general problems of the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox - part 1

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start as needed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who replaced the fuel pump and fuel pump control module. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 23v013000 (fuel system, gasoline); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 38,451.

While driving, my 2020 Chevrolet Equinox suddenly lost power and shut off without warning while I was pulling into traffic. The vehicle would buzz not crank afterward but would not restart. This created a safety hazard because the unexpected engine shutdown occurred while the vehicle was in motion. This is the second brake vacuum pump failure I have experienced with this vehicle. In 2022, the brake vacuum pump failed and was found shattered internally. At that time, the engine continued running, and the pump was replaced. During this most recent incident, the brake vacuum pump failed again, and the internal end of the pump broke apart. I replaced the vacuum pump and removed the broken pieces I could access, but the vehicle remains in a crank/no-start condition. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by a dealership or independent repair facility. However, after seeing the shattered pump components, a couple of mechanics I know expressed concern that the broken pieces may have affected the engine timing. That has not been confirmed. The failed pump and replacement parts are available for inspection.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 mph and approaching a stop sign, the brake pedal was depressed and there was a thumping sound coming from the brake pedal, with the message “service brake assist” was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the residence and parked. The contact stated that the next day while driving approximately 63 mph, the message "reduced engine power" was displayed. The contact exited the highway, and while attempting to depress the brake pedal, the pedal was firm, and the vehicle failed to slow as intended. The contact continued to depress the brake pedal with force, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle slowed down eventually. The vehicle was taken to an auto parts store and a handheld diagnostic machine to diagnose the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was turned off and failed to restart. The vehicle was restarted after three attempts. The vehicle was taken to the residence and the following day, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the vacuum pump, camshaft, and timing belt needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000.

As I was coming to a stop at light my brakes became very difficult to push the pedal down to stop. It took everything in me to get the vehicle to stop before entering the intersection and oncoming traffic. I was able to get the vehicle parked safely in a nearby parking lot but then the engine wouldn't start it just kept trying to turn over. The brake assist error popped up, and then the check engine light came on. I was able to get it started again about 20 minutes later, all the same warnings and lights. I white knuckled the drive back to my house. . . Once I got home the engine was smoking, smelled like it was burning, and oil was spilling out all over the place underneath, impossible to see where a leak was as it was coming from the entire engine. There was zero warning with the vehicle, no issues up to this point, and suddenly the Equinox is now useless in my driveway unable to start with oil still leaking in multiple spots. An oil pan under the main leaking area, but there are still multiple areas of oil spilling even a week later. Oddly enough my onstar report for the month came to email a few days later reporting perfect engine health and zero issues - even thought the vehicle can't start now.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated the brake pedal became firm while driving approximately 40-45 mph. The check engine warning light was illuminated, and the brake assist service message was displayed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the brake housing had shattered inside the engine. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 213,000.

Recall number n202313440 my car matches make, model, and year but for some reason is not included in the recall and my vehicle has the leaking bolts. Please review.

Multiple occasions of “engine reduced power” and vehicle stalling/jolting/jerking when trying to go over 45 mph. When trying to go to work Monday - on the interstate, it was jerking/jolting when trying to increase any speed and brakes were getting harder to press on, decided to try to reduce speed and get pulled over without the brakes, car was overheating completely. Now seeing multiple people have had this issue with the same car - I’m not sure whether it’s comforting that I’m not the only one or terrifying to know there’s multiple vehicles on the road experiencing this dangerous issue. Seeing a pending lawsuit did not surprise me one bit - I am not happy whatsoever about risking my own life and others on the roadway due to this not being a priority in the first place to correct before selling this vehicle to me, buying it with my hard earned money. Greedy greedy.

I was driving to work, when I got off the exit I stopped at sheetz. When I got back in the car my brake pedal was stiff as a rock, and there was oil on the ground. A friend of mine does mechanic work so I called him and he said it sounds like the vacuum pump. I had the car towed to his garage, the tow costed me $400 which was very cheap considering where I was located. When I got it to the garage he confirmed that it was the vacuum pump and we removed several pieces of metal from inside the engine. I now have my car at the chevy dealership in chippewa PA. They told me to be $180 a diagnose it, well they just called me a little bit ago and said it's going to be another $900 to take everything apart and to truly diagnose it. I'm finding out now that gm has known about the failing vacuum pumps and they kept producing them anyways. I see there's a class action lawsuit taking place, and I am not very happy. My life was put at risk. And now I'm expected to be stuck paying this huge bill?.

I bought the 2020 Equinox may the 9th 2026 the dealership concealed a lot of things going on this vehicle and I complain to them two days after purchase he told me I was stuck with it in the meanwhile as I drive the vehicle I have had repairs done but it's something going on with the acceleration it accelerates on its own sometimes and slow to pick up speed. The steering seems to get away from me at times that makes me feel like I'm going to lose control when driving. I have almost had a couple of accidents since then so what really worries me is the steering problems which I just had a little alignment done today July 15th 2026 and the accelerating from time to time went backing up or pulling off. I do feel like the safety of others can be at risk for should I say my safety is that risk at times so I am extremely cautious when I'm driving. No I have not had really anyone to look at I have been having a car looked at for many issues but that issue I am still trying to get in to see a mechanic that I'm used to dealing with but he's been backed up. No there are no lights of any such but when I purchased it the sensors in the tires and I've had that replaced and I've noticed this situation with the acceleration when I bought the vehicle and the slow speed pick up when driving.

The turbocharger are bad on the 1. 5 l vehicles. My current one , I had replaced already and my previous one had it too. Reduced engine power and should be recalled. I want to be reimbursed for the service and part replacement. 976. 00 for the turbocharger and labor costs of 400. 00. 3 1/2 hours of labor costs and the diagnostic test my nirth country gm in hibbing. Should be recalled for all of these vehicles. 218-290-5027 craig johnson.

I am reporting a vehicle fire involving a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox [xxx] ). The fire originated in the engine compartment. The official fire report lists the causes as "undetermined", with the area of origin identified under the hood. There were no prior warning lights, mechanical issues, or indications that a fire risk was present. The vehicle was being used under normal conditions and was properly maintained to my knowledge. The vehicle was declared a total loss by my insurance company. Due to the undetermined cause and engine compartment origin, I am concerned there may have been a potential mechanical or electrical defect that was not identified. I am submitting this report in case similar incidents have occurred and to support an potential investigation int vehicle safety. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

On Saturday, April 18, 2026, I was driving home from a neurology appointment with my two daughters, including my child with special needs. I intentionally chose not to take the expressway and instead drove a lower-speed route home for safety reasons. While traveling approximately 35 mph, the vehicle suddenly displayed an “engine power is reduced” warning. As I attempted to safely maneuver through traffic and pull over, the brake pedal became extremely stiff and difficult to depress, requiring significant physical force to slow and stop the vehicle. The sudden reduction in braking assist created a serious safety hazard for my family. Had this occurred at highway speeds on the expressway, the outcome could have been catastrophic. A post-incident inspection identified failure of the vacuum pump drive assembly and related timing/variable valve timing (vvt) components. Photographs taken during disassembly document the condition of the timing chain, camshaft, vvt actuator/phaser, vacuum pump assembly, and associated components at the time of repair. Diagnostic records also documented dtc code p1101 following the incident. The vehicle is currently undergoing further inspection and diagnostic evaluation at a certified Chevrolet dealership to validate cpo warranty coverage and determine the full extent and cause of the failure. Based on the sudden loss of engine performance and reduction in brake assist, I believe this condition represents a significant safety risk to vehicle occupants and the public.

While driving, my engine light came on. After taking it in, it turned out that I had water/oil freezing in the intercooler. This could have been very dangerous when I was driving. I have had the gm wrap put on it. I am hoping that this will not be a problem again.

Turbo/superchargers malfunctioned, and I had to have it replaced back up sensors do not work properly. Say backup, assistant, malfunction.

I would like to formally file a safety complaint regarding my Chevrolet vehicle and to express concern over Chevrolet’s handling of a known defect. On January 22, while driving to work in cold weather conditions, my vehicle experienced a sudden and dangerous malfunction. The engine unexpectedly revved to approximately 4,500 rpm, the check engine light illuminated, and the dashboard displayed an “engine power reduced” message. Despite removing my foot from the accelerator, the vehicle did not slow down as expected. I was able to pull over to the side of the road and bring the vehicle to a stop. I immediately contacted my local Chevrolet service department and was advised to bring the vehicle in six days later, the following Friday. Due to the safety risk, we did not use the vehicle during this time out of concern for a potential accident. When the vehicle was inspected by the Chevrolet dealership, we were informed that Chevrolet had identified this issue as being related to cold weather operation and that a custom shield had been designed to address the problem. We were also told that Chevrolet vehicles were not adequately designed for cold weather conditions, which led to this failure. Despite this acknowledgment and the fact that Chevrolet has engineered a corrective part, we were informed that the repair—costing approximately $1,600—is not covered under our extended warranty, as the shield was not installed on the vehicle at the time of purchase. The vehicle remains unsafe to drive. When accelerating, engine rpms surge from approximately 2,500 to 4,000 rpm, and the vehicle can suddenly decelerate, creating a serious risk of rear-end collisions if a following driver is forced to brake abruptly. This issue represents a significant safety hazard. Chevrolet has acknowledged the defect by creating a corrective part, yet is declining to cover the repair cost, leaving the responsibility with the customer for a known design issue. Please let me know my next step.

I bought the Equinox with 30,000 miles on it. It's at 67,000 now and I maintain the vehicle regularly. So why have I replaced the throttle body already because it gets dirty fast? and now I'm getting a check engine light for p2099 turbocharger underboost. When the vehicle is not old it's 5 years old, hasn't been driven hard. So why are you using a crap 1. 5l engine with a turbo that is notorious for these issues??? and what's worse the engineering is horse s$*t, because the air inlet hose is only one time use. But the part is underneath it where you can't reach. Why has this not been recalled yet????????? it's not but a scam to make you take it to a dealership. I'll continue to write complaints this is not right. And I'll never buy one again.

My engine started running rough and, as a result of a repeating po301 code, the car was towed to lester glenn of toms river. Their diagnostic scan report (codes dtc po301 & dtc po303) found the engine assembly has scored cylinder walls due to failed piston rings. The entire engine had to be replaced. The odometer reading was 19,000 miles. Piston rings are designed to last 150,000 plus miles. For them to be worn enough to score a cylinder wall at 19,000 miles is a textbook definition of a manufacturing defect. Piston failure represents a serious safety defect as it could have caused a total loss of power at highway speeds. This was a safety-related manufacturing flaw, and not a maintenance issue. Gm refused to pay for the repair bill in full.

Engine power reduced car will not accelerate jerks after a long stop have replaced engine and transmission same problem occurred.

December 2025 I was at a complete stop and the car clunked and the brake pedal got hard hard to push and then a couple months later a brake sensor light came on and when I plugged the code reader into it, it said give me a brake sensor code, and then it started slamming on the brakes all by itself when I went to takeoff hard like give you whiplash hard and it didn’t just do it once it did it a few times and then it wouldn’t go into reverse and then it wouldn’t go in neutral, and then it started smoking. My safety was affected by it, slamming on the brakes that could make someone hit me. It could hurt my back and neck. Yes, I have proof. Yes, I notified the dealer. Yes the vehicle has been inspected and I got an estimate by two different car lot the one I bought it from ken valor motors, and matt mazzoni’s I have. Plus I have diagnose diagnostics printouts from onstar and this is a 2020 vehicle. It should not be having these problems and now I’m stuck paying for a vehicle that I can’t even drive. !!.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, the message "engine power reduced" was suddenly displayed. While attempting to stop, the brake pedal was extremely difficult to depress, and the braking distance was extended. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the brake vacuum pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact was also informed that metal shavings from the vacuum pump might have entered the engine and that an engine diagnostic test was needed. No further information was available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 55,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The message “reduced engine power” was displayed. The vehicle did not require a restart to resume operation. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the wastegate actuator had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the coolant inside the actuator had frozen due to the local low temperatures. The dealer advised that precautions were needed to prevent future coolant-related failures. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 103,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at 30 mph and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle lost power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Neither an independent mechanic nor the dealer was contacted. The contact waited thirty minutes, and the vehicle started to operate as intended. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several different occasions. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer to be diagnosed. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

Rear spear tire compartment full of water. Sunroof drains leaking into rear fuse box. Fuel pump and fuel pump module failing when driving. Turbo locking up from oil seal failure.

Pulling into traffic car stalled without warning. Went from about 25 mph to a complete stop in approximately in less than 100 feet. Car sputtered with transmission grabbing intermittently as it jerked to a stop. Restarted about several times with similar behavior. (covered under 60,000-mile warranty (actual mileage ~55,000)). Replaced fuel pump driver control module to correct. No accident due to distance to on-coming traffic, but easily could have caused an accident during high traffic conditions.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power and was unable to accelerate. Afterward, the message "low power mode" was displayed. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway; however, the failure persisted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the turbocharger control valve (tcv). The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to technical service bulletin: 18-na-020. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

While driving on the freeway at 75 mph my vacuum pump seized and shattered, causing me to loose all breaking power, damaging my engine beyond repair and endangering my life and numerous other drivers on the road. There is a current recall on the particular year, make and model for this issue but my VIN is not included so the dealership refuses to fix the issue.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 mph, the check engine, traction control, and stability control warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local advance auto store and was diagnosed with a fuel injector failure. The fuel injectors were replaced, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 92,080.

The vacuum pump broke and caused the brake booster to lose vacuum and made the brakes hard and almost caused an accident.

Vehicle brakes became hard and failed to stop, check engine light came on and warning saying reduced engine power. Vacuum pump seized and broke off in the crankshaft. After vacuum pump replacement vehicle failed to start multiple times. Vehicle started and had rough idle and stalled multiple times. Currently awaiting dealer inspection.

Engine reduced power, over acceleration as well as sluggish acceleration, wobbling on the freeway, electrical dashboard problems, tire sensor light comes on after getting it repaired. This vehicle has the same problems like 2021 -2024, reduced speed and couldn't go over 40 mph on a busy street with speed limited being 50 mph.

The contact owned a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at 70 mph, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the instrument panel lights became dim/flicker, and the vehicle lost automotive power. The contact mentioned she pulled over to the right side and left the vehicle at the scene. In addition, the contact drove back to the scene where the vehicle was parked, and she noticed the state trooper and a tow company. No injuries were sustained. No medical attention. The contact mentioned the fire happened overnight. The vehicle extinguished independently. A fire department mentioned to the contact that there were calls about the fire and that the fire was coming from the engine. However, the fire report was unknown. A police report was filed. The insurance company denied the claim of fire. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 mph, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle could not able to be restarted. The vehicle was towed to the residence, and a handheld diagnostic machine retrieved dtc: u18a2. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that at start -up, there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was advised that the a/c compressor was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced technical service bulletin: 18-na-162; as a possible cause for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.

Unknown, my wife was driving my 2020 chevy Equinox on the freeway when suddenly the vehicle shut down with no warning signs . . She tried to turn on the emergency lights and did not function slowly she yield to other lanes and cars honking she safely made it to the side of the freeway. . She tried to turn the car and did not wanted to restart everything shutdown . She call roadside assistance. . They came and try to give her a jumpstart and it fail. They tried to tow it and they couldn't cause the brakes were also locked. . This. Was a scary situation that would had cause major accident.

Engine burning excess oil causing engine to go in safety mode and preventing car to go over 25 miles per hr. This happen on a major highway with two kids in the car and was almost rear ended. Took to dealership who has recieved bulletins regarding this issue and will repair the engine. To me this should be on a recall due to saftety.