Chevrolet Equinox · model year

2018 Chevrolet Equinox

532 NHTSA complaints, 32 crash reports, and 5 recall campaigns listed for this cohort. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA overall rating

5 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

Complaints
532
Recalls
5

The verdict

The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox pairs below-average complaint volume with a top NHTSA safety rating.

Top 50%
fewest complaints, own model years
5/5
NHTSA overall rating
5
recall campaigns

The 2018ChevroletEquinox carries 532 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 32 crashes, 7 fires, 38 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 5/5 rating, with 5/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2018 Equinox is service brakes with 106 filings, followed by engine (74) and power train (58). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns listed below. Enter a VIN in NHTSA's official recall lookup to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 2018 Equinox, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.

532
Complaints
32
Crashes
7
Fires
38
Injuries
0
Deaths
2018 Chevrolet Equinox - NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. Overall composite: 5.0 of 5 stars across 3 safety dimensions. Front CrashSide CrashRollover 5.0 NHTSA NCAP of 5 stars
  • Front Crash 5.0 ★
  • Side Crash 5.0 ★
  • Rollover 4.0 ★
NHTSA overall 5.0/5 stars, with front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings from standardized NCAP barrier and dynamic tests.
A-
PlainCars Safety Score
83/100
2018 Chevrolet Equinox

PlainCars' own composite of NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings and rollover-risk assessment, each dimension normalized against the federal scale or the full national model-year corpus. Not an official NHTSA figure, and not a substitute for a specific vehicle's VIN-level recall check.

NHTSA Overall Rating A+
5/5 ★
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program overall crash-test rating.
Front Crash A+
5/5 ★
Frontal barrier crash-test rating.
Side Crash A+
5/5 ★
Side barrier and pole crash-test rating.
Rollover Resistance A-
4/5 ★
Static stability factor + dynamic rollover test rating.
Rollover Risk F
18.5%
Lower than 19% of 2,516 rated model-years.

Total Complaints

532 filings

Crashes Reported

32 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume, review patterns below.

NHTSA NCAP overall: 5/5 - Top NCAP rating · Front: 5/5 · Side: 5/5 · Rollover: 4/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES106
ENGINE74
POWER TRAIN58
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM52
UNKNOWN OR OTHER46
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM29
STRUCTURE:BODY16
STEERING15
AIR BAGS13
WHEELS13
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC13
VISIBILITY/WIPER10
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL10
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING10
SEAT BELTS7

Recalls (5)

18V35800031/05/2018

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange

18V57600030/08/2018

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insuf

20V66800029/10/2020

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. Th

17V51600022/08/2017

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles and 2017-2018 GMC Acadia vehicles. The right front intermediate driveshaft may fracture and separate while driving.

18V25200019/04/2018

VISIBILITY

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Equinox vehicles. The driver and front passenger door window glass may not be properly tempered. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 205, "Glazing Materials.

Recent Complaints

20260212FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Got word from the mechanic at the dealership that the cam shaft is leaking oil as well as the fuel injectors retainers are out and need to be sealed as they are also leaking. the engine went into safe mode to prevent any engine fires.

20260212ENGINE

Got word from the mechanic at the dealership that the cam shaft is leaking oil as well as the fuel injectors retainers are out and need to be sealed as they are also leaking. the engine went into safe mode to prevent any engine fires.

20260212STEERING

Got word from the mechanic at the dealership that the cam shaft is leaking oil as well as the fuel injectors retainers are out and need to be sealed as they are also leaking. the engine went into safe mode to prevent any engine fires.

20260211FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle sputtered, and there was a strong fuel odor inside the vehicle. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal to move off from a stop light, the engine shut off. The traction control and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The failure had occurred while the contact was driving her minor child to school. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer; however, the diagnostic result was not provided to the contact. The contact referenced an unknown recall with a similar failure; however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 148,000.

Mileage: 148,000

20260209ENGINE

Vehicle is leaking coolant excessively. Faulty 55513550 water pump (ACDelco/GM OE) commonly causes engine overheating, coolant leaks (often from the weep hole), and unusual noise (squeaking/rumbling) in 1.6L diesel engines for Chevrolet Cruze, Equinox, and GMC Terrain. It may cause cabin heating issues and trigger engine codes. Major Problem #2: Electrical Described by Tony Dubois at Midas (Cinco Ranch location) - Electrical pulse are being received through the wiring causing lights to go on and off. No other manufacturer or repair shop can fix this issue because of the inability to access the coding. This is an Dealership software issue.

20260209ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Vehicle is leaking coolant excessively. Faulty 55513550 water pump (ACDelco/GM OE) commonly causes engine overheating, coolant leaks (often from the weep hole), and unusual noise (squeaking/rumbling) in 1.6L diesel engines for Chevrolet Cruze, Equinox, and GMC Terrain. It may cause cabin heating issues and trigger engine codes. Major Problem #2: Electrical Described by Tony Dubois at Midas (Cinco Ranch location) - Electrical pulse are being received through the wiring causing lights to go on and off. No other manufacturer or repair shop can fix this issue because of the inability to access the coding. This is an Dealership software issue.

20260209FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

For the 4th time since November 2025, my vehicle has shut off while driving and there was a severe gas smell. Check engine and traction control lights on dash. So far the turbo booster and fuel injector have been replaced but the issue keeps happening. This vehicle is not on recall list for high pressure fule pump recall. I think it should be. Vehicle goes into limp mode and all the gas leaks right out of the vehicle making it unsafe to drive due to a fire hazard. I have spent over $4000 trying to make this vehicle safe to drive.

20260203ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that after having a software update to the ECM following the notice of an unknown recall, on several occasions while in reverse, the vehicle failed to reverse as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle seemed like it would accelerate forward. The contact had to push the vehicle for the vehicle to reverse. The contact that while pressing the ignition button on several occasions, the vehicle failed to start. The contact continued to press the ignition button, and the vehicle eventually started. Additionally, when the vehicle was started, the "Parking Brake Release" message was displayed even though the parking brake was not engaged. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.

Mileage: 101,000

20260203POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that after having a software update to the ECM following the notice of an unknown recall, on several occasions while in reverse, the vehicle failed to reverse as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle seemed like it would accelerate forward. The contact had to push the vehicle for the vehicle to reverse. The contact that while pressing the ignition button on several occasions, the vehicle failed to start. The contact continued to press the ignition button, and the vehicle eventually started. Additionally, when the vehicle was started, the "Parking Brake Release" message was displayed even though the parking brake was not engaged. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.

Mileage: 101,000

20260127SERVICE BRAKES

My car has a slow crank and when I am driving down the road it cuts off completely and does not want to crank. I have a signal on my car that says reduced speed and the speed is cut down and drags . My car also smells like gas and there is a leak coming from the vehicle it drains really bad . my brakes goes out every few months . My Car radio goes out like there is a shortage. Its horrible

20260127FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

My car has a slow crank and when I am driving down the road it cuts off completely and does not want to crank. I have a signal on my car that says reduced speed and the speed is cut down and drags . My car also smells like gas and there is a leak coming from the vehicle it drains really bad . my brakes goes out every few months . My Car radio goes out like there is a shortage. Its horrible

20260127ENGINE

My car has a slow crank and when I am driving down the road it cuts off completely and does not want to crank. I have a signal on my car that says reduced speed and the speed is cut down and drags . My car also smells like gas and there is a leak coming from the vehicle it drains really bad . my brakes goes out every few months . My Car radio goes out like there is a shortage. Its horrible

20260126ENGINE

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that there was an abnormal odor of fuel coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the brake pads were wearing abnormally quickly. The message speed reduced was displayed. The engine warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

Mileage: 150,000

20260126FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that there was an abnormal odor of fuel coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the brake pads were wearing abnormally quickly. The message speed reduced was displayed. The engine warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

Mileage: 150,000

20260126SERVICE BRAKES

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that there was an abnormal odor of fuel coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the brake pads were wearing abnormally quickly. The message speed reduced was displayed. The engine warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

Mileage: 150,000

20260121ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Engine power low

20260121ENGINE

Engine power low

20260121STEERING

Engine power low

20260120ENGINE

My vehicle suddenly began giving a message engine power reduced. This happened on a highway that required with a maximum speed of 65 mph. My vehicle reduced speed to under 40mph which may be beneath the minimum speed limit. I took the vehicle to a chevvy dealer who said my transmission was slipping. I took it to AAMCO spent 6000 on repairs only to have the engine power reduced error continue to appear. AAMCO claims they have made all repairs yet the light is still on and my vehicle continues to lose engine power on fast highways (the intended interstate). I called chevy because I had seen similar issues in older models and they refused to accept me rendition of events because my vehicle was not serviced by chevy. I tried to upload a photo of the error message The upload is not working.

20260118UNKNOWN OR OTHER

My Code for the transmission is showing up for inspection the engine light on but no noted transmisson prolems noted 2017 is showing up.

Compare 2018ChevroletEquinox to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 2 Open

View all investigations

Vehicle Safety Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox have?
The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox has 532 NHTSA complaints, 32 crashes, 7 fires, 38 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox?
The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox received an overall NHTSA safety rating of 5/5, front crash rating of 5/5, side crash rating of 5/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox?
Yes, the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox has 5 recall(s). The most common affected component is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox?
The most-complained component for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox is SERVICE BRAKES with 106 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE and POWER TRAIN.
Is the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox has an NHTSA safety rating of 5/5. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.