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2013 Chevrolet Equinox EV

Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age — inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.

Recalls, complaint breakdown & inspection checklist — a shareable PDF

747 owner complaints · 2 recalls · data verified July 10, 2026 · source: NHTSA

Buywillitcar.com

Why buy?

Engine problems dominate (55% of complaints, typically reported near 5k miles).

Complaint reports have faded — early issues appear resolved or aged out.

The math, shown

Full methodology →
Complaint volume (40%)73
Severity (30%)76
Recall load (20%)92
Trend (10%)88

Complaints filed per year

Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.

20122026

The road ahead

What breaks on a 2013 Chevrolet Equinox EV, plotted where owners report it happening.

030k mi60k mi90k mi120k miEngine~5k mi · 411 reportsVisibility & wipers~53k mi · 159 reportsTransmission & drivetrain~71k mi · 80 reportsElectrical system~2k mi · 69 reportsFuel system~22k mi · 45 reports

Also reported (mileage varies): Airbags (25)

Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint — a rough guide, not a schedule.

Engine

55%

411 complaints · typically near 5k mi · 26 in the last 2 years

Excessive oil consumption i have the same 2.1 liter echo tech engine that was previously involved in the lawsuit against General Motors for the 2013 chevy equinox exce…

Visibility & wipers

21%

159 complaints · typically near 53k mi · 1 in the last 2 years

I was driving my car like usual and I almost reached home and my windshield vipers stopped working. I parked my car and checked it and the wipers are not working.

Transmission & drivetrain

11%

80 complaints · typically near 71k mi · 5 in the last 2 years

When gas is applied the transmission skips and doesn't get the power needed to drive car safely. I don't have any lights to indicate this is a problem within the engin…

Electrical system

9%

69 complaints · typically near 2k mi · 3 in the last 2 years

It failed inspection after repairs secondary air injection pump TCM PMC . Check engine light came back on after it passed .

Recalls (2)

Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.

Visibility · 16V582000

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the ball joints in the windshield wiper module may corrode and wear over time, possibly resulting in one or both of the windshield wipers becoming inoperative.

Risk: Inoperative windshield wipers may reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: GM will notify owners, dealers will repair the AIP-hole, inspect and, if necessary, replace the front wiper module, free of charge. The recall began on April 13, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 25302.

Electrical System · 16V502000

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

Risk: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.

Before you hand over money

Check the VIN for open recalls

NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.

Free NHTSA VIN check

Get a pre-purchase inspection

A $150–$250 independent inspection of this exact 2013 Chevrolet EQUINOX EV beats every score on the internet, including ours.

What to ask for

Not set on the 2013? See how every Equinox EV model year scores →

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What owners say

Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score — if they disagree, that’s worth knowing.

The fine print: this verdict is computed from public NHTSA complaint and recall records for the 2013 Chevrolet Equinox EV as a model, not for any individual car. A well-maintained example of an “Avoid” can outlast a neglected “Buy”. Informational only — always get a professional pre-purchase inspection.