Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Chevrolet Equinox owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the front driver's and passenger's side interior door handles were fractured. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or a dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Problem with transmission not shifting properly. Also, the subframe is rusting out because water from the air conditioning unit falls directly on the subframe at that point both are safety hazards My service provider told me about the subframe rusting when I had my oil changed and why it was rusting and I have my transmission checked by a transmission specialist and the oil changed at that point in time
April 26, 2019 the engine in my 2008 Chevy Equinox sport locked up. The vehicle was towed to midwest tire & auto in the cicero,il for engine replacement. A week after retrieving my SUV on June 20,2019 from the shop it had an excessive engine oil and power steering fluid leak and it caught fire. While the occupancy of my wife and 3 children ages 7,4, and 2 were within 11 miles of travel from our residence along the highway. The vehicle was not recognizable from the interior, from front to center of the vehicle's body it was a grayish color. Showing the fire's intensity.
My 2008 Chevy Equinox paint is peeling above the passenger windows on both sides and peeling down to the metal. It happened overnight. I am the original owner of the vehicle and it has never been in an accident or repainted. I find it to coincidental that when I google the problem of 2008 Chevy Equinox paint peeling it is happening for everyone in the same spot. I only have 66,000 miles on the car because my commute is only 3 miles. The car has had every scheduled maintenance done and any repairs at certified Chevy dealerships. It is very gently used and although it is a 2008 I don't believe my teenagers beater car should look better than my $35,000 Chevy Equinox no matter how old it is. It is clearly a factory defect that GM will not acknowledge at this point or pay for. Right now the damage is $1000 as quoted by GM and they will not pay for it. …
My wife was at work during a thunderstorm. Went to the car to leave and noticed that the front floorboard was soaking wet. I looked at it the next morning and the front driver md passenger side was still soaking wet. I took a bucket of water and poured it from the roof down the window seal tower if any water was going to leak on the floor on the passenger side. Yes water was entering the the care from the passenger side floor. I checked the weathering strip to see if was damaged dry rotted which it was not. I been researching online and discovered that this is a common issue. I've read different forums stating the same issues. I also discovered this forum that give a bulletin number of some sort 08-08-57-001a dated for 10-08-08 models 05-09 Equinox talking about insufficient body sealer water entering v through seams in the floor pan on the driver and passenger side. …
The paint on both the passenger and drivers side is peeling off. It isn't happening a little at a time. I walked out to leave one day and an entire strip down the passenger side was missing, all the way down to the metal. 2 weeks later, the driver's side did the exact same thing. I took it to my local body shop and they said my Equinox was not the first one they had seen do this and it was a manufacture defect. You can see where the paint is bubbled and was never put on right. I called Chevy's customer service line and was sent to a local certified Chevy dealer to be reviewed. The service manager deemed it a manufacture defect but the area GM claims because it is out of paint warranty, there is nothing they can do. My car is only 8 years old, with only 130,000 miles. Paint should not be coming off like this.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact took the vehicle to a local tire shop for new tires and was informed that the frame under the vehicle was rusted. The vehicle was taken to john jones Chevrolet Buick Cadillac of salem (1450 in-60, salem, in 47167, [phone]) where the contact was informed that the vehicle had no warranty. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000. The VIN was not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the metal on the interior door panels corroded prematurely. The vehicle was taken to sunrise Chevrolet in glendale heights, illinois 60139, phone: [phone]) for the failure numerous times, but the failure was not corrected. The manufacturer was notified. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 20,000.
I brought my vehicle back to the dealership where I purchased it from do to paint peeling and falling to the ground back around 2013 I see now many complaints about this with this years vehicle. It has it metal exposed and I love my Equinox but I'm not liking it more each day do to side back panels peeling on both sides it defected my 2008 Chevy Equinox has always been placed in the garage
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the doors of the vehicle failed to lock and had to be locked manually. On another occasion, the driver side door failed to open from inside the vehicle. The failures occurred without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 76,000.
Body complaints in other Equinox years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2008 Chevrolet Equinox?
NHTSA has 33 complaints about the body & structure of the 2008 Chevrolet Equinox, 9% of the model year's 370 complaints. The component named most often is body (24 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Chevrolet Equinox body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2008 Chevrolet Equinox. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2008 Chevrolet Equinox body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 66,000 miles, and 18% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.