Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2011 Chevrolet Equinox owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. In addition, the contact stated that once the fuel gauge displayed that 1/4 tank of gasoline was available, the vehicle jerked, and there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the pistons had failed, and the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. In addition, the vehicle jerked, and an abnormal sound was heard coming from the engine. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the pistons had failed, and the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal fuel odor inside the cabin of the vehicle, and the engine was rattling and vibrating abnormally. During the failure, there was no warning light illuminated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and the local dealer were not yet contacted. No further information was available. The failure mileage was 168,000.
The vehicle's engine had been stalling shortly after ignition and when idling. I had it in a repair shop three separate times and was told that it was a problem with the solenoids. The first two times, they were cleaned. They were replaced on the third. I was also told that the vehicle was using an excessive amount of oil, and to bring it in every 3000 miles for an oil change. On the date of the incident, I was traveling home. I took exit 363 off of I-70 onto US-287. While traveling down the off-ramp, the engine stalled. I was unable to brake properly. By the time the vehicle came to a complete stop, I was the middle of a busy crossroads. This particular area sees a lot of traffic, especially semitrailer trucks. When I was next able to get it into be looked at, I chose a different shop because the first had clearly missed something. …
[redacted] Findlay Chevrolet Chevy has thousands of complaints regarding the 2.4L oil consumption. Thousands! The engine has 97,500 and consumes 2qts in 1,000miles. I requesting that GM helps fix the issue. A normal engine does not even consume 1qt in 3000miles, let alone 2qts in 1,000. It does not leak. The only problem is a GM defect possibly with piston rings which is documented with similar years. On top of this. They had an airbag recall for similar models and years. This vehicle they say, does not have a VIN on the recall. Yet, my "service airbag" error is on. It seems that GM does not care if someone has an airbag that may go off at 70mph. Not do they care about selling people engines that consume oil at a rate that will leave people stranded in the middle of nowhere. Or possibly starting on fire from getting too hot from not having oil in the engine. Thank you for your time
I purchased a 2011 Chevy Equinox LT from a used car dealer in April 2022 with 153,000 miles on it. The second day I had it the brake caliper completely fell off of my front passenger tire causing my wheels to lock. Couple days later I noticed that after an extended time of driving anything more than 10-15 minutes it. The RPMs would fluctuate sometimes dropping down to zero and the vehicle stalls. The excessive amount of oil used in this vehicle is ridiculous I literally got an oil change and a week later it said I was low but my oil notification on my Dash messages said oil life remaining 95% check engine light comes on and it's the p0042 for catalyst system not at threshold. This literally should be a class action lawsuit because this is ridiculous
No warning lamps. I was 3 quarts low only going 1614 miles from last oil change. Oil consumption , piston rings not correct. No oil leaks just consumes a lot of oil. Low oil made my car stall out while driving. No oil light came on to fill. Piston rings recall , needs replaced. Bought from an individual in July.
The engine oil rings are faulty ,it's a manufacturer issue but lawsuits have been the only outcome .it also has many environmental hazards involved as well as public safety as this vehicle spews massive amounts of oil and gas and other nasty things out onto the road behind it from the exhaust.
After purchasing the vehicle . The vehicle starting malfunctioning. From going into 0rmp to shutting back on after turn the vehicle off. Upon utilizing cruis control the vehicle automatically speeds without pressing the set miles .
While driving, the car wouldn't accelerate even though I was pressing the gas pedal to the floor. It made funny noises and was jerking. I was told not to drive because of the danger to my engine. The engine light did come on
Fuel System complaints in other Equinox years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox?
NHTSA has 75 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox, 10% of the model year's 782 complaints. The component named most often is delivery › fuel pump (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2011 Chevrolet Equinox fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system recall for the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox, though it has 3 recalls for other components. 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 2011 Chevrolet Equinox fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles, and 22% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to fuel & propulsion system 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.