97 of the 12,688 complaints filed about the Chevrolet Equinox are about the seat belts — 1% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2011.
97
Complaints
1%
Share of all complaints
30
Crashes
0
Fires
SEAT BELTS
My car only has 60,000 miles and it shifts hard. Also my drivers seat belt has issues latching
NHTSA complaint #11742225 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
It appears that both driver's and passenger's inertia locking mechanism are defective. They do not lock keeping driver and passenger from going forward into dashboard. I had to make sudden stop the other day, and wife (passenger) went flying into the dashboard and hit her head. After assuming the seat belts auto locked when in use, we were surprised. Since then we pull the seat belts all the way out and release them and have to repeat this step 8-10 times before it catches, and then a slight move forward unlocks the restraint. SOmething isn't right about this, and I'll bet numerous cars are the same way, you only know once you have to stop quickly. I reported to the dealer, but the want $200 approximately just to look at it, and maybe $400-$800 each to fix something that should be covered by GM.
NHTSA complaint #11735095 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
Front seat passenger side seat belt. Does not have a height adjustment for the shoulder strap. Belt comes across the neck of shorter individuals.
NHTSA complaint #11733148 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
Blind spot indicator malfunction. Seat sensors alert for no reason. Cruise control stops working. Vehicle automatically brakes for no reason. Information screen malfunction and goes black at random.
NHTSA complaint #11715792 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
The contact owns a 2026 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side seat belt became loosened. The contact pulled on the seat belt, which went across the chest, and the seat belt failed to lock and restrain as intended. The contact was able to pull and stretch the seat belt up to the steering wheel. The contact then pulled the lap belt, and the lap belt failed to lock securely as intended. The contact was able to pull and stretch the lap belt upwards. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact called the dealer; however, no assistance was provided. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 500.
NHTSA complaint #11709230 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
We were in a 9car pile up. Front and back and drivers side were hit and severely damaged. Airbags did not deploy. After the accident smoke was seen coming from the sides of the car where the seat belts come out of. Both front and back were white puffs of smoke from all four seatbelts. The front passenger seatbelt failed to tighten on impact as all the other seatbelts did. Passenger was thrown about the front area, hitting multiple parts of the body. Car is currently in a tow lot. Insurance is going to inspect it.
NHTSA complaint #11673195 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
The cable that holds the seat belt to the frame of the car severed in half. We are ordering a new cable and fixing it, but I have never heard of this before. I will attach a photo below. We have had the car for a really long time.
NHTSA complaint #11641120 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
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.
NHTSA complaint #11619171 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
My son was just in his car seat with the seat belt as an extra layer of protection and the seat belt wouldn’t retract. My son was stuck. Thank god it wasn’t an accident. Passenger side back seat belt. This needs to be dealt with. It took me 30 mins because I was trying to get it to retract and it started to squeeze my baby legs. I did take a video. It only lets me upload photos. Please contact me
NHTSA complaint #11571350 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
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.
NHTSA complaint #11570749 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
Was in a small accident the air bags never deployed but the seat belts locked saying that I needed to service my air bag system. As I did. The seat belts are no longer locked but the light is still on and the car is telling me to servic we the airbag system
NHTSA complaint #11554109 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
Front impact crash with two deer, rear seatbelt came unlatched causing car seat to fly into the front seat and the front seat belt did not lock nor did the airbags go off. No sensors alerted.
NHTSA complaint #11553980 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
The contact leased a 2021 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30-35 mph, he made a right turn going across an intersection and collided with a 2012 Ford Focus. The brakes were applied, but the response was too slow. There were no warning lights illuminated. The air bags deployed. The vehicle was filled with smoke. The driver's side front door failed to open. The fire department was on the scene, but there were no reported fire. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a towing lot. The air bag struck the driver in the chest. The contact sustained internal bruising, including bruising on her abdomen and on her arms. The driver was taken to the hospital, where medical attention was provided. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer body shop, where it was discovered that the failure was due to the seat belts not engaging. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 11,000.
NHTSA complaint #11543999 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
I slammed on the brakes to avoid an accident and the seatbelt did not catch me. The accident did occur and made my jaw and chin area hit the steering wheel and airbag.
NHTSA complaint #11526813 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while approaching a stop light, the vehicle behind the contact was rear-ended by another vehicle causing the vehicle behind the contact to rear-end the contact’s vehicle, causing minor damages. The contact stated that the vehicle behind the contact had major damages. When the contact was rear-ended the seat belt on the driver's side did not retract at the point of impact, causing the contact to launch forward and struck a sun visor with his head. The contact had sought medical attention for neck pain and for headaches. The contact was unsure if anyone else was injured or if a police report was filed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 88,365.
NHTSA complaint #11524829 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while attempting to pull the front driver’s side seat belt to fasten the seat belt, the seat belt seized not allowing the seat belt to retract. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the dealer stated that the seat belt needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 55,000.
NHTSA complaint #11512382 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
When buckled, the part of the seat belt buckle where the LAP belt slides through the actual buckle part becomes binding and has to be manual pushed through the buckle in order to move your hips when seated. This issue has absolutely nothing to do with the shoulder part of the belt or the belt not retracting. It is solely an issue with the plastic buckle and the belt not sliding through it when seated. This is a safety issue because the lap belt becomes binding while seated. If the driver needs to shift in the seat, he must pull the shoulder belt out to create give in the belt and then use both hands to manually feed the belt through the buckle. This is unsafe when driving for obvious reasons if the driver is unable to use any hands on the steering wheel. If the driver doesn't continuously adjust the belt in this way, it becomes so tight across the hips that it causes discomfort and redness on the skin and abrasions if the vehicle turns wide or breaks quickly. This intense discomfort makes me avoid wearing my seatbelt which causes obvious risk or poses a risk to myself and other drivers if I need to take both hands off the wheel to adjust it while driving. The front passenger seat belt has the same issue. I began to notice this issue about 6 months ago and have taken the vehicle to a dealer/service center 3 times without any recourse other than being offered the opportunity to replace the entire seat belt system for $700 each.
NHTSA complaint #11480943 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
When retracting the driver front seat belt a “binding or grinding” noise is present when the belt unspools to be attached around the driver. After buckling and movement in the driver’s seat the noise is still present. The belt appears to retract but the noise is still present.
NHTSA complaint #11478099 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
The seatbelt tensioner I believe is what is called is broke. I am not sure how it happened but when it was noticed I took it to dealership in the town we were in and he looked up the part for me and explained there was 10 yr kansas seat belt warranty on it. Well come to find out my warranty expired Feb. And no dealership or even GM will help replace it. So if I'm in an accident it will most likely fail. I am a single mom with a special needs child that has to be taken to a specialist 3 hrs away. It is currently being held together by electrical tape but it looks like the wires in the thing failed.
NHTSA complaint #11468729 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
Accident April 26, 2021 where our vehicle was hit "Straight on Front Left" and seat belt tensioner did not restrain the passenger & "Air Bag did not deploy". Request EDR (Event Data Recorder) be scanned to determine what happened and how the car systems functioned or did not function properly. Driver suffered head trauma as a result of the accident. Please advise on action needed to follow up on this malfunction.
NHTSA complaint #11461196 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.