Chevrolet Equinox visibility and wiper problems, 2016–2027
329 of the 2,715 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Chevrolet Equinox 2016–2027 name the wipers, glass and mirrors (NHTSA’s “Visibility/Wiper” heading — windshields, wipers, washers, mirrors and defrosters). The loudest years: 2016 (120), 2025 (111), 2024 (60). Filed under the same heading across these years: 1 recall campaign, 2 NHTSA investigations. Every figure is a linked federal record; none is a failure rate, none a repair cost, and none a verdict on one car.
Chevrolet Equinox visibility and wiper problems by model year
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsOne row per model year on file, newest first. A year marked in depth has its own page: the complaints, the owners’ words and every document under this heading for that year.
| Model year | Complaints naming the wipers, glass and mirrors | Share of the year’s | Typically at | On file under the heading | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2026 | 9 | 11% | — | — | the year → |
| 2025 | 111 | 28% | — | — | the year → |
| 2024 | 60 | 32% | — | — | the year → |
| 2023 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2022 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2021 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2020 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2019 | 0 | — | — | — | the year → |
| 2018 | 17 | 4% | 21k | 1 recall | the year → |
| 2017 | 12 | 4% | — | — | the year → |
| 2016 in depth | 120 | 30% | 74k | 2 investigations | the record → |
Two things the counts carry that are not the car: how many of each year were sold, and how long each has been on the road — an older year out-counts a newer one before anything is wrong with it. The share column is the honest comparison across years: what part of that year’s complaints named the wipers, glass and mirrors. Nothing here is a rate.
When the visibility and wiper complaints were filed, and at what mileage
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled per calendar year, every model year together: 2016: 2 · 2017: 3 · 2018: 6 · 2019: 23 · 2020: 19 · 2021: 22 · 2022: 23 · 2023: 24 · 2024: 62 · 2025: 117 · 2026: 28
Across the model years, half of the 77 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the visibility and wiper problem between 22,000 and 84,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the wipers, glass and mirrors, from the model years with the most to say. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
The windshield wipers for our company vehicle (2016 Chevrolet Equinox) had partially failed one day prior to both windshield wipers failing. You cannot use them at all, even when trying to run them, nothing happens. No other previous issue has occurred to cause the wipers from failing
Windshield wipers abruptly became inoperable through no fault of my own. Nothing stuck it/them, there was no accident, etc. one minute they were working and the next the minute completely stopped moving and haven't worked since. Sounds similar to current investigation/complaint opened in 11/2018
Visibility under certain conditions is very poor. Reflection on the windshield from the dash creates unsafe driving conditions. It is especially bad when driving into a dark area like a parking garage or car wash. Almost impossible to see other vehicles or people.
When driving in sunny conditions, there is an intense glare reflecting from the interior trim- specifically the "chrome" trim on the middle console. The reflection is so bright that it becomes blinding at times, making it difficult to see the road clearly and creating a serious safety hazard.
On multiple occasions, the glare back coming from the dashboard is so intense I often lose visibility of the road on sunny days or when passing under lamp posts at night. I have almost gotten into multiple accidents due to not seeing pedestrians and light colored/silver vehicles turning in front of me.
What is on file about the wipers, glass and mirrors, across the years
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall campaign filed under this heading, any model year
- 18V252000 ModerateApr 19, 2018 · 379 vehicles
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Equinox vehicles. The driver and front passenger door window glass may not be properly tempered. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 205, "Glazing Materials."
NHTSA investigations
- EA19005 Front Wiper Transmission Inoperativeopened Dec 13, 2019 · closed Nov 28, 2022
- On December 13, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) upgraded RQ18-002 to an Engineering Analysis (EA19-005) to further assess the MY2010-2016 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain windshield wiper failures. Due to a prior recall, 16V-582, addressing this issue in the MY2013 subject vehicles, MY2013 was not included in the analysis. To date, ODI had received 998 complaints with allegations …
- RQ18002 Windshield Wiper Transmission Failureopened Nov 2, 2018 · closed Dec 19, 2019
- On November 2, 2018, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Recall Query (RQ18-002) to assess the scope of Recall 16V-582. General Motors (GM) initiated Safety Recall 16V-582 on August 3, 2016 to address windshield wiper failure in the Model Year (MY) 2013 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain. Failures were attributed to water and debris intrusion into the windshield wiper assembly ball j…
Other systems with a record on the Chevrolet Equinox
Source: the same files- electrical problems
- fuel system problems
- brake problems
- engine problems
- transmission and drivetrain problems
Every system, every model year: Chevrolet Equinox problems by year →
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsWhich Chevrolet Equinox years have the most visibility and wiper complaints?
2016, 120; 2025, 111; 2024, 60. Raw counts, and an older year has had longer to collect them; by share of each year's own complaints the loudest is the 2024 (32%).
Is there a recall for the wipers, glass and mirrors on the Chevrolet Equinox?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading across these model years: 18V252000 (2018). A recall is matched by VIN, and applies to specific years; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do visibility and wiper problems show up on the Chevrolet Equinox?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 56,395 miles across the model years; half of them between 22,000 and 84,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Visibility/Wiper" heading cover?
Windshields, wipers, washers, mirrors and defrosters. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.