2016 Chevrolet Equinox Engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE · data through 07/12/2026

199Engine complaints

50.9%Of all 391 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE199 · 50.9%

VISIBILITY/WIPER111 · 28.4%

Unspecified / other31 · 7.9%

POWER TRAIN24 · 6.1%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM22 · 5.6%

Share of the 391 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox overview page.

What owners report

“MY 2016 CHEVY EQUINOX RANDOMLY STALLS WHILE DRIVING, AT ANY RANDOM TIME. NO LIGHTS OR WARNINGS GO OFF TO LET ME KNOW THAT THIS IS…”NHTSA complaint 11329675 — filed 06/18/2020

“TRUCK WAS SPUTTERING WHILE DRIVING AND COULD SMELL OIL & HAD SMOKE COMING FROM BACK. TOOK TO CHEVY DEALER IN JANUARY. DEALER REPLACED MASS AIR…”NHTSA complaint 11323228 — filed 05/04/2020

“LIFTGATE WILL NOT OPEN CODE P0010 AND P0011 ON VEHICLE. PARTS CHANGED AND CODE P0011 STILL SHOWING. CAUSES VEHICLE TO STALL VERY DANGEROUS.THIS CAR IS…”NHTSA complaint 11317860 — filed 03/13/2020

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox have engine problems?

Engine is the most-reported problem area on the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox: 199 of 391 complaints on file (50.9%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox have in total?

391 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 14 involved a crash, 3 involved a fire, 22 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.