general problems of the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox - part 1

The brake booster vacuum pump, in the words of meineke, massive failure. The pump locked up and exploded, there are parts of at least under the valve cover. The failure resulted in the ruining of the camshaft, as this pump is controlled by the camshaft. The end of my camshaft looks like a mushroom head. This failure is currently in the investigation part of a class action law suit in which I am adding my name to the hat. My wife was driving at the time and fortunately was not injured during this catastrophic failure with what seems like planned obsolescence. I am also glad the kids weren’t in the car when this happened. We had just crossed 100k miles.

The car has a grinding that I am not sure where it is coming from, it maybe coming from the wheel and it also has a battery problem.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the rear tire treads were prematurely worn. A mobile independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle at the residence, and the mechanic determined that the brakes were dragging. The brakes were replaced. The vehicle was taken to a tire dealer, where the rear tires were replaced. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the defective tires were inspected. The service manager associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 19v704000 (service brakes, hydraulic); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that no assistance would be provided because the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 48,800.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle shook and vibrated abnormally. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 19v704000 (service brakes, hydraulic); however, the VIN was associated with the recall. The contact later replaced the rear brakes independently. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

My son was driving the car the service brake assist message popped up on the screen, and the brake pedal went stiff. He was coming to a red light and had to swerve to the right to avoid hitting the cars in front of him as he had no brakes at this point. We had the vehicle towed to our house, had the vehicle looked at by our mechanic. The diagnosis was the brake vacuum pump, part number #12684050 exploded. It is available for inspection, at this point we don't know if the metal pieces have fallen into the engine compartments and we would rather not replace the engine as well. We had contacted the local chevy service dept. Who said we can pay $1500. 00 to for them to take apart the top of the engine to look for broken pieces, but the best option is to trade it in as soon as possible.

The power brake booster failed suddenly causing the brake petal to become hard. Almost caused an accident as I suddenly lost the ability to brake. There was no warning prior to the failure. After the failure a service warning for brake assist appeared. The vehicle was been inspected by an auto service provider.

This issue has happened to me twice now. Dec 19th 2024 I driving on a highway at about 60mph, traffic slowed, I tried to stop and instantly had no brakes at all. There was a light that came on as I was applying the brakes, "service brake assist". Had it towed to a mechanic and they replaced the brake vacuum pump. We ordered this part from a Chevrolet dealership so we knew it was the proper part. Most recent was two days ago, Nov 10th 2025, not even a full year later. Driving about 55mph, tried to stop and no brakes again with the same service message. It is currently at the shop being repaired. The part is under warranty but of course labor isnt. Both times this happened, I had to drive over on to the shoulder to avoid causing an accident. Prior to this, there was no warning that there was anything wrong with the brakes. The only place that can confirm this issue is the mechanic shop as they are the ones doing the work. Attached is a copy of the receipt from the first time.

Brake vacuum pump has failed. My brake pedal I had to put my full weight on to stop my car. I almost crashed into the person in front of me. It was my full weight and all the way to the ground in my car wasn’t stopping.

With the vehicle around 73,000 and while driving on the highway, the brake system failed to fully function. Using extreme pressure to compress the brakes the vehicle finally slowed and came to a stop with out injury or vehicle accident. After getting the vehicle moved to an independent service center, and further inspection it was found that the vacuum pump exploded. After researching it appears the problem is consistent with other reports but no resolution has been made until it's too late. The component is not currently being inspected by the manufacturer and has only been inspected by independent service center. No warning lights or other symptoms displayed prior to the failure and the only time it first appeared was on the highway at high speeds.

Getting off the highway and brake pedal is just hard can barely push it. It stopped but barely.

The vacuum pump seized and broke and sent debris into the camshaft.

On August 3rd, while driving on the freeway at 55mph, my vehicle's brakes became extremely stiff, and I could not press them down to engage the braking system. I was about to collide with the vehicle in front of me, so I quickly veered right without looking because I had no time. After moving to the right, the brakes finally slowed the vehicle to around 40mph. Luckily, the traffic light turned green, allowing me to continue moving with the remaining momentum. As I attempted to take a turn on a bridge above the freeway, the steering wheel became stiff. At this point, I was unsure whether I could turn the car at that speed with the steering not responding. I need general motors and Chevrolet to take action on the severity of the situation and make the necessary and appropriate restitution to me for the traumatic and physical injuries sustained during the incident. For the amount of time I've been without a vehicle, I am now running high risk of loosing my job. $3,700. Is what they are charging me, which is conveniently not under warranty. When consistently stating that no one really sure what's covered and what's not covered.

I was driving just got off the freeway and went to hit the brakes and the brake pedal was hard as a rock I had to use force to slow down to safely get over from the left lane to the right lane to get into a parking lot was a pretty scary experience, called aaa had it towed to the dealer they said the vacuum pump failed which I suspected because of the other complaints regarding the same thing, there was no recalls on my car dealer fixed it under warranty and they said there was no damage to the camshaft. The dealer was amazing and would reccamend them, I also had to pay 100 deductible. As others have stated theres a recall on the vacuum pumps but certain VIN #s are not included. Gm needs to included all VIN #s for the Equinox in the recall whats it gonna take somebody to get killed!.

•initial incident: July 2, 2025 •recurring occurrences: August 8, 2025 vehicle issue description: several months ago, the vehicle’s check engine light came on. A diagnostic scan was performed at o’reilly auto parts, but no error codes were detected. The vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop for further inspection. The shop found no mechanical issues and confirmed the vehicle was operating normally at that time. On August 6, 2025, the “service brake assist” warning appeared briefly on the dashboard but turned off shortly afterward. The parking brake warning light also came on that same day, then went off. These warning lights reappeared intermittently on August 8, 2025. No repairs have been made as there are no active recalls related to these issues. However, it is noted that there are consumer complaints reporting similar problems. This raises concerns about potential intermittent or undetected safety system faults, particularly involving the brake assist system and parking brake functionality. Checked brakes again no issues determined per bridgestone and mavis.

I am experiencing a recurring issue with my vehicle where the park assist system keeps activating unexpectedly, and the check engine light (cel) also comes on. I have taken the vehicle to o’reilly auto parts for a diagnostic scan, and they reported no repairable codes present. Additionally, I visited tires plus, and their assessment was that if the light goes off on its own, then no issue is present that requires repair. Despite the temporary disappearance of the warning lights, the issue keeps returning, which raises concern. The park assist activation is not being manually triggered and appears without warning, often accompanied by the cel. This inconsistent behavior suggests there may be an intermittent or underlying issue with the vehicle’s sensors, wiring, or onboard systems that may not register a permanent diagnostic code. At this time, no repairs have been performed due to both locations stating that no actionable codes or faults were detected. However, the issue continues to happen periodically, and I would like further inspection or documentation of the problem, especially if it worsens or begins affecting vehicle safety or drivability.

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

I purchased this vehicle as a certified pre-owned vehicle from george moore Chevrolet in jacksonville, florida, in October 2023. At the time of purchase, the vehicle had approximately 35,000 miles, and it now has approximately 60,000 miles. I have maintained all recommended service intervals and oil changes as required. On June 14, 2025, while stopped at a traffic signal with my foot on the brake pedal, the pedal suddenly sank to the floor, causing the vehicle to roll forward into traffic unexpectedly. I was able to place the vehicle in neutral and then park to prevent a collision. After turning the vehicle off and restarting it when the light changed, the brakes continued to fail. I carefully maneuvered to a nearby area behind a warehouse and allowed the vehicle to come to a complete stop by shifting into neutral. I contacted a tow truck through my state farm roadside assistance program and had the vehicle transported to my local mechanic. Upon inspection on June 16, 2025, the technician determined that the brake lines were corroded and leaking. Initially, he suspected the master brake cylinder, but it was confirmed not to be leaking. He noted that the metal-braided portion of the brake line had completely deteriorated on one side and was severely compromised on the other. Both brake lines were replaced to restore braking function. Fortunately, I was able to avoid an accident, but this was an alarming experience that I have never encountered in any vehicle I have owned. My mechanic expressed concern about the extent of corrosion on such a relatively new vehicle and indicated this could represent a broader safety issue. I respectfully request that this matter be documented and investigated to ensure that other drivers are not placed at similar risk.

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.

This past weekend, while driving my 2020 Chevrolet Equinox, I experienced a sudden and complete brake failure. I was turning into a residential neighborhood at approximately 20-30mph when the brakes locked up without warning. Despite pressing the brake pedal, the car would not stop. I attempted to shift into park, but the vehicle continued to roll forward. I had to engage the emergency brake, which caused the car to come to an immediate stop. Thankfully, there were no cars in front of me, but I came dangerously close to hitting a cement wall head-on. This created a serious risk to my safety and potentially to others had the situation occurred in traffic or near pedestrians. There were no warning lights, noises, or prior symptoms indicating an issue with the braking system. The vehicle has since been towed to the dealership and is currently awaiting inspection. I've learned that there are existing recalls on other vins for the 2020 Equinox related to an incorrect lubricant used in the manufacturing process of the rear brake calipers. This defect can cause the calipers to swell, leading to excessive brake drag. Over time, this drag may result in overheating and possible brake lockup, which aligns with what I experienced. The component appears to be the braking system, specifically involving the calipers or pads. At the time of writing, the failure has not yet been confirmed by the dealer. This issue is extremely dangerous and could have resulted in a severe crash. I am reporting this in hopes that it contributes to a broader investigation, especially if this problem extends beyond currently recalled vins.

I am filing a safety complaint regarding a failure of the vacuum pump in my 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The failure occurred without warning and severely impacted the vehicle’s braking performance, posing a serious safety risk while driving. When the vacuum pump failed, I experienced a hard brake pedal and a significant loss of braking power, which made it difficult to stop the vehicle safely. Thankfully, I was not in heavy traffic or approaching a stoplight at high speed when it happened—otherwise, it could have resulted in a serious accident. After researching this issue, I discovered that vacuum pump failures appear to be a recurring problem in other gm vehicles of similar model years. It is extremely concerning that such a critical component could fail prematurely and without adequate warning. I believe this issue should be investigated for a potential defect and safety recall. I urge the NHTSA to look into this matter to ensure the safety of other drivers who may be at risk due to this defect. Thank you for your time and attention.

My breaks stopped working while I was driving, they became hard to press and unable to function. The vacuum pump attached to the engine failed. The vacuum has broken pieces that are now inside of the engine. No warning indicator lights appeared before the incident. As far as I'm aware other similar models are having the same issue but my VIN was not included in the recall.

Service brake assist.

Our car has just around 77,000 miles and the brakes stopped working while driving. To our luck my husband quickly thought to use the e brake to prevent a car crash. We took it into our mechanic who diagnosed a brake pump failure. It looks as though the 2020 Equinox has recalls for brake issues but our VIN number was not listed. This is very dangerous and could have caused a deadly or serious injury crash. We had no prior warning to this happening. The shop owner is fixing the issue and we are holding onto receipts if this becomes a recall available on our vehicle. Very unsafe and according to my research has happened to alot of gm owners.

Abs and breaks exploded at 67k miles and at 78k miles car shut off in middle of the street with no warning. Electric issues confirmed by mechanic.

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.

The vaccum pump seized which is connected to the camshaft which broke causing the timing chain to break. This caused the vehicle to lose breaking g power and almost wreck.

I put the vehicle into reverse to back in into my garage when it suddenly lurched forward and hit the garage door on the garage across the alley. There was damage to the garage and the car's front end. It has never done anything like this before.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while pressing the brake pedal to stop the pedal was hard when pressed, the vehicle did not immediately stop and the braking distance was extended. During the failure the message "brake assist" had displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who replaced the brake pads and brake rotors but the failure continued to occur. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 71,000.

I was driving my car approaching a four way intersection, to realize my brake pedal was not pressing down to the floor. This was 9/28/24. I have a 2020 chevy Equinox. I put my car in the shop to only find out that vacuum pump has exploded and left metal inside the engine. Done some research with the repair shop and to my surprise, gm has had a lot of recalls with vehicles having this issue. Who ever the ceo is, I pray that you understand how deadly and serious this issue is. This could have ended badly for me and could have been tragic for my family. I can not afford to get the metal out of my engine. And to replace the vacuum pump alone was $700. In order for them to clean the engine would cost me an extra $1000. That's ridiculous for a car that I have only had almost 4 years and with maybe 10,000 miles when I purchased it. My voice will be heard. And I will keep advocating for people who are going through this! our lives matter. This is very common in vehicles with 1. 5 liter engines. I'm going to keep researching and hopefully gm will compensate me for this and the engine work.

I have 149,000 miles in this car. In my lifetime of being the one owner and purchasing this car brand new the vacuum pump has failed five times. Twice now resulting in blown engines. And still no recalls.

Was driving (in July) through a parking lot when brakes became hard to push. After stopping car, it would not start and went into battery save mode. Car was towed to chevy dealership in paducah, ky. Vacuum pump was replaced and damage to cam shaft and timing chain. Problem was fixed after about $5800 of repairs. Now 2 months later, was driving and noticed “service brake assist” light came on, and brakes were hard to press. Luckily was at a low speed and able to pull over on the side of the road. Car was towed to the local chevy dealership in hopkinsville, ky. It is currently waiting for diagnosis of probably the same issue. First incident happened in July, 2nd was at the end of August.

We were driving on the highway and just exited. My husband hit the brakes and the pedal was hard to push. He basically had to put all his weight on the pedal in order to slow down. Once we were able to stop completely, we got the 2020 chevy Equinox looked at and we were told that the vacuum pump that is attached the the cam shift exploded and pieces were in the engine. This has caused approx. $3000 in damage that me and my husband can't afford. The vehicle is still at classic Chevrolet in grapevine. We are going to have to tow it back to my brothers until we can afford the payment to fix it.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 mph and approaching a red traffic light, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact swerved to the left and overtook the vehicle in front of her vehicle, drove off the road, and drove in circles on the grass until the vehicle stopped. The contact then parked the vehicle. The contact stated then resumed driving to the residence at slower speeds. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,070.

When first breaking on the exit ramp after a 2 hour ride on highway the rear breaks made a loud grinding sound & took longer to stop with 2 cars in front of mine. I put flashers on & pulled as far to side of road incase I was unable to stop at the bottom of the exit (down hill) to avoid collision with the 2 cars in front of me. Previously my vehicle shown no signs of any issues. There were no sounds coming from breaks, no issues slowing down or stopping, & no lights on dashboard to indicate an issue of any kind. I looked my chevy Equinox up and saw that there was an isdue with the rear calipers and many had been reported and recalled. My VIN doesn't show my calipers have been recalled. However, the gm site states if there is an issue with the rear breaks/ calipers to report it and chevy will repair the issue. Many chevy Equinox owners have taken to the internet to report the same issue, there are also reports that only 166 were recalled. This is clearly a manufacturing error and not normal wear & tear. I bought my 2020 Equinox brand new in 2021, it was unsold in 2020. Please help myself & the other chevy Equinox owners make chevy take responsibility & fix this error before people are injured or killed because our breaks give out unexpectedly.