Chevrolet · Equinox · 2020
2020 Chevrolet Equinox: problems & reliability
NHTSA has logged 318 owner complaints and 4 safety recalls for the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The most-reported problem area is the brakes (36% of complaints), followed by engine and fuel system. Make sure every open recall has been fixed by a dealer before you buy.
Common 2020 Chevrolet Equinox problems
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Brakes problems
113 owner complaints to NHTSA (36% of all complaints for this model year) involve the brakes, including 8 crashes, 2 fires, 5 injuries. One owner reported: “Back in early October 2020, vehicle had about 2000 miles on it. I noticed that when I started up the vehicle The Brake Assist Service message came on the brakes were spongy and had vibrating feel. I drove about a half of a mile and the…”
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Engine problems
93 owner complaints to NHTSA (29% of all complaints for this model year) involve the engine, including 3 crashes, 3 fires, 1 injury. One owner reported: “I am reporting a vehicle fire involving a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox [XXX] ). The fire originated in the engine compartment. The official fire report lists the causes as "undetermined", with the area of origin identified under the hood. There…”
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Fuel system problems
58 owner complaints to NHTSA (18% of all complaints for this model year) involve the fuel system, including 1 crash, 1 fire. One owner reported: “The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start, but initially the vehicle restarted. The contact was able to drive to the residence, but the vehicle failed to restart. An independent mechanic…”
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Electrical system problems
43 owner complaints to NHTSA (14% of all complaints for this model year) involve the electrical system, including 1 crash. One owner reported: “The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that there were persistent electrical issues with both side-view mirrors independently adjusting after the vehicle was turned off. The driver was constantly manually readjusting…”
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Transmission & powertrain problems
40 owner complaints to NHTSA (13% of all complaints for this model year) involve the transmission & powertrain, including 3 crashes. One owner reported: “Forward collision system dint notify of an object infront , also breaks locked up when used .Air bags didn’t go off while a forward collision with a bus happened”
Owner complaints by area
| Area | Complaints | Share | Chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 113 | 36% | |
| Engine | 93 | 29% | |
| Fuel system | 58 | 18% | |
| Electrical system | 43 | 14% | |
| Transmission & powertrain | 40 | 13% | |
| Speed control & acceleration | 15 | 5% | |
| Forward collision avoidance | 14 | 4% | |
| Steering | 13 | 4% |
318 complaints filed with NHTSA in total, reporting 21 crashes, 7 fires, 12 injuries, 1 death. A complaint can involve more than one area.
2020 Chevrolet Equinox recalls
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Child seat › Vehicle latch anchor
Risk: 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.
Full recall summary
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."
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Power train › Automatic transmission
Risk: 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.
Full recall summary
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.
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Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Disc › Caliper
Risk: 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.
Full recall summary
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.
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Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
Risk: 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.
Full recall summary
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.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. To check whether a specific car’s recalls have been repaired, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
2020 Chevrolet Equinox crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox SUV AWD. Ratings can differ between body styles and drivetrains (2 versions tested or listed).
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Specifications
- Drivetrains
- AWD, FWD
- Body styles
- SUV
Other Chevrolet Equinox years
About this data
Problems, complaint counts, recalls and crash-test ratings come from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public databases, last checked 2026-11-03. Complaints are reports from owners and have not all been verified by NHTSA.
How we score reliability: every model year starts at 100. Points come off for the number of owner complaints (on a log scale, up to 40 points), for each safety recall (2 points each, up to 15) and for complaints involving crashes, fires, injuries or deaths (up to 15). Popular vehicles get more complaints simply because more are on the road, so compare scores between similar vehicles. More about our method.
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