Chevrolet Equinox Years to Avoid and Why (List of Years)

The 2009 model and 2013 to present models of Chevrolet equinox get appreciations. Again, each year, the NHTSA receives complaints about the engine of 2008 and 2010 to 2012 models of the Chevrolet Equinox.

The complaints include the smell of gasoline and smoke, fuel pump failure, excessive oil consumption, ignition key sticking problem, not bright enough exterior light.

In this article, we’ll inquire into the Chevrolet Equinox cars and their worst years which are worth avoiding. If you are to buy a Chevrolet Equinox car, this is a must-read for you.

Chevrolet Equinox Years to Avoid (List of Year)

From the starting of the journey and till date, the Chevrolet Equinox has three generations with the latest one ranging from 2018 to the present.

The other two generations were 1st Generation (2005 to 2009) and 2nd generation (2010 to 2017). 

Each generation has some years when the models’ amassed myriads of complaints and you should avoid those. Years you should avoid goes as follows:

First-gen Equinox: 

  • Years to Avoid: (2005-2007)

Second-gen Equinox: 

  • Years to Avoid: (2010-2012 & 2013-2017 w/2.4L I4 engine)

Third-gen Equinox:

  • Best Years (2018-Present)

Chevrolet Equinox Recalls:

Let’s see the Chevrolet Equinox recalls over the past 10 years with their reasons. 

The 2007 Chevrolet Equinox for the windshield mounting, airbags, and fuel pump.

The 2005 Equinox has a recall for the ignition key park lock cable.

2010, 2011, and 2012 Equinox models are recalled for the defrosting system, seat adjustment bolt, and ignition key.

The 2010-2012 models with the 3.0L V6 could end up in the repair shop just as quickly with its faulty timing chains that can potentially stretch and break. 

What Makes Chevrolet Equinox Years Worth Avoiding?

First Generation

The first generation 2005 Chevy Equinox model had numerous issues that made people have a horrible experience.

This vehicle’s main issues are transmission failure, air conditioning system malfunctioning, frontal control arm bushing, gas cap issues, and the EVAP vent valve solenoid malfunctioning.

Most often, a transmission problem is noticeable if the vehicle lunges, bucks, or jerks. The rough movements tend to worsen when running the air conditioner. 

These problems are not something to be taken lightly.

If one of these starts to malfunction, it can hurt other parts of your vehicle.

This is why it is best to avoid this model.

The 2007 Chevy Equinox model of the first generation also had several issues.

The main issues the 2007 model has are faulty ignition, airbag sensor malfunctioning, and fuel pump failure. Again, the Gas Cap keeps on failing. 

Second generation

There are some reports about the 2013 Chevy Equinox model like this vehicle starts at low mileage or the engine fails to function properly. It stalls. There is also excessive oil consumption in this vehicle.

The 2014 and 2015 Chevy Equinox models also do excessive oil consumption. The 2014 model does rattling on startup. There are issues of rear main seal and engine problems. This model has about 578 complaints from disappointed users.

With the engine issue, the vehicle also starts to have various other issues that can lead to bigger problems and cost a lot of money to fix.

The 2015 Chevy Equinox of second-gen faces excessive oil consumption for the poor piston rings that tend to leak easily.

Other serious issues of this model are carbon building up inside the engine, oil leakage issues, transmission problems that were reported. It is best to avoid this vehicle at all costs.

The main issues of the 2016 chevy equinox that people face are engine problems, exhaust system failure, and drivetrain problems. 

The owners can smell gasoline and smoke coming out of their engines. 

Which Years are Safe to Buy?

Choosing the best years for the Chevy Equinox depends on the generation that you are looking at. If you want to get a first-generation Equinox to save some money, then you should go for 2008 and 2009. 

In the second generation for the Equinox, though the cars are bad on their fuel efficiency, you can go for the years 2013 through 2017 with the 3.6L engine. They are more reliable than the four-cylinder option.

If you look at one of the third-generation options from 2018 onward, any of the years seem to be good. 

The 2021 Chevy Equinox is the best year for this model so far. The ride is smooth, even when the road is bumpy. The car is very responsive and the controls are very easy to use. It is quite fuel-efficient and you can also drive comfortably because of the well-designed seats.

Conclusion

The Chevy Equinox was first released in 2005, and many different models of this car have been released since then. With almost every release, this compact SUV has been improved upon. 

The Chevy Equinox will continue to improve as new technologies and new safety features are being implemented. Before you purchase a Chevy Equinox, look at the safety features, and reliability.

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