There are 11 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2019 Chevrolet Equinoxin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The contact's boyfriend owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH and decelerating to 50 MPH to switch lanes, the vehicle drove over an icy road surface and spun. The contact attempted to turn the wheel and depressed the brake pedal; however, the vehicle crashed into the left guard rail, and the vehicle then crashed into the right guard rail and came to an abrupt stop. The contact stated that the vehicle sustained significant front-end damage. The air bags failed to deploy. Several warning lights were illuminated after the crash. The vehicle owner was occupying the front passenger's seat during the incident. A police report was filed. The tow truck driver transported both passengers of the vehicle to a gas station. Both the contact and her boyfriend were picked up from the gas station and were dropped to the residence by the brother of the vehicle owner. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The contact later had headaches, body soreness, and stiffness. The contact went to the Emergency room and was informed that she had sustained a sprained left rib, whiplash, and a concussion. The contact's boyfriend sustained a sore pinky. The contact stated that the insurance company was currently assessing the vehicle damage. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 99,500.
On July 1, 2025 I was involved in an accident and none of my airbags deployed. Car was inspected by police, insurance company and General Motors who haven’t sent me the report yet. No warnings or symptoms appeared.
The driver's side seat belt would only extend a few inches so I was not able to pull it across my body and latch it. Until this happened, there was no prior indication that the seat belt was about to fail. Fortunately, this happened at home so I was not stranded. Although the vehicle is a 2019 model year, it has barely been used and is in excellent, clean condition. I tried to free the mechanism myself, but was unable to do so. I ended up calling a mobile mechanic who also tried freeing up the mechanism and was unable to do so. The entire seat belt mechanism had to be replaced. I was very surprised that GM did not cover the cost of replacing this essential (and legally required) safety device, which I believe failed due to a manufacturing defect. (I have over 35 years experience as an automotive reliability/test engineer.) I have the original malfunctioning part in my possession if it is useful to your investigation. Thank you.
Component or System Failed: The airbag system failed to deploy during three separate accidents in 2024. The vehicle is still in my possession and available for inspection upon request. How Safety Was Put at Risk: The failure of the airbags to deploy during all three incidents increased the risk of injury to me and my passengers. While the seatbelts provided some protection, the lack of airbag deployment compromised the safety system and could have resulted in serious injuries in higher-severity impacts. Accident Details: 1.Accident #1 (July 2024): •Type: Side collision on the driver’s rear door. •Other Vehicle Speed: Estimated 30–40 mph. •Damage: Significant damage to the driver’s side rear door. •Airbag Deployment: None. •Warnings or Errors: No warning lights or messages before or after the incident. 2.Accident #2 (March 2024): •Type: Sideswipe collision on the passenger front end. •My Vehicle’s Impact: Passenger side front wheel and body. •Damage: The front wheel was severely damaged. •Airbag Deployment: None. •Warnings or Errors: No warning lights or messages before or after the incident. Inspection Status: The issue has not yet been reproduced or confirmed by a Chevrolet dealership or independent service center. Insurance adjusters inspected the vehicle after each accident, but no specific investigation into the airbag system was performed. The manufacturer has not yet inspected the vehicle. Warning Lamps or Symptoms Prior to Failure: There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms.
The contact owned a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while the daughter was driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle collided with a second vehicle and flipped over one and a half times. During the crash, the vehicle sustained front-end damage, and the bumper was partially separated from the vehicle but the front driver's air bag did not deploy. The driver sustained a head injury and was treated at the hospital. The occupant of the second vehicle sustained a shoulder injury but no further information was available. A police report was taken at the scene. The vehicle was destroyed and later towed away. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 75,000.
My wife drove her car to Arizona from Idaho in January 2024. I flew down from Idaho with my 6 year old grandson last week and when she picked us up from the airport, I attempted to buckle my grandson into the rear seats and found both seat belts, left and right rear to be broken and unusable. The seat belts would not retract at all when pulled out of the normal position. We had to buckle my grandson in the middle position since it was the only working rear belt. Prior to January 2024 we routinely used these seat belts to fasten two car seats in the back seat so I know that they were in good working condition prior to that time. It appears to me that there must be a defect in these belts since they both stopped working at the same time. We had it checked out at Friendly Auto Center in Mesa, Arizona and they said that the seat belt mechanisms both needed to be replaced.
The brake system failed and my car is now in a salvage lot. I believe the car will remain there only until I submit the car title. While driving in heavy traffic I was unable to make a sudden stop to avoid hitting the car in front of me. I had enough time to stop, but the brakes failed to engage properly. The brakes were very stiff and vibrated or pulsated as I applied the brakes and my car wouldn't stop prior to colliding with the car in front of me. My safety and the occupants in the other car were at risk. The life of a pedestrian, if involved, could have resulted in death. Luckily, there were no serious injuries and exterior damage appeared minimal but my car suffered serious internal damage. I was not able to confirm the problem with the dealership. My phone calls were not returned. I also contacted Chevrolet and now waiting for a follow-up call. The car was only inspected by the insurance appraiser, who deemed my car a total loss because the car frame was cracked on both sides, air condenser damage, exterior damage plus more. The insurance co. had my car towed to a holding parking lot for salvage. My greatest concern is if this had been a situation where I was unable to stop suddenly to avoid hitting a pedestrian and killed someone! The appraiser suspected the air bag sensor might have failed since the impact was hard enough to crack the car frame. Seven days prior to the accident I had rear brakes and roters replaced at a Chevrolet dealership. They also looked into a warning message on my dash - Service brake assist system. I was told nothing was wrong with that.
I was involved in a car accident where all of the side airbags deployed. On the drivers side just behind the arm rest the airbag that deployed caught on fire and burned all th way through my shirt, jeans and underwear leaving two large burns on my left side. Some areas are 3rd degree.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO LATCH SECURELY IN THE BUCKLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BRADLEY CHEVROLET (711 N LAKE HAVASU AVE, LAKE HAVASU CITY, AZ 86403, (928) 855-0577), TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DOOR LOCK MECHANISM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED HOWEVER, THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS ON BACK ORDER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000.
THE FRONT OF MY VEHICLE WAS IMPACTED BY HEAVY SNOW/SLUSH THROWN FROM A SNOWPLOW MOVING WESTBOUND ON A CITY STREET AT AN ESTIMATED SPEED OF 40 MPH. MY VEHICLE WAS MOVING EASTBOUND AT ABOUT 35 MPH. THE FRONT GRILL OF MY VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AND THE FRONT BUMPER WAS PUSHED OUT OF PLACE. I THINK THE AIRBAG SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED?
BRAKES FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO FENCE WHEN BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY. VEHICLE WAS PUT INTO DRIVE & WITHOUT PUTTING FOOT ON GAS PEDAL, VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CRASHED THROUGH GARAGE - THRU FRONT DOOR & OUT THE BACK OF THE GARAGE. FILED COMPLAINT WITH CENTRAL CLAIMS CASE (XXX) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *CW
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 25, 2026