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2021 Chevrolet Equinox

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2021 Equinox.

Transmission Automatic 6-spd

The 2021 Chevrolet Equinox is defined mechanically by a 5.3-quart 0W-20 oil capacity, an automatic 6-speed transmission, and EPA fuel-economy ratings of 25 city, 30 highway, and 27 combined mpg. In reliability data, it has drawn 87 owner complaints and 4 recalls, with the largest share of complaints filed under “Unknown Or Other.” Against the model’s 2005–2026 complaint history—peaking at 784 complaints in 2010 and bottoming at 55 in 2026—the 2021 model sits near the lower-complaint end of the range, indicating a comparatively quiet ownership record that still requires scrutiny of its documented recalls and top complaint area.

Model year2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.3 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type0W-20OEM · verified

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy25/30/27 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI Only use AGM VRLA Battery. 48 · 730 CCA battery, OE oil filter 25206377. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI Only use AGM VRLA Battery. 48 · 730 CCAOEM · verified

Tire size225/65R17 102HOEM · verified

Wheel / rim7 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	25206377
Engine air filter	84390002
Spark plug	12683541
Battery	88864541
Front wiper blades	84574892 alt 84566977
Serpentine belt	12654472
Thermostat	12649163 alt 12673413
Cabin air filter	13508023

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 6-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	183.1 in
Overall width	72.4 in
Overall height	65.4 in
Wheelbase	107.5 in
Curb weight	3466 lb
Track (front / rear)	62.2 / 62.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	57/43

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	25 / 30 / 27 mpg
Drivetrain	All-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	103 cu ft
Cargo volume	30 cu ft
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Equinox of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.6–9.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.60 sec — 2018 LT 2.0T

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
2022	RS 1.5L Turbo I-4	8.90 sec	16.90 sec	170 hp	AWD
2019	LT 1.5T 1.5L Turbo I-4	8.70 sec	16.70 sec	170 hp	AWD
2023	RS 1.5L Turbo I-4	8.00 sec	16.30 sec	175 hp	AWD
2018	LT 2.0T 2.0L Turbo I-4	6.60 sec	15.10 sec	252 hp	AWD
2018	LT 2.0T 2.0L Turbo I-4	6.60 sec	15.20 sec	252 hp	AWD
2018	Premier 1.5L Turbo I-4	8.70 sec	16.70 sec	170 hp	AWD
2018	Premier 1.5L Turbo I-4	8.90 sec	16.90 sec	170 hp	AWD
2018	LT TD 1.6L Turbo Diesel I-4	9.00 sec	16.90 sec	137 hp	AWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.3 qt of 0W-20 engine oil, Dot 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid	ATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity	4.2 - 6.3 Qts.
Brake Fluid	Dot 3
Brake Fluid Capacity	.976 pt
Engine Coolant	DEX-COOL
Engine Coolant Capacity	7.0 qt
Engine Oil	0W-20
Engine Oil Capacity	5.3 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)	7.4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)	7.4 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)	31.0 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)	18.0 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	11.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	100 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug	30.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug	30.0 ft-lbs
Automatic Transmission Drain Plug	8.83 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-3-4-2
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Gap	.024-.028 in
Spark Plug Torque	13 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant Capacity	R-1234yf with KRV
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Capacity	5.10 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	Only use AGM VRLA Battery. 48
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	730 cca

Service checks

Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	50.0-94.0
RPM	43.0-58.0 rpm

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier Torque	30.0 ft-lbs
ABS Sensor Torque	6.4
Minimum Pad Thickness	0.078 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for Replacement	Front: J17: .984", J60: .905"; Rear: .393"
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness after Refinish	Front: J17: .992", J60: .913"; Rear: .402"
Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation	.001
Maximum Rotor Runout	.002

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Front Wheel Hub — tightening sequence 1 stages

Prep Use new retaining nut. Driveshaft Nut: Step 1: 111.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 45°

185.0

Rear Wheel Hub — tightening sequence 1 stages

Prep Use new retaining nut. Driveshaft Nut: Step 1: 111.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 45°

185.0

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages

18.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 75°

18 ft. lbs

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages

22.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 240°

22 ft. lbs

Flex or Driveplate Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

150 ft. lbs., Step 2: 22.0 ft. lbs., Step 3: 70°

150 ft. lbs

Torque Converter Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

7.4 ft. lbs., Step 2: 50°

7.4 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 60,000 mi.

Every 7,500 mi	Accelerator Pedal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Windshield Wiper Blade (replace)
Every 22,500 mi	Cabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 45,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 60,000 mi	Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 75,000 mi	Hood Hinge (inspect)
At 150,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Looking at the federal record, complaints for the Equinox fell dramatically from 294 in 2020 to 87 in 2021, the lowest total in the series since 2009. Recalls remained steady at four in 2021, matching the levels seen in 2019‑2020 and slightly below the five recalls in 2018 and 2022. Investigations were zero in 2021, continuing a pattern of no open investigations from 2017 through 2026. The top complaint areas for 2021 were Unknown/Other (10), Electrical System (9), Power Train (8) and Engine (6), with five crash complaints and no fire complaints reported. Given the sharp drop in complaints while recall activity stayed comparable to neighboring years, the 2021 model year appears to be a relatively reliable choice among used Equinoxes.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

693

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

5 involved a crash · 0 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Overall★★★★★

Frontal★★★★★

Side★★★★★

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19 ’20’21’22 ’23 ’24 ’25 ’26

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 87 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Unknown Or Other10

Electrical System9

Power Train8

Engine6

Fuel/Propulsion System5

Service Brakes4

Structure3

Fuel System, Gasoline3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

20V811000Seat BeltsReported 23/12/2020

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2021 GMC Canyon and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV and Chevrolet Blazer, Camaro, Colorado… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect bolts, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8785…

21V612000TiresReported 05/08/2021

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles equipped with certain Hankook tires. The tires may have been manufactured with an insufficient amount of curative agent… Remedy: Dealers will inspect the tire DOT numbers, and replace any affected tires, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 31, 2021. Owners may contact GMC…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 693 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
PIT5966F	2026-06-23	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary information communicates an issue with an OTA pending message still…
PIC6423A	2026-05-11	Unknown Or Other	Pi created to provide GM dealers with information on gathering information for projection…
PIC6551B	2026-05-11	Unknown Or Other	This Preliminary information communicates to dealer to perform a MEC reset for wireless…
PIT5812G	2026-04-08	Unknown Or Other	This preliminary information announces the end of an engineering investigation into a…
PIT3271Q	2026-04-01	Unknown Or Other	This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Equinox. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group O battery Vehicles taking 5.3 qt Engine oil filter 25206377 Engine air filter 84390002 Spark plug 12683541 Battery 88864541

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2021 Equinox take?

5.3 qt of 0W-20, per the factory manual.

Does the 2021 Equinox have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Equinox get?

EPA figures are 25 city / 30 highway / 27 combined mpg.