2016 Chevrolet Equinox — Known Issues & Recalls

Your engine failed completely without any warning lights. The car had just been serviced with an oil and filter change and was regularly maintained, but a mechanic found the engine had failed and one spark plug wasn't getting power. GM acknowledged the failure when you contacted them. The repair will likely require engine replacement or extensive internal engine work.

Your car vibrated and idled roughly while driving at low speed, and the brake pedal caused unexpected jumping. The check engine light came on, and a mechanic diagnosed a failed timing chain that needs replacement. A mechanic advised against driving the vehicle due to safety concerns, and this problem kept recurring, so you stopped driving it.

Your high pressure fuel pump is leaking fuel directly into the engine's crankcase, mixing fuel with your engine oil. This fuel contamination became so severe it ignited and caught fire. The fuel pump gasket is also leaking and needs replacement.

Your engine is consuming oil at an unusually high rate. According to your mechanic, this has caused damage to the timing chain and tensioner, which need to be replaced soon to prevent the engine from seizing. This issue has affected other vehicles like yours and is the subject of a class action lawsuit in Missouri.

Your engine is consuming oil rapidly even though there's no visible leak underneath the car. This means oil is being burned internally during normal engine operation. You should have a mechanic inspect your engine for worn piston rings, valve seals, or other internal issues that could be causing this excessive oil consumption.

Your engine's PCV system became clogged, which caused pressure to build up inside the engine and led to failure of the rear main seal. This can result in oil leaking from the back of your engine. The fix will involve cleaning or replacing the PCV valve and components, and replacing the failed rear main seal.

Your Equinox is consuming oil much faster than normal — the dipstick was nearly dry after only 1,000 miles of driving, even though there were no visible leaks and the oil warning light never came on. You may need to check and top off your oil frequently to prevent engine damage. This issue may require engine inspection or internal repairs to identify the cause of excessive oil consumption.

Your car is burning through about a quart of oil every month, even though you're only driving around 620 miles monthly and there's no visible leak. A mechanic has been monitoring this since April 2025, and your dashboard warning lights haven't alerted you to the problem. This is particularly frustrating because you rely on the car for essential tasks like caring for your husband and getting to his doctor appointments. The fix will likely require your mechanic to diagnose the internal cause of the oil consumption, which could range from worn piston rings to valve seals.

Your windshield wipers stopped working during a heavy thunderstorm, leaving you unable to see the road. You had to pull over safely until the rain stopped 45 minutes later. This created a dangerous situation with children in the car and risked being hit from behind. The wipers may need to be inspected for electrical issues, motor failure, or worn components.

Your front wipers suddenly stopped working while driving in heavy rain on the highway, leaving you unable to see the road or other vehicles. You discovered that a bushing on the wiper linkage arm had popped off the ball joint, and when you replaced it and reassembled the wipers, the new bushing immediately popped off again. The fix will likely require a more secure replacement of the wiper linkage bushing or ball joint assembly to prevent it from disconnecting during operation.

Your wipers stopped working completely while you were driving on the highway in heavy rain at 55 mph. When you tried to increase the wiper speed from low, they shut off entirely, forcing you to pull over and wait for the rain to stop. This sudden loss of visibility during heavy rain creates a serious safety hazard while driving.

Your windshield wipers suddenly stopped working while driving and got stuck in the middle of your windshield. One of the wiper arms snapped off and disconnected from its mounting point, which happened during wet driving conditions and reduced your visibility. The fix will likely involve replacing the broken wiper arm assembly and inspecting the mounting hardware.

Your engine is consuming oil much faster than normal. Shortly after you bought the car, the dealer found the oil level dangerously low, but your oil warning light never came on. Even after an oil change, the problem continued and you had to check the oil every week to keep it from running dry. The dealer couldn't find the cause of the excessive oil consumption.

Your engine is burning through oil much faster than normal, requiring you to add 1.5 quarts every two days. A dealer found that a sagging timing belt caused a piston to burn out. The repair involves replacing the timing chain, tensioner, gaskets, sensors, and related components.

Your 2016 Equinox has experienced multiple serious engine problems over several months, including timing chain failure, solenoid issues, and a major rear main seal and engine block failure that caused total oil loss and left you stranded in freezing weather. Your windshield wiper motor also needed replacement. Despite spending over $4,000 on preventative maintenance with frequent oil changes, the engine remains non-functional and the dealer's repairs have not resolved the underlying instability. Fixing this will likely require a complete engine rebuild or replacement, and may involve addressing frost plug failures.

Your car consumed oil at an unusually high rate, requiring frequent top-ups. Eventually the timing belt broke due to the engine running out of oil, causing the engine to seize and fail completely. This appears to be a documented issue affecting multiple vehicles of this model.

Your transfer case and front differential have failed without any warning lights appearing on your dashboard first. This means power may not be properly distributed to your wheels, affecting your ability to drive safely. The repair will likely require replacement of one or both of these drivetrain components.

Your wiper motor has stopped working, so your wipers won't operate. Your tire pressure sensor isn't reading correctly. Additionally, your engine oil level is dropping faster than normal, which could indicate an oil leak or excessive consumption that needs investigation.

Your airbag warning light came on and stayed on while you were driving at various speeds. A dealer diagnosed the problem as a failed weight sensor in the front passenger seat that detects whether someone is sitting there. The fix will involve replacing the passenger seat weight sensor so the airbag system can properly detect occupancy.

Your 2016 Equinox developed a fuel odor inside the cabin and left oil on your driveway while reversing on a cold, snowy day, with the engine warning light coming on. A mechanic found that your PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) valve was clogged, which caused a gasket to fail. The repair involves cleaning or replacing the clogged PCV valve and the failed gasket to restore proper engine ventilation and stop the oil leak.