Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 395 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 137 | 35% |
| Visibility/wiper | 104 | 26% |
| Unknown or other | 20 | 5% |
| Power train | 11 | 3% |
| Air bags | 9 | 2% |
| Engine | 9 | 2% |
| Electrical system | 8 | 2% |
| Unknown or other | 7 | 2% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 7 | 2% |
| Power train | 7 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
In February of 2025, while driving my 2016 Chevy Equinox home from work, I heard a loud pop and loss of engine power a block from home. The weather conditions at the time were below freezing and light snow. After getti
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Wipers stopped working in the pouring down rain. Couldn’t see anything
NHTSA complaint: Visibility/wiper
: "I live in my car. The 2016 Equinox 2.4L burned all its oil in 2 weeks with no leaks, failed to give a dashboard warning, and the engine is now knocking, threatening to leave me unsheltered." This ties my vehicle's spe
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
I started up my car on a cold winter morning and I heard a loud popping noise. I backed up my car minutes later and discovered puddles of oil in front of me in my driveway. I asked my husband to come out and look. He got
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Around 100,000 miles car started burning through oil. Have to check oil weekly. No warning lights come up when the oil is low. Patiently waiting for them to put a recall on it.
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Excessive oil consumption with no warning light, loss of power, and stalling. Also caused the master seal to leak and plugged the PCV valve. I have records for the repairs. It continues to excessively use oil and is not
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Engine failure. There is a class action that has been filed for this exact make, model, and engine size. There were no lights indicating an issue and the car had recently been serviced with an oil change and oil filter c
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Transfer case and front differential failure. No warning lights came on beforehand
NHTSA complaint: Wheels
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles manufactured October 16, 2015. The certification labels may have incorrect tire/rim size and cold tire pressure information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Feder
Risk: If the information on the certification labels is incorrect, the operator may install incorrectly sized tires or rims or may improperly inflate the tires, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the certification label, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-105
| Reliability | 78 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 77 | good |
| Maintenance | 77 | good |
| Depreciation | 69 | good |
| Performance | 59 | average |
| Efficiency | 43 | below average |
| Safety | 80 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 395 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and engine is the most reported area with 137 of them (35%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 78/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density, adjusted for how many were sold so a popular model is not penalised for having more owners.
AVOIR scores its longevity 77/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2016 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 72/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.