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2012 Chevrolet Equinox problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
63% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.
Worse than 84% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Does the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 416 of 685 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (63%), and the largest group is filed under engine (355). For comparison, the 2011 scores 70% and the 2013 scores 65%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2012 compares with other Chevrolet Equinox years
Of the 14 Chevrolet Equinox years with enough complaints to score, the 2012 is the 4th-worst on engine and transmission share (63%). The worst is the 2017 (83%), the best the 2015 (41%). By volume, the 2012 drew 685 complaints (416 drivetrain), against 782 for the 2011 and 751 for the 2013.
Chevrolet Equinox years to avoid and best years →
2010 Equinox problems · 2011 Equinox problems · 2012 · 2013 Equinox problems · 2014 Equinox problems · 2015 Equinox problems · 2016 Equinox problems · 2017 Equinox problems · 2018 Equinox problems · 2019 Equinox problems · 2020 Equinox problems · 2021 Equinox problems · 2022 Equinox problems · 2023 Equinox problems
The rest of the picture on the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- What the repair costs. Typical engine repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 416 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2012 Chevrolet Equinox engine and transmission recalls
No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
3 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2012 Chevrolet Equinox? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
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Does the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 416 of 685 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (63%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox is engine: 355 of 685 complaints (52%) name it, followed by visibility/wiper (121) and power train (84). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.
Is the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 63% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (very high signal). That is worse than 84% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 Chevrolet Equinox years we score, it ranks 4th-worst. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox?
No. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.
Which Chevrolet Equinox years are better?
Among the Chevrolet Equinox years we track, the 2015 (41%), the 2018 (43%) and the 2021 (49%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2012 (63%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/chevrolet-equinox
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.