Selling a dead or junk Suzuki Equator
Under the Suzuki badge, the Equator is a Nissan. Wikipedia lists Nissan as its manufacturer, with assembly in Smyrna, Tennessee, and the Nissan Frontier (D40) as its close relative. If yours has a dead engine, a worn front end or more miles than it's worth fixing, you don't have to fix it before it goes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and pickup is free anywhere in the US.
- Built by
- Nissan, in Smyrna, Tenn.
- Related to
- Nissan Frontier (D40)
- Engine listed by Wikipedia
- 2.5L QR25DE four, 5-speed automatic
- Model years (EPA)
- 2009-2012
- Complaints to NHTSA
- 15
- Year with the most complaints
- 2010 (7)
- Recall campaigns
- 5
Its NHTSA owner-complaint file is small: 15 complaints spread over four model years, by our October 10, 2026 count.
One generation, from a Nissan plant
EPA data lists the Equator as a small pickup for the 2009 to 2012 model years, in 2WD and 4WD versions. Wikipedia gives these details:
- Production 2008-2012 for the US, on Nissan's F-Alpha platform
- A 2.5L Nissan QR25DE four-cylinder with a 5-speed automatic
- Rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, on a 125.9-inch wheelbase
- Dropped in Canada after 2010 and in the US after 2012
Air bags, a front end and an oil cooler
Air bags lead the complaints: 6 of the 15. Suspension follows with 2, both on the 2010. Fuel system, speed control, fuel and propulsion, and seats have one each. None of the 15 complaints report a crash, a fire or an injury.
Four of the five recall campaigns line up with those systems:
- Air bags, 10V118000. 2010 trucks built from February 22 to March 13, 2010. Fasteners holding the passenger front air bag module could be missing or loose; the fix was a dealer inspection and new fasteners. Campaign size: 15 vehicles.
- Front suspension, 10V213000. 2010 trucks built from November 20, 2009 through March 3, 2010. A weld problem in the lower control link bushing collars. Dealers were to inspect and, if needed, replace one or both lower control links free. 582 vehicles.
- Engine, 11V593000. 2011-2012 trucks built from June 16 through August 31, 2011. Some bolts that hold the oil cooler and oil filter to the engine; dealers were to replace them free. 73 vehicles.
- Front hubs, 12V464000. 2012 two-wheel-drive trucks built from June 19 to July 12, 2012. All of them were held at Suzuki dealers before sale, so no owner letter went out. 25 vehicles.
The fifth, 10V392000, is about a Garmin nuvi 750, 760 or 765 GPS unit and its battery, not the truck itself. That campaign also took in 2008-2010 SX4s and 2010 Grand Vitaras, so its 20,692 vehicles are not all Equators.
Complaints and recalls by model year
| Model year | Complaints to NHTSA | Component named most | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 5 | Air bags (2) | 1 |
| 2010 | 7 | Air bags (3) | 3 |
| 2011 | 2 | Engine and engine cooling (1), air bags (1) | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 | Exterior lighting (1) | 2 |
The yearly recall column adds up to 7, not 5, because the GPS recall covers both 2009 and 2010 and the oil cooler bolt recall covers both 2011 and 2012. Late-build Equators haven't been on the road as long, which gives their owners fewer years to file reports.
Fix it or sell it?
- Start with the recall check. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's lookup. An Equator that changed hands a few times may never have had its recall work done.
- Clunking or wandering front end on a 2010? That's the year with the control link recall and both suspension complaints. Our broken suspension guide covers when it's worth fixing.
- Engine trouble? Read blown engine before paying for a teardown.
- Then weigh it. Set the quote beside the price a running Equator with similar miles brings. If the gap is small, see when repairs cost more than it's worth.
Selling the Equator whole
- Write down your Equator's VIN, its odometer reading, what's wrong, and if it's 2WD or 4WD.
- Get an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
- Say where it's parked and if it can roll; that decides which tow rig gets sent. Pickup is free anywhere in the US.
- Leave it whole: bed, wheels and catalytic converter on. Tell us about anything already removed.
- When the driver comes for your Equator, give them the title and your photo ID. Title lost? Start with selling with no title. For plates and insurance afterward, see after you sell.
Questions people ask
- Is the Suzuki Equator really a Nissan Frontier?
- Close to it. Wikipedia lists Nissan as the Equator's manufacturer, builds it in Smyrna, Tennessee, on Nissan's F-Alpha platform, and names the Nissan Frontier (D40) as its related model.
- Which Equator year has the most NHTSA complaints?
- The 2010 Equator, holding 7 of the 15 complaints NHTSA had on October 10, 2026. Then the 2009 with 5, the 2011 with 2 and the 2012 with 1. The later trucks have spent fewer years on the road, which keeps their counts down.
- Was the Equator GPS recall only for Equators?
- No. Recall 10V392000 covered Garmin nuvi 750, 760 and 765 units in 2009-2010 Equators, 2008-2010 SX4s and 2010 Grand Vitaras. Its count of 20,692 vehicles is for the whole campaign, not the Equator alone.
- Will you buy an Equator that won't start?
- Yes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, pickups included, and pickup is free anywhere in the US. Mention 2WD or 4WD, and if the wheels still turn.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 11, 2026.
- EPA fuel economy data: Suzuki Equator 2WD and 4WD, 2009-2012 fueleconomy.gov
- NHTSA complaints flat file (FLAT_CMPL.zip), downloaded October 10, 2026 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA: Check for recalls by VIN nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 10V118000: passenger air bag fasteners, 2010 Equator nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 10V213000: front lower control links, 2010 Equator nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 10V392000: Garmin navigation battery, Equator, SX4 and Grand Vitara nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 11V593000: oil cooler and filter bolts, 2011-2012 Equator nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 12V464000: front wheel hubs, 2012 Equator 2WD nhtsa.gov
- Wikipedia: Suzuki Equator en.wikipedia.org