Most common 2012 Chevrolet Equinox problems
Share of the 685 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 →
2012 Chevrolet Equinox recalls (3)
Electrical system › Ignition
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016.
Seats › Front assembly › Power adjust
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Camaro, as well as certain 2010-2012 Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, equipped with power height adjustable driver and passenger seats.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the height adjuster shoulder bolts, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed interim letters to owners on September 11, 2014. The recall began on December 26, 2014.
Tires › Pressure monitoring and regulating systems
General motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 Chevrolet equinox and GMC terrain vehicles, manufactured from July 18, 2011, through September 6, 2011, for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard number 138, "tire pressure monitoring system" (TPMS).
Remedy: GM dealers will update the body control module free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about November 9, 2011. Owners May contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 and GMC at 1-866-996-9463.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox:
Windshield Wiper Transmission Failure
On November 2, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Recall Query (RQ18-002) to assess the scope of Recall 16V-582.General Motors (GM) initiated Safety Recall 16V-582 on August 3, 2016 to address windshield wiper failure in the Model Year (MY) 2013 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain.
Momentary Increased Steering Effort
On June 1, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE20-009 to investigate instances of a momentary increase in steering effort after the vehicle is driven in a straight line for a period of time due to an issue with the steering gear in model year (MY) 2010 through 2012 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain SUVs.If the electric power steering system fails to operate as intended, the driver will…
Front Wiper Transmission Inoperative
On December 13, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) upgraded RQ18-002 to an Engineering Analysis (EA19-005) to further assess the MY2010-2016 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain windshield wiper failures. Due to a prior recall, 16V-582, addressing this issue in the MY2013 subject vehicles, MY2013 was not included in the analysis.
What 2012 Chevrolet Equinox owners say
Engine & cooling all 361 →
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while approaching a stop sign and depressing on the brake pedal, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated he was able to restart the vehicle but heard an abnormal sound and the vehicle then stalled while parking at a nearby parking lot. The contact stated that there was oil leaking from underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to his residence. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with Manufacturer Communications number 17329; however, the vehicle was not included. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure and was informed that the VIN was associated with the Manufacturer's recalls. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the oil level was constantly low, and she was adding 5 quarts of oil in the vehicle every 4-6 weeks. The contact stated while driving 25-30 MPH, there was smoke coming out from underneath the hood of the vehicle. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact's son lifted the hood and noticed that there was oil residue on all the components under the hood. Additionally, there was a significant amount of smoke coming out of the engine compartment. The contact added oil to the engine. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced; however, the part to do the repair was not available. The vehicle was not repaired. An unknown dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. …
Windows, wipers & sunroof all 127 →
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60-65 MPH in the rain with the windshield wipers activated, the windshield wipers became inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 136,000.
Yesterday I was driving home during a rain storm and my windshield wipers all of a sudden stopped working. I had to pull over on the highway and wait for the storm to pass which was very dangerous situation to be in on the side of the highway with low visibility due to the rain and wind. We took a look at it later that night and the linkage came apart. There were no warning signs it just all of a sudden stopped working. I did find a special coverage adjustment that is available for this vehicle but I have over the 150,000 miles which doesn't apply to this vehicle. Are there other options for those vehicles that are over the 150,000 mileage.
Transmission & drivetrain all 84 →
The contact's friend owns a 2013 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact who is an independent mechanic stated that his friend had taken the vehicle to be repaired after the key became stuck in the ignition. The contact diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the key cylinder lock housing had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V502000 (Electrical System, Power Train) however, an undisclosed dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000.
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that her husband discovered that the timing chain had failed. In addition, there was an excessive consumption of oil causing the contact to add engine oil frequently. The engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the timing chain needed to be replaced but no further diagnosis was available for the other failures. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
2012 Chevrolet Equinox engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 22 / 31 / 26 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 20 / 28 / 23 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 24 / 20 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox a good car?
Based on 685 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 Equinox rates average: about as many complaints as 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 2012 Chevrolet Equinox?
The engine & cooling — 361 complaints, 53% of all complaints for this model year, most often about exhaust system › emission control › catalytic convertor. Next are the windows, wipers & sunroof (127) and transmission & drivetrain (84).
How many recalls does the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox, the most recent from July 5, 2016 (ignition). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the 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 2012 Chevrolet Equinox problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 81,000 miles; 21% 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.