2020 Chevrolet Equinox · symptom sheet
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early
- 108owner reports
- 67,000median miles
- $1,500median quote
- 8involved a crash
Newest report Sep 28, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
108 of the 309 complaints on this car describe brake wear, which makes it the most reported problem on the 2020 Equinox.
Narrower sheets: Brake pedal goes hard or the booster or vacuum pump fails (64 reports) · Brake warning light stays on (25 reports)
Tick what matches of 108 reports
Brake wear 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: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2026.
What this problem usually is
Brake reports cover a wide spread of symptoms. Grinding or squealing is common, and so is a pulsing pedal or a shake through the car when stopping. Others describe pads and rotors worn out long before they expected, a brake warning light, or a pedal that goes soft or sinks toward the floor. The most serious ones say the car didn't stop in time.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the booster (13 reports), the ABS module (7 reports), the pads and rotors (6 reports) and the caliper (4 reports).
Recalls and investigations
One recall on the brakes covers the 2020 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
The rear brake calipers may have been produced with an incorrect lubricant, potentially causing the rubber seals to swell and the brakes to drag.
All 4 recalls on the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
What owners paid
12 of the 108 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $700 to $3,700.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 30,000 and 100,000 miles, from the 32 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 4 service bulletins or notices for the 2020 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 discusses potential for a code C0010.5A to store in the brake controller which appears to be setting falsely or is induced by the customer.
This preliminary information discusses the possibility of brake module damage caused by performing the rear brake service incorrectly.
This service bulletin provides information for tire pressure monitoring (TPM) system concerns.
This technical bulletin provides repair information to correct a customer concern of Service Calibration for Service ESC and/or Service Park Brake Messages.
What owners wrote
“A go's threw gas really fast the brakes drag and when it starts/stop it acts funny like it has a hard time starting/stopping and my suspension every time I go over something there's clunking started at 34000 miles when I got it from the dealership and I only have 52,000 miles on it it shouldn't be doing that yet”
Filed Sep 20, 2025 · 34,000 miles
“ABS and breaks exploded at 67k miles and at 78k miles car shut off in middle of the street with no warning. Electric issues confirmed by mechanic.”
Filed Mar 1, 2025 · 67,000 miles
“I have 149,000 miles in this car. In my lifetime of being the one owner and purchasing this car brand new the vacuum pump has failed five times. Twice now resulting in blown engines. And still no recalls.”
Filed Sep 2, 2024 · 149,000 miles
“2020 Chevy equinox vacuum pump. Impossible to get the part, safety hazard, no accident yet, takes 2 feet to hold peddle down. No Chevy dealer will help me, i need to go to work.”
Filed Oct 31, 2023
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 8 of 108 reports involved a crash and 5 people were hurt. 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 Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 52 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 43 reports
- Fuel pump failure 31 reports