Car · Chevrolet problems

2018 Chevrolet Equinox problems

410 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The most reported area is service brakes (32% of them). NHTSA also lists 529 service bulletins and 5 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 30. Deaths: 1.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 410 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Service brakes132 · 32%
• Engine and engine cooling94 · 23%
• Power train (transmission and drive)66 · 16%
• Electrical system61 · 15%
• Other or unknown57 · 14%
• Fuel system41 · 10%
• Visibility and wipers18 · 4%
• Body and structure17 · 4%

13 smaller areas not shown (105 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 529 repair bulletins from Chevrolet for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. PIT5698FReceived September 30, 2026

   This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.

2. PIT5099JReceived July 29, 2026

   PI to help diagnose A/C concern.

3. PIT3271QReceived April 7, 2026

   Information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.

4. PIT5992BReceived March 31, 2026

   This preliminary information discusses a condition that may arise from the drivers window switch sending an errant message causing the vehicle to enter manual fob learn mode.

5. 25-NA-156Received December 4, 2025

   Wheels

   Information on Tire Sidewall Irregularities.

6. 00-06-01-026RReceived December 3, 2025

   Engine and engine cooling

   Information on replacing the intake manifold when the engine is replaced after severe internal engine damage.

7. PIT5214GReceived November 28, 2025

   This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer's vehicles that exhibit...

8. 23-NA-153Received October 25, 2025

   Engine and engine cooling

   The service bulletin advises the tech of a normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle response when the throttle plate is opened rapidly and advises the customer that it is...

Recalls

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. Recall repairs are free at a Chevrolet dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 18V576000August 30, 2018

   Service brakes, hydraulic

   The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.

2. 20V668000October 29, 2020

   Power train

   The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.

3. 17V516000August 22, 2017

   Power train

   The right front intermediate driveshaft may fracture and separate while driving.

See all 5 recalls for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Equinox will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Service brakes 132 complaints · 32%

• Brake pad replacement (front)$190 to $400
• Brake rotors and pads (front)$320 to $790
• Brake pad replacement (rear)$180 to $420
• Brake caliper replacement (one wheel)$240 to $590
• Brake fluid flush$75 to $180

Engine and engine cooling 94 complaints · 23%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Power train (transmission and drive) 66 complaints · 16%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Electrical system 61 complaints · 15%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

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Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2018 Chevrolet Equinox: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox?

Of the 410 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox, 132 (32%) name service brakes, and 94 (23%) name engine and engine cooling. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 23 of the 410 complaints as involving a crash and 4 as involving a fire. They also reported 30 injuries and 1 death. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox have?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. Recall repairs are free at a Chevrolet dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 529 repair bulletins for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox.

More

• 2020 Equinox problems
• 2019 Equinox problems
• 2016 Equinox problems
• 2015 Equinox problems
• 2014 Equinox problems
• 2013 Equinox problems
• 2012 Equinox problems
• 2011 Equinox problems
• 2010 Equinox problems
• 2018 recalls
• All Chevrolet recalls
• Chevrolet problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.