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2014 Chevrolet Equinox problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
50%
260 of 519 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

50% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2014 Chevrolet Equinox are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 66% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 29 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 47%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2014 Chevrolet Equinox have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 260 of 519 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2014 Chevrolet Equinox concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (50%), and the largest group is filed under engine (218). For comparison, the 2013 scores 65% and the 2015 scores 41%. 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.

Drivetrain complaints
260
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
548
this model year
Fires reported
4
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
1
23 crashes · 11 injuries

Complaints by component

ENGINE218 · 40%
VISIBILITY/WIPER167 · 30%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM46 · 8%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER42 · 8%
POWER TRAIN40 · 7%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM34 · 6%

The years either side

2010
60%
432 of 784
2011
70%
512 of 782
2012
63%
416 of 685
2013
65%
467 of 751
2014
50%
260 of 548
2015
41%
265 of 680
2016
58%
221 of 396
2017
83%
207 of 273
2018
43%
165 of 408
2019
55%
155 of 302
2020
53%
156 of 309
2021
49%
42 of 96
2022
61%
103 of 173
2023
58%
54 of 95

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2014 Chevrolet Equinox

What one owner reported

AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM11/23/2020CRASH1 INJURED
I WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON NOVEMBER 16, 2020 AND NEITHER OF MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.

One of 260 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2014 Chevrolet Equinox?

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2014 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.

1 other recall on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
visibility: windshield wiper/washer: motor22V165000 · Mar 2022
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2015 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The ball joints in the windshield wiper module may corrode, causing one or both windshield wipers…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2014 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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Questions people ask about the 2014 Chevrolet Equinox

Does the 2014 Chevrolet Equinox have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 260 of 519 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2014 Chevrolet Equinox concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (50%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2014 Chevrolet Equinox?

No. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2014 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 2014 (50%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2014 Chevrolet Equinox?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2014 Chevrolet Equinox has an elevated engine complaint pattern, so treat it as a car that needs proof: service records showing engine work, a cold-start test drive, and an independent pre-purchase inspection focused on the engine. A well-kept or already-repaired example can be a fine car; an unknown one is a gamble.

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Experimental 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.