Seat complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 3% | — |
| 2024 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2023 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2021 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2020 | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2019 | 6 | 2% | — |
| 2018 | 7 | 2% | 34,000 miles |
| 2016 | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2015 | 4 | 1% | 73,000 miles |
| 2014 | 1 | 0% | 10,000 miles |
| 2013 | 2 | 0% | 46,000 miles |
| 2012 | 5 | 1% | 21,000 miles |
| 2011 | 9 | 1% | 40,000 miles |
| 2010 | 9 | 1% | 64,000 miles |
| 2008 | 8 | 2% | 61,000 miles |
| 2007 | 10 | 1% | 120,000 miles |
| 2006 | 3 | 0% | 75,000 miles |
| 2005 | 3 | 0% | 14,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (seat frames, recliners, heated seats and seat tracks).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
My 2019 Chevy Equinox, LT model has experienced issues where the seat will no longer recline. Seat that raises but won't recline is likely caused by a faulty seat control switch, a jammed recline actuator/gear, or a broken wire, rather than a blown fuse.
The front passenger seat warmer gets extremely hot. It feels like it is burning your skin within minutes of turning it on. It almost feels like sitting on a hot leather seat in the middle of summer with shorts on.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the driver's and passenger's side front seats were designed to be too low which caused a blind spot on the front passenger's side when the contact was in the front driver's seat. The contact drove over a flower bed at the park due to the front passenger's side blind spot visibility issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 20,000.
We were driving at night I had turned on the overhead cabin light and when I turned on the overhead cabin light so my wife could hand food to our are sun and behind us the At the same time that I push the button the sunshade started to go and so I let it go but then it got jammed and it started to crank so I pushed the button in it started to go and reverse and then it like Jim in it aint like you know the motor growing sound and like there's a big shatter we thought that it was the glass from the moon roof shuttering turned out it was just like the plastic piece it was like holding the shade in place and so And so then to get that repaired they had to take the roof off take the rails out to get to the little plastic piece to call that plastic piece an external trim fastener so if it was an internal fastener it would be covered if it was because it was a fascinary if it was because it …
I drive my car everyday. It has seat heaters in the front seats. I have cloth seats. I was noticing that whenever I turned my seat warmer on, it was getting really hot in one specific place and made my leg burn. One day, I looked at my leg after I got out and there was a small burn on my leg. I looked at the seat and there was a small burn mark/ hole through my seat. I do not turn the heaters on anymore, obviously. However, sometimes it comes on on its own and gets super hot and I can't turn it off. So, I had to start driving with a blanket under me so I didn't get burned. I was scared the blanket was going to catch fire, so I took it to a shop to get looked at. They said it had short curcuited and that I should check to see if the seats had been recalled. I called cheverlet and all they told me was that there was not a recall and basically said 'that sucks'. …
Design flaw between the pedals and the seat have caused me to have sciatic pain. I had the car just short of 2 years because I couldn't take the pain anymore. The distance between the pedals both vertically and horizontally are a problem. I only related the problem to the car when I was not driving the car for a three week period, my pain was gone. I started driving the car again and the pain returned. I tested it again, by renting a different vehicle for a 5 day period and the pain went away again and a day after resuming driving my Equinox the pain returned. I traded the car in this past weekend (20170225) so I could live my life pain free.
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox. While the vehicle was stationary and while driving various speeds, the power operated driver's seat moved back and forth independently. The contact stated that the power operated driver's seat pressed the driver against the steering wheel and moved backwards, which made it difficult for the driver to access the brake and accelerator pedals. Rod hatfield Chevrolet (232 new circle road, lexington, kentucky 40505, [phone]) was made aware of the failure and stated that there was no recall on the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 111,200.
We were sitting still at train crossing when we were struck from the rear and was shoved forward 8-10 feet into the car in front of us. The car is a total loss. With all of the rear and front damage, none of the airbags were deployed. Also, both front seats broke loose from the seat brackets that hold the seats to the floor. My wife (passenger seat) not only broke loose but the seat twisted.
Related recalls (4)
Seats
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Chevrolet Equinox and 2022 GMC Terrain vehicles. The driver's seat may have a stripped or loose bolt at the seat frame height-adjust pivot.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the driver's seat and replace the seat cushion frame, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on November 4, 2022.
Seats
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Malibu, 2022 Chevrolet Equinox, Blazer and Cadillac XT4 vehicles. The driver's seat cushion frame may have an improper weld in the power tilt-adjustment mechanism.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the driver's seat and replace the cushion frame, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 23, 2022.
Seats
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The rear-right seat may have insufficient welds on the head-restraint bracket.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear-right seatback frame, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Which Chevrolet Equinox years have seat problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2007 (10), 2010 (9), 2011 (9), 2008 (8) and 2018 (7) model years. Seat complaints make up 1% of all complaints for the 2007.
Is there a recall for Chevrolet Equinox seat problems?
Yes — 4 recalls, including 22V-724 (seats, Sep 29, 2022); 22V-359 (seats, May 19, 2022); 19V-184 (seats, Mar 7, 2019). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Chevrolet Equinox seat problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 61,000 miles; 48% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the front assembly › head restraint (1 mentions), followed by the front assembly › power adjust (1).
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.