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The 2021 Chevrolet Equinox is a small sport utility vehicle 2wd vehicle covered by 2 EPA fuel-economy configurations. In NHTSA's records it has accumulated 100 owner complaints and 4 recall campaign(s). Of those complaints, 6 report a crash and 0 report a fire; 4 complaints report injuries totalling 5 injured people, and 0 deaths are recorded across all complaints for this model-year. The single most-reported component is Fuel/propulsion System, named in 20 complaints (20.0% of the total). The sections below reproduce the underlying records in full: crash-test ratings, every recall campaign with its NHTSA campaign number, complaint counts by component, and EPA fuel-economy figures for each configuration.
NHTSA Safety Ratings
NHTSA tested the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox SUV FWD under its 5-Star Safety Ratings program. Ratings run from 1 to 5 stars; "Not rated" means NHTSA did not publish a score for that test for this variant.
| Test | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | ★★★★★ |
| Frontal crash — overall | ★★★★★ |
| Frontal crash — driver | ★★★★★ |
| Frontal crash — passenger | ★★★★★ |
| Side crash — overall | ★★★★★ |
| Side crash — driver | ★★★★★ |
| Side crash — passenger | ★★★★★ |
| Side pole crash | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover resistance | ★★★★☆ |
NHTSA also rated other 2021 Chevrolet Equinox variants: 2021 Chevrolet Equinox SUV AWD — 5★ overall. The table above shows the most completely rated variant.
Electronic stability control was fitted as standard equipment on the tested variant, and NHTSA records no safety recall investigation rating adjustments for it.
Recall Campaigns (4)
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) that include the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox. Each campaign below shows the official NHTSA campaign number, the affected component, and the manufacturer's own summary, consequence and remedy statements as published by NHTSA. To check whether a specific vehicle is covered, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.
Campaign 20V811000 — Seat Belts 23/12/2020
Summary: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2021 GMC Canyon and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV and Chevrolet Blazer, Camaro, Colorado, Equinox, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500, Suburban and Tahoe vehicles. Incorrect bolts may have been used at one or more fastening locations to secure the seat belts to the vehicle. If an incorrect bolt was used, the seat belt may not be properly attached to the vehicle.
Consequence: If a seat belt assembly is not properly attached to the vehicle, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect bolts, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8785, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202322230.
Campaign 21V612000 — Tires 05/08/2021
Summary: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles equipped with certain Hankook tires. The tires may have been manufactured with an insufficient amount of curative agent, which could cause tread separation.
Consequence: Tread separation can result in a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the tire DOT numbers, and replace any affected tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 31, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782; and Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N212343560.
Campaign 23V013000 — Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump:control/drive Module 19/01/2023
Summary: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Chevrolet Equinox and 2022 GMC Terrain vehicles. The fuel pump module may not consistently provide sufficient fuel to the engine, resulting in an engine stall.
Consequence: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 5, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222372310.
Campaign 23V339000 — Child Seat:vehicle Latch Anchor 11/05/2023
Summary: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The four rear-seat lower child seat LATCH anchorage bars may have excessive powder coating, which could prevent a child seat from being installed with the anchorage bars. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."
Consequence: The inability to install a child seat with the LATCH anchorage bars could result in an unsecured child seat, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Owners are advised to install child seats using the vehicle's rear seat belts until the remedy is complete. Dealers will inspect the latch anchorage bars, and remove and replace the finish, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 2, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N232403240.
Owner Complaints (100)
Owners have filed 100 complaints about the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox with NHTSA. Complaint counts are not sales-adjusted — higher-selling vehicles naturally attract more complaints — but the breakdown by component shows where owners report problems most often.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel/propulsion System | 20 | 20.0% |
| Electrical System | 18 | 18.0% |
| Unknown Or Other | 17 | 17.0% |
| Power Train | 17 | 17.0% |
| Engine | 16 | 16.0% |
| Service Brakes | 8 | 8.0% |
| Fuel System | 5 | 5.0% |
| Gasoline | 5 | 5.0% |
| Structure | 5 | 5.0% |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 4.0% |
| Air Bags | 4 | 4.0% |
| Steering | 4 | 4.0% |
Complaints by Component — Visual
Bar length is proportional to the most-reported component for this model-year (Fuel/propulsion System, 20 complaints).
By filing year, complaints peaked in 2026 with 31 filings. Owners filed 100 complaints in total across 6 calendar years in the database extract. Complaints involving a crash number 6 and those involving a fire number 0; 4 complaints report at least one injury.
EPA Fuel Economy
The EPA classifies the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox as a small sport utility vehicle 2wd vehicle and published ratings for 2 configurations (engine, transmission, drive and fuel combinations). Combined fuel economy spans 27–28 MPG; the median configuration returns 25.5 city / 30.5 highway / 27.5 combined MPG. Fuel types covered: Regular Gasoline.
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | Fuel | Combined MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5L 4-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 28 |
| 1.5L 4-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | All-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 27 |
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls and safety ratings databases and EPA FuelEconomy.gov dataset, accessed October 2026. See our methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox have?
NHTSA's complaints database held 100 complaints for the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox when accessed in October 2026. The most-reported component was Fuel/propulsion System with 20 complaints.
How many recalls affect the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox?
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) covering the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox in the data accessed in October 2026, including campaign 20V811000 for Seat Belts.
What is the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox's safety rating?
NHTSA gave the tested 2021 Chevrolet Equinox SUV FWD an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars, with 5 stars for frontal crash, 5 for side crash and 4 for rollover resistance.
What MPG does the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox get?
The EPA rated 2 configurations of the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox. Combined fuel economy ranges from 27 to 28 MPG, with a median of 27.5 MPG (median city 25.5, median highway 30.5).