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2015 Chevrolet Equinox problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
41%
265 of 640 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

41% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2015 Chevrolet Equinox are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Better than 51% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 40 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 39%).

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 2015 Chevrolet Equinox have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 265 of 640 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2015 Chevrolet Equinox concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (41%), and the largest group is filed under engine (227). For comparison, the 2014 scores 50% and the 2016 scores 58%. 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
265
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
680
this model year
Fires reported
6
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
2
24 crashes · 19 injuries

Complaints by component

VISIBILITY/WIPER250 · 37%
ENGINE227 · 33%
POWER TRAIN63 · 9%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER54 · 8%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM45 · 7%
AIR BAGS38 · 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 2015 Chevrolet Equinox

What one owner reported

AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE,ENGINE11/05/2018CRASH1 INJURED
TAKATA RECALL I WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR WRECK ON A CITY STREET. MY CAR WAS TOTALED AND NOT EVEN ONE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. IT WAS A FRONT END COLLISION. I WAS TRAVELING EAST ABOUT 20-25 MILES PER HOUR AND S VEHICLE RAN A STOP SIGN GOING EXCESSIVELY FAST. I HIT THE PASSENGER SIDE OF HER VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE SPUN AROUND 90 DEG…

One of 265 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 2015 Chevrolet Equinox?

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2015 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.

2 other recalls 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…
air bags: side/window15V666000 · Oct 2015
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro, Equinox, Malibu, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The affected vehicles have front seat-mounted…

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

Checking one particular 2015 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.

Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.

Questions people ask about the 2015 Chevrolet Equinox

Does the 2015 Chevrolet Equinox have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 265 of 640 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2015 Chevrolet Equinox concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (41%). 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 2015 Chevrolet Equinox?

No. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2015 Chevrolet Equinox, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Chevrolet Equinox years are better?

The 2015 has the lowest engine and transmission complaint share of the Chevrolet Equinox years we track (41%). The other years run higher.

Should I buy a 2015 Chevrolet Equinox?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2015 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.