2016 Chevrolet Equinox · symptom sheet
Burns oil or oil level rises
- 64owner reports
- 83,000median miles
- $5,600median quote
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Apr 7, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
212 of the 396 complaints on this car are about the engine. 64 of those describe oil consumption.
Tick what matches of 64 reports
Oil consumption on other Equinox years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026.
What this problem usually is
Two different complaints land here. The more common one is an engine that uses oil: owners add a quart between changes, get a low-oil warning, or are told by the dealer that the rate is normal. The other is the opposite, where the oil level climbs and the oil smells of gasoline. Both deserve a proper test, and both are easier to argue with records in hand.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the piston rings (15 reports), the engine (8 reports) and the PCV valve (4 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the engine covers the 2016 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
What owners paid
18 of the 64 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $2,900 to $8,500.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 3,500 and 100,000 miles, from the 31 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 3 service bulletins or notices for the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
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.
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.
THIS PRELIMINARY INFORMATION COMMUNICATION PROVIDES INFORMATION TO THE TECHNICIAN ABOUT VEHICLES THAT MAY HAVE LOW OIL PRESSURE MESSAGE. TECHNICIAN MAY ALSO FIND A DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0521 IN THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE.
What owners wrote
“Excessive oil consumption with no warning light, loss of power, and stalling. Also caused the master seal to leak and plugged the PCV valve. I have records for the repairs. It continues to excessively use oil and is not a reliable vehicle. When it stalls, power steering is lost as well as the stabilitrack.”
Filed Apr 7, 2026
“70,000 miles on vehicle. The engine has consistently burned excessive oil averaging 1 quart per 1,000 miles. The oil low warning light does not detect the low oil. The excessive consumption is potentially damaging to the car resulting in "bucking" at low speed, fouling of spark plugs and loss of power and efficiency.”
Filed May 9, 2023 · 70,000 miles
“Without any notification, alert, or code, the engine started making a ticking/knocking noise. When starting the vehicle later that day it completely stalled. Mechanic has said it was very low on oil and that is common with this year/model. The engine has failed and needs replacing/rebuilding.”
Filed May 4, 2023
“Check engine light comes on. Extremely low oil in car. No alerts of oil pressure problems. Oil replaced by mechanic x 2. Thorough engine diagnostics run. This has happened x2 in 6 weeks.”
Filed Mar 8, 2023
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 64 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Windshield wipers stop working 105 reports
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 78 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 72 reports
- Windshield cracks or distorts 68 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 44 reports
- Timing chain or cam phaser rattles 26 reports