stopped working completely after initial inspection
Repairs/costs cited: Owner #3 experienced emergency stop and blowout of front passenger tire when wipers failed; Owner #10 researched online complaints
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner #3 found recalls for older model years but not for 2018 model
Rear wiper stopped working two years after vehicle purchase with no reported cause or prior issues.
When: Two years after purchase (approximately 24,000–36,000 miles estimated)
Symptoms owners cite: Rear wiper stopped working
Passenger-side windshield exploded without warning or impact at 65 mph. No injuries reported. Manufacturer was notified but did not assist; vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.
When: 21,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Windshield exploded without warning; No prior impact or damage reported; No injuries
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was notified and did not assist
Driver-side mirror camera flickers and goes black, disabling the mirror display. Part placed on backorder with no estimated delivery time as of November 2017.
When: Early ownership (October 2017 for new 2018 model)
Symptoms owners cite: Driver-side mirror camera flickers; Mirror camera goes black; Mirror display non-functional
Repairs/costs cited: New mirror needed to be ordered; part was on backorder as of November 15, 2017 with no estimated delivery time
Panoramic moonroof failed to operate. Independent mechanic was unable to diagnose or repair; owner was referred to dealer. Manufacturer was notified.
When: Approximately 80,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Panoramic moonroof failed to operate
Repairs/costs cited: Independent mechanic unable to fix; referred to dealer
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was notified of the failure
Windshield becomes foggy when outdoor temperature drops (cold weather) and is difficult to keep clear, impairing forward visibility.
When: Cold weather conditions
Symptoms owners cite: Windshield becomes foggy easily in cold temperatures; Difficult to keep windshield clear
Defroster emitted an abnormal odor consistent with mold, causing congestion in an allergic owner. Manufacturer referred owner to NHTSA for complaint, stating no recall available.
When: 30,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Abnormal mold odor from defroster; Caused owner congestion (owner reports mold allergy)
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer informed owner to contact NHTSA; stated no recall related to defroster
Driver's and passenger's front seats were designed too low, creating a blind spot on the front passenger side that prevented the driver from seeing the area. Owner drove over a flower bed due to this visibility impairment.
When: Approximately 20,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Blind spot on front passenger side when driving; Driver unable to see front passenger-side area
Repairs/costs cited: Owner drove over flower bed due to blind spot
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was made aware but provided no assistance
Synthesized from 13 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
It's a meaningful issue. 13 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $350.
Across the 11 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most visibility failures cluster between 17,500 and 56,395 miles, with the median around 21,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 17,500; a quarter make it past 56,395. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
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.
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.