Crankcase (pcv) Problems of Chevrolet Equinox - part 1

After very cold winter weather, car started to smell. Pcv valve blew and car was seizing causing it to blow out the rear systems. It had spilled oil onto the garage floor and had a bad emissions smell. Dealership said they added 3 quarts of oil and that within 30 minutes two quarts leaked out. No warning lights on dashboard, no affected cautions through the Equinox app (which still shows that I have 80% of my oil still remaining). While driving the car started making a ticking sound during acceleration and a bad smell. I am now left with a $3700 bill. Numerous others have detailed exact experiences with their Equinox after the last February, cold spell in chicagoland. I was very fearful driving the car and my safety was compromised. The car was shaking, and the smell was pungent right now my car is at the dealership so I do not have the invoice.

See all problems of the 2017 Chevrolet Equinox 🔎.

My vehicle had a pool of oil beneath it and a trail behind it due to a faulty pcv. I had it towed to the certified dealer and they told me it was a pcv valve issue, due to the cold temperatures, ice was able to accumulate and caused a pressure build up inside of the hose or something of the sort. With that being said, the pressure caused the seal to pop off and allowed for the oil to leak out and get all over the engine/parts within the engine. The dealership let me know they were aware and had correspondence about this particular issue. There was no sound prior to the decline of my engine, no indicator on the dash, and this issue can happen so quickly that there's no time to respond or reverse damage that was made. My engine no longer works and was told I would need to purchase a new one, despite the fact this issue could happen again with a new engine regardless of routine upkeep. Dealership confirmed the engine was damaged, the oil was depleted, and the pcv was to blame. There were no warning signs, it happened quite quickly, and I fear that if this incident didn't happen at night, my vehicle would have slowed or completely stopped at a rate that would have prevented other drivers from steering clear of me and harming themselves or me. Thankfully it wasn't a busy night. I was going 80km/hr and my vehicle slowed to barely 30 km/hr without being able to accelerate. At home, the engine shut down, and again a pool of oil was found before being towed to the certified dealership I had my routine inspection done at a few months prior. Vehicle previously register in texas, now resides in canada where incident occurred.

Pcv valve got clogged and failed, I have an extended warranty and the extended warranty excludes this from any repairs if this is involved. Caused my rear main seal to break and leak oil. Not drivable currently. Quoted 3200 on a repair. Purchased the vehicle less than 12 months ago.

The contact owns a 2025 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, a yellow check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed, and contact was provided dtc: p04fb (crankcase ventilation systems pressure sensor issue). The contact was informed that the manufacturer's engineers were working on an improved solution. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer cleared the code. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving above 50 mph, the vehicle was shaking and vibrating abnormally and failed to properly accelerate. The contact stated that the message "turn off engine" was displayed. The contact stated that the engine had experienced excessive oil consumption. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed and it was determined that the pcv was faulty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was unknown.

See all problems of the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox 🔎.

Two weeks of zero degree weather caused the rear main seal to fail causing a large oil leak that could have resulted in the engine locking up if I had not noticed oil running down the driveway. Repair shop advised this was a common problem with the 2. 4 liter engine caused by a failure of the pcv system and there is a service bulletin on this problem. Gm has not recalled these engines to correct the known problem.

See all problems of the 2014 Chevrolet Equinox 🔎.

My 2017 chevy Equinox, equipped with the 2. 4l ecotec engine, experienced a catastrophic failure due to a faulty pcv system. In cold weather, condensation caused the pcv valve to malfunction, leading to excessive pressure and ultimately blowing out the rear main seal. This issue has been well-documented in the 2010–2013 models, which were covered under a class-action lawsuit, but the same defect persists in later models, including mine, which are not covered. This design flaw creates a significant safety and financial burden for owners and needs further investigation. My car shut off several times while driving in heavy traffic. I was in the car with my 6 year old child taking him to school on a busy street. This could have been catastrophic. In addition, I was informed my engine is burning oil excessively which is also a known issue. The safety risk posed by the defect, readily know by service techs, is substantial, the lawsuits claim, given that an engine operating without sufficient oil could wear down and fail prematurely, even during the course of normal operation, due to friction. According to the lawsuits, general motors, for its part, actively concealed from consumers that its Equinox and terrain vehicles suffered from an oil consumption defect. Worse, the suits say, gm allegedly failed to offer vehicle owners and lessees any help by way of repairs or recalls. Oil leak caused by insufficient ventilation and excessive oil burning caused rear main seal and timing chain belts to fail. My oil warning systems never detected the low oil. Research has shown that this has been a known chevy problem since 2017, with a recall being issued earlier on but no known recall now. Dealer has confirmed issues and also that the engine design is flawed and leads to oil burning excessively.

2/4/19 bulletin issued for pcv valve defect [xxx] bought car from dealer, was told nothing wrong with car [xxx] sold me a extended warranty to assure me the car would be protected [xxx] car wouldn’t start in driveway had it towed to tarr Chevrolet. [xxx] warranty refused to fix car, seems they excluded the pcv valve from warranty. The pcv valve blew the rear seal, part of the power train which I have a lifetime warranty on. But since the pcv valve caused it , they didn’t cover that either. This repair cost me $2800. 00. Living on social security that’s a lot of money. I have called chevy, the dealer and the warranty CO to no avail, I have read about all the class action suits. This is a very serious problem. The bulletin states below 0 temperatures can cause this, we live in tennessee, we don’t have that kind of weather. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

While my daughter was driving in very cold weather . . . She here a pop sound and all warning lites fir low oil came on. . . She stopped immediately. . The car was towed and a blocked frozen pcv vent caused the rear seal to blow. . . Gm is aware of this defect with no intention to reimburse for repairs.

My 2017 chevy Equinox, equipped with the 2. 4l ecotec engine, experienced a catastrophic failure due to a faulty pcv system. In cold weather, condensation caused the pcv valve to malfunction, leading to excessive pressure and ultimately blowing out the rear main seal. This issue has been well-documented in the 2010–2013 models, which were covered under a class-action lawsuit, but the same defect persists in later models, including mine, which are not covered. This design flaw creates a significant safety and financial burden for owners and needs further investigation.

When I was exiting the expressway, my car suddenly stopped without any warning. I managed to restart it, but after driving just a few feet, it stalled again. I was able to restart it once more, but this time I could hear a knocking noise coming from the engine. I initially thought it couldn't need oil since I had an oil change just the previous week. I drove to a nearby gas station to check the oil level, and although the oil gauge indicated 91%, I found there was no oil in the engine. I added two quarts to get a few blocks to my destination. However, I soon noticed oil leaking out. I decided to have my car towed to a chevy dealership, where I was informed that I had a blown rear main seal caused by a faulty pcv system. I was told that this situation was dangerous, especially since it occurred on the expressway. The repair cost over $3,000. I contacted gm to see if they could assist me with cost but was told only after I got the issue fixed they wouldsee what they could do. I've also noticed that many other 2017 chevy Equinox owners have reported similar problems online. Could you please look into this?.

On the morning of January 20th 2025, the undersized pvc port retained moisture that froze solid during cold temperatures causing pressure to build up resulting in rear seal and intake manifold gasket failure. There should be a recall that includes enlarging the pcv port and replacing the pcv piping that also retains moisture and freezes (this portion was corrected on this vehicle).

See all problems of the 2013 Chevrolet Equinox 🔎.

The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 45 mph in cold weather, the vehicle was shuddering. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the work garage, where the contact noticed that a significant amount of oil had leaked onto the ground. A mobile mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the main crankshaft seal had failed because the pcv system had frozen. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline for assistance in covering the repair under technical service bulletin: bulletin pip5093b. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.

114k miles and the pcv valve was collecting condensation which froze. This caused a build up of pressure and blew the rear main oil seal and timing chain. No warning, no dash lights, nothing. Oil life at 35% and over 1,000 miles before due for next oil change. Went from running fine to dead in less than 1/4 of a mile.

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 71 mph, the engine lost power with the check engine and stabili-trak warning lights illuminated. The vehicle entered limp mode. The contact was able to coast the vehicle to a local gas station. The contact approached the gas station, and vehicle shut off. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where a diagnostic test was performed; however, the mechanic could not determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the pcv valve had frozen due to the cold weather. The contact was informed that the failure then pressurized the crank case valve and blew the engine oil seal. The contact was also informed that the timing chain had failed and caused the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to file a complaint. The failure mileage was 68,000.

The pcv valve froze last week causing pressure to build up and blew the rear seal. All the oil leaked out and caused a grinding noise and the vehicle shutoff on its own. This I have seen is an ongoing problem with the chevy Equinox. I was quoted $3800 from the dealer to repair.

Rear crankshaft seal has failed. Engin oil has blown out at bottom of engine and all over underside of car. Oil has covered the exhaust system causing smoke in and outside of car. Leaked engine oil could have ignited and caused a fire that would have consumed the entire car. There appears to be numerous postings on the internet of other chevy Equinox owners with the same problem. There was no prior warning that the crankshaft oil seal was in the process of failure. I personally checked the oil pan drain plug and the oil filter cap, and these were not the issue of the oil leak. Again, from my investigation on the internet sites, it appears to be a common issue with the general motors 2. 4 liter vortec engine in the Chevrolet Equinox car model. This issue can and probably result in total engine failure and need of engine replacement. The repair to replace the rear crankshaft oil seal is very costly and should not be needed on any vehicle with normal wear and use. With my internet investigation there appears to be a design problem with the pcv design and system. The pcv system is prone to clogging and freeze up in cold weather. This can result in excessive internal engine pressure the is a major cause of blowout of the crack shaft oil seal. The temperature at the night before was only 9 degrees. The car was last used under freezing conditions which could have contributed to engine failure.

See all problems of the 2015 Chevrolet Equinox 🔎.

This was the third time I have had my vehicle in the shop for the same exact issue - stalling while driving. This time we decided to take it to a chevy dealer who very quickly diagnosed the pcv system freeze "causing the rear main seal to push out causing a major oil leak". Seeing as this issue is known in prior years, it is baffling why chevy has not addressed this design flaw, which causes engine damage, nor have they chosen to included later models - such as my 2016 - in a recall. I am so very lucky that I started being aware of the warning signs and did not get on the highway to go home. It would have likely been a deadly incident in that case - I am not joking. This was a very expensive repair - especially considering this is the 3rd repair regarding the same issue.

See all problems of the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox 🔎.

On December 26, 2022, while driving home from work during a snowstorm, my 2016 chevy Equinox suddenly lost power and began making unusual noises. Shortly after, a warning light indicated low oil pressure, and the engine shut off before I could safely pull over. Since then, the vehicle has been sitting in my driveway. Recently, I had it checked by a dealership, where the mechanics diagnosed a blown rear main seal and significant oil leakage. The dealership confirmed that the rear main seal failure was caused by a faulty pcv valve, a known issue in these models, which resulted in excessive pressure buildup and engine damage. Given the severity of the issue, the dealership mentioned that an engine replacement might be necessary. If it’s just the rear main seal that needs replacing, the estimated cost is $2,700. The vehicle was purchased used with 55,000 miles on it and had only one previous owner.

I was driving when my car started knocking. I pulled over on the highway and noticed oil all over the undercarriage of the vehicle. I immediately drove to the dealership and had the mechanics take a look. They came back and said, "the rear main seal was leaking due to a plugged pcv port that froze because of the cold weather. This caused high crankcase pressure to build, which blew out the rear main seal. " looking online, I found that this appears to be a common problem. The dealership said they could fix it by drilling the hole in the pcv port bigger, but there is currently no recall on this issue. Just to replace the seal, they are charging $2500, with an additional few hundred dollars to enlarge the pcv port. Thankfully, I was able to pull over and get it to the dealership. I can only imagine how bad things could have been if I hadn't been in a relatively safe spot.

The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at 55 mph, there was an abnormal odor of oil detected. The contact pulled over and noticed there was a puddle of oil on the road. The contact checked underneath the vehicle and noticed oil on the undercarriage. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was contacted and informed that the vehicle was not covered under service bulletin 14882 special coverage adjustment – plugged pcv orifice in intake manifold . The manufacturer was contacted and informed that the repairs were not covered. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.

I am writing to address a critical issue involving my 2017 Chevrolet vehicle, which poses a significant safety hazard. I purchased this car from faulkner Subaru in bethlehem in 2022. The specific component failure relates to the positive crankcase ventilation (pcv) system, particularly the lack of a traditional pcv valve and the presence of a fixed orifice vacuum port in the intake manifold. This component is available for inspection upon request. The safety of myself, my passengers, and other road users was compromised due to the sudden and significant oil leakage caused by the malfunctioning pcv system. This not only endangered our safety but also posed a serious risk to others on the road. While the problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center, it is a well-documented issue with ongoing litigation against Chevrolet. However, there are currently no active recalls addressing the problem. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. The incident occurred suddenly while driving, with the strong smell of burning oil and subsequent oil leakage being the first indications of a problem. Your immediate attention to this matter and intervention on behalf of affected consumers is crucial. I urge Chevrolet to address this safety concern through a formal safety recall and to take responsibility for rectifying this manufacturing defect.

Was driving home and without prior warning received a message on the dash to pull over low oil pressure. Vehicle was towed to the dealership and I am being told I that gm has a known issue of freezing pcv in cold temperatures which causes the rear main seal to blow and other internal issues. I know am told this will be a $5600 repair and no coverage. Gm has lawsuits and other numerous complaints about this issue.

Pcv valve froze causing rear main crankcase seal to break and massive oil loss. Fotunately I was able to get home and not have the engine die on the road in -10 degree fahrenheit temperatures.

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard an abnormal sound. The contact drove the vehicle to the destination. The contact parked the vehicle and checked the engine oil level. The contact became aware of a pasty substance on the end of the dipstick. The contact was taken to get oil to top off the engine oil. The contact stated that while driving, the low oil pressure and stop engine warning lights illuminated. The contact parked and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed with a failed pcv valve. The contact was informed that the pcv valve needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that after the vehicle was repaired, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 133,000.

The pcv system froze causing the rear main seal to blow on my 2017 Chevrolet Equinox premier. No prior warnings such as check engine light of any kind. In a matter of one minute I was driving 65 miles an hour on the highway to a warning popping up on my lcd screen stating "engine oil pressure low - shut down engine now". Didn't even have an opportunity to shut it down, within 30 seconds of that message the car shut itself down. This could have caused injury to myself and others but I was able to get to shoulder before total engine failure. This happened after several days of below 0 temperatures, snow and ice.

Pcv freeze-up with blown main rear seal losing all oil almost instantly while driving on the interstate at 70mph in 1 degree f weather. Spent 2. 5 hours on the side of the road in 1f weather in a vehicle with no heat (because the engine was blown) before a tow truck could arrive. No warnings ahead of time, and no notification from gm of this well-known problem. Although it is a design flaw of the engine, it would be easily preventable if gm would notify users of the potential for this catastrophic problem.

See all problems of the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox 🔎.

Our temperature recently dropped below zero temps. Our pcv system froze which caused an obstruction. This caused the crankcase to pressurize blowing out the seals, losing all oil, and catastrophic engine failure. Our safety could have been impacted as we live in a rural community with subzero temps. Being stranded without service on a phone or vehicle to stay warm could have catastrophic consequences on human life. Losing engine power on a busy road could lead to a crash etc. The problem was confirmed by the dealer. This is a known issue in 2. 4l engines as seen in bulletin 14882 from March 2015. The vehicle was inspected by the gm dealership in our town who confirmed this was the issue. There was no warning prior to the failure- the incident happened while driving home from work- at the time of failure the stabiltrak and reduced engine power came on.

According to the gm certified technician our 2016 chevy Equinox had frozen pcv valves. On the day this happened temperatures were in the single digits. This caused the rear seal to blow and drain the oil from the engine while being driven. Engine shut off completely while driving (after driving 30+ miles) on the highway. We had to have the car towed. The technician said this is a known issue with the ecotech 2. 4 liter engine, “but good luck getting chevy to do anything for you. ” the engine has to be replaced at a cost of $9200. More than the blue book value, and I still owe on it.

Below zero driving car it stall heard noise smelled awful coming from exhaust conked out while in traffic was told this is commonly known problem by general motors blown rear seal due to ice buildup on pcv valve no warning.

The contact's daughter owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact's daughter inspected the vehicle and discovered that there was no oil in the engine on the dipstick. The contact inspected the vehicle and discovered that the pcv (positive crankcase ventilation) valve was clogged due to moisture buildup, which caused the crank case to fail. The dealer was notified of the failure and provided an estimate for a new engine. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 96,000.

Vehicle shuttering/stuttering at stop light while idling. . . . Oil consumption issue. . . Consuming oil. . . High pressure fuel pump issue. Leading to low pressure fuel pump. Because of this. Leaking oil into engine. Need to replace all spark plugs. Have complete oil change because oil is all clunky/clogged. This has also caused a problem with the engine cam shaft cover. . . Pcv valve. And need to have water pump replaced. Total coming to about $2600. 00!!!!!!!!!!!! why I have not gotten a recall notice for this problem!.

Pcv valve failed causing the rear main seal to leak. Vehicle is available for inspection. The potential to be stranded in cold weather. While has been inspected by mechanic no warning lights.

The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the contact observed a rattling sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced due to the pcv valve failure due to oil being forced into the manifold. Additionally, there were metal shavings throughout the engine. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Initially, 6 months or so after owning the vehicle, the pcv reported tech bulletin occurred for me, and my rear main seal blew, causing $2000+ in repairs. Then, the engine stalled out on the coldest day of the year, got an engine replacement under warranty from my dealership, that replacement engine had 66k miles (rebuilt) and was only driven around 5,000 miles when the same issue happened. “reduced engine power” “service stabilitrak” this time it was in 98° heat leaving me and my dog stranded on the highway. I’ve had it diagnosed with a shop, and they have stated for the second time my vehicle has had timing issues, jumped time, I believe this is related to the timing issues and oil consumption issues that gm has already reported to be an issue with some of these models. I am now down the $3000 I’ve put into fixing this car and it’s various t leach bulletin reported issues, as well as out of a car now, due to warranty being expired, and still needing to make payments on this unsafe vehicle. Only have the engine replacement receipt on hand, but can gather new diagnostic as well as pcv valve repair receipt upon request.