2020 Chevrolet Equinox engine problems
98 of the 309 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 219 manufacturer bulletins. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database3 of the 98 reports a crash · 3 a fire · 1 injury. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2019: 1 · 2020: 5 · 2021: 7 · 2022: 9 · 2023: 12 · 2024: 17 · 2025: 19 · 2026: 28
Half of the 27 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 14,000 and 100,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
309 complaints in all about the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox, 28 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Chevrolet Equinox engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Water pump failure noticed on 2/17/22. Engine noise sounded like loose engine belt. Car taken to Beaty Chevrolet dealership in Knoxville, TN. Problem confirmed failed water pump at 14,804 miles. Dealer replaced pump quickly. Concerned about long term engine issues due to water pump failure.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle decelerated independently to 20 mph with the steering wheel locked. The ESC message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact continued to drive to the residence.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the vehicle started to shake and then stalled. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact started the vehicle and drove to her destination.
The check engine light keeps coming on and off right after I had an oil change. Now my engine shimmers or vibrates in a funny way. This vehicle is not even two years old
On march 27, 2021 engine randomly started having issues while on the highway. Car would not accelerate and 'reduced engine power' notification came on. Even backing out of the driveway the car shut off and had to push down hard on gas to get it to back up because it wouldn't accelerate back.
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications219 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
The 0 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P0299 P0300 P12A6 P1101 P2227 P0172 P0101 P0506
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox
Source: the same files- brake problems 110 complaints
- fuel system problems 57 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 98 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (32% of everything owners filed about it), and 219 manufacturer bulletins are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the engine on the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox?
No recall campaign is filed under this heading for this model year (there are 4 filed under other headings). A bulletin is not a recall: it carries no federal duty to repair for free.
When do engine problems show up on the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 51,000 miles; half of them between 14,000 and 100,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.