Service Brakes Problems of Chevrolet Equinox - part 1

Driving at 50 mph car applies brakes for no reason.

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Walked out of the car into the gas station came back out the brake pedal was locked up literally didn’t even wiggle at all couldn’t start the car I tapped it a couple times and then it made a horrible snap/pop sound and works fine for now.

Brake vacuum, pump failed while driving which made the brakes not work. I had it towed to a dealer and they found that the pump was internally damaged. Pump was then replaced. There was no warning this was about to happen and it happened suddenly. One moment the car had brakes and the next there was no braking. A very dangerous situation and we were lucky to not have a major accident.

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The contact owns a 2026 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 mph, another vehicle crashed into the front of the vehicle. During the crash, the parking braking activated, and smoke and flames were coming from both the rear wheels. The contact used a bottle of water to extinguish the flames. During the failure, the maintenance icon was displayed. There was no injury sustained. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer, but the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact was advised to notify the insurance company of the failure. The failure mileage was 1,100.

Driving towards direct light/sunlight is damn near impossible with this vehicle die to the extreme amount of glare from the dashboard. It makes me worried especially now that summer is approaching, feels like it can be catastrophic. Rear brake assist is horrible on more than one occasion the car will stop as if it has just been hit by a semi. Leaving the vehicle unable to proceed in reverse(one has to shift to drive or put in park before continuing to reverse). This is not only a nuisance but can lead to an accident especially during the mad rush of drop off at the elementary.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated the brake pedal became firm while driving approximately 40-45 mph. The check engine warning light was illuminated, and the brake assist service message was displayed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the brake housing had shattered inside the engine. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 213,000.

The vehicle owner took the vehicle to the dealer greco Chevrolet of fort lauderdale the dealer reported no vehicle failures. The braking system melted due to right temperatures. The dealer reported dtc c0072 brake system temperature too high. Report stated front rotor temperature reached greater than 1112 degrees fahrenheit, and that the rear rotors reached greater than 932 fahrenheit. The report stated that the high temperature was caused -antilock braking system -traction control system -vehicle stability control no warning lights shown in the vehicle. The dealer gave the owner the number 833-948-4631 to speak with gm tech support. The case was referred to gm concierge 833-382-4389 owner alleges that this could only be caused by faulty materials in the batch of this vehicle construction. Is concerning that the manufacturer did not come to the dealer to determine the causes of failure. Is very possible that the same materials were used in building other vehicles in the same batch. Concerning also that these high temperatures could cause fires in the wheels during operation. Is quite urgent that NHTSA visits this dealer and performs a non-bias inspection of the vehicle and the alleged bad materials.

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I was driving at the speed about 30~ miles/per hour on the city road, as I was slowing down to turn into the penera bread where I plan to, and I pressure the break paddle, the break paddle was stocked, it cannot pressed down. It was extremely dangerous situation, I cannot stop the vehicle, and it was very scary. I finally switch the driving to 'p" to stop the vehicle, and route the vehicle to curb to force hard stop. This is extremely risky situation. My understanding is model year 2020 - 20xx Equinox has reported this problem by many consumers. Vehicle brake stocked while driving, I hope there is no injury or death occurs. This is extremely dangerous. My seatbelt pressed really hard on me, my chest hurts from this sudden hard stop, and I am so scared. A week after, I still cannot resume the driving due to the impact of the situation.

At around 7k miles while driving the brakes and steering suddenly stopped working and all warning lights came on including check engine light. The dealership said it was the main brain and the fixed it. Then last Thursday night while driving on the highway my brakes stopped working suddenly and all warning lights came on again. It is at the dealership now and they are now saying the problem is the bcm. I’m honestly scared to drive on the highway now. I’m really scared someone will get hurt or killed from this vehicle if it happens again.

I was driving and the brake vacuum pump failed and the metal shards went up into the engine. The service light went on as they failed and I lost the ability to brake. Yes, we still have the part and the shards that came out of the engine, but there are still pieces in the engine. My safety was at risk and everyone else's on the road because I had no brakes and was driving 45 mph. The vehicle has not been looked at yet by any professional because so far no mechanic will touch it.

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Multiple occasions of “engine reduced power” and vehicle stalling/jolting/jerking when trying to go over 45 mph. When trying to go to work Monday - on the interstate, it was jerking/jolting when trying to increase any speed and brakes were getting harder to press on, decided to try to reduce speed and get pulled over without the brakes, car was overheating completely. Now seeing multiple people have had this issue with the same car - I’m not sure whether it’s comforting that I’m not the only one or terrifying to know there’s multiple vehicles on the road experiencing this dangerous issue. Seeing a pending lawsuit did not surprise me one bit - I am not happy whatsoever about risking my own life and others on the roadway due to this not being a priority in the first place to correct before selling this vehicle to me, buying it with my hard earned money. Greedy greedy.

While driving, the vehicle experienced an almost total loss of braking capability. The pedal was very hard to press, and when pressing with all my weight, I could slow the vehicle to a stop, but it took a great distance. There was no warning or malfunction indicator until I pulled into a parking lot a few minutes later. At that point, a "service brake assist" message appeared. Had I been in traffic, going faster, or in an area with pedestrian crossings, this could have caused a possibly deadly crash. I searched online and found that there is a vacuum pump that is known to fail on this vehicle, and can cause these symptoms. Upon replacing this vacuum pump, the issue was resolved. I still have the failed vacuum pump.

We purchased our car new. Around 70,000 miles or so the brakes went out and were barely usable. We had it towed to moses in charleston and it was apparently an issue with brake booster or vacuum pump. I don’t have the specifics at the moment but they fixed it and we drove it home and it did the same thing again with the brakes going out. Had it towed again back to them and they did something else and it was fixed. Fast forward to today and there are 155000 miles in it and it did the same thing. Clearly this is extremely dangerous! every time it occurred my husband was driving and was able to handle it. If I was driving, it could be a totally different story. Upon a google search it appears there is a lawsuit in michigan over this because it is clearly a problem and a dangerous one at that. I will also note that my sister in law also has about the same model Equinox and hers did it as well.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 mph, the vehicle's brakes did not depressed, it maintained the same speed the warning indicator stating service brake assist illuminated and then the check engine light illuminated. The emergency brakes were engaged in order to allow the vehicle to slow down. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a vacuum pump for brakes failure. Additionally, metal was in the engine due to the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was.

While in a parking lot going about 10mph or less, a car pulled out from a parking space on the left. I did a full brake and despite being dry, warm pavement, the car activated abs and released some brake pressure and allowed the car to continue to move. This ment that my braking distance increased by about 5-10 feet more than you'd expect. I have had this happen 3 times, each time a car was pulling out perpendicular on the left. I tried to replicate this in an open parking lot and it never repeated therefore I think it has something to do with the car approaching on the left and the active braking system.

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the braking system became inoperable, and the brakes unexpectedly locked up with no warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and retrieved trouble code TSB-21na268. The contact was informed that the brake vacuum pump connected to the crankshaft had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.

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Vacuum pump went out while driving down the interstate causing hard breaking. Break pedal was extremely hard to push down putting us at risk of not being able to break in time. There were on and off alerts to service breaks assist, however it was not consistently an alert. We replaced the vacuum pump and the issue seems to be resolved. The pump is not available as we tossed it in the trash.

I was driving to work, when I got off the exit I stopped at sheetz. When I got back in the car my brake pedal was stiff as a rock, and there was oil on the ground. A friend of mine does mechanic work so I called him and he said it sounds like the vacuum pump. I had the car towed to his garage, the tow costed me $400 which was very cheap considering where I was located. When I got it to the garage he confirmed that it was the vacuum pump and we removed several pieces of metal from inside the engine. I now have my car at the chevy dealership in chippewa PA. They told me to be $180 a diagnose it, well they just called me a little bit ago and said it's going to be another $900 to take everything apart and to truly diagnose it. I'm finding out now that gm has known about the failing vacuum pumps and they kept producing them anyways. I see there's a class action lawsuit taking place, and I am not very happy. My life was put at risk. And now I'm expected to be stuck paying this huge bill?.

Vacuum pump failed: on may 28th, 2025 the brake pedal on our 2019 Chevrolet Equinox became very hard along with check engine light, a "reduced power" notification, and "brake assist failure" notification. After a mechanic inspected the engine, he found that the vacuum pump had shattered. The mechanic replaced the pump with an oem replacement from gm. On may 11th, 2026 the same exact issue happened again. 1. The vehicle and/or part is available for inspection. 2. Anyone driving or riding in the vehicle is at risk due to the difficulty of braking. 3. The vehicle/component has not been inspected by the manufacturer since the 2nd incident.

Travelling on a highway with 70 mph posted speed limit, the vehicle dashboard signaled the check engine light and a variety of warnings that "power reduction measure" was enabled and to "service brake assist. " at the next available exit, I was able to exit from the highway and go to a gas station, where upon pulling next to a pump the brake pedal became extremely hard and nonresponsive, resulting in poor braking, nearly striking the car in front of me, even at a very low speed. Upon a quick internet search, it appeared that other vehicles were having the same issue, and it was recommended not to drive, as well as information referring to an ongoing class action lawsuit. A tow was called and brought to the nearest Chevrolet service center (nels gunderson Chevrolet), where they confirmed the brake booster vacuum pump failed (exploded) and sent shrapnel into the camshaft, noting that both would need to be replaced, which is the exact same repair that other vehicles similar to this one are having or have had.

On may 9, 2026, while pulling into a parking garage parking space at low speed (below 5 mph), the brake pedal was pressed but failed to engage or slow the vehicle. The pedal was pressed completely to the floor with no resistance, and the vehicle continued moving forward until it struck a wall, causing damage to the vehicle. Earlier the same day, the brakes produced an abnormal hissing sound while pulling out of a parking space. No other symptoms or abnormalities were present prior to failure. The vehicle may also have recently received a software update, although it is unknown whether that is related to the incident. The failure appears to involve the brake system and the driver safety assistance systems equipped on the vehicle like forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking, and dynamic brake support systems. The exact failed component is currently unknown and remains under inspection by a Chevrolet dealership. No warning lights, messages, or audible alerts appeared before, during, or after the incident. The automatic braking/collision avoidance system also did not activate. Because the vehicle had no braking capability at the time of the incident, the occupants and nearby pedestrians were placed at risk of serious injury. On may 10, 2026, the vehicle was taken to a Chevrolet dealership for inspection. The dealership has been unable to reproduce the issue, and no mechanical defects or diagnostic trouble codes related to the incident were identified. On may 13, 2026, the issue was escalated to the gm technical assistance center (tac) for further review, and the vehicle remains at the dealership awaiting a response to the tac case. The dealership acknowledges similar brake-loss concerns referenced in gm service bulletins involving the 2025 chevy Equinox and other models, including bulletin n24471431, although they stated the bulletin does not apply to this specific VIN.

I am submitting this on behalf of my daughter, [xxx] . On Friday, may 8, 2026, [xxx] was traveling southbound on highway 89a approaching [xxx] . Highway 89a is a narrow, winding two-lane canyon road with limited shoulder and significant elevation changes. While still on the canyon road, her 2020 Chevrolet Equinox suddenly lost all power, including power assist to both steering and brakes. A sudden loss of power steering and brake assist on this road presented a serious risk of loss of vehicle control. Fortunately, she was able to get the car stopped off of the roadway. However, she was then unable to place the car into park or shut off the ignition. Multiple warning lights were illuminated across the instrument cluster. Her roadside assistance plan towed the car to the nearest repair facility, where on Monday, technicians were unable to replicate the issue. A previously stored dtc p3055 was found in the diagnostic system. This code relates to a known and documented issue with Chevrolet Equinox vehicles, for which Chevrolet has issued multiple technical service bulletins, including TSB 21-na-139, which identifies the multifunction power supply converter (gm part #13510484) as the known culprit for this failure mode. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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.

I was trying to stop at a light and the brakes wouldn't work. I almost crashed into the car in front of me but I had to step on it really hard to stop. Then the brakes were stiff and it was hard to stop. I brought it to a chevy dealer yesterday and they said the vacuum pump exploded and pieces were in the engine, and it messed up the cam shaft. This is 5l worth of damage. When I looked it up online it seems this has been an issue with gm cars and the Equinox was left out of the recall which could have prevented this. I have 95k miles on this car and never had an issue until now. However it is not worth spending 5k on a car that is high in mileage.

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated unexpectedly. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the brake booster had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.

See all problems of the 2022 Chevrolet Equinox 🔎.

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.

On Saturday, April 18, 2026, I was driving home from a neurology appointment with my two daughters, including my child with special needs. I intentionally chose not to take the expressway and instead drove a lower-speed route home for safety reasons. While traveling approximately 35 mph, the vehicle suddenly displayed an “engine power is reduced” warning. As I attempted to safely maneuver through traffic and pull over, the brake pedal became extremely stiff and difficult to depress, requiring significant physical force to slow and stop the vehicle. The sudden reduction in braking assist created a serious safety hazard for my family. Had this occurred at highway speeds on the expressway, the outcome could have been catastrophic. A post-incident inspection identified failure of the vacuum pump drive assembly and related timing/variable valve timing (vvt) components. Photographs taken during disassembly document the condition of the timing chain, camshaft, vvt actuator/phaser, vacuum pump assembly, and associated components at the time of repair. Diagnostic records also documented dtc code p1101 following the incident. The vehicle is currently undergoing further inspection and diagnostic evaluation at a certified Chevrolet dealership to validate cpo warranty coverage and determine the full extent and cause of the failure. Based on the sudden loss of engine performance and reduction in brake assist, I believe this condition represents a significant safety risk to vehicle occupants and the public.

Vehicle suddenly brakes aggressively for no reason ! blue sky no weather events no obstructions ! it also happens I reverse!!! at 60 mph I 4 lanes it’s not fun!!!!!!.

I was driving in GA and my low engine power light came on and I lost complete ability to brake. The brake pedal was hard and would not go down. I towed my car to jim ellis Chevrolet in atlanta. They called a few days later and told me I needed extensive engine repairs that would cost over $5,000 but gm would take care of some of it. I paid $1980. 00. I went to pick up my car and was nervous because I lost brakes on a highway and was afraid. I asked them if they were sure everything was repaired and I would be safe and they told me it was tested extensively and driven and all was good. I drove around 2 hours after leaving and my engine light came on and my brakes failed again going 70 miles an hour surrounded by semis. I called jim ellis and they told me to tow it to walter jackson who told me it was a vacuum pump that they would have had to remove during the repairs. In addition there is a class action against gm about these pumps for my year and make of car. I have asked for a refund from jim ellis contacting ownership, gm, service team and no one will respond to my calls or emails. I filed a customer complaint with gm and they are accepting zero responsibility as well. I paid thousands of dollars between both repairs and rental cars and the least I would like for them putting my life and others around me at risk on a freeway is my money back.

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The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while her husband was driving approximately 45 mph and exiting the parkway, the brake pedal was depressed but remained depressed to the floorboard. The contact's husband attempted to pump the brake pedal, but the vehicle was unresponsive and failed to slow down as intended. The contact's husband then shifted to neutral(n), and the parking brake was activated until the vehicle came to a stop. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the brake booster pump or vacuum pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000.

On Monday, April 6th, I was turning into a parking lot and the braking system, specifically the anti-lock braking system (abs) and electronic brake control module, appeared to malfunction. While driving, I received a warning indicating the abs was off, and the brake pedal became soft with reduced stopping ability. The check engine light also came on. I had to coast the vehicle to a complete stop. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The loss of normal braking function significantly reduced my ability to stop the vehicle safely, increasing the risk of a collision. This created a dangerous situation for myself, passengers, and other drivers on the road. Brake failure at any speed presents a serious safety hazard. I am aware of similar complaints reported for this issue. My vehicle was towed to and inspected by a dealership where it sat overnight before being diagnosed; however, they were unable to reproduce the issue at the time of service. Despite this, the braking failure did occur and remains a safety concern. The service advisor told me to "bring it back if it happens again" and that it "lost communication with the ebcm" which sometimes happens. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer directly, police, or insurance representatives. There were no warning lamps or other symptoms of this problem prior to the failure.

My brakes stopped working while driving on highway i80 west. I had to have aaa tow my car to nearby shop. The mechanic said my vacuum pump needed to be replaced and he sees this happen often with Chevrolets.

The navigation system and the one-pedal driving system started malfunctioning. The navigation system began displaying a different location during remote driving, causing it to send me down a street against traffic. This issue has never been resolved and continues unabated. Then, while on the highway, when I needed to slow down, the one-pedal driving system deactivated, causing me to almost collide with another vehicle. This has happened more than three times this month. Gm and Chevrolet just keep saying they'll call me back to resolve the issue, but they never do, and they refuse to fix it.

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.