Automatic Emergency Braking Problems of Chevrolet Equinox - part 1

I was driving down my neighborhood road about 20mph there were no other cars around on the road at all only mailboxes and cars parked in driveways. The car suddenly slams the brakes hard enough the tires were squealing and threw us forward thankfully me and my child had our seat belts on. It scared the heck out of us cause there was no warning and definitely not expected.

The inability to permanently turn on the warning only option for front and rear emergency braking after the latest ota update. Phantom braking conditions still exist for this model and occur at unexpected times causing potential rear end collisions with following vehicles.

While driving on the freeway, my vehicle displayed a “service all-wheel drive system” warning and unexpectedly switched into two-wheel drive. This created a serious safety concern due to sudden loss of traction and control. Additionally, on multiple occasions while reversing, the vehicle abruptly applied the brakes without any obstruction present, displaying a message that automatic braking had engaged. My foot was on the accelerator at the time, and this created a sudden and unsafe situation. The vehicle has been taken to the dealership for repair, but due to the unpredictable nature of these issues, I no longer feel safe operating the vehicle.

See all problems of the 2025 Chevrolet Equinox 🔎.

Sometimes when I am backing up, the breaks will slam on. Back in 2025 first I noticed, but thought it was human error, just wasn’t sure. After it happened more than a couple of times in 2026, I realized it wasn’t me and must the safety warning system? I googled after it happened this month and (phantom breaking) popped up for the chevy Equinox. I have an appt. With Chevrolet to check it out in 2 weeks. Scary when it happens. I’ve only noticed it so far when backing up. If it were to happen other than in a parking lot, that could be dangerous, especially if I am going faster.

The contact owns a 2026 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the forward collision avoidance automatic emergency braking engaged, with the forward collision avoidance warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure due to an ongoing lemon law case against the manufacturer. The approximate failure mileage was 17,280.

The contact owns a 2024 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle experienced phantom braking and abruptly stopped on three occasions. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while driving approximately 60-70 mph on the highway, while driving and approaching a stoplight approximately 300 ft. Away. The failure also occurred while driving from a complete stop. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and attempted to diagnose the vehicle through the onstar app, but no diagnostic trouble codes were found. The manufacturer contacted the dealer to schedule a service appointment. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 9,500.

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Braking issues sensors go off when nothing aroung slow backing car engages brakes bad smell like a strong bo persists after cabin an oil fulter changed battery / alternator drain 12-07 2025 to 01-17 2026 in auto shop I was told wainting for part ( onstar ) prior brake issues early April 2025 the week of having auto brakes and steering lock up during 45mph drive it was documented as a camera issue no power as if brakes applied while, car has felt when turning like it skips while in a turn during driving all 8 visited on document other 4 not documented system dignostic or dealer service doesn't show issues. Issues have been on going without success other issues possible related or newer miles first reported brake and steering lockup 145 miles most recent 7750.

While pulling into a parking spot of a business and approximately 6 feet from the curb, the automatic emergency brake engaged forcing my whole body forward, slamming my head on the visor/roof of the car very forcefully/painfully. I was not in traffic, I was getting ready to park. My front seat passenger slammed against her seatbelt and I had a child in the back seat who slammed forward as well. No dash indicators or seat rumbling occurred, it was just an immediate jolt/hard stop that I was not braced for. At risk of concussion or tbi.

The vehicle’s high-voltage battery system and propulsion system appear to have failed, causing a complete loss of power while driving. The vehicle is currently at the dealership for inspection, the vehicle completely shut down while I was driving on florida’s turnpike, creating an extremely dangerous situation on a high-speed highway. There was no warning prior to the shutdown, and I am currently pregnant, which made the situation especially traumatic and heightened the risk to both myself and my unborn child, as well as other drivers on the road. The vehicle has been taken to the dealership for inspection. As of now, the problem has not been reproduced, but the shutdown event is confirmed and documented by the dealer during the incident report and intake process. The vehicle is currently at the dealership for inspection. General motors engineers or technical assistance center (tac) may review the vehicle once the dealership reports the incident. No police or insurance representatives have inspected the vehicle for this issue. No warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms appeared prior to the sudden battery drop and complete loss of propulsion. The failure occurred without any prior indication while driving on the highway.

Vehicle will randomly apply brakes detecting something with the automatic brake system that is not there. I was driving at 30 mph with nothing in front of me and the vehicle applied full brakes and beeped. Also at a light I went to take off as the first car and it immediately applied brakes when trying to accelerate on green. My 5 y/o in the back had her head slammed forward and was crying because of the force from accelerating/decelerating. It’s happened 5 or 6 times since January purchase.

I was driving and slowed down to enter a small roundabout. Upon trying to enter the roundabout the cars emergency braking slammed on the brakes to a sudden hard stop. No other cars were in the roundabout, but I believe it may have seen the curb. In any case, I was extremely lucky that nobody was behind me, or coming around the roundabout, as it took a bit to get the car to let me go again.

The aeb feature is very sensitive and has often activated when there was no good reason. For instance, it has activated a few times while moving slowly in heavy traffic. Additionally, the feature frequently activates when reversing out of a parking spot or garage, especially when the weather is rainy. In one instance during light rain, the car slammed to a halt more than five times while trying to back out of a parking spot, and there were no obstacles anywhere near the vehicle. I believe that this feature has nearly caused several accidents and has made me feel less safe while operating the vehicle. A software solution has been implemented for the 2026 model year, but not for the older models.

Vehicle information vehicle: 2025 Chevrolet Equinox (gas) purchase price: $46,000 in-service date: January 28, 2026 current mileage: 2,433 miles first repair attempt: approximately 200 miles defect description (safety-critical) the vehicle experiences intermittent but recurring safety system failures while driving, including: • complete instrument cluster blackout (all gauges dark) • all warning lights and alerts disappear • adas / driver-assist systems shut down • system appears to reboot for approximately 15 seconds while in motion • vehicle settings reset to default (vehicle systems, not radio) • brake pedal becomes hard during these events • stopping distance feels increased during braking events this behavior indicates a brake assist interruption and a loss of critical driver information while the vehicle is moving. Repair history summary • vehicle has been in the dealership approximately 4–5 times for the same or substantially similar defect • dealership has performed software updates • dealership has replaced computer modules controlling the information center and related systems • the defect persists safety assessment loss of braking assist (hard pedal with increased stopping distance) combined with full instrument cluster blackout while driving constitutes a substantial impairment of vehicle safety. This is not an infotainment issue.

My wife was driving home after picking up my daughter from a nearby school around 3:30pm on Thursday 1/22/2026. She was driving down a road maybe at 35mph and while her foot was on the accelerator the car did a hard brake though there's nothing in front of her nor is the adaptive cruise on. She didn't hit any button and was taken by surprise along with my daughter. Luckily the car behind her was far away and didn't hit them. We haven't yet informed the dealer. This has happened before and the car has about 3900 miles on it.

The brake system, specifically the master brake cylinder and/or associated brake system components, failed or malfunctioned. The defect results in a sudden loss of braking performance without warning. Yes, the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. It has remained in the continuous possession of the authorized Chevrolet dealership since January 13, 2026, and has not been returned to service. The defect involves the primary braking system, which is a critical safety component. Sudden and unexpected loss of braking ability significantly increases the risk of a collision, serious injury, or death to the driver, passengers, pedestrians, and other motorists. The vehicle was deemed unsafe to operate due to the risk of brake failure. The problem has been confirmed by the authorized Chevrolet dealership. The service department diagnosed the issue as a defective master brake cylinder and/or related brake system components. The dealer advised that the condition presents a safety risk and that the vehicle cannot be safely operated until the issue is addressed. The vehicle has been inspected by an authorized Chevrolet dealership acting as the manufacturer’s representative. The manufacturer has been made aware of the problem. No inspection by police or an insurance representative has occurred, as no crash took place. The vehicle remains unrepaired as of February 9 due to parts unavailability. There was no adequate warning that would have allowed the driver to anticipate the loss of braking performance. The defect results in sudden brake failure without sufficient advance warning, which is a significant safety concern. The issue was identified in January 2026, at which time the vehicle was taken to the dealership. On January 13, 2026, the vehicle was removed from service and has remained at the dealership continuously since that date. The vehicle remains out of service because the master brake cylinder is on backorder. There is no eta, and as a result, no repairs.

I was waiting behind 2 cars at a red light to turn left. Once the light turned green, I slowly started to accelerate and turn, the car then came to an immediate stop in the middle of the intersection. The hud indicated the front automatic braking was enabled. Luckily there was no one behind me so I wasn’t rear ended. This was at night time. This was a completely empty intersection besides the 2 in front of me.

The Equinox is detecting objects in the rear camera that are not there and automatically applying the automatic emergency breaking. This is causing the car to completely stop and has now caused me to injury my back due to the force of the stop. There is no warning given that the breaks are being applied. I was backing up at 7 miles an hour and the Equinox just stopped dead and there was absolutely nothing near the car. The car was in for an oil change and they said nothing was wrong with it. This latest incident of 4 now happened today and caused me to almost be hit in the parking lot of my child’s school while backing into a parking spot.

I was traveling about 45mph and the SUV emergency brake system activated, it scared me and my passengers, the guy behind me was even more scared. I had the front seat passenger immediately deactivate the emergency braking system.

Vehicle went into brake assist failure and would roll in neutral but no drivetrain power or brakes. Dealer took 3 months to find part. Acceleration jerky at stop or while driving. Pedal too sensitive. Constant traction loss from stop at lights and stop signs if not careful on dry pavement. Mode selection to rain/snow helps by restricting power, if it is remembered to be turned on. With rain and snow on the road it becomes challenging. Aggressive safety features that include the automatic braking and alerts. Brakes and alerts on double turn lanes and going forward near passing objects on the side.

I placed my foot on the brake to start my vehicle and when I pushed the start button my brake pedal went to the floor and warning came up stating brake failure ect. I contacted the dealership and was told to drive it to them so the could put it on the scope and tell me if it is safe to drive. I did and then was told it was a master brake cylinder failure and not safe to drive. In researching this is a know failure by gm service notice n252494220.

Car info – 2026 Chevrolet Equinox purchased 9/25/25 stock# [xxx] VIN: [xxx] type: lt 4dr all-wheel drive on 1/8/26, I took my 2026 Equinox to northpointe Chevrolet because I had a warning light that came on every time I started my car. The warning light states, ‘service driver assist system’. The alert had been coming on for about a month but I had to cancel my previous two appointments due to bad weather. I explained to the man in service that I would like the automatic braking feature deactivated on my car as well as the alert light corrected. I told him that I was coming up to a red light and I was slowing down when my car automatically slammed on the brakes and gave me whiplash. The man in the service department asked me if I lived on a back road. I told him that I did and he told me that is why I am having this issue. He stated that the dirt and mud caused the wires on the sensor under the front bumper to corrode. He stated that the sensor was supposed to be waterproof/weatherproof but they are not. He showed me where the sensor was on my vehicle. He also stated that the automatic braking was not something that they could turn off because it was a safety feature. He also told me that the broken sensor causes the automatic braking system to operate. I am now afraid every time the red light comes on in my car that the brakes are going to slam on again so I slow way down. My neck has not fully healed from the first time. What would happen if I am driving down the interstate going much faster that I was the last time they automatically stopped the car suddenly. He then explained that the issue was not covered under my bumper-to-bumper warranty because the dirt caused the issue – apparently the waterproof sensor box had no bearing??? I have only made 2 payments so far on this brand-new car. I was charged $87. 34 for the diagnostic check and I will be charged another $558. 25 when the part comes in to repair my sensor. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5.

Forward collision system dint notify of an object infront , also breaks locked up when used . Air bags didn’t go off while a forward collision with a bus happened.

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I purchased a 2025 chevy Equinox ev last year out of the local chevy dealership it is my first brand new vehicle and I’m the only owner, I have only had this vehicle for a few months and it has already showed me significant issues with the electronic components main issues I’ve experienced are: randomly shutting off randomly phantom braking on star capabilities not working no access to wifi or any apps on the touch screen I. E. Maps, music, settings, volume, radio etc. A/c/heating unit not working won’t get cold or hot just blowing air issues with charging (almost left me stranded multiple times) not fast charging issues with my chevy app took the vehicle to the dealership to get looked at they have had it for a week already and have not given me any update except that I will need a new onstar module. The vehicle is not safe to drive and I’m afraid that it will shut off while I’m driving at a higher speed I. E. On the freeway or that it will phantom brake while I’m on the highway which can cause a life threatening injury this vehicle has not been in any accident no warning lights came on except one message that said service emergency calling no warning messages prior to any of these events.

While driving today at about 21 mph, when a warning came on that my car had brake assist failure. It said the speed would be limited and to break hard to enable the car to stop. . I was able to get to a parking lot safely, but my car did not break at the stoplight and went straight through. Luckily there was no one coming. . My car is at the dealership now and they are finding no issue and nothing showed up on my chevy app. From the articles I have read it said this issue is something that happens on cars that do not have super drive. I drive a 2005 chevy Equinox rs with super dr. So clearly the brake problem is happening on this vehicle as well. . It took all my strength to get the vehicle to stop. . I called onstar and was going to have it towed and turned the car off. Once the car came back on all of the warning lights were gone, and then the car drove fine. . I got lucky today, but this is an issue that still needs to be addressed. . The issue was supposed to be taken care of in 2024. I just purchased my 2005 in September and I have 3100 miles on the car. . I was driving in a rural area with many hills and was scared to death. I had to keep my foot all the way on the brakes the entire time to keep myself at a slow speed. .

Onstar module malfunctioned, has been diagnosed and awaits identification of specific type of module to determine if one is available or if it is one that will be on back order. The safety of myself and my family was put at risk, along with others, when vehicle braking system randomly activated and slammed on the brakes despite clear highways all around, almost causing us to be rear-ended more than once. This has happened prior to 12/01 several times randomly but we assumed the sensor was sensitive and was picking up something we couldn't see, however this was not the case in this situation. The battery keeps going dead and needing jumped and there are numerous warning messages/lamps. Dealer service department confirmed onstar module failure and need for replacement, has not yet reproduced braking issues. Vehicle is currently at dealership service department for inspection and was deemed unsafe to drive at this time. Dealer stated they had no loaner vehicles to supply and instructed us gm would reimburse up to $45 daily for rental at enterprise, so a rental vehicle was obtained and placed on waiting list at two different dealerships for loaner vehicle. Wifi and navigation system originally quit working, then car battery started dying and requires being jumped multiple times if not driven within 8 hours, received alerts off and on of "lane change alert system off", "service parking break", "adaptive cruise control temp unavailable", "service power steering", "service electronic stability control", "service transmission now, unable to shift soon", and cruise control/lane assist etc quit working. We became stranded in another town and had to purchase a portable jumper. Dealer currently has no anticipated repair date.

The automated emergency braking system triggered when nothing was in front of the car. It suddenly stopped the vehicle for no reason and it almost caused an accident.

Driving several times in normal city conditions, the car activated the automatic emergency brakes stopping the vehicle in the middle of the street and in danger of being rear ended. There was no reason for the brakes to activate - we were driving below the speed limit in city streets.

Phantom braking at high speeds when there is no reason to stop. Had happened at lower speeds too and around turns.

Vehicle engages the forward collision control system without an obstacle, locking the brakes and causing abrupt stops. This usually happens in heavy slow moving traffic conditions with sharp and short accelerations (merging and lane changing).

Vehicle was being parked in garage when it accelerated in reverse, on it's own, very quickly. Fortunately I was able to avoid colliding with any thing behind me by braking in time. I then shifted into drive when vehicle accelerated forward, on it's own again, very quickly. I was not able to brake before vehicle crashed into concrete garage wall, severely damaging front end. Vehicle is still under warranty, and I intend to have dealership haul it in for repairs. I have found other drivers complain on the internet of experiencing the exact same issue as I described above. This model, Chevrolet, Equinox, 2025 is not safe to drive!.

Automatic emergency braking engaged when there was no risk of a collision. I was in a roundabout (traffic circle) when the brakes suddenly engaged, nearly stopping my car. There was a car yielding to roundabout traffic ahead of me (waiting for me to clear before entering the roundabout). I was nearly rear ended by another car due to the sudden braking. I then disabled the automatic emergency braking feature to avoid similar “phantom” collision detections.

On Sunday September 7th 2025. I was driving 40 miles an hour. And all of a sudden my electronic braking system engaged and locked up. Big jolt and came to stop. Luckily I was not on the highway and also luckily I did not get rear-ended as well.

See all problems of the 2022 Chevrolet Equinox 🔎.

This has happened about 4 times in 4 months. In each scenario I am driving very slowly (3 times forwards, one time in reverse) with no obvious obstacle or crash potential. The brakes will slam suddenly very aggressively, I assume it is the e-brakes as it feels like I hit a wall. It is a safety issue as if someone was behind me it could cause an accident. This is discussed on multiple message boards(e. G. Hard braking without warning! | chevy Equinox ev forum https://share. Google/eugsd4xpqzopnluwy) but the manufacturer is not acknowledging any issue when contacted. I called the dealer as well and they were not aware of any issues. I have not had the vehicle inspected.

Automatic emergency braking sometimes triggers when backing up in the rain when no hazard is present. Has occurred several times since purchase. Occurred today 8/13/2025 for perhaps the fifth or sixth time since ownership.

Braking failure on 2025 Equinox ev lt model - my car has had two separate brake failures going down a steep dry rocky road in clear weather, once with one pedal driving on and once without, on July 21st, 2025 and August 11th, 2025 respectively. It doesn't happen every time going down this road and each time at no more than 5 - 10 miles per hour, with the brake pedal to the floor the car was not slowing down and the weight of the car on the steep track made it speed up considerably which made it dangerous due to the steepness of the hill and turns in the road. The first time I drove off the road onto flat grass and the car came to a stop, the last time it happened I pumped the brakes until the car stopped and the "abs engaged" light came on the dashboard above the steering wheel. It happened twice on the road that time. There were no prior alerts or warning lights. The car has 5000 miles and is still under warranty, the chevy dealership had the car for 3 days. The dealership was not able to reproduce or confirm the problem with the brakes. The dealership told me they did a series of resets. They have not given me the written service report yet. I have an appointment to take the car back to the dealer. The brake fluid level is good, there are no current alerts on the dashboard while driving. The car is available for inspection upon request. I am concerned that my wife and I may be injured or killed in a braking failure or that we may injure or kill others or damage property.