2020 Chevrolet Equinox: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox
On the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox, the failure owners report most often is other brake problem, and the reports cluster around 65,000 miles. The earliest to appear is other powertrain problem, reported by a median of 5,000 miles. Overall it scores 79 out of 100, severe risk for a 2020.
Severe risk for a 2020 — 56th riskiest of the 235 2020 vehicles we can rate. 489 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What breaks on the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox
Owners have reported 64 named failure modes on the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox, and the three most-reported carry 25% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Other brake problem leads with 47 reports, about 0.8 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 2k to 85,000 miles.
Other engine problem follows with 46 reports, usually reported between 6k to 45,000 miles. 1 of those report mention a fire.
Other powertrain problem follows with 28 reports, usually reported between 2k to 10,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into engine (90), brakes (78) and fuel (55).
When these failures get reported
124 of the reports on the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 10,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 75% by 50,000 miles, 93% by 100,000 miles and 99% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed.
The busiest stretch is between 0 and 10,000 miles, which alone holds 51% of the dated reports.
74% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, which is early enough that a fair number of these cars were still under a factory warranty when the owner complained.
In the order they tend to show up: other powertrain problem around 4k, other engine problem around 14k and other brake problem around 63k.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 64. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
How bad it is when it goes
Across the named modes, 30 mention a crash, 11 a fire, 10 an injury and 1 a fatality. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.30, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other brake problem at $300–$1,800, other engine problem at $300–$4,000, other powertrain problem at $400–$4,500 and fuel pump failure at $600–$2,600. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
27% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other brake problem | brakes | 47 | 14 | 2k | 63k | 86k | 0.8 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other engine problem | engine | 46 | 14 | 6k | 14k | 44k | 0.8 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 28 | 9 | 2k | 4k | 12k | 0.5 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Fuel pump failure | fuel | 25 | 4 | — | 29k | — | 0.4 | $600–$2,600 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 24 | 3 | — | 3k | — | 0.4 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 21 | 3 | — | 7k | — | 0.4 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 15 | 4 | — | 7k | — | 0.3 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Misfire or rough idle | engine | 13 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $250–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 13 | 3 | — | 4k | — | 0.2 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 12 | 5 | — | 80k | — | 0.2 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Lane keep or steering assist fault | adas | 12 | 6 | — | 1k | — | 0.2 | $200–$1,600 | High |
| Other steering problem | steering | 12 | 3 | — | 5k | — | 0.2 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 11 | 1 | — | 145k | — | 0.2 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 11 | 6 | — | 5k | — | 0.2 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 10 | 3 | — | 2k | — | 0.2 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Loss of braking | brakes | 8 | 1 | — | 100k | — | 0.1 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 8 | 6 | — | 2k | — | 0.1 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Complete engine failure or seizure | engine | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $4,500–$12,000 | Critical |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Infotainment screen failure | infotainment | 7 | 2 | — | 27k | — | 0.1 | $400–$2,600 | Low |
| Sunroof failure or glass breakage | body | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $700–$4,500 | High |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Oil leak | engine | 5 | 1 | — | 120k | — | 0.1 | $250–$2,200 | Moderate |
| Master cylinder or brake booster failure | brakes | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $450–$2,200 | Critical |
| Parking sensor failure | adas | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $180–$900 | Low |
| Tail light, brake light or signal failure | lighting | 5 | 2 | — | 11k | — | 0.1 | $100–$900 | Moderate |
| Excessive oil consumption | engine | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $900–$6,500 | High |
| Fuel injector failure | fuel | 4 | 4 | — | 80k | — | 0.1 | $450–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure | electrical | 4 | 2 | — | 3k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,500 | High |
| Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure | steering | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $700–$2,600 | High |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 4 | 1 | — | 67 | — | 0.1 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure | engine | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $1,200–$4,500 | Critical |
| Stalling while driving | engine | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Torque converter failure | transmission | 3 | 2 | — | 30k | — | 0.1 | $1,100–$3,200 | High |
| Fuel leak or fuel odor | fuel | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Engine sensor failure | electrical | 3 | 2 | — | 90k | — | 0.1 | $180–$900 | Moderate |
| ABS module or sensor failure | brakes | 3 | 3 | — | 29k | — | 0.1 | $500–$2,400 | High |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 3 | 1 | — | 2k | — | 0.1 | $200–$900 | High |
| Water pump failure | cooling | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $500–$2,200 | High |
| Overheating | cooling | 2 | 1 | — | 35k | — | 0.0 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Complete transmission failure | transmission | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $2,800–$8,000 | Critical |
| CV axle or driveshaft failure | drivetrain | 2 | 2 | — | 4k | — | 0.0 | $450–$2,200 | High |
| Differential or transfer case failure | drivetrain | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $900–$4,200 | High |
| Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure | fuel | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Backup camera failure | infotainment | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Audio or connectivity failure | infotainment | 2 | 2 | — | 5k | — | 0.0 | $150–$900 | Low |
| Premature brake pad or rotor wear | brakes | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $300–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Loss of power steering | steering | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $600–$2,800 | Critical |
| Strut, shock or spring failure | suspension | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $500–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Tire pressure monitor failure | wheels | 2 | 2 | — | 32k | — | 0.0 | $80–$600 | Low |
| Air conditioning failure | hvac | 2 | 1 | — | 399 | — | 0.0 | $400–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Headlight failure or clouding | lighting | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 2 | 2 | — | 41k | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Engine bay fire | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $4,000–$20,000 | Critical |
| Turbocharger or supercharger failure | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $1,500–$4,500 | High |
| Radiator or coolant leak | cooling | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,900 | High |
| Thermostat failure | cooling | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$900 | Moderate |
| CVT failure | transmission | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $3,000–$8,500 | Critical |
| Wiring harness or short circuit | electrical | 1 | 1 | — | 1k | — | 0.0 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Instrument cluster or gauge failure | infotainment | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Brake line, hose or caliper failure | brakes | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,600 | Critical |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault | airbag | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $300–$1,600 | High |
| Wiper or washer failure | glass | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $120–$800 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 37 | 8 | 3k | 8k | 12k | 0.7 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox draws about 8.8 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 89th percentile of complaint rates among 2020 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 55,682 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2020 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
Recalls on the 2020 model year
NHTSA has issued 4 recall campaigns covering the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox, affecting an estimated 61,231 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover child seat:vehicle latch anchor, power train:automatic transmission, service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliper and fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
CHILD SEAT:VEHICLE LATCH ANCHOR
668,187 vehicles 2023-05-11- Defect
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The four rear-seat lower child seat LATCH anchorage bars may have excessive powder coating, which could prevent a child seat from being installed with the anchorage bars. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."
- Consequence
- The inability to install a child seat with the LATCH anchorage bars could result in an unsecured child seat, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
- Remedy
- Owners are advised to install child seats using the vehicle's rear seat belts until the remedy is complete. Dealers will inspect the latch anchorage bars, and remove and replace the finish, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 2, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N232403240.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
194,105 vehicles 2020-10-29- Defect
- 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. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
- Consequence
- Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
166 vehicles 2019-10-03- Defect
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Equinox vehicles. The rear brake calipers may have been produced with an incorrect lubricant, potentially causing the rubber seals to swell and the brakes to drag.
- Consequence
- Brake drag may result in overheating of the brake pads, affecting the braking ability and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear brake calipers, including the brake hose gasket, brake fluid and wheel to hub lubricant, free of charge. The recall began October 29, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438. GM's number for this recall is N192270920.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
301 vehicles 2019-09-19- Defect
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Equinox all-wheel drive vehicles. The fuel tanks may have been manufactured with an improperly sealed seam, possibly allowing fuel to leak along the seam near the fuel inlet.
- Consequence
- A fuel leak in the presence of the ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began October 24, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-586-596-1733. GM's number for this recall is N192271870.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2020 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Where 2020 sits in the model line
Severe risk for a 2020 — 56th riskiest of the 235 2020 vehicles we can rate. Every score on this site is a rank inside its own model year, which is what makes a 2004 and a 2019 comparable at all.
Across the 22 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2008 comes out best at 65 and 2019 worst at 83, with 2020 itself at 79.
If the model year is negotiable, 2008, 2014, 2006, 2009, 2015, 2007, 2025, 2021, 2013, 2023, 2022, 2012, 2010, 2017 and 2005 score lower than 2020 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2018–2023 generation specifically, 2021 is the strongest year at 70 and 2019 the weakest at 83.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2018-2023 generation, 2021 Chevrolet Equinox scores best at 70 and 2019 Chevrolet Equinox worst at 83.
What to look at before buying one
The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: other powertrain problem from about 2k, other brake problem from about 2k and other engine problem from about 6k.
On a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether other powertrain problem has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.
Treat it as where to point the inspection, not as a prediction. A well-maintained example can sail past every mileage on this page, and a neglected one can fail well before the first of them.
The limits of complaint data
489 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 489 reports, 124 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 25% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox?
The most-reported failures are other brake problem (47 reports, median 65,000 miles), other engine problem (46 reports, median 15,000 miles) and other powertrain problem (28 reports, median 5,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
At what mileage do 2020 Chevrolet Equinox problems start?
Other powertrain problem is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 5,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 2,400 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 10,000 miles.
Is the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox reliable?
It scores 79 out of 100 on our risk index, which is severe — 56th riskiest of the 235 2020 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2020 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Chevrolet Equinox is best?
Within the 2018–2023 generation, 2021 scores best at 70 out of 100 and 2019 worst at 83. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed