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KLUNK
KLUNK

2009 Chevrolet Equinox

The Verdict

75 Solid Pick

The 2009 Chevrolet Equinox has 94 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are electrical (41 complaints) and engine (28 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 75/100, it earns a "Solid Pick" rating. If you're shopping for a Chevrolet Equinox, consider the 2024 model year which has 30% fewer complaints.

Safe Bet

The 2024 has 30% fewer complaints

View the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox dashboard →

75

Klunk Score: Solid Pick

Fewer complaints than most vehicles. Generally dependable, but check the top problems below.

How is this calculated?

The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
20051267714219696
20063337412114224
20071392520529124
200810971598113
200916341286
201022913101325116
2011164208143974
201221484637834
201320795943331
201423194524117
2015337126324223
20161463232109
20173182419213
201885894912045
201948573312923
202046672613022
2021255192711
2022264131064
2023131410462
202417128244
20257717583222

By Category

Electrical
41
Engine
28
Body
16
Transmission
6
Brakes
3

By Severity

1
43
2
44
3
1
4
6

Worst Problems

Compare Against

See how the 2009 Chevrolet Equinox stacks up against rivals.

Complaints

Electrical 2

Odometer Fraud - The contact purchased a 2009 Chevrolet Equinox. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 186,425 as stated on the contract. The contact stated that the speedometer was possibly tampered with because the odometer reading was not displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where a diagnostic c reading was provided and the speedometer reading was repaired and the mileage was 300,107.

2mo ago
Engine 2

The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that there was an abnormal fuel odor coming from the vehicle. Upon inspection, the contact discovered a fuel leak coming from the gas tank. The contact also stated that the check engine warning light was illuminating while driving up an incline; however, the light disappeared shortly afterwards. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that there were no open recalls on the VIN. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.

38mo ago
Body 1

The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the traction control warning light illuminated and the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

62mo ago
Engine 1

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS AN ABNORMALLY STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE INSIDE THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT LOOKED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND NOTICE A FUEL LEAK COMING FROM THE FUEL TANK. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE FUEL PUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. AN UNKNOWN DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.*DT*DT*JB

65mo ago
Engine 4

I WAS HEADING DOWNTOWN WITH MY KIDS AND THIS CAR CUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHILE I WAS DRIVING THIS WAS ONE OF THE WORSE DAYS OF MY LIFE CHEVROLET SHOULD BE ASHAMED ALL THEM EQUINOX NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE DIES THIS CAR SET A LITTLE BLAZE STALLED OUT IVE ONLY SEEN CHEVY EQUINOX DO THIS

70mo ago
Engine 2

HAD A FOUL FUEL SMELL, FOUND OUT GAS TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. REPAIR FACILITY STATED THAT CHEVY HAD THE TANK IN 'READY',NO ISSUE TO ORDER ONE. SOUNDS LIKE SOME ONE WAS READY FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. NO ASSISTANCE FROM THE DEALER OR CHEVROLET. DRIVERS SIDE FROM DOOR TO REAR OF CAR PAINT IS FALLING OFF. I CAN SEE AND FEEL SOME SORT OF 'BUBBLES' UNDER THE PAINT. LOOKS LIKE NO RECALL.

72mo ago
Engine 1

WHEN YOU DRIVE IT THE TRANSMISSON WON'T SHIFT OUT OF SECOND GEAR. IT MAKES IT HARD TO GET ANYWHERE. IT ONLY HAW 110,000 MILES ON IT AND JUST HAD THE TIMING CHAIN DONE ON IT AND THE DAY WENT TO GET IT WAS ON MY WAY HOME AND WON'T COME OUT OF 2ND GEAR.

73mo ago
Electrical 1

THE AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT STAYS ON INTERMITTENTLY AND WHEN IT DOES, THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SAYS "OFF" AND NOTIFICATION MESSAGE SAYS "SERVICE PASSENGER AIRBAG". EVERY SHOP I HAVE TO TAKE IT TO SAYS THEY SEE NO PROBLEMS, BUT A DEALER HAS TO TAKE A LOOK. THIS STARTED HAPPENING IN 2018 AND HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE. I HAVE BEEN READING THAT THIS IS PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL OF EQUINOX AROUND THIS TIME IN ITS LIFE. THE STABLE TRACK IS SIMILAR. EVERY SO OFTEN, IT STOPS WORKING BUT THEN MOST OF THE TIME IS FINE. *TR

73mo ago
Engine 1

THE TIMING CHAIN AND GUIDES WENT BAD AT ONLY 110K MILES. AND IF IT WAS RECALLED LIKE THE 2009 CHEVY TRAVERSE WAS THEN I WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO FIX IT. IT HAS THE SAME MOTOR. IT IS THE 3.6L MOTOR. BECAUSE IT IS THE SPORTS MODEL. IT WAS THROWING P0008 P0018 P0017 AND TWO TRANSMISSION CODES SO I BELIEVE THE TRANSMISSION IS BAD NOW. IT IS THROWING CODES P0752 AND P0700. *TR

74mo ago
Engine 1

THE TIMING CHAIN WENT OUT. *TR

74mo ago
Electrical 1

THE AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF AND AFTER REVIEW OF THIS INFO ONLINE THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS AGAINST THIS SAME ISSUE NOT SURE WHY NO ONE WILL LOOK INTO THE RECALL NEEDED FOR THESE AIRBAGS THE DEALER IS SAYING IT WILL 1200 TO REPLACE SENSOR LIGHT PUT IN BY MANUFACTURER THIS IS INSANE AMOUNT OF MONEY NEEDED TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE ON THE RIDE THIS IS MUST HAVE ITEM IN A CAR

79mo ago
Body 2

KEY WON'T RELEASE RIGHT AWAY AFTER TURNING OFF ENGINE. SOMETIMES IT TAKES A FEW MINUTES TO RELEASE . IT'S HAPPENED DOZENS OF TIMES

80mo ago
Brakes 1

MY AIRBAG LIGHT AND 'SERVICE AIR BAG' LIGHT AND ABS LIGHT AND STABALIZE TRACK LIGHT WERE ALL ON FOR A FEW WEEK AND I TOOK IT TO LOCAL SHOP WHO SAID THE SENSOR FOR THE BRAKES UNDER DRIVER SEAT WAS BAD SO THAT COST $580.00 FOR NEW MODULE. THAT TOOK CARE OF ABS/STABILIZE LIGHTS. HAD TO TO GO DEALER FOR AIRBAG LIGHTS AND THEY CHARGED $1070.00 BECAUSE THE AIRBAG MODULE UNDER PASSENGER SEAT WAS OUT AND HAD TO REPLACE (PART 560 PLUS LABOR). I DON'T FEEL LIKE I SHOULD HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR THE AIRBAGS!! THE AIRBAG LIGHTS WERE ON FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS AND NEVER WENT OFF SO I FINALLY GOT TIRED OF IT...NO MATTER IF SOMEONE WAS SITTING IN SEAT OR NOT, OR WHETHER IT WAS IDLE, IN MOTION, ETC.

81mo ago
Electrical 2

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING, AN ODOR OF ANTIFREEZE WAS COMING THROUGH THE VENTS INSIDE THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HEATER CORE WAS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE ONTO THE GROUND, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW FAILED TO ROLL DOWN, THE DRIVER'S SIDE TURN SIGNAL FAILED TO LOCK IN PLACE WHILE IN USE, AND THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT BULB FAILED FOUR TIMES WITHIN THE YEAR AND WAS REPLACED BY THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DUE TO THE DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR FEES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

85mo ago
Electrical 2

"TAKATA RECALL" SERVICE AIR BAG , THAT IS WHAT COMES UP ON DASH EVERY TIME I START THE CAR.

89mo ago
Engine 2

THE STEERING PUMP HAS GONE OUT, AND THE FLASHING ENGINE LIGHT JUST CAME ON . THE CAR IS MISFIRING. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THIS MODEL AND YEAR. MORE PEOPLE ARE HAVING THESE SAME ISSUES!

92mo ago
Transmission 1

MY CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY DUE TO THE COMPUTER SYSTEM AND MY AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR.

93mo ago
Electrical 1

TAKATA RECALL. SERVICE AIR BAG FOR PASSENGER SEAT IS ON AND AIR BAG IS OFF. BEGAN WHILE STATIONARY WITH PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. THIS VEHICLE HAS 58,000 MILES ON IT. UNACCEPTABLE THAT IT IS NOT UNDER RECALL.

94mo ago
Body 2

THE STEERING WHEEL IT GETS SO HARD TO TURN FOR NO REASON TO TURN RIGHT OR LEFT PLEASE DO A RECALL IT IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR ALL OF US

94mo ago
Body 1

2009 CHEVY EQUINOX AWD HAS STEERING PROBLEM. WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT AT NORMAL SPEEDS FOR TURNS, THE POWER STEERING SEEMS TO LOSE POWER AND VERY HARD TO TURN AS IT SEEMS THE POWER STEERING ENDS. IT RECOVERS BUT INTERMITTENTLY. DOES NOT HAPPEN ON ALL TURNS BUT USUALLY HAPPENS MANY TIMES IN A DAY. HAPPENS DURING COOL OR WARM DAYS AND ALL KINDS OF OTHER WEATHER SITUATIONS. I HAVE READ THAT OTHER GM VEHICLES ARE BEING RECALLED DUE TO THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. SEEMS TO BE A VOLTAGE DROP AND THEIR FIX IS A SOFTWARE UPDATE. THIS ISSUE IS BEING EXPERIENCED BY MANY CHEVY EQUINOX OWNERS. THE TURNS GET HARD AND THEN SEEMS TO RECOVER WHEN ACCELERATING INTO THE TURN. THIS HAS TO BE A VOLTAGE DROP ISSUE OR SIMILAR. THIS CAN CAUSE.AN ACCIDENT IF IT OCCURS AT THE WRONG TIME. PLEASE.HELP GET A RECALL.ON THIS.

95mo ago

94 total

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