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#BS-2018-CHEEQU-553E

2018 Chevrolet EquinoxProblems, Recalls & Reliability

Based on reports from 598 owners and 5 recalls for this exact model.

Data updated ·NHTSA complaints through October 19, 2026

Complaints
598
Crashes
33
Fires
7
Recalls
5
TSBs
1,337
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 598 complaints, 33 crashes, 7 fires, and 5 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

check engine light on

5 complaints • Severity 8.4/10

$X,XXX
2

not shifting properly

5 complaints • Severity 6.4/10

$X,XXX
3

when filling fuel tank gas gauge only goes to 3 4

4 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
4

foul odor from ac

3 complaints • Severity 6.7/10

$X,XXX
5

hard brakes

3 complaints • Severity 9.3/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the BrakesHIGH

133 owners reported brakes issues — failures commonly reported around 25K miles.

!Inspect the EngineMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

132
0–30K
41
30–60K
33
60–90K
15
90–120K
14
120–150K
15
150K+

Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (132 reports) • Median: 25K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Brakes (133 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Brakes133 (22%)
Engine90 (15%)
Drivetrain66 (11%)
Electrical57 (10%)
Other57 (10%)
Fuel System39 (7%)
Structure:body16 (3%)
Wheels & Tires16 (3%)

2018 Chevrolet Equinox: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Brakes Issues

Brakes complaints account for 22% of all reports filed for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox, with 133 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 24,500 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 25K-mile mark.

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 15% of all reports filed for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox, with 90 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Drivetrain Issues

Drivetrain complaints account for 11% of all reports filed for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox, with 66 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox, with 57 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

11
17
59
18
58
19
60
20
54
21
73
22
65
23
76
24
53
25
89
26

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. Recent trend: increasing.

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Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (5 recalls)

17V516000Aug 2017

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles and 2017-2018 GMC Acadia vehicles. The right front intermediate driveshaft may fracture and separate while driving.

18V252000May 2018

STRUCTURE:EMERGENCY:ESCAPE/EGRESS/EXIT

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."

18V358000Jul 2018

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.

18V576000Oct 2018

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.

20V668000Dec 2020

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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2018 Chevrolet Equinox NHTSA Safety Ratings

Overall

★★★★★

4 of 5 stars

Frontal crash

★★★★★

5 of 5 stars

Side crash

★★★★★

4 of 5 stars

Rollover

★★★★★

4 of 5 stars

From NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings). Where NHTSA tested more than one version of this vehicle, the lowest rating is shown.

The worst model year for the Chevrolet Equinox is the 2013 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

2018 Chevrolet Equinox vs. Class Average (Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD)

This vehicle

598

Class avg

443

Complaint volume is roughly in line with other small sport utility vehicle 2wd vehicles from 2018.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 598 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 5 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Last updated . NHTSA complaints received through October 19, 2026; safety ratings from NHTSA's 5-Star program.

Other Chevrolet Equinox Model Years

20272026202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005
View all Chevrolet Equinox years →

2018 Chevrolet Equinox: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox is related to the brakes, with 133 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox reliable?
The 2018 Chevrolet Equinox has 598 complaints, 33 crash reports, and 7 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How safe is the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox?
NHTSA rates the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox 4 out of 5 stars overall, with 5 stars in frontal crash tests, 4 stars in side crash tests, 4 stars for rollover resistance. Where NHTSA tested more than one version, the lowest rating is shown.
How much does it cost to fix 2018 Chevrolet Equinox problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox have any recalls?
Yes, the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox has 5 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Chevrolet Equinox problems start?
Based on 250 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 24,500 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 0–30K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
When was the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox data last updated?
BumperScan last checked this vehicle against NHTSA on October 21, 2026, covering owner complaints received through October 19, 2026 plus the latest recalls, investigations and technical service bulletins.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 598 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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