Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2013 Chevrolet Equinox owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving and merging onto the highway at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle independently turned off. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle however, the vehicle failed to start. The contact and her two children occupied the disabled vehicle until another motorist assisted with pushing the vehicle to the shoulder of the roadway. The contact requested Roadside Assistance and the personnel attempted to jumpstart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to restart. The contact stated that Roadside Assistance attempted to jumpstart the vehicle and the contact heard an unusual clicking sound; however, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where the vehicle was diagnosed with a failed timing chain and a failed water pump. …
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing excessive oil consumption. Additionally, the contact stated while at a complete stop and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle started lunging forward. The contact stated that the vehicle was overheating while driving. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the thermostat was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The mechanic replaced the VVT solenoids; however, the failure increased significantly. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle made an abnormal tractor-like sound. The check engine warning light was illuminated. …
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle would stall while idle, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that the engine was consuming an excessive amount of oil and required more frequent oil changes. Over time, the contact began to hear an abnormal knocking sound coming from the vehicle. The contact initially took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and the mechanic discovered that the O2 sensor was defective. After the vehicle was driven home, the contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer where they diagnosed the vehicle with a defective O2 sensor and catalytic converter. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed her that the vehicle was not under recall. The vehicle had yet to be repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was 91,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who discovered that the oil level was low even though the oil had recently been changed. The contact was informed of a possible oil consumption failure. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal squeaking sound coming from the front the vehicle. The local dealer determined that the front suspension sway bars were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 144,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, he heard an abnormal ticking sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the piston rod due to excessive oil consumption. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Special Coverage Adjustment: [redacted] . The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 118,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. After a visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact observed that the vehicle was extremely low on engine oil before an oil change was due. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the O2 sensor. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Special Coverage Adjustment: N192291100. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 190,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that during the cold weather months, the PCV valve would become clogged which caused oil to leak from the vehicle. The contact initially took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who notified them of a service bulletin that he linked to the failure and referred her to a dealer. The contact called the dealer who acknowledged the failure and informed her that the vehicle needed to be inspected and might be covered under warranty. The manufacturer was then notified of the failure and informed her that the vehicle would not be covered under warranty. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 66,260.
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was initially taken to an independent mechanic who performed a diagnostic test that showed that either the catalytic converter or the O2 sensor might be defective. The contact was also informed by the mechanic that there might have been a recall on his vehicle for the defect. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer and was informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The manufacturer was also notified and provided the same information as the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate upon the depression of the accelerator pedal with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where they informed her that the secondary air injector pump needed to be replaced. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that the defect was related to a Technical Service Bulletin 18-NA-061. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Equinox. While attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle would make a knocking noise and there was an oil leak coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local mechanic where it was diagnosed with needing the rear main seal to be replaced however, the vehicle was not repaired. The contact spoke to a local dealer but was informed that they weren't able to assist them. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and told the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Engine complaints in other Equinox years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2013 Chevrolet Equinox?
NHTSA has 420 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2013 Chevrolet Equinox, 56% of the model year's 751 complaints. The component named most often is exhaust system (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2013 Chevrolet Equinox engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2013 Chevrolet Equinox, though it has 2 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 2013 Chevrolet Equinox engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 94,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 4 fires and 8 injuries to engine & cooling 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.