2017 Chevrolet Equinox Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 85,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

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What owners said

I own a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox with a 2.4L 4-cylinder engine and approximately 50,000 miles. The vehicle suddenly stopped starting without any prior warning signs, unusual noises, or dashboard warnings indicating a serious mechanical problem. After the vehicle was inspected by a mechanic, I was told that the timing chain had failed…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced oil consumption failures. While examine the vehicle he contact discover very little oil was present although oil was recently added to the engine. The oil light warning light did not display and no oil leaks were present. The vehicle was taken to the…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 130,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 56,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

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What owners said

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that upon arriving to the destination, the contact became aware that there was an excessive amount of engine oil pooling underneath the engine compartment of the vehicle, prompting the contact to discontinue driving the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 150,000 miles

Majority of the oil leaked out of the vehicle, the low oil light never came on. Car was towed to the shop after I was told not to drive it, as the engine will most likely seize up. The shop found that the rear main crankshaft seal was blown out and leaking to access crank case pressure due to a PCV orifice plugged, not letting the engine…Owner complaint, filed 2025

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

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What owners said

I have replaced the fuel pump on this vehicle three times. The last time was done the first week of August. It’s the first week of October and it’s going out again.Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact's son owns a 2017 chevrolet equinox. The contact stated that when the oil warning gauge decreased to one percent, there was a fuel odor in the vehicle. The contact notified the dealer (huffines chevrolet plano, 1001 coit road, plano, tx), but no leaks were found. The [VIN] was not notified and the failure recurred. The…Owner complaint, filed 2018, at 2,968 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 62,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The vehicle was a private sale from Facebook Marketplace. The mileage was 98,776 miles on 1/5/26. The contact had decided that a larger vehicle was needed and brought the vehicle to the dealer to trade it. The contact received a Carfax report from the dealer indicating an…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 128,016 miles

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 98,000. The contact found paperwork inside the glove compartment that indicated that the mileage on the Title was 156,300. The…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 156,300 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 54,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owned a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle collided with a deer. During the crash, the air bags became inoperable and failed to inflate or expose themselves out of the housing, and an “Air Bag Needs Service” warning message was displayed. The contact also noticed…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 104,000 miles

I was in a car accident (car total loss), my air bags did NOT deploy and a light came on after the crash to say the airbags malfunctioned.Owner complaint, filed 2025

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 31,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

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What owners said

Driving home in the rain. Windshield wiper stopped working randomly everything I read online is that there is no recall for my year of car but for 2013 and 2014 for windshield wiper transmission arm linkageOwner complaint, filed 2023

UNKNOWN. This complaint is related to a letter I received from GM notifying me that there is the POTENTIAL for failure of the front windshield wipers due to failure of the wiper ball joints. The letter states that GM will only fix the problem IF they fail. It seems to me that this is a KNOWN problem that has the potential to cause…Owner complaint, filed 2023

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 64,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the stabili-trak, emergency brake, and ABS warning lights illuminated. After tuning off the vehicle, the warning lights disappeared. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the brake control modulator needed to be…Owner complaint, filed 2023, at 64,000 miles

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard a loud grinding sound coming from the passenger’s side front of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, but the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The failure persisted and the…Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 67,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

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What owners said

While driving on the expressway my car suddenly started slowing down and on the display it said that engine power reduced, the check engine light came on, and the traction stability light came on. I was going 55mph and it went down to 35mph. I made it home safely which was good that no one hit me on the expressway. I took my car in the…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 35 miles

The contact owns a 2017 chevrolet equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle unintentionally [VIN] while attempting to reverse with the brake pedal depressed. The contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a parked, unoccupied vehicle. The contact's vehicle came to a stop on its own. There were no injuries and a police report…Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 10,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
• Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

The cable that holds the seat belt to the frame of the car severed in half. We are ordering a new cable and fixing it, but I have never heard of this before. I will attach a photo below. We have had the car for a really long time.Owner complaint, filed 2025

The contact owns a 2017 chevrolet equinox. During a crash, the front driver side seat belt detached from the floor and failed to restrain the driver during the crash. The cause was not determined. No injuries were sustained but the driver was concerned that there could have been serious injuries. The contact stated that while driving…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 36,000 miles

Parts named most: Body (5).

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

Paint flaking off on hood. Dealer agreed not normal and no sign of hitting anything. Gm has taken over a month to reply to claim by dealer and now just say it is out of 3 year warranty so no assistance can be offered.Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 55,000 miles

The latch that holds the door shut keeps coming loose. I have tightened it numerous times but still keeps coming loose. It has troubles keeping the door shut and secure. The bracket will turn so the door won't shut at all sometimes.Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 51,535 miles

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

I have 41,000 miles and my car started making a weird wobbling noise ( worse when I turn)at the left front drivers side tire. I was advised to fix it right away as it is a safety hazard. Took it in and I had to have my left front wheel baring replaced for $600.00 I have 41,000 miles and these should be good for 80,000-150,000 miles. I…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 41,000 miles

2017 equinox came with michelin latitude tour x tires. After less than 2 years (30,000 miles), tire sidewalls are severely cracked. I have never seen a tire degrade as badly as these have. The factory in poland must be using [VIN] materials to make these tires. Dot b53t 031x 4516. According to michelin, I will be responsible for at least…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 30,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

I am writing to address a critical issue involving my 2017 Chevrolet vehicle, which poses a significant safety hazard. I purchased this car from Faulkner Subaru in Bethlehem in 2022. The specific component failure relates to the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system, particularly the lack of a traditional PCV valve and the presence…Owner complaint, filed 2024

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2017 chevrolet equinox. While driving high speeds, the vehicle shook violently without warning. The vehicle was taken to kristal auto mall (5200 kings hwy, brooklyn, ny 11234), but the failure could not be diagnosed or duplicated. The [VIN] was notified and did not assist. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure…Owner complaint, filed 2018, at 35,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

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