2016–2017 Chevrolet Equinox: Engine Oil Complaints
Oil consumption is a recurring subject in complaints and GM bulletins for these Equinox years. Ask how much oil the car uses between changes and request the service records before booking an inspection.
The complaint pattern
Engine-category complaints by model year. The later years show how the complaint mix differs after the engine lineup changed.
| Year | Engines offered | Total complaints | Engine-category | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 2.4L, 3.6L | 399 | 178 | 45% in range |
| 2017 | 2.4L, 3.6L | 276 | 166 | 60% in range |
| 2018 | 1.5L, 1.6L, 2.0L | 410 | 45 | 11% |
| 2019 | 1.5L, 1.6L, 2.0L | 308 | 68 | 22% |
| 2020 | 1.5L, 2.0L | 318 | 51 | 16% |
| 2021 | 1.5L | 100 | 10 | 10% |
The engine lineup changed in 2018
Chevrolet redesigned the Equinox in 2018 and replaced its engine lineup. The 2.4L four-cylinder and 3.6L V6 offered in 2016–2017 are gone from 2018 onward, replaced by 1.5L, 1.6L and 2.0L engines. That makes engine choice relevant to a buyer comparing these years. The table above shows the complaint shares in the imported records; it does not isolate the effect of the redesign or prove that the newer engines are trouble-free.
What the complaints say
Number of the 344 engine-category complaints for 2016 and 2017 that mention each term. A report can match several terms, and a mention does not confirm the cause of a problem.
What GM's bulletins describe
Manufacturer communications GM filed with NHTSA listing these model years. Counted by matching the text of NHTSA's own summaries: 14 mention oil consumption, 4 mention cylinder bore damage, and 10 mention the timing chain. A selection is shown below, showing the subjects and dates of the guidance.
This informational bulletin provides guidelines and diagnostic/repair information to technicians regarding vehicle engine oil consumption.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about engine block that have a possible cylinder bore damage, scoring or out of round as the possible cause of engine oil consumption, misfire, cylinder leakage or blow by. Technician will need to inspect the engine for Cylinder damage or scoring, an out of round cylinder bore, Dirt intrusion, and Catalytic Converter failure.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about engine block of possible cylinder bore damage, scoring or out of round as the possible cause of engine oil consumption, misfire, cylinder leakage or blow by. Technician will need to inspect the engine for Cylinder damage or scoring, An out of round cylinder bore, Dirt intrusion, and Catalytic Converter failure.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician that Diagnostic Trouble Codes P0016, P0017, P0018, P0019, P0008 or P0009 may be set. Technician will need to inspect for loose timing chains or tensioners. If after following Service Information diagnostics the root cause is not found inspect the reluctor for the crankshaft sensor. If the reluctor has moved then replace crankshaft.
This informational bulletin provides guidelines and diagnostic/repair information to technicians regarding vehicle engine oil consumption.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about engine block of possible cylinder bore damage, scoring or out of round as the possible cause of engine oil consumption, misfire, cylinder leakage or blow by. Technician will need to inspect the engine for Cylinder damage or scoring, An out of round cylinder bore, Dirt intrusion, and Catalytic Converter failure.
This informational bulletin provides guidelines and diagnostic/repair information to technicians regarding vehicle engine oil consumption.
This Preliminary information communicates to technician's if they remove the front timing cover when perprming a repair, they should inspect the timing chain guide upper bolt for being loose. This document is an attempt to collect parts so engineering can investigate the concern.
Which engine
The imported complaint fields do not consistently identify the engine. A report may name the engine in its narrative, but the model-year totals combine engines. Confirm the engine from the vehicle's records, then read the bulletin's applicability before asking a mechanic to assess the concern. Missing engine mentions cannot establish that the 3.6L V6 is unaffected.
What this means if you're buying one
- Ask for oil-change and service records, and ask specifically whether oil consumption has ever been raised with a dealer — the bulletins above are guidance for exactly that conversation.
- Ask whether the owner adds oil between scheduled changes, how often and how much. A short test drive cannot measure oil consumption; ask the mechanic whether further testing is needed.
- Check the VIN for open recalls and ask a Chevrolet dealer about any separate warranty or service-program coverage. See how to check.
- Budget for an independent pre-purchase inspection, and tell the mechanic what you read here so they know what to look at. Our inspection guide covers what that inspection can and cannot cover.
Limitations
These records cannot establish the cause or frequency of a fault in the wider vehicle population. CarTold does not have the sales, mileage and repair data needed for that calculation. The bulletins listed are those NHTSA associates with these model years; GM bulletins routinely cover several models, so they are not necessarily written about the Equinox alone. Complaint counts also keep accumulating over time, so older model years have had longer to gather reports than newer ones.
Sources
- Complaints, manufacturer communications, recalls and investigations: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Engine lineup by model year: FuelEconomy.gov (EPA/DOE)
- See our methodology and data sources for how this page is built.