Most common 2008 Chevrolet Equinox problems
Share of the 370 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Equinox complaints by model year
Best Equinox years: 2021, 2017, 2016. Years to avoid: 2025. Compare all years →
What 2008 Chevrolet Equinox owners say
Air bags all 110 →
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the airbag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Equinox. While driving 70 MPH with his daughter, wife, and nephew, the contact stated that the steering wheel failed to turn without warning. As a result, the contact crashed into a road sign. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact's daughter sustained a contusion on the chest wall and his wife sustained shoulder pain. The daughter required medical attention. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
Electrical system all 65 →
Occasionally, when finished driving and the key is turned towards the off position it will not fully turn back in order to pull the key out. It will shut off the engine but generally stops in approx. the accy position. If you restart the engine and drive a little more it has then backed all the way off and been able to remove the key. (It has been ongoing for some time but my father has been just dealing with it.)
In the instrument panel the speedometer goes up to 120 MPH and gets stuck. I will be driving at 45 miles an hour and the speedometer will go up to say that I am driving 120 miles per hour. It will be stuck there for several days and then will gradually go back down to where it should be. When it goes up to 120 MPH you will hear clicking in the instrument panel. If you bring the vehicle to a complete stop the speedometer might say you are driving 120 MPH or it might say 60 MPH. The RPM meter will also sometimes show it going up. We have changed out the fuses and still have this problem. There is also some problem with the cruise control. This is very dangerous since my teenage daughter was using this to drive back and forth to college and panicked when this happened. I contacted Chevy and they told me that there is no recalls and it was my problem to get the vehicle repaired. …
Stability & traction control all 51 →
My 74 year old brother bought his 2008 Equinox new it has less than 120,000 miles on it and it is the biggest heap of crap Chevrolet invented!!!! 5. Power steering went out costing $2500.00 to fix jan 2015 6. Transmission starts jerking when hitting 45 MPH dealership informed us of the transmission when we took in for a recall on a defective gas modual that they never replaced saying the part was OK. They drove it and said that its the transmission and asked $500.00 to run a diagnostic. Started feb 2016 7. The stable link light periodically comes on saying to service the stable trac then goes off started March of 2016 8. The top of the brake light on the back hatch is gone where it fell off at some point has many other things wrong. Turn signal gears to turn off signals for right and left signal do not work. The washer fluid motor does not work. …
Where do I begin?!?!!?! After multiple failed attempts of the dealer trying to fix the tire pressure monitor system/stabilitrack lights are still on and still ding! Tires are double checked regularly. Passenger air bag only comes on when it wants to, weather the person weighs 70lbs or 250lbs. The key sometimes gets stuck in the ignition won't turn or come out, I usually give up fighting it and forget about it for awhile then it magically works. None of the doors will lock or unlock with the fob or electric button inside, key fob only sets the alarm on/off, so I have to manually lock and unlock all the doors. Which is a a pain with three kids, not only that but makes me feel very unsafe traveling with the kids in the car. I am a single mom and bought this car believing it would be safe and reliable. I'm about ready to push it off a cliff. …
2008 Chevrolet Equinox engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 24 / 19 |
| 3.4L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 24 / 19 |
| 3.4L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 24 / 19 |
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 24 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Chevrolet Equinox a good car?
Based on 370 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Equinox rates better than average: 47% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Equinox at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Chevrolet Equinox?
The air bags — 110 complaints, 30% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the electrical system (65) and stability & traction control (51).
How many recalls does the 2008 Chevrolet Equinox have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2008 Chevrolet Equinox. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Equinox?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2021, 2017 and 2016. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2025. See the full Chevrolet Equinox years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Chevrolet Equinox problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 75,000 miles; 26% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.