Service Brakes Problems of Chevrolet Equinox - part 1

While driving my 2019 Chevrolet Equinox, the brake pedal suddenly became extremely hard to press while the vehicle was being driven. The problem occurred unexpectedly while the driver was slowing down. Significantly more force than normal was required to press the brake pedal, which made it difficult to slow and stop the vehicle safely. The suspected component/system is the brake assist system, potentially the brake booster or vacuum system, but the exact cause is unknown at this time. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This created a significant safety risk because the braking system suddenly required substantially increased pedal force while the vehicle was in motion. We were able to get the vehicle stopped and did not continue driving it because of the safety concern. The problem has not yet been confirmed or diagnosed by a dealer or independent repair facility. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or an insurance representative. The check-engine warning light came on after the hard brake pedal problem occurred. There were no known warning symptoms immediately before the brake problem occurred. The brake issue appeared suddenly and unexpectedly while driving. At this time, the exact component that failed is unknown. Our best assessment is that there may be a problem with the brake booster, vacuum supply, or another component responsible for brake assist.

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Stepped on brakes and were hard to break feels like no abs.

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Vehicle suffered an intermittent, severe, and dangerous total loss of acceleration while driving in rainy conditions. Upon pressing the accelerator pedal from a stop, the vehicle rolled slowly for 5 to 10 seconds and completely ignored all gas pedal input before finally accelerating. The engine remained at a smooth, dead idle and failed to rev up entirely during the failure, creating an immediate traffic hazard. A scan revealed an active abs system failure. This dangerous safety hazard occurred less than 4 weeks after a certified gm dealership (grieco Chevrolet of fort lauderdale) performed the official gm safety recall n222372310 for inadequate fuel pump flow on September 4th. The fuel pump recall requires lowering the fuel tank, which sits directly adjacent to the rear abs wheel speed sensor wiring harnesses. Both gm corporate and the local dealership have refused to safety-inspect the vehicle's rear wiring harness workmanship for post-recall damage or water intrusion without charging a diagnostic fee, despite the severe driving risk. There were no warning messages or other symptoms prior to this occurring.

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The vacuum pump of the vehicle has failed four different times now, needing replaced each time, causing the “service brake assist” light to come on and the brakes to be really incredibly hard to press. Each time, it has been at highway speeds, and has made it extremely unsafe due to making it so hard to stop the vehicle. The first time it happened was in July of 2024 at 72,000 miles, again in October of 2024 at 80,000 miles, again in may of 2026 at 112,000 miles, and most recently in September of 2026 at 118,000 miles.

Safety vehicle complaint / defect report vehicle: 2019 Chevrolet Equinox complaint type: brake failure / loss of braking ability / vehicle malfunction incident date: xxx location: [xxx] request: safety defect investigation description of incident on xxx, while my 2019 Chevrolet Equinox was being operated in the [xxx] area after exiting the highway, the vehicle experienced a serious and potentially life-threatening malfunction. As the vehicle approached a situation requiring the driver to stop, the brake pedal was pressed, but the vehicle did not stop as expected. The brake pedal went completely to the floor, and there was little to no braking response from the vehicle. At the same time, the vehicle experienced additional significant mechanical/electrical problems. The vehicle would not properly shift into gear, and the vehicle began flickering/shaking and malfunctioning. The combination of loss of braking ability and the inability to properly shift the vehicle created an extremely dangerous situation. A failure of the braking system while the vehicle is being operated on or near a highway presents a serious risk of a crash, injury, or death. The vehicle was subsequently inspected by a mechanic. I was informed that the issue was possibly related to the fuel pump, although the cause of the brake failure and the other vehicle malfunctions has not been definitively established. I am requesting that this incident be formally documented and investigated as a potential safety defect involving the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. My primary concern is that the vehicle experienced a complete or near-complete loss of braking ability, with the brake pedal going to the floor and the vehicle failing to stop normally. The simultaneous inability to shift gears and additional vehicle malfunction makes this particularly concerning. I believe this issue warrants investigation to determine whether there is a recurring defect . Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 - 25 mph and depressing the brake pedal, the brakes locked up. The contact turned into a nearby parking lot and coasted to a stop and shifted into park(p). The contact waited a while for a CO-worker, and the CO-worker drove the vehicle to the residence. A certified mechanic arrived and inspected the vehicle. The mechanic informed the contact that the brake booster had failed and there was a recall for the failure. The manufacturer was informed of the issue and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure.

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The braking system failed to communicate with the vehicles computer system. This communication failure occurred while driving and set off all kinds of alarms and codes inside the vehicle while driving and then I had to use both feet to apply the breaks in order to get the car to stop in the emergency lane on the road as we were driving. No other warning signs or messages prior to this happening everything happened all at once. Had onstar run diagnostics on the vehicle and 2 codes came back a u1610 communication code of the vehicles network. The network provides a link between the systems inside the vehicle and when interrupted a code can be established. Service within 7 days. Also code u1639 same description. I had the vehicle towed to the dealer and they advised there was a module that required a further update from when I had my vehicle in on 9/2 for an oil change.

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While pulling forward out of a parking lot at a low speed, the vehicle's automatic emergency braking (aeb) system suddenly and aggressively engaged without warning. There were no vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles whatsoever in the vehicle's path. The deceleration was extremely severe and violent, mimicking the sensation of hitting a brick wall. This unprompted, false-positive system activation subjected my body to intense, sudden forces, resulting in a painful back injury that requires medical attention. The system completely failed to accurately evaluate the path of travel, creating an immediate and unexpected hazard to my physical safety and that of anyone following behind me.

Breaks failed almost crashed on a highway.

While operating my vehicle, I experienced a sudden, catastrophic failure of the power-assisted braking system. The brake pedal completely lost hydraulic pressure, plunging effortlessly all the way to the floorboard. The vehicle failed to respond to normal foot-pedal application. Emergency stopping power was only achieved by pushing the pedal into the absolute floorboard, which engaged an emergency mechanical override and forced the anti-lock braking system (abs) pump into a violent stutter/pulsation to halt the vehicle. No dashboard warning lights, diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs), or fluid level sensors illuminated prior to or during the braking failure. A certified automotive repair facility diagnosed the root cause as a total internal seizure and mechanical failure of the engine-driven brake booster vacuum pump. Because the vacuum pump is driven directly by the engine, its sudden lockup sheared and severely damaged the drive slots on the exhaust camshaft, necessitating an intensive engine teardown, camshaft replacement, and secondary component repair totaling $2,390. This design poses an extreme, life-threatening safety risk. The total loss of braking assist occurs without warning, and the mechanical failure simultaneously compromises internal engine timing components while moving at speed.

On approximately 09/04/2026, while driving my vehicle and slowing to a stop, I applied the brake pedal and it suddenly became extremely hard to depress. At approximately the same time, the steering became very stiff and difficult to turn. I believed I had lost normal braking ability and had difficulty controlling the vehicle while attempting to stop. The engine then shut off on its own. After the vehicle stopped, attempts to restart it were unsuccessful. The engine would crank/attempt to start but would not complete the ignition cycle and remain running. A ticking noise was also present. The vehicle remains available for inspection and is being towed to a local gm dealership for diagnosis. The specific component responsible for the failure is currently unknown. The vehicle previously generated diagnostic code p050f in January 2026. Following the 09/04/2026 failure, diagnostic code p0017 was identified. I did not receive p0017 prior to this incident. I did not observe an overheating warning or temperature-gauge indication showing that the engine was overheating before the vehicle shut down. The incident created a safety risk because the brake pedal became extremely hard to depress and the steering became difficult to operate while the vehicle was in motion, significantly affecting my ability to slow and control the vehicle. There was no collision or injury. As of the date of this complaint, the cause has not yet been confirmed by a dealer, independent service center, manufacturer, police, or insurance representative. The vehicle is being taken to a gm dealership for diagnostic inspection. I can provide the vehicle and subsequent diagnostic/repair documentation for inspection upon request.

See all problems of the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox 🔎.

On 3 occasions, the last happening today (xxx) traveling north on xxx toward [xxx] at approximately 14:05, the vehicle has stopped abruptly and hard, and will then release. Today, it took it longer to release. When it occurred this time, it braked just as hard but longer, so I had to cross two lanes so the cars behind me would not hit me. The cars swerved around me and the car eventually let go and I was able to accelerate from that dangerous position on the side of the highway. The first time it happened, someone was pretty close behind me. The car stopped hard, real hard, but let go quickly enough to accelerate before a collision. The second time, there was no one in front or behind us, and we were safe. It hadn’t happened in a while, today. We’ve downloaded 2 or 3 software update, and I was hoping it fixed the issue. It did not. Today the car stumbled and the rpm’s jumped. I feel like the car momentarily braked while I was accelerating. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

At approximately 5pm est, my wife stopped the ev vehicle after backing out of the garage and put the vehicle in park. After exiting the driver's seat, she was outside the open driver's door, had both feet on the ground and cleared the door enough that she was preparing to close it, when the vehicle began moving with no one in the driver's seat. The vehicle traveled down our inclined driveway, across the street and striking my neighbor's house. A [xxx] neighboring child was in the vehicle's path. My wife believed the vehicle would strike the child and screamed for her to move. The child moved clear before the vehicle reached her, and no contact occurred. The vehicle stopped when it hit the left side of the neighbor’s garage causing damage to the stone siding and framing of the garage. The vehicle then started to move forward over the lawn and into the street. At some point after it started moving forward the neighbor, an adult male, was attempted to stop the vehicle physically but was unable to. I came out of the house and saw what was going on and was able to help stop the vehicle, entered it and apply the brakes. My wife also tried to enter the vehicle to stop it during these events causing her to get ran over, substantial scraps, bruising and other injuries. We are reporting unintended movement after driver exit and request investigation of park engagement, the shift-by-wire system, electric parking brake, automatic vehicle hold/driver-exit functions, reverse automatic braking and propulsion/brake controls. 2 gm ev concierge agents separately were unable to retrieve remote diagnostic information. The vehicle was towed to [xxx] in [xxx] with very specific instructions. I opened a case with gm ev concierge and they escalated it to "the executive team". Despite multiple calls and emails the executive team has not reached out. The case was even closed once and I had it reopened. I opened ticket # xxx but can't find it so I'm opening this one. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia),.

On Saturday, August 29, 2026, at approximately 12:00 pm, I was driving my 2026 Chevrolet Equinox ev rs on the highway at about 65 mph. The weather conditions were clear and sunny. Without warning, the vehicle's automatic emergency braking (aeb) system abruptly engaged with full force, causing a severe and sudden deceleration. There were no vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles in front of my vehicle at the time. There was active traffic trailing my vehicle. Fortunately, the driver directly behind me had enough following distance to react in time and avoid a severe rear-end collision. Today, August 31, 2026, I spoke directly with my Chevrolet dealership, and they confirmed that my vehicle's software had already been updated to be compliant with gm TSB #n252521591 (image processing module / unwanted integrated brake assist) prior to this event. This phantom braking event occurred despite the vehicle already having the official software patch applied, indicating that the safety hazard persists.

The contact owns a 2025 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving 10 mph and depressing the brake pedal, the brakes locked up, and the vehicle accelerated independently, causing the vehicle to crash into another vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The contact had not sustained any injuries. Medical attention was not required. The contact stated that a police report was not filed. The vehicle was still drivable. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that a callback would be provided. The approximate failure mileage was 72,000.

In my chevy Equinox 2018 my vacuum pump and brake booster failed when I was driving and I could not brake. I slid into the gravel side of the road on the 138, luckily there were not alot of traffic at the time cause I would have caused a major accident. Never had any braking issue till now. Now this is a major financial hardship on me to fix this issue that should have not happened if it got recalled to fix this issue on this certain model. No lights, no indicator lights or anything came on either which was scary. And I have no problems or any other issues with the Equinox. It just failed all of a sudden.

While I was getting off the freeway, my vehicle displayed the “service brake assist” warning. When I attempted to brake, the brake pedal became extremely hard and would not respond normally. The vehicle would not stop normally when I pressed the brake pedal. I was almost involved in a crash because I could not brake as expected. I had to use the emergency parking brake to help bring the vehicle to a stop and avoid a collision. Component/system: the exact failed component is unknown. Based on the “service brake assist” warning and the extremely hard brake pedal, I am concerned there may be a problem with the brake-assist system, vacuum system/vacuum pump, brake booster, or related components. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Safety risk: this created a serious safety hazard because I temporarily could not stop the vehicle normally while exiting a freeway. I was almost involved in a crash and had to use the emergency parking brake to help stop the vehicle. Dealer/service confirmation: unknown at this time. The problem has not yet been confirmed by a dealer or independent repair facility. Manufacturer/police/insurance inspection: unknown/no inspection has been performed by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representative at this time. Warning/message: the vehicle displayed “service brake assist. ” the warning appeared before/during the braking problem. At the same time, the brake pedal became extremely hard and difficult to press normally. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this incident along with other complaints involving 2018 Chevrolet Equinox vehicles experiencing “service brake assist,” hard brake pedals, loss of brake assistance, and suspected vacuum-pump/brake-assist failures. I am concerned that this may be a safety-related defect that could cause a loss of braking assistance and increase the risk of a crash. I request that NHTSA determine whether further investigation or a safety recall is warranted.

I was on the way back home from the office driving [xxx]. Speed limit of the road was 45mph and I was driving around 40 mph. There was a traffice light and it changed to yellow. The card in front of me stopped but the brake was slipping and my vehicle couldn't stop, ended up hitting vehicle in front of me. My vehecle equipped with automatic emegency brake and front collison warning but no warning popped up and automatic brake didn't work. I pushed brake so hard but it was slipping. I was holding steering wheel with both hand and stepping on the brake. And triied to avoid crash by turning vehicle to the right. But couldn't avoid crash and hit the passenger side of the vehicle in front of me with my driver side corner. Brake did not work and none of the emergency features equiped in the vehicle responded, information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

My 2025 Chevrolet Equinox rs is experiencing critical active safety and electronic malfunctions. While reversing out of my driveway, the vehicle unexpectedly executed an aggressive "phantom braking" event, violently slamming on the brakes with no actual physical hazards or cross-traffic behind the vehicle. The reverse automatic braking (rab) and rear cross-traffic braking systems are hypersensitive and falsely triggering mechanical emergency stops, creating an immediate physical hazard and whiplash risk. Additionally, the google built-in infotainment system constantly suffers from communication freezes with apple carplay and media apps like pandora. Commands to select or play audio tracks freeze and fail to execute on the 11. 3-inch screen, indicating a systemic software architecture defect affecting the vehicle's dashboard modules. The vehicle has previously been out of service for an extended duration (30+ days)due to a broken telematics module causing parasitic battery drain down to 3 volts, along with multiple dashboard error messages. The manufacturer has been unable to permanently resolve these electronic and active safety failures.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving 80 mph, the message “service brake assist” warning light illuminated twice. The contact stated that while attempting to depress the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed, causing the contact to engage the parking brake and manually shift the gear shifter to a lower gear to get the vehicle to come to a complete stop. A dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred twice. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the brake booster pump needed to be replaced. The brake booster pump was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 94,000.

I was turning at a green light while following behind a truck pulling a trailer. All of the sudden, the car did the automatic emergency braking. It slammed on the brakes in the middle of an intersection while I was going ~15mph, and gave me whiplash. I am not sure if the car got confused by the trailer in front of me, but this is the first time this has happened in my first few weeks of owning this car. I've read that many others have had this issue with the Chevrolet Equinox ev, and this poses a serious safety issue for drivers of this car and others on the road.

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I own a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. While driving at highway speed, the brake pedal suddenly became completely rigid and could not be depressed. The engine continued running normally, there were no warning lights, and I had to coast into a parking lot because I was unable to brake normally. The vehicle was towed to a Chevrolet dealership. The dealership diagnosed a failed vacuum brake booster and replaced the brake booster at my expense. After the repair, the exact same safety issue occurred again while I was driving at approximately 25 mph. The engine was running normally, there were again no warning lights, and the brake pedal instantly became rock hard and would not depress. The repair did not resolve the condition, and I no longer believe the vehicle is safe to operate. I am reporting this because the same loss of brake assist occurred before and after the dealership’s repair.

While driving, my 2020 Chevrolet Equinox suddenly lost power and shut off without warning while I was pulling into traffic. The vehicle would buzz not crank afterward but would not restart. This created a safety hazard because the unexpected engine shutdown occurred while the vehicle was in motion. This is the second brake vacuum pump failure I have experienced with this vehicle. In 2022, the brake vacuum pump failed and was found shattered internally. At that time, the engine continued running, and the pump was replaced. During this most recent incident, the brake vacuum pump failed again, and the internal end of the pump broke apart. I replaced the vacuum pump and removed the broken pieces I could access, but the vehicle remains in a crank/no-start condition. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by a dealership or independent repair facility. However, after seeing the shattered pump components, a couple of mechanics I know expressed concern that the broken pieces may have affected the engine timing. That has not been confirmed. The failed pump and replacement parts are available for inspection.

I was pulling into a parking lot off the state thruway with the brake system failure no brakes, hard pedal, and the car would not stop.

On numerous occasions, while driving either on highways or streets, vehicle would brake on its own or aggressive braking when this type of braking was unnecessary. I was hospitalized for whiplash in one incident. After braking for no reason!!! gm sent a tow truck to pick up my vehicle, and I have not heard back for more than 100 days. If gm cannot fix this issue as stated in [xxx] then I should be compensated for the lack of use and my medical bills as well as loss of use. Not having a recall does not mean defects are not occurring!!!! information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The brake vacuum pump has gone out four times now. While driving the brakes suddenly become hard as a rock to push. Of the four times two of them have been close calls to having a serious collision. This is a known issue with these vehicles so it blows my mind there isn't a recall for this.

Hard brake pedal and service assist message. This issue was recalled for trucks and larger suvs but not the Equinox. This is a known safety issue to Chevrolet, making my vehicle undrivable until I can come up with the $1,500 to have it towed and repaired.

Brakes went stiff and hard to push no warning light. I was driving on the interstate with my daughter. Was stuck out of town with no breaks.

The vacuum pump failed and my brakes went out pedal became extremely hard to push. I was driving on the highway at the time and was lucky I had a shoulder to slow down on and finally stop. I took the car to my usually mechanic who confirmed the vacuum pump failure but referred me to the chevy dealer because this is a known issue. The dealer confirmed the pump had blown apart( their words to me) and that there are most likely debris now in the engine. No warning lights or alerts of any kind came on. Total suprise.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 mph and approaching a stop sign, the brake pedal was depressed and there was a thumping sound coming from the brake pedal, with the message “service brake assist” was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the residence and parked. The contact stated that the next day while driving approximately 63 mph, the message "reduced engine power" was displayed. The contact exited the highway, and while attempting to depress the brake pedal, the pedal was firm, and the vehicle failed to slow as intended. The contact continued to depress the brake pedal with force, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle slowed down eventually. The vehicle was taken to an auto parts store and a handheld diagnostic machine to diagnose the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle was turned off and failed to restart. The vehicle was restarted after three attempts. The vehicle was taken to the residence and the following day, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the vacuum pump, camshaft, and timing belt needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000.

Driving at 50 mph car applies brakes for no reason.

As I was coming to a stop at light my brakes became very difficult to push the pedal down to stop. It took everything in me to get the vehicle to stop before entering the intersection and oncoming traffic. I was able to get the vehicle parked safely in a nearby parking lot but then the engine wouldn't start it just kept trying to turn over. The brake assist error popped up, and then the check engine light came on. I was able to get it started again about 20 minutes later, all the same warnings and lights. I white knuckled the drive back to my house. . . Once I got home the engine was smoking, smelled like it was burning, and oil was spilling out all over the place underneath, impossible to see where a leak was as it was coming from the entire engine. There was zero warning with the vehicle, no issues up to this point, and suddenly the Equinox is now useless in my driveway unable to start with oil still leaking in multiple spots. An oil pan under the main leaking area, but there are still multiple areas of oil spilling even a week later. Oddly enough my onstar report for the month came to email a few days later reporting perfect engine health and zero issues - even thought the vehicle can't start now.

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.

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.