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2016 Chevrolet Equinox Recalls, Issues & Maintenance

The 2016 Chevrolet Equinox carries 1 open NHTSA recall — most recently covering labels. Owners report 6 recurring issue clusters, led by “Rear main seal blowout after PCV valve freeze.” Chevrolet vehicles use the GM Oil Life System (OLS) — a percentage-based monitor that calculates oil life from driving conditions, not fixed mileage. When the OLS drops to 0%, oil and filter are due. The schedule below reflects GM's Normal Use intervals for everything else.

1 Open Recall

Source: NHTSA

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

Campaign #16V449000 · Jun 21, 2016

Issue: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles manufactured October 16, 2015. The certification labels may have incorrect tire/rim size and cold tire pressure information. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Risk: If the information on the certification labels is incorrect, the operator may install incorrectly sized tires or rims or may improperly inflate the tires, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the certification label, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1050, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 46600.

Recall data refreshed Sep 6, 2026.

Known issues for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox.

Reported to NHTSA

Rear main seal blowout after PCV valve freeze

ENGINE

34 NHTSA complaints · 2022-12 → 2026-05

“WHILE DRIVING DURING A SHORT SPELL OF TEMPERTAURES AROUND 0 DEGREES THE REAR MAIN SEAL ON THE ENGINE BLEW OUT. THIS WAS DUE TO CONDENSATION FREEZING IN PVC PORT OF ENGINE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11567446
“The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the PCV valve was clogged due to the cold weather. The clogged PCV valve caused the rear main seal to fail”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11499240
“I had the car towed to the nearest Chevy dealer and they said that the PVC port froze which created crankcase pressure and blew out the rear main seal”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11566805

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Windshield wiper linkage failure in rain

VISIBILITY/WIPER

46 NHTSA complaints · 2022-09 → 2026-01

“During a snow storm the windshield wipers quit working. After troubleshooting, the short wiper linkage arm was disconnected. This was due to the plastic bushing popped off the ball stud. This part does not have a clip for retention”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11629534
“Safety was put at risk, as wipers stopped working while driving in heavy rain, causing severe lack of visibility. Problem is in ongoing, as wipers suddenly stopped and no longer work, as bushing came apart”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11616972
“The contact stated while driving 55 MPH in inclement weather, the windshield wipers became inoperable. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11526528

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Cracked exhaust manifold

ENGINE

4 NHTSA complaints · 2022-11 → 2025-05

“Our 2016 Chevy Equinox LT with the 2.4l engine has a cracked exhaust manifold. This allows exhaust gasses to get into the passenger compartment. I found the problem due to the smell of exhaust gasses and a noisey exhaust”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11492657
“Exhaust manifold cracked leaking dangerous fumes into the cabin”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11583881
“The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard a loud sound coming from the vehicle with a gasoline odor coming from the engine compartment. There was no warning light illuminated”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11659501

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Excessive oil consumption without low-oil warning

ENGINE

31 NHTSA complaints · 2022-11 → 2026-07

“Around 100,000 miles car started burning through oil. Have to check oil weekly. No warning lights come up when the oil is low”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11735031
“Excessive oil use. After 500 miles on a new oil change oil needs to be added. Usually 1 quart every 500 miles”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11589076
“The engine has consistently burned excessive oil averaging 1 quart per 1,000 miles. The oil low warning light does not detect the low oil”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11521156

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Engine stall and failure after loss of engine oil

ENGINE

58 NHTSA complaints · 2022-09 → 2026-02

“Engine consumed all oil and seized up, complete engine failure. We had just had a full synthetic oil change (and regularly did so according to manufacturer recommendations) 2,000 miles prior. This failure was not due to negligence”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11619798
“The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11622590
“The shop informed us the next day that there was zero oil in the car and our engine had blown. This was extremely shocking to us as we had zero issues prior to this and had our oil and tires changed within the last month”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11631926

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Timing chain failure with stalling

ENGINE

11 NHTSA complaints · 2023-01 → 2025-09

“The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle suddenly lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed the local mechanic who diagnosed that the timing chain had failed and needed to be replaced”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11568706
“Timing chain tensioner broke. Fortunately, my wife stopped driving it so the engine didn't blow up”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11583880
“Timing chain issue same as 2015 and earlier current recalls. Happened aroun 68,000 miles. May stall pulling out from stop light”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11615506

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Note: NHTSA also opened 2 defect investigation(s) on this vehicle that closed without action.

Issues on other model years

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 11, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 11, 2026.

We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.

Essential maintenance

Critical for safety and preventing major damage

Engine Oil & Filter (per Oil Life System)

Every 7,500 mi

Change oil when the Oil Life System reaches 0% or every 12 months — whichever comes first. dexos1-approved synthetic oil required on all gas engines since 2011.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$120–$160

Shop

~$85–$115

DIY

~$25–$55

Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.

Tire Rotation

Every 7,500 mi

Rotate tires every 7,500 miles. Silverado 4x4 and Tahoe owners benefit from earlier rotations to even out drivetrain wear.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.

Brake Inspection

Every 7,500 mi

Inspect brake pads, rotors, and parking brake at each tire rotation. Equinox and Malibu front pads typically last 40,000-50,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.

Brake Fluid

Every 45,000 mi

GM specifies brake fluid replacement based on contamination testing. Test every 30,000 miles; replace if moisture content exceeds 3% or fluid appears dark.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$180–$200

Shop

~$125–$140

DIY

~$10–$25

DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.

Important maintenance

Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently

Engine Air Filter

Every 45,000 mi

GM long-life cellulose air filters are rated 45,000 miles. Direct-injection engines are sensitive to airflow restriction; inspect at every oil change.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.

Automatic Transmission Fluid

Every 45,000 mi

Severe service (heavy towing, frequent stop-and-go, dusty conditions): replace every 45,000 miles. Normal service: 97,500 miles. Use Dexron-VI on 6L80/8L90 transmissions.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$330–$500

Shop

~$235–$355

DIY

~$60–$180

Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.

Transfer Case Fluid (4WD)

Every 45,000 mi

Silverado 4WD and Tahoe 4WD: replace transfer case fluid every 45,000 miles, sooner if towing or off-roading. Use GM Auto-Trak II fluid.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$105–$140

Shop

~$75–$100

DIY

~$15–$40

AWD/4WD vehicles only. Easy drain-and-fill on most platforms.

Spark Plugs

Every 100,000 mi

GM iridium spark plugs are rated 100,000 miles on most LS and LT engines. The 5.3L V8 in Silverado 1500 commonly fouls plugs early under heavy idling.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$390

Shop

~$200–$275

DIY

~$25–$100

Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.

Dex-Cool Engine Coolant

Every 50,000 mi

GM Dex-Cool (orange): first change at 150,000 miles or 5 years, then every 50,000 miles. Mixing with green coolant creates a sludge that destroys the cooling system.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$330

Shop

~$200–$235

DIY

~$25–$60

Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.

Rear Differential Fluid

Every 50,000 mi

Silverado and Tahoe: replace rear axle fluid every 50,000 miles, or 25,000 miles if towing. Limited-slip differentials require GM friction-modifier additive.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$150–$195

Shop

~$105–$135

DIY

~$20–$50

Drain plug + fill plug — straightforward DIY. AWD vehicles have two; budget for both.

Recommended maintenance

Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort

Cabin Air Filter

Every 22,500 mi

Replace the cabin air filter every 22,500 miles. Silverado and Tahoe owners in dusty climates should replace earlier.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.

Fatal crash history & reported problems

Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)

99 crashes 2010–2024

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number

Owner-reported problem signals

Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.

14

complaints mentioning a crash

3

complaints mentioning a fire

Reviewed known issues for this vehicle·Open recalls for this vehicle

Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.

How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.

This maintenance schedule for the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox reflects Chevrolet's published service intervals and the Oil Life System system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.

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