Power Train Problems of Chevrolet Equinox - part 2

The vehicle has ongoing and worsening electronic and safety-related issues. The fuel range and fuel economy fluctuate abnormally and frequently, sometimes even while the vehicle is stopped. The infotainment screen has experienced intermittent black areas/partial blackout while driving, affecting system reliability. Recently, the automatic transmission began hesitating during the initial gears, behaving abnormally and requiring me to reduce speed for the vehicle to respond properly. This occurs consistently. These issues have been reported multiple times to the dealership and gm with no resolution, and communication has stopped. I am concerned the vehicle is unsafe to drive and could fail unexpectedly.

See all problems of the 2025 Chevrolet Equinox 🔎.

I’ve heard about some recalls and technical service bulletins related to the transmission, especially the start-stop accumulator bolts possibly missing and some transmission lubrication concerns. I checked my VIN on the NHTSA website, and it shows no open recalls. However, I want to confirm: whether my vehicle was part of any recall related to the transmission or start-stop accumulator bolts. If the recall was completed or if any transmission-related tsbs apply. Whether there are any service campaigns or software updates for the transmission control module that I should be aware of. Start-stop accumulator bolt missing leading to fluid leaks and possible failure, missing transmission cup plugs causing lubrication issues, valve body spacer plate replacement and transmission control module reprogramming. I am currently experiencing significant transmission issues including, symptoms like: rough shifting, slipping, hesitation, noises, fluid leaks, loss of power, which are severely affecting the vehicle’s drivability and safety. This vehicle only has 107k miles which only go over 7k from warranty. I am concerned that my vehicle may be affected by one or more of these issues — even if the recall was marked as closed or VIN was excluded in error. Given the volume of known transmission complaints for this model year and my relatively low mileage, I strongly believe this could be part of a broader safety defect that deserves further investigation. Please review this issue for potential inclusion in an investigation or expanded recall campaign. These transmission issues are not only costly but potentially dangerous, especially if they result in sudden loss of propulsion. This transmission issue is seriously impacting my vehicle’s safety and reliability. This matter is urgent due to the impact on vehicle safety and reliability.

See all problems of the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox 🔎.

The vehicle calls power module has failed.

The contact owns a 2026 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that there was a crackling sound coming from the brake pedal while depressing the brake pedal, with the message a "service all wheel drive system" displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that while the awd feature was activated and driving up an incline, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal with the "service all wheel drive system" message displayed. The dealer was notified of the failure, and an appointment was made for service. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 150.

Loss of propulsion as well as hard shift.

Spline worn out and disconnected from differential.

See all problems of the 2021 Chevrolet Equinox 🔎.

When gas is applied the transmission skips and doesn't get the power needed to drive car safely. I don't have any lights to indicate this is a problem within the engine. This recall has been issued for my vehicle but when I contacted the customer service for repairs, my vehicle information says there is no recalls for my vehicle. I did receive a letter in the mail stating my car has a recall.

See all problems of the 2013 Chevrolet Equinox 🔎.

On two occasions as I have pulled in to park this vehicle, while pressing brake the car lurched forward. The first time no damage happened however the second time damage occurred. While pressing the brake as hard as I could would not stop the lurching car. None of the avoidance warnings helped either.

This complaint is to clarify and supplement a previous report. The issues began in August 2025, not September. Initially, the vehicle presented abnormal fuel range fluctuations, including while stationary, as well as intermittent “key missing” warnings while driving and display black spots. These issues were reported to dealerships and gm without resolution. Over time, the condition has progressively worsened, and additional symptoms have developed, including abnormal noises and, more recently, transmission hesitation during the initial gears, requiring me to reduce speed for the vehicle to respond properly. The escalation of these issues over time raises ongoing safety concerns.

Telematics module stopped working out of nowhere and drains my battery to my vehicle. Had to have the vehicle towed to nearby dealship. Huge safety hazard as it is essentially the brains to my computer. App doesn't work without it, battery doesn't work and can't even get inside vehicle with key fob. Please issue recall.

Coming home from a trip without any warning our 2016 Equinox scared me when it made a terrible sound lost power and stopped working. We’re 100’s miles away from home on the side of a road in the dark. We called for towing to a dealer payed for a hotel waited till the next day for it to be looked at. Told the engine was blown that the timing belt and everything in there was bent and in pieces 10,000-12,000 dollars to replace. Mind you this car is a ltz and very well talking care of. Without fixing it it’s worth 1000. 00. Shame on GMC we should have been notified about issues. This happens at 80,000miles no warranty. I actually thought it caught on fire. Gm step up and take care of your life long customer that have owned chevy always.

See all problems of the 2016 Chevrolet Equinox 🔎.

My 2022 Chevrolet Equinox, with just 72,000 miles, experienced a sudden and catastrophic transmission failure caused by a faulty transmission line clamp that broke, resulting in a rapid loss of transmission fluid while I was driving. I was able to pull over to safety, but was on the interstate going 75mph when my speed and vehicle power rapidly reduced. The vehicles around me were able to rapidly to respond, changing lanes and avoiding my rapidly slowing vehicle, but had they not had such quick responsiveness, there could have been a very serious collision. This unexpected failure destroyed the transmission and left me stranded. A side note (records are attached), the vehicle had been maintained at a Chevrolet dealership in accordance with all of their servicing timelines.

See all problems of the 2022 Chevrolet Equinox 🔎.

While driving my 2022 Chevrolet Equinox, the car suddenly stalled on a city road. This occurred in a busy area with multiple stops and traffic signals. I was accelerating after a stop when the engine cut off abruptly, without any prior warning lights or error messages. I was able to coast to a safe stop, but the incident was frightening and dangerous. The vehicle was towed to a dealership and inspected. They diagnosed the issue as a failure of the fuel pump control module (fpcm). The part was not covered under my powertrain warranty despite being essential to the operation of the vehicle. The dealer confirmed this failure and replaced the part. The total repair cost was $592. When I attempted to check my eligibility for the NHTSA campaign number 23v013000 (regarding a fuel pump defect that may cause stalling for same 2022 Chevrolet Equinox), my VIN was reported as not currently eligible, even though the issue I experienced matches the recall description. The vehicle has since been repaired and has been operating fine, while I didn’t experience any stalling, I’ve noticed the gear shifts more closely now — they feel very quick or more noticeable than before, but no warning lights have appeared. I am filing this complaint to formally document the safety issue I experienced and to request a review of my VIN in light of the recall. A sudden stall on a city road puts drivers and passengers at significant risk, and I believe this is a serious safety concern that should be investigated.

The gear selection is on the steering column and to change from park to reverse or drive takes usually over six attempts to get in the right gear. When your entering traffic and you get delayed trying to put the car into the proper gear this becomes a very dangerous safety issue. General motors refuses to advise me how to deal with this problem unless I give them the name of an attorney who will represent me.

I purchased this vehicle in June 2025 and the gear selection lever is constant problems. It will never go into or go out of gear on the first attempt. This has caused some near accidents on two occassions as I backed out of a parking space trying to get in gear and proceed timely to avoid on-coming traffic but the lever will constantly bounce to another gear or park which was not selected. The car also has a seat problem in which the seat will start a quiver motion which does startle me as the driver. As an 82 year old driver this becomes a safety issue since is very disruptive and unexpected which makes the driver panic. I notified Chevrolet of these problems but that communication was ignored. The vehicle now has 1400 miles, the selling dealer is 320 miles away. I was told by Chevrolet that to return the vehicle to the dealer would require that I pay $6 per mile charge. This is simply malicious treatment to a senior. There is one gm dealer in my county but they do not want to address another dealers problem. Yes this safety issue has put other drivers at risk because I pull into traffic and cannot get going with traffic flow with a defective gear selector. Anyone can come to my home to inspect this problem.

The biggest issue is last year while driving on 74 in busy traffic, the car automatically went into a "low power" mode and limited the power without warning. So now in traffic driving 55 mph, the car drastically slowed to about 35 without warning. It would not go faster no matter what I did. Then the check engine light came on afterwards. Thankfully I made it home safely after turning on my hazards and swerving through heavy traffic. I took it to the dealership and they didn't find any issues. . . Of course. It did it again I took it back. They didn't find anything and then it stopped. Now fast forward today. . . My daughter drove to the store and the car cut off in the middle of the street. The way she explained it to me it was similar to what happened before. Except it cut all the way off this time. Same error on dash something like, "switched to low power. " so I'm panicking. My husband and I go down and I try to start, it wouldn't start a few times. But eventually it did then cut off. Then it cut on when I kept slightly on the gas like I know to do with an older car. So. . . Long story long. . . I got us home but with limited power and hazard lights. I'm glad we made it home safely and my daughter was shook up but she's safe. I'm terrified to let anyone else in the car let alone drive it. It could've been deadly.

See all problems of the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox 🔎.

To whom it may concern, I am writing to formally report a serious and recurring safety issue with my 2024 Chevrolet Equinox, and to request immediate investigation and resolution. The vehicle has, on multiple occasions, unexpectedly gone into “reduced power” mode (also referred to as “limp mode”), drastically limiting acceleration while driving at full speed in traffic. This most recently occurred while my teenage daughter was behind the wheel, causing the car to completely shut off in the middle of the street. The first time this happened, I was traveling at approximately 55 mph on highway 74 when the vehicle suddenly decelerated to about 35 mph without warning, despite my attempts to accelerate. The check engine light appeared only after the power loss. We narrowly avoided a serious crash. We had to engage hazard lights, swerve through traffic, and coast the vehicle home. The dealership was unable to replicate the issue during follow-up visits, and the issue stopped temporarily—but has now returned. This is more than an inconvenience; it is a critical safety risk to myself, my family, and others on the road. Details: vehicle: 2024 Chevrolet Equinox issue: sudden power loss while driving; engine enters limp mode without warning occurrences: multiple (including full vehicle shutdown) over the course of ownership dealership response: "no issues found" – despite multiple visits diagnostic error: dashboard reads “engine power is reduced” concern: loss of power at high speed, dangerous stalling in traffic.

On Sunday, [xxx] (a very hot day in michigan. My vehicle registered 100 degrees) I was driving on [xxx] about 70-73 mph when I got an alert that said (to the best of my recollection) too hot - idle immediately! and there was a continuous high pitch beeping which I only heard after turning off the radio. I continued at highway speed for a good 2-3 miles to the next exit afraid at any minute my car would start smoking. I exited and had to stop at a red light before turning left into a kroger plaza with a fuel station. When the light turned green I accelerated and a grinding sound came from my car. I pulled into the plaza and turned the car off but had to turn it back on in about a minute as it was too hot to sit in car without air conditioning. It started and idled just fine. I googled roadside service and got a nice fellow (on a Sunday!) and he arrived in about 40 minutes. He towed me 40 miles away to a recommended auto shop that on Monday told me it was my transmission cooler that was defective and that I needed a transmission shop for a new transmission. It was then towed another 20 minutes away where it stayed for 9 days. Cost: $6564. 48 plus $150 for paying with a credit card so totaled $6714. 48. My drive train warranty was only good to 60,000 miles/5 years and I have 76,000 miles on my car at the time. Was told the transmission cooler was defective so I asked to have the cooler part and I have it in my garage. I spent over $1000 at the dealership in the months of Feb/March/April 2025 as my car hit the 70,000 mile mark so I had them do all work required by the car manual. The transmission cooler is apparently not a part they check. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox 🔎.

Phantom braking at speed: I have experienced more than one alarming instances of "phantom braking at speed" where the vehicle unexpectedly brakes, all wheels locked, and violently skids on the pavement. This is a very alarming occurrence to driver and passengers as well as to drivers of other nearby vehicles. Specifically, this first occurred without warning on [xxx] on [xxx], traveling at 30 mph. The wheels then unlocked spontaneously after 2 to 4 seconds. This is potentially a significant and intolerable life-safety issue. When a car suddenly and unexpectedly slams on its brakes, it can create a dangerous situation for both the driver and passengers and others on the road. This could lead to a rear-end collision if the driver behind my Equinox vehicle does not have enough time to react; this may also result in driver panic and overcorrection: the startling nature of the phantom braking can cause the driver to potentially swerve into another lane or oncoming traffic. The phantom braking again occurred on the afternoon of [xxx] on [xxx] in slo while driving at 40 mph past [xxx]. Loss of confidence: repeated incidents of phantom braking have eroded this driver's trust in the vehicle's safety features, which could lead to ignoring legitimate warnings in the future. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The transmission would not engage in any gear while I was in the path of oncoming traffic.

My new 2025 Equinox rs awd ran out of gas entering a 55 mph highway. I tried to roll to the shoulder, and I came to a stop half on the right shoulder and half in the lane. When a 2025 Equinox rs awd won't run, in this case because it is out of gas, there is no way to shift the car out of park and into neutral so it could be rolled out off the road, or on to a tow truck ramp. When a 2025 Equinox rs awd isn't running, it's locked in park, and in order to move it needs to be jacked up and set on wheel dollies, for all four wheels.

1. Since I bought the car it has needed oil on a weekly basis. I took it in for repair it had something to do with the oil consumption device $2270. 00 to fix. 2. Timing chain went out had to fix that too $$$$ 3. While driving along the car at rush hour the car suddenly died without any warning. Had to go off the road clipped a tree and all the cars behind me looked like billiard balls going in all directions so as not to rear end my car. Extremely unsafe car ?? I cant believe that they have recalled every other year for this engine issue and not the 2017!!!!!!!!.

See all problems of the 2017 Chevrolet Equinox 🔎.

Problem with transmission not shifting properly. Also, the subframe is rusting out because water from the air conditioning unit falls directly on the subframe at that point both are safety hazards my service provider told me about the subframe rusting when I had my oil changed and why it was rusting and I have my transmission checked by a transmission specialist and the oil changed at that point in time.

See all problems of the 2008 Chevrolet Equinox 🔎.

My vehicle has 75,607 miles and the transmission gave out randomly started stalling and jumping and it won’t switch gears correctly and this has been a problem for a lot of other Equinox’s as well.

The contact owns a 2025 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that upon attempting to park their vehicle, or attempting to shift into reverse, neutral, or into drive, the shifter becomes extremely difficult to put into gear, and a message will display on the instrument panel that stated "conditions not correct for shift", and all of the warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed and the contact was advised that the valve body and would need to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however the failure persisted. The contact noted that this is the second occurrence of their vehicle needing to have the valve body replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 870.

To whom it may concern, I'm writing to formally report a critical failure of the auto start-stop system in my 2019 chevy Equinox that occurred today, resulting in a hazardous situation during rush hour traffic. While stopped in the northbound left turn lane of route 202 at the intersection with baltimore pike, the vehicle’s auto start-stop feature engaged as expected. However, upon releasing the brake to proceed, the engine failed to restart, and the vehicle remained completely inoperative — engine off, no power, and unresponsive to ignition attempts. This failure caused the vehicle to become stranded in a live intersection during heavy traffic, posing a serious safety risk not only to myself but also to other motorists. A pennsylvania state police officer arrived on the scene and assisted by pushing the vehicle across three active lanes of traffic while in neutral, performing a battery jump with a brand new battery of five months, and escorting me home to ensure I was safe. This situation was both dangerous and unacceptable, especially considering that the failure stemmed from a system designed for emissions/fuel efficiency, not safety. The auto start-stop feature in this vehicle clearly introduces critical failure points without adequate redundancy or reliability, particularly in real-world driving conditions. Additionally, I contacted my local Chevrolet dealership and spoke directly with a technician in the service department. He confirmed that they have had multiple customers reporting similar failures with the auto start-stop system. According to him, this is not an isolated incident, and in several cases, it has placed drivers in equal danger. I am formally requesting: an investigation into this incident, information on any existing technical service bulletins (tsbs) or recalls related to this failure, a full inspection of the vehicle at gm’s expense, and a report on what steps gm is taking to prevent similar failures from putting other drivers in harm’s way.

When accelerating to enter a road with high speed traffic the engine dies for a few seconds resulting in on coming traffic having to brake to avoid a collision. Then, the engine suddenly accelerates wildly. This problem occurs every time the vehicle is driven. The dealer service people has "tested" by driving the vehicle for 7 miles and declared there is nothing wrong. This is dangerous because the vehicle engine dies/stalls at a critical moment and if an oncoming driver isn't paying attention this could result in a collision.

The contact owns a 2025 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while attempting to use the vehicle, there was an automatic update alert. The contact's wife's cellphone had alerted her to the update; however, she was unable to access the vehicle for 15 minutes. The contact stated that while attempting to reverse, the transmission failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that the reverse symbol was displayed on the instrument panel, and there was an abnormal clunking sound coming from the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted, and informed the contact that the automatic update was normal. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 999.

The contact owns a 2025 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving 20 mph, the transmission unexpectedly shifted into neutral(n). No warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to shift back to drive(d); however, the vehicle idled 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 1,060.

The car vibrates hard, like being on the rumble strip, but only while driving about 1. 7 rpm to 2 rpm and only sometimes. The transmission light came on. The dealer said it was leaking and fixed it. A few days later, the vibrating is back. It's at the dealer again. Still don't know what's wrong. I only have 4,500 miles on the car so far.

The brake booster vacuum pump; available upon request. Yes, the brake assist stopped working while driving on the interstate making it unsafe for my vehicle and others. Problem was confirmed by an inspection at brakes plus. The warning light came on after the failure, service brake assist.

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an advanced auto parts where a diagnostic test was performed and dtc u0101 and p12a6 were retrieved. The vehicle was then taken to a local independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the transmission control module was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 108,533.

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that upon arriving to the destination, the contact became aware that there was an excessive amount of engine oil pooling underneath the engine compartment of the vehicle, prompting the contact to discontinue driving the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the rear main seal. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000.

Service stabilitrak, power steering light, check engine light. Door locks lock and unlock continuously. Randomly has no acceleration, causes jolting at a low speed. Available for inspection ASAP. The code “uo101” comes up in a diagnostic test. Overall, the car basically shuts down while driving at no specific speed. Safety of myself and others is at risk because this can cause an accident resulting in being rear ended/collision with car and other vehicles as it randomly happens when driving. I took my car to the dealership on 3/5/25 and expressed this issue and they could not diagnose it as it was not physically happening after I dropped it off to them. They had the car for 4 days and couldn’t duplicate the issue. They gave back the car and told me there was no issue with the vehicle and it is continuing to happen again. They told me to get proof of the incident on video when it happens again. (I was able to get a video today 4/3/25) there is no warning before this event happens. It will go away and not happen for a few days and then the next day it is not drivable. I am concerned for the safety of myself and others and would like to find the cause of this once and for all. I’d like for the dealership to not send me away without a reason why this is happening or fixing my vehicle.

See all problems of the 2014 Chevrolet Equinox 🔎.

8 speed transmission will not shift to 8th gear at highway speeds. It will shift at a lower speed which makes merging onto an interstate dangerous. The vehicle gets better fuel mileage if it will use 8th gear. For it to use 8th gear on the interstate you must merge onto the road at a much slower speed than posted speed limit and then very slowly accelerate to posted speed limit which puts driver at greater risk of an accident.