2009 Chevrolet Equinox

Typical pattern

0.7% of complaints about the 2009 Chevrolet Equinox came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2009 vehicle — around the middle of the 212 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 6.7 yr in service. The most-reported system is air bags (26 complaints), typically at 7.8 yr or about 80,000 miles.

Complaints: 151
Median age at failure: 6.7 yr
Median mileage: 78,200 n=125
Crash / fire / tow: 6.6% of reports
Safety recalls: 0

In owners’ own words

Air bags 15,000 mi 2.4 yr in service crash / fire / tow

TWO MONTHS AFTER REPAIR OF VEHICLE, GRANDDAUGHTER REPORTED THAT CAR VEERED TO RIGHT AND SHE COULD NOT CONTROL THE CAR. SHE HIT A POLE AND THE CAR SUFFERED SEVERE DAMAGE AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. SHE SUFFERED A CONCUSSION AND BRUISES. PICTURES OF INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR ARE AVAILABLE. *TR

Air bags 61,000 mi 5.5 yr in service crash / fire / tow

I HAD PASSED OUT WHILE DRIVING TO WORK DUE TO LOW BLOOD SUGAR. THE FRONT OF MY VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A STRUCTURE AT APPROXIMATELY 55/60 MPH. NONE OF MY AIRBAGS EVER DEPLOYED. I WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. *TR

Air bags 80,000 mi 5.4 yr in service

AIR BAG PASSENGER LIGHT ALWAYS FLASHES "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" EVEN WHEN AN ADULT SITS ON THE PASSENGER SEAT. DEALER SAID THIS COMPUTER MODULE PROBLEM IS NOT COVERED UNDER RECENT RECALLS OR WARRANTY AND THAT CHARGE WILL BE ABOUT $1000.00. I THINK THAT THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY GENERAL MOTORS. AIR BAG HAS NEVER DEPLOYED. *JS

Electrical system mileage not reported 2.6 yr in service

DIC (DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER) DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS INADEQUATE FOR DAYLIGHT/SUNLIGHT VISIBILITY. NO LISTED MEANS TO ALTER/BRIGHTEN.

Other Equinox model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

2009 Chevrolet Equinox

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

In owners’ own words

Other Equinox model years

How to read this