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 2017 Chevrolet Equinox owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact's daughter owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, his daughter noticed that oil was leaking underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that he checked the oil level of the vehicle and noticed that the vehicle was low on oil. The contact added 3 quarts of oil to the engine. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving 50-55 MPH, the vehicle started making abnormal sounds. The contact's daughter veered to the side of the road. The contact met his daughter and checked the oil level. The contact noticed that the oil level was 2 quarts low and topped off the oil; however, the failure reoccurred the following day and the vehicle was jerking. The warning message "Reduced Power" was illuminated. …
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle made abnormal rattling sounds that progressively became louder. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving. The contact pulled into a parking lot and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated that she lifted the hood to inspect the vehicle but could not determine the cause of the failure. The contact stated upon restarting the vehicle, the message "Oil Pressure Low. Turn Engine Off" was displayed. A towing agent informed the contact that oil had leaked significantly underneath the vehicle while she was driving. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the rear main seal was blown out, causing the engine oil leak. …
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 71 MPH, the engine lost power with the check engine and stability-track warning lights illuminated. The vehicle entered LIMP Mode. The contact was able to coast the vehicle to a local gas station. The contact approached the gas station, and the vehicle shut off. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where a diagnostic test was performed; however, the mechanic could not determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the PCV valve had frozen due to the cold weather. The contact was informed that the failure then pressurized the crankcase valve and blew the engine oil seal. The contact was also informed that the timing chain had failed and caused the failure. …
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking oil as oil was found on the garage floor. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the diagnosis was that the PCV valve was frozen however, the repairs were unknown to the contact as the mechanic stated that the issue was resolved. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving the oil warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed back to the independent mechanic. The independent mechanic started the vehicle and noticed oil was leaking from the rear main seal. The engine and transmission needed to be removed to replace the rear main seal. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact stated that the mechanic informed him that there was a recall for the failure. …
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH and slowing down, the vehicle started to lose power. The contact mentioned there was a strong odor coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that she then saw smoke, and drove her vehicle to the nearest independent mechanic. The contact was advised that her PCV valve had fractured due to it being frozen, causing the rear main oil seal to explode. The contact was also advised that the smoke was due to the oil leakage underneath the vehicle. The contact stated that she then had her vehicle towed to the dealer who advised that they had several vehicles that were the same year, make, and model as her vehicle, already being repaired for the same failure and that she had to take her vehicle to another dealer. …
Driving on the highway, nothing unusual or out of the ordinary. Within a 30 second span of time, the car started making a horrible rattling sound, followed by a loud snap sound, then smoke, then I was off the road with oil pouring out of the bottom of the car. Towed home, car was dropped off at the Chevrolet dealership mechanic. As far as I can tell, it fits the description that others have had with this car, namely that some apparent oil consumption issue that never came up on warning lamps resulted in the catastrophic engine failure that nearly launched me off the highway. The vehicle is currently awaiting diagnostics from the mechanic, and I have yet to hear back from them over a week later. There were no warning lights of any sort, and the oil life meter said there was 38% oil life remaining before it would need an oil change. …
The contact owned a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming 5 quarts of oil for every 2,000 miles driven. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where an oil consumption test was performed, and the dealer confirmed that the vehicle was experiencing an excessive oil consumption. Additionally, the contact stated that upon starting the vehicle and while driving, the engine made abnormal metallic and banging sounds. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the engine was replaced at the contact's expense. However, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the engine was replaced twice under warranty. The contact stated that the vehicle seemed to be repaired; however, the vehicle was involved in a crash and was totaled. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle suddenly went into LIMP Mode. The traction control, the stability-track warning lights, and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact stated that upon restarting the vehicle, the low oil pressure warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to The Race Car Factory, where it was diagnosed that the engine's rear main seal was blown. The mechanic determined that the rear main seal needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer provided no further assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 147,000. The VIN was not available.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made abnormally loud sounds and was jerking. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the engine was leaking oil onto the ground. The contact also stated that the vehicle hesitated to stop immediately while the brake pedal was depressed. Upon inspection, the contact noticed that the catalytic converter had detached. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that she had to pay for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that prior to the failure, the dealer sold her the vehicle with a missing O2 sensor and a faulty catalytic converter, which the dealer later replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 148,000. The VIN was unavailable.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at various speeds, she heard abnormal knocking sounds coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where the camshaft was replaced; however, the failure reoccurred while driving. The vehicle was then taken to a second dealer Kelley Chevrolet (5220 Value Dr, Fort Wayne, IN 46808) where it was diagnosed that the camshaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that oil was not properly travelling to the top of the engine, which caused the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000.
Engine complaints in other Equinox years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2017 Chevrolet Equinox?
NHTSA has 192 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2017 Chevrolet Equinox, 70% of the model year's 276 complaints. The component named most often is exhaust system › emission control › crankcase (pcv) (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2017 Chevrolet Equinox engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2017 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 2017 Chevrolet Equinox engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 85,000 miles, and 2% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 3 fires and 7 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.