2011 Chevrolet Equinox Air Bags
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE REPAIRS WERE UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,000. UPDATED 10/02/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER ADVISED THE WIRING UNDER THE SEAT FOR THE AIRBAGS MUST BE REPLACED. THE DEALER OFFERED TO PAY HALF FOR THE REPAIRS. THE MILES FOR THE WARRANTY HAD NOT BEEN EXCEEDED BUT IT WAS 3 MONTHS OVER THE EXPIRATION DATE. THE CONSUMER FEELS THE REPAIRS SHOULD BE FULLY COVERED DUE TO THE FAILURE BEING A SAFETY DEFECT. UPDATED 3/9/2015 *JS
MY AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. I JUST PURCHASE THE VEHICLE LESS THAN 90 DAYS. THEY STATE THE AIR BAG WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. HOWEVER, THE TECH STATES THE TSB PART IN THE PASSENGER SIDE IS OUT IN THE AIR BAG. I AM SURE THE DEALER KNEW OF THIS ISSUE WHEN THEY DID THE DIAGNOSTIC BEFORE THE CAR WAS SOLD TO ME. THEY WILL NOT FIX THE VEHICLE @ THEIR AND EXPENSE AND I AM OUT OF $541.00. I FEEL THAT THIS ISSUES NEEDS TO BE ADDRESS AND A RECALL DOWN DUE TO THE COMPLAINTS FOR AIR BAG ON FILE, AND MY MONEY IS REFUNDED BY THE MANUFACTURER . *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000.
THE SERVICE AIRBAGS LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON FOR ABOUT 10,000 MILES NOW- IT IS ON AND OFF.. WE FINALLY WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO THE DEALER - DEALER STATES THERE IS A TSB ABOUT IT BUT NO RECALL SO THEY WILL NOT FIX IT. WE HAVE STANDARD WARRANTY AND AN ADDITIONAL EXTENDED WARRANTY AND BOTH SAY AIRBAGS AND WIRING ARE NOT COVERED. MECHANIC AT DEALER STATES THAT ALL OF THEM HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING CONNECTOR AND IT IS A 10 MINUTE FIX, BUT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY 350.03 TO FIX. I THINK THIS SHOULD BE MADE A RECALL AS EVERYONE'S' SAFETY IS AT RISK. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ERRONEOUSLY. THE CONTACT SUFFERED INJURIES TO THE BACK, NECK AND FINGERS FROM THE INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER REPAIRED NOR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000.
I DROVE THE 2011 EQUINOX TO THE GYM PARKING LOT, FROM UNPAVED TO A PAVED PARKING LOT. I DROVE SLOWLY WITH THE SPEED ABOUT 5-8 MPH, WHILE LOOKING FOR A PARKING SPACE . SUDDENLY, THE AIR BAG IN FRONT OF ME, AND THE OTHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITH A BAD SMELL. MY RIGHT ARM AND HAND WERE INJURED AND BLEEDING, AND MY INDEX FINGER WAS HURTING. THE NEXT DAY, I FOUND MORE BLUENESS IN BOTH ARMS, AND THEY WERE SWOLLEN, AND MY INDEX FINGER WAS STILL HURTING. THE POLICE OFFICER TOLD ME THIS WAS NOT A CAR ACCIDENT, AND HE WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO GIVE A REPORT. I CONTACTED CHEVROLET THE SAME DAY, 04/02/13. A THIRD PARTY INSPECTOR DID AN INSPECTION ON 04/08/13 AND SENT THE REPORT TO THE COMPANY. THE REASON I BOUGHT THIS CAR WAS FOR ITS SIZE THAT SEEMED MORE SAFE THAN A SMALL CAR. I DON'T UNDERSTAND. 1. HOW AND WHY THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITH NO CAR ACCIDENT? 2. WHY ALL THE SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITH ONLY THE DRIVER IN THE CAR AND NO ONE IN THE BACK SEAT? 3. FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THE AIR BAGS ARE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT PEOPLE IN A CAR ACCIDENT, NOT INJURE THE DRIVER WITHOUT A CAR ACCIDENT. 4. IN THIS SITUATION, THE AIR BAG HURT THE DRIVER, WOULD I BE ABLE TO USE THIS CAR TO DRIVE ON A ROUGH ROAD OR A COUNTRY ROAD? I WAS INFORMED TO CALL A NUMBER. I CALLED THE NUMBER TWICE AND LEFT MESSAGES. VOICE MESSAGE STATED, I WOULD BE CONTACTED BY A CASE MANAGER WITHIN 24 HOURS. BUT, MORE THAN 24 HOURS HAD PASSED, AND NO ONE CONTACTED ME. MY CAR IS STILL AT THE CHEVROLET DEALER. PLEASE HELP ME, AND ALSO HELP THE COMPANY TO MAKE SAFE CARS FOR CONSUMERS.
1. PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS NOT WORKING WHEN MY WIFE SITS IN SEAT--LIGHT COMES ON AIR BAG BAGS OFF ! 09/ 09/ 11 2. WE TOOK CAR TO DEALER ( O'RIELLY CHEVY , 6160 EAST BROADWAY , TUCSON , AZ. 85711, PH: 520-571-2270 ) DID NOT FIX PROBLEM ! A DEALER CLAIMS BAGS WORK FINE AS LONG AS MY WIFE DOESN'T USE HER CUSHION !!! 3. LAST DEALER VISIT WAS 03 / 16/ 12, TO NO AVAIL. NO RESOLUTION !!!! MY WIFE HAS A BAD BACK, 4 VERTEBRA LOWER BACK OUT OF ALIGNMENT ! MUST USE A DONUT CUSHION ! DEALER TELLS US, THAT'S THE WAY IT IS !!! I DON'T BELIEVE THAT. WE HAD TO RENT ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE OURS WAS IN FOR PAINT !! WE RENTED A CHEVY MALIBU, THREE DAYS, MY WIFE USED HER CUSHION. YEP, YOU GOT IT THE AIR BAGS WORKED FINE ALL TIME ( WAS A 2011 ) MY PROBLEM IS THIS : PEOPLE HAVE DISABILITIES, THEY IN SOME CASES HAVE TO USE AIDES ! IF THE AIRBAGS WORK IN ANOTHER CHEVY, WHY DO THEY NOT WORK IN OUR EQUINOX ???? FROM A QUALITY ASSURANCE STANDPOINT, THIS IS NOT RIGHT, IN MY VIEW, SENSORS ARE NOT POSITIONED PROPERLY ! THANKS FOR YOUR TIME, *JB
2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. CONSUMER STATES AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING CRASH *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF HIM FROM A SIDE STREET, ON HIS RIGHT SIDE, WHICH RESULTED IN THE CONSUMER HITTING THE OTHER VEHICLE, WHEN THAT VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN. THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. *JB
LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS ON A CHEVROLET EQUINOX 2011 DEPLOYED AFTER THE LEFT FRONT TIRE BUMPED A CONCRETE HIGHWAY DIVIDER. THE ONLY EXTERIOR DAMAGE WAS A FLAT TIRE. BUT THE DEPLOYMENT OF BOTH INTERIOR SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS CAUSED $3400 WORTH OF INTERIOR DAMAGE. NO PERSONAL INJURIES. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A DEER. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY; ALTHOUGH A POWDER RESIDUE EMITTED FROM THE AIR BAGS. THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER SUSTAINED SORENESS IN THE CHEST AREA. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO CENTER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,436.
I WAS RECENTLY IN A PRETTY BAD FRONT END VEHICLE ACCIDENT GOING ABOUT 45 MPH WHEN I REAR ENDED SOMEONE. MY CAR HAS BEEN TOTALED DO TO THE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN THIS ACCIDENT, EVERYONE ONE I HAVE TALKED TO FROM THE TOWING COMPANY TO THE PARAMEDIC ON SEEN SAID THAT IT SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED.
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Quick Summary
The 2011 Chevrolet Equinox has 36 Air Bags complaints on file. 8 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.