general problems of the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox - part 1

40 problems related to other fuel system have been reported for the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox based on all problems reported for the 2012 Equinox.

1 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 04/24/2026

Wipers do not work seems to not recognize when idling and starts to shake if stopped at a red light. Randomly will go through 2 quarts of oil in one day.

2 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 11/17/2025

Recently got an oil change, and in a month I’ve had to “top-off” my oil. Constantly have to make sure I carry a few quarts of oil to make sure my oil is filled. One day, I forgot to check the oil and my car was stalling on a busy road. Had to pull over to make sure I put the oil in there. Everyone that I’ve asked said they have the same issue. I stopped asking people after the 10th person. My uncle is a mechanic and he said the same thing about the oil. He said he wasn’t sure where is goes but it just disappears.

3 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 09/10/2024

2012 Chevrolet Equinox burns/leaks oil which cause the serpentine belt to pop off & I had to replace it. Having problems with the mat & iat codes, just replaced the fuel pump, crankshaft sensor, camshaft sensor, & spark plugs. . . Car still will not crank. They're saying there's no recall but why are all the Chevrolet Equinox malfunctioning with the same problems with no help from the manufacturer?.

4 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 03/15/2024

Basically it has the recall for clogged cats and O2 sensors it has fucked up my pistons I use quart oil every 100 miles I talked to customer service last night was told all ve fixed and I could have rental went to get it cause my car dies at every stop from not having right fuel mixture. Now they changed story . Lawsuit ?.

5 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 02/19/2024

So I know of atleast 4 Chevrolet Equinox's all haveing the exact same issue doesn't matter milage all in the same area which have a issue saying engine power system low then it starts to studder and often stalls out or then over revs and trys to take off like it's been slingshotted which is unsafe even after repairing many issues it is coming up as and nothing seems to fix said issue. Also timing jumping and after being professionally fixed it jumps timing again shortly after being repaired also milage doesn't seem to be a factor in this issue as I have 1 that has jumped timing with only 150k miles while the other days after timing was all repaired jumped timing again and it has like 200+k miles and I know of atleast 2 others in the area having the same exact issue.

6 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 01/31/2023

I bought my 2012 chevy Equinox lt 2. 4l because I owed one just like it but a deer totaled it at only 10 mph! it been nothing but issues since I purchased it drove it off the lot the check engine light comes on and then I go to get it checked and it states that I have a permanent catylic converter code that no one can fix except GMC! when I idle at a stop for longer than 1 min it starts stuttering and jerking like it’s gonna die! so I clean my throttle body like the mechanic said I should do and I found this dark brown whitish sludge in my pvc tube that runs up into the air box which now my air box is full of this gunk! I have to put oil into this vehicle every 3 days cause it will be full then three days later it’s just a smidge above out on the dipstick! I am poor I can not afford huge repairs or replacement of yet another vehicle ??! GMC needs held accountable since they seem to know about this and it’s not recalled they need to do better in taking care of us poor customers who just want a reliable vehicle!! so very upset yet again!!!.

7 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 06/05/2022

Car surges when brakes applied while .

8 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 03/31/2021

I've been to plenty of mechanic shops and they all have said the same thing about the motor and the engine that's in these cars they say they are not the right engines and everyone that have these cars have the same problem I have gotten everything fixed and my engine is going bad. I've been told there is a recall for my engine & or motor. For the last few weeks my check engine light gave been on then out the blue my stabilitrak comes on no one could figure it out I took it to gm they didn't find anything besides spark plugs, oil change ,fuel flush & engine top cleaner now they saying after the sparkplugs got done it cleared that code but now my engine is bad. I get oil changed every month. Which means it's getting to much oil.

9 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 02/15/2021

2012 chevorlet Equinox with 2. 4l engine with 123,525 miles has many safety concerns. As a result of this specific engine, there are issues that affect the quality of safety. This vehicle has excessive oil consumption, needs frequent oil refilling (at least 1quart/weekly), and emits the smell of fumes and lingers when vehicle is on. I am not able to have the car on stopped at a stoplight or simply while in park without the overwhelming smell of fumes. This vehicle has completely shut off on two occasions: first, it shut off halfway up a ramp leading off from the highway and second, during a red light at a busy intersection. There were vehicles driving behind at both times. I no longer feel safe driving this vehicle, nor do I think it is safe to have others in the car.

10 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 11/01/2020

I have had multiple issues with the vehicle in question every since I drove it off the lot. The first signs of trouble started when the car would cut off in the middle of driving in busy traffic. Supposedly the dealer fixed the issue, not sure if that was true because it continued as time went on. Secondly I have had so many oil changes since the purchase of this vehicle and there is record of 3/2019,05/2019,07/2019,(johnny londoff Chevrolet up until 05/2020),05/2020,10/2020,11/2020,02/2021. . . And counting. The vehicle has a very high oil consumption and is bringing about more issues within the vehicle. Lastly but not least the sensors and other things are being damaged in the process. At this current time I am having "reduced energy" issues and I just received oil change and I'm being told I needed to add oil, but how when I just got a oil change. I have reached out to the dealer whom sold me the vehicle, recalls dept, etc and I'm not being provided with assistance. Please assist with this ongoing matter. I have records.

11 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 10/16/2020

2012 chevy Equinox with 54,000 mi on it suddenly begins to stall on restarts. Stalls at stop lights and when car is moving slowly. Very, very dangerous. Have only had the car a few months and I'm devastated. Mechanic checked and no codes showing, no other problems except the stalling. After research online it shows that this is a very common issue with the chevy Equinox. Yet there is no recall to fix the problem. Why?.

12 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 10/10/2020

Check engine light comes on,checked it out it says evap system code,is this a common problem or is it a recall I erased code and replace gas cap,still check engine light came back on.

13 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 08/06/2020

The timing chain snapped without any kind of warning causing extensive damage to the engine, I see recalls for this due to excessive oil consumption. I had the vehicle towed to Chevrolet and expected some type of assistance as there is only 68,000 miles on the vehicle. I purchased the vehicle at the ron westphal Chevrolet a salesman named robert ithier had sold us the vehicle introducing us to the former owner, we looked the vehicle over and had one of our mechanics check the vehicle and it seemed fine. Now that Chevrolet is not helping fix this problem we found out before we purchased the vehicle codes were cleared and an engine light was reset just before we purchased the vehicle. I feel cheated, robbed and conned from this dealership, I am still waiting for repairs to be performed.

14 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 08/01/2020

Having to continues put oil in the vehicle have had it check out. They said no signs of a leak. Do not smell any oil burning. Seems like a lot of people are having these same problems.

15 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 02/27/2020

I have been having an issue with fumes coming into the cab of my vehicle through the front vents when set to defroster or circulating air from outside to inside through the vents. The fumes smell of gas or exhaust and are very noticeable when sitting still while engine is running. This is noticeable mainly when sitting still in vehicle with engine running. The smell is overwhelming. I have developed breathing problems since purchasing my vehicle. I have been newly diagnosed with asthma and am having to take breathing treatments. I had the first asthma attack in December 2019. I am also having problem with airbag light staying on. Wheel information is also incorrect. Information system may indicate the front passenger wheel pressure is low, when in fact the rear passenger tire pressure is low.

16 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 01/12/2020

The block pcv valve is leaking and has over powering bad fumes are coming inside of my car and smoke detection and oil spots in my garage.

17 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 09/26/2019

At least every 3 months tired pressure is off then a sensor then the car starts turning off on me and I have to take it back to the dealer.

18 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 03/08/2019

There is a problem with the actuator solenoids with the 2012 chevy Equinox. While operating the 2012 chevy Equinox in any capacity it stalls especially when accelerating from a complete stop causing the vehicle to stop in oncoming traffic. They cause the vehicle to also stall when backing and or even when in idle. We have replaced these twice in the last 5 months.

19 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 03/07/2019

Since April 2018 I have been experiencing issues with my vehicle when coming to a slow stop. Initially I thought the issue had to do with my brakes. I have taken the vehicle in to the brake shop three times since April 2018 and they had repeatedly told me the brakes are not the issue. I had my check engine light come on in December 2018 so I took my vehicle into the huber Chevrolet in omaha for an oil change even though it was not due yet for another 3 weeks. I was never told during this visit that my oil was low. On March 7th, 2019 the check engine light came on again so I took it in again the same day even though it wasn't due for an oil change for another 1000 miles. I was told my vehicle was 3 qts low on oil. I was also told of this "special policy". I was asked to bring my vehicle back in after 500 to 700 miles to have the oil consumption tested. I was told my vehicle's "policy" only lasted til may 2019 which is just a couple months away. I was also told that one issue the fast oil consumption caused was issues with the vehicle shaking/rattling when coming to a stop. These are the exact things my vehicle has been experiencing since April 2018. I believe that this huber Chevrolet gm dealer should have notified me during earlier visits about my oil consumption issue. After my oil change today I have learned from the internet of all the issues concerning oil consumption with gm vehicles made between 2010-2017. I am adamant that I never received any letter from gm about this oil consumption problem. I am upset that gm dealers like the one I go to were not obligated to tell owners of these vehicles about the oil consumption issue. I am now in the position of having just til may 2019 of proving my vehicle is experiencing this same oil consumption issue that gm and its dealers have been well aware of.

20 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 12/14/2018

There was a recall for major oil consumption so I took it to the dealer and they checked, said everything was good. . . Bs!! I changed oil in oct, completely dry in Dec! I have had to replace intake/exhaust position actuators twice now. Fluttering sound in the engine when cranked. Now I have (4) different codes 3 of which pertain to fuel pressure reg/system rail and the other once again for the position actuator. And it ran fine before being parked in garage for only a couple hours, once started it shook and vibrated violently.

21 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 11/08/2018

I contacted Chevrolet in November 2018 about excessive oil consumption. My car is usually 2. 5 quarts low by the time 3000 miles is driven from the last oil change & I am worried my engine will lock up. I do all routine maintenance and get regular oil changes and service. This model should not use that much oil between oil changes. Now, since dealing with these other issues, when I come to a stop, it idles from about 700 down to 500 and it idles so low, my lights flicker & it sounds like it is going to cut off. My vehicle idles correctly when in park. It only idles roughly when in drive or reverse while at a stop. I contacted Chevrolet again,via phone, and they tell me "unfortunately it's not part of the recall and repairs will be out-of-pocket" I am disappointed that Chevrolet wont stand behind their products enough to recall and repair them as they should be. This problem started at around 114,000 miles. While this was all going on, the windshield wiper motor and transmission had to be replaced, which was also a recall, but not on my vehicle. I am so disappointed that Chevrolet wont recall and repair my vehicle. This is definitely something that they should take care of. How many people complaining of the same issues before they do what they're supposed to so their customers are happy and their vehicles are in proper working and driving condition so they don't endanger others from faulty parts?! if my vehicle dies while driving down the interstate, that will cause problems for more than just me! I have emailed Chevrolet 2 other times and have received no response. I'm so disappointed. I expected them to manufacture better quality motors than what these have turned out to be. It's sad it takes so many people to complain to actually get something done.

22 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 10/26/2018

My Equinox began "bucking" one evening on my way home from work. I have changed the oil regularly (every 5000 miles) and was unaware of any issues with this model having excessive oil consumption problems. I brought to my local mechanic- he informed me that there was actually oil in the tailpipe and that these vehicles were known for having oil consumption issues. I arranged to have the vehicle towed to a Chevrolet dealer- I did not want to drive it as it was a huge safety concern with the engine bucking and possibly stalling in traffic. The Chevrolet dealer had it for the whole week and eventually told me it had "jumped timing". Joe the service manager at central Chevrolet in west springfield, MA told me they would have to see if there was further damage - ie to the valves. So the next call I get is from the warranty administrator at the dealer- she tells me I need a new engine and that Chevrolet will cover 30% of the replacement - would I like to have it done? I ask her- well you tell me they will cover 30% but 30% of what? she said that my share would be $ 5100. This was not acceptable- a vehicle with 48,000 miles and the engine needs to be replaced. It sounds like Chevrolet knew of the issue with this engine as evident by the numerous complaints and class action online. Had they notified owners appropriately and had the appropriate warning systems in the vehicles then this would not have happened. This has the potential to be a huge safety concern as people use these vehicles to transport family members to school, work, etc. If these vehicles run this way and even stall in traffic then there is huge potential for serious injury and/or death. I have tried to speak with general motors directly, but they have not responded with acceptable remedy. Please help the owners of these vehicles get the appropriate help - and to help keep their families safe. Ty.

23 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 06/20/2018

Car constantly goes through oil, and today started stalling when I stop or start to accelerate.

24 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 06/06/2018

I purchased a 2012 chevy Equinox in December 2016 every 4 months I have had to return to the dealer for problems with the engine. They have completed oil consumption test . . Replace things and assured me the problem was gone. I told the dealer representative how I smelled gas and fumes and she stated there were no known recalls or defects with the vehicle. I have paid for several repairs at the dealer. As of now 6/6/18 vehicle is at the dealer for repairs regarding the engine stalling. Light on fumes . I am terrified that I will not be capable of taking off or accelerating when necessay. I have contacted Chevrolet be cause the initially sent me information regarding issues with the vehicle engine stalls and fumes. They now have said the repairs are not covered within the scope of the letter they sent in city limits car stalls and stop sign does not want to take off on hwy or in city limits fumes are excreted when vehicle comes on and during drive consume oils frequently cuts off will not accelerate on hwy when traveling on an incline. . Stalls. .

25 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 02/02/2018

When my vehicle is in motion I am not getting the amount of power I should be receiving once I press on the gas. I believe the timing is off and I have a code: p0013 issue, actuator circuit, cam shaft position. I have seen a recall to the 2011 model for the same reasons and I'm sure my vehicle is having the same issues.

26 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 11/13/2017

Had my car in 3 times in the last 6 months for work done. Had the main rear oil seal replaced along with the catalytic converters first time, second time was after I picked up had to take it back in due to a seal leaking and letting exhaust into the cabin of the car where they had the car for over a week before they even called me back, then finally the third had to take it back in on Nov 13, 2017 due to another oil leak in the car coming from the front crankshaft seal. It took the dealer 10 days after I took it in before I heard anything on what the problem was. I have been without a car for the past 18 days and no offer of a loaner or anything. This is a little ridiculous in that these oil leaks seem to come from the same problem of a pluged pcv valve causing to much pressure build up in the engine and causes the seals to leak. All the work was done under warranty, except the work on the front crankshaft seal which they want to charge me for the work. I have also had a check engine light on that they said was fixed when the replaced the main rear oil seal, but obvious it did not and now they say it has to do with the evap system. Which is one thing I told them when I took the car in the first time I took it in.

27 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 08/05/2017

My car will not start when I fill it with gas. I have to push the gas pedal to the floor to make it start and then rev the engine several times or it will die again. It was also dying at stop lights or stop signs unless I put it in neutral and revved the engine. It also has stalled when initially taking off once.

28 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 05/10/2017

Oil consumption test showed motor using oil before 1000 miles. I had purchased an additional warranty but it isn't worth the paper it's written on. I have looked over other complaints online about these cars and there are numerous complaints on this issue with this car. Have also had to replace gas cap twice on the car so the engine light would stay off.

29 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 04/01/2017

At times it seems like the transmission doesn't shift properly when starting to accelerate. It's as if it's not sure what gear to go into. Currently I have an engine light on and it stalls frequently. If I slow down or start to accelerate it will stall. I'm afraid I'm going to get rear ended by someone! it also blows out white smoke from the exhaust. I seem to be adding oil more often than I should.

30 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 02/23/2017

Consumes too much oil. Camshaft issues. The car has issues properly switching gears in automatic and there is a delay or shaking/jutter at times. Even when the car is idle is has a strange sound to it. Car also has issue with accelerating. I will push the gas down and it doesn't switch gears fast enough. This happens all the time in everyday city and rural driving.

31 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 01/17/2017

While at a stop light the car started shaking violently,bucking then died it did restart and ran fine for a few days & did it again I'm afraid of getting rear ended or worse when this happens again no advance warning no trouble codes.

32 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 08/12/2016

Lack of acceleration when coming off idle conditions, stalls when I pull out into traffic, , oil consumption, drives rough.

33 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 02/19/2015

The car stalled repeatedly when attempting to pull forward into traffic. The car could be restarted but continued to stall when the accelerator was pushed. The car had to be towed to the dealership for repairs.

34 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 08/21/2014

Car stalled while driving down highway and had to pull off to the side. It started last week dying when I was backing up. It also would jerk when at a stop light when I pressed the gas pedal. But today driving down the road I notice my air conditioner quit and then realized my car was no longer going when pressing the gas pedal. After impeding traffic I finally was able to coax car off to the side of the road.

35 Other Fuel System problem

Failure Date: 03/19/2014

The 2012 chevy Equinox stall constantly below 30 mph. It stalls at least 2 to 3 times trying to back out of garage to move it 10 feet. The idle startes off smooth but within 10 seconds the Equinox starts idling rough and jerking, then it stalls. When stopped at stop light the Equinox jerks back and forth, when I give it gas to go, the Equinox jerks foward and usually dies on me. It burns a large amout of gas and oil, I have to refill the oil up at least once a week. I have changed the oil myself and found the oil is saturated with metal filings. The check engine light comes on and off repeatedly. I have already replaced the battery twice because of a dead cell. I have replaced the front right tire due to a blow-out at 24,000 miles and dealership refused to replace it, saying I hit something and it could not have blown out. The entire navigation system in out and the lights flicker in the cup holders. The tire pressure sensors when out for at least 5 days and it started working again with no repair of the system. This is not a safe vehicle to drive considering, I don't know when it is going to stall drining down the highway. A recall is mandatory for full replacement!!!!.


Other Other Fuel System related problems of the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox


Equinox Service Bulletins
Equinox Safety Recalls
Equinox Defect Investigations