There are 11 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2008 Chevrolet Equinoxin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Problem with transmission not shifting properly. Also, the subframe is rusting out because water from the air conditioning unit falls directly on the subframe at that point both are safety hazards My service provider told me about the subframe rusting when I had my oil changed and why it was rusting and I have my transmission checked by a transmission specialist and the oil changed at that point in time
Transmission Control Module is a known problem on these vehicles. When it fails, it causes a failure in the clutch wave plate resulting in a catastrophic failure in the transmission. I believe this problem is a safety issue and needs to be reported to GM Motor Corporation!!! I am currently experiencing the delayed shifting from park to drive. On some occasions, the vehicle drops into limp mode and will not go over 15 mph. It occurs at random times and when it does, it will downshift violently almost to the point of over-running the engine. It is a real safety hazard and needs a recall!!!!!
HAD TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION ON VEHICLE I HAVE HEARD MULTIPLE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THESE TRANNYS
I PURCHASED MY EQUINOX BRAND NEW IN JULY OF 2008 AND IT CURRENTLY HAS 109,000 MILES ON IT. I JUST STARTED HAVING TRANSMISSION ISSUES SO I TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP. THE VEHICLE IS HAVING A HARD TIME SHIFTING INTO 3RD SHIFT. THE TRANSMISSION SHOP STATED THAT I NEEDED A NEW WAVE PLATE. CHEVROLET HAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON MY VEHICLE FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE AND I FALL WITHIN THE DATE AND MILEAGE LIMITS, BUT GM IS CLAIMING THAT MY VEHICLE DOES NOT QUALIFY. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON THAT MY VEHICLE SHOULD BE EXCLUDED FROM THIS WARRANTY.
POWER STEERING WAS MAKING WHINING SOUND WHEN TURNING AND HAD A FLUID LEAK. WATER LEAKED INTO TRUNK AND FILLED UP AREA WHERE SPARE TIRE IS LOCATED, DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW MOTOR BROKE AND STOPPED WORKING, ONE OF THE BACK SEAT BELTS DOES NOT ALWAYS STAY CLICKED, SOME PAINT CHIPPING, AND TRANSMISSION WENT AT 76,000 MILES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAMSHAFT WAS MISALIGNED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE GEARS BECAME DIFFICULT TO SHIFT AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,782.
PURCHASED A USED CHEVY EQUINOX SPORT 2008 IN AUGUST 2013(8 MONTHS AFTER THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY) I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH MY 3 CHILDREN IN THE CAR AND MY CAR STOPPED GOING FORWARD, SCARY WHEN YOU HAVE 3 KIDS IN THE CAR AND IT JUST STOPS GOING. THANK GOD WE DIDN'T WRECK BUT THERE WAS NO WARNING AT ALL, NO DUMMY LIGHTS ON THE DASH CAME ON, NO JERKING BEFORE HAND, NOTHING EVEN WHEN IT STOPPED MOVING, ACTUALLY JUST HAD A TUNE UP DONE ON THE CAR LESS THAN A MONTH AGO. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO SIGNS & SYMPTOMS OF THIS GOING TO HAPPEN. I AM A SINGLE MOM AND CAN'T AFFORD REPAIRS RANGING FROM $1700-3500. I FEEL LIKE WITH SO MANY REPORTED TROUBLES WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND PARTS ASSOCIATED THERE SHOULD BE SOME SORT OF RESOLUTION THROUGH GM OR RECALL ON THEM. *TR
MY TRANSMISSION QUIT GOING INTO 3RD GEAR COMPLETELY ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2013. I CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS BECAUSE I WAS A YEAR OUT OF WARRANTY AND WAS TOLD THAT THE REASON THE TRANSMISSION HAD WENT OUT WAS BECAUSE OF A FAULTY WAVE PLATE. I THOUGHT THAT MAYBE GENERAL MOTORS MIGHT COVER THIS BECAUSE OF IT BEING A MANUFACTURER DEFAULT. THEY HAVE CONTINUED TO TELL ME THAT THEY WILL NOT PAY FOR IT BUT THEY WILL GIVE $1500 TOWARDS THE $3500 IT IS GOING TO COST TO FIX IT. I DO NOT HAVE THIS KIND OF MONEY TO REPLACE A PART THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE WENT OUT YET. GENERAL MOTORS ADMITS TO THERE BEING A BULLETIN OUT ON THE TRANSMISSION BUT BECAUSE THERE ISN'T A RECALL THEY WON'T FIX IT. I LIVE IN A SMALL TOWN AND I HAVE SPOKEN WITH AT LEAST TEN PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME THING GO WRONG WITH THEIR GM VEHICLE. FROM THE RESEARCH I HAVE DONE ONLINE AND SPEAKING WITH OTHER PEOPLE I THINK A RECALL IS WELL OVERDUE. PLEASE HELP!!!! *TR
I AM HAVING ACCELERATION HESITATION ISSUES DURING TRAFFIC WHICH CAUSES A TRANSMISSION TO MISFIRE AND STALL OUT DURING TRAFFIC. I AM CURRENTLY FIGHTING WITH CHEVY DEALERSHIP IN TURNERSVILLE NJ TO FIX THIS ISSUES SINCE CHEVY EQUINOX 2008 HAS OVER 39 RECALLS. *TR
THE CAR WAS JERKING INTO GEAR, ESPECIALLY WHILE PUTTING IT INTO REVERSE. THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR THE NEXT MORNING AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE SHOP. I HAD TO GET THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 43,000 MILES. I HAVE REPLACED THE HEADLIGHTS TWICE AND HIT THE HOOD THIS LAST TIME AND IT CAME ON. THE MECHANIC SAID IT'S NOT SEALED PROPERLY. I HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS AFTER A THUNDERSTORM. THE MECHANIC SAID THE CAR IS NOT PROPERLY SEALED AND MOISTURE IS TRAPPED INSIDE THE LIGHTS. THE COST TO REPLACE AN $11 BULB WAS $24 IN LABOR BECAUSE ITS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET TO THE HEADLIGHT. THE BRAKE LIGHTS COST $$54 IN LABOR BECAUSE YOU LITERALLY HAVE TO DISASSEMBLE THE ENTIRE BUMPER. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026