Power Assist Brake Vacuum problems of the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox

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 exiting the highway at 50 mph, the brake pedal had hardened and the contact could not depress the brake pedal. Several brake warning messages appeared on the instrument panel. The contact shifted the vehicle into neutral(n) and pulled into a parking lot to allow the vehicle to coast to a stop. Once the vehicle slowed to a complete stop, the contact shut off the vehicle. The vehicle failed to restart after multiple attempts. The contact called a relative to the scene who used a code reader to determine the cause of the failure. The code reader showed that there was a defect with the vehicle's vacuum pump, brake sensor, and intake camshaft position timing. The vehicle's codes were reset and the vehicle restarted; however, the brake failure persisted. Due to the failure, the vehicle was initially towed to the relative's home and eventually to the dealer. The dealer performed a diagnostic where they discovered metal shavings in the engine camshaft which damaged several parts of the engine. The vehicle had yet to be repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.