2019 Chevrolet Equinox
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 302 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 14th highest complaint count among 21 Equinox model years with reports.
Of the 2019 reports, 22 involved a crash and 7 involved a fire. 9 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Power train, automatic transmissionOct 29, 2020
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.
Campaign 20V668000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, storage, tank assemblySep 19, 2019
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Equinox all-wheel drive vehicles. The fuel tanks may have been manufactured with an improperly sealed seam, possibly allowing fuel to leak along the seam near the fuel inlet.
A fuel leak in the presence of the ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began October 24, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-586-596-1733. GM's number for this recall is N192271870.
Campaign 19V667000 on NHTSA.gov
SeatsMar 7, 2019
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The rear-right seat may have insufficient welds on the head-restraint bracket.
In the event of a crash, the insufficient welds may result in an increased risk of injury for an occupant seated in the rear-right position.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear-right seatback frame, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192209550.
Campaign 19V184000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, foundation components, disc, caliperAug 30, 2018
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.
Campaign 18V576000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: engine
105 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Sep 24, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard, but the vehicle hesitated to accelerate before lurching forward. Additionally, the vehicle lost motive power while driving 60-70 MPH and decelerated to 10 MPH. The engine revved while stopped at a red light, and the RPM was at HIGH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer on six occasions for the recurring failure. The contact stated that DTC: P0401 and P0521 were retrieved and cleared after securing the air box cover after the first failure. The second time, the EGR housing was clogged with carbon, and the oil sensor failed internally and was replaced. The third time, the wiring harness and unknown sensors were replaced. The fourth time, an unknown sensor and module were replaced. The fifth time, the dealer replaced the transmission with a used transmission, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was then taken back to the dealer, and it was determined that the driver's side CV axle seal, NOx sensor 1, MAF sensor, passenger side front wheel bearing, two front tires, four TPMS, intake manifold, and air temperature sensor mount needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure by phone. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000.
Engine, Aug 22, 2026
Unusual engine noise inspection at 86011 miles determined engine failure do to metal shavings and particles found in engine oils and oil filter by GM Dealership wher serviced only by them at mileage intervals on record and purchased new in 2019.
Service brakes, Engine, Aug 7, 2026
In May 2026 while driving home from her job in downtown St. Louis, my daughter was driving my equinox. While traveling on the highway at the speed limit of 55 miles an hour her brakes failed and she came within a few feet of rear ending a full gas tanker truck. She was able to maneuver to the shoulder of the highway and avoid an accident. After a few moments of the engine, idling the engine completely stopped working and shut down. After having the car towed to my local mechanic at a Midas shop, they began the diagnosis. I began similar research online to find cases of similar things happening. What was diagnosed is that the vacuum pump on the brake line was faulty and broke. Pieces of this pump made their way into my engine and ruined two of the cylinders in my engine. The car is now not drivable and needs a replacement engine. Chevy knew about this faulty, vacuum pump part and they did issue recalls on other vehicles using the same part. They have also issued technical bulletins to their technicians for a diagnosing this failed vacuum pump. I have tried to contact Chevy and they have offered me no assistance. I know a class action suit has been filed for this very same issue. Chevy is aware of this issue. Chevy‘s choice to use a part they knew was faulty. Almost led to the death of my daughter.
Engine, Jul 28, 2026
Car fails to move while in reverse, the rpm’s accelerate but the car doesn’t move the transmission seems to not be griping when in reverse i get a reading from diagnostic saying P2723
Engine, Jul 24, 2026
I was driving and the suv moved forward with a jump like that scared myself, this happened several times. I just had my oil changed at the dealership of which I been working with for 20 years. A few of my sensors went out at the same time. On June 19-26 my suv refused to change gears. I pulled over and tried again. Made it home and towed it to the dealership June 22. I noticed that there are two car factories having the same issue and had a repull, so I thought that my suv would be included. Well, Not, my suv is from another factory that has no recalls. Dealership wasn’t working with me until July 17th after I reported them to BBB-and General Consumer. I met with the dealership July 24, and offered me 11600.00 just for fixing the transmission. I can’t get an answer if anyone else from factory number three has had the same problem as myself and the other two factories. My SUV is seven years and 81,000. Dealership offered to buy my car for 500.00 as is.. and after the transmission only 1000.00. This is crazy!!! I bought new and they are the only dealership that has worked on my car. I only put premium gas. Why does it matter what factory if they all have the same problems. Thank you..
Engine, Jul 14, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the brake assist warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed but was stiff. The brake pedal was pressed with force to slow the vehicle. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, and the message "Engine Power Reduced" was displayed, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the mechanical vacuum pump had exploded and there were metal shards inside the engine oil, camshaft, and the timing jump, and that the engine was blown and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Engine, Jul 7, 2026
I was driving on the freeway at 64 MPH when my Brake Assist alert appeared on my dashboard. At that time I lost assisted braking capability. I was able to steer and stop my vehicle on the shoulder of the freeway. I turned the car off and was unable to start the car again. The car was towed to the dealership where they stated “ Hi Erika, the vacuum pump on your engine seized and broke the shaft and damaged the tone ring on the camshaft, there are quite a bit of metal pieced in the engine due that that failure. Unfortunately, the solution is a remanufactured engine at the cost of $11500.00 parts and labor plus tax. How would you like to proceed?” Currently we are opting to not replace the motor. It is apparent that this is a common issue with this year/make/model of vehicle.
Service brakes, Engine, May 11, 2026
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.
Service brakes, Engine, May 7, 2026
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.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine, Apr 27, 2026
The contact owned a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving approximately 80 MPH, the brakes failed to operate properly while the brake pedal was depressed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the brake pump had exploded, causing damage to the camshaft sensors and several other parts inside the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact researched the failure and became aware of a recall associated with the failure; however, the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000.
Engine, Feb 20, 2026
Air filter box housing top came off. Loss of power. Found that screws are used instead of a latch system. They had been wrenched down after last oil change and cracked the screw housing which is plastic. Filter housing came loose allowed more air and dirt to come into the housing box. Loss of fuel economy.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Feb 5, 2026
A "Reduced Engine Power" warning in a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT usually indicates the car has entered "limp mode" to protect the engine, most commonly caused by a dirty/faulty throttle body, loose Charge Air Cooler (CAC) tube, or sensor issues (MAF/TPS). Common codes include P0299 (turbo underboost). When this occurs, I cannot utilize my remote starter. I purchased an Innova OBD2 Code Reader, connected it to the vehicle and this code P0299 populated. There has been a few times that the engine light would go off, then I was able to use the remote starter to start the engine.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 2, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving 80 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and failed to accelerate above 35 MPH. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the turbocharger had failed. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Engine, Nov 18, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the failure persisted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the camshaft, resulting in damage to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 72,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed an abnormally loud sound. The accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to exceed 12 MPH. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the nearest mechanic, which was a Toyota dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed with a failed throttle body and a failed air cooler outlet tube. The contact was informed that the throttle body and the air outlet tube needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 52,827.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine, Oct 8, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at a slow speed, the brake pedal was depressed, and the brake pedal was extremely hard and tight. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to stop the vehicle because the vehicle was not being driven at a high speed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure was diagnosed as CAM shaft failure, timing chain, and vacuum pump failure. The contact was informed that the CAM shaft, timing chain, and vacuum pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. In addition, the contact, who was an independent mechanic, stated that it was very important that the braking system operated independently. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 75,400.
Engine, Oct 4, 2025
2 nights ago, my engine light came on. I purchased a code reader today so see what may be wrong, and code P0299, popped up. I’ve reviewed and saw there’s no known recall on the issue but there’s a known Technical Service Bulletin (TSB). In a Facebook group I saw, it says that some people have replaced and code P0299 is still populating. I’m buying this vehicle and I have barely had 2 years now and wanted it to last.
Engine, Oct 2, 2025
Charge pipe/air intake hose came disconnected when driving causing reduced engine and idle problems. Car stalled multiple times at idle. Higher rpm’s cause hose to disconnect.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Oct 1, 2025
I was stopped at a traffic light and the car just froze. All the dash lights started flashing, the brakes would not work. The car started moving slowly backing up traffic behind me. I barely made it to a parking lot off the road.
Engine, Aug 25, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the engine revved continuously as if the vehicle was going to drive forward. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
Steering, Service brakes, Engine, Jul 19, 2025
My vacuum pump failed on this vehicle. Causing my brakes to lock and a crash to almost happen
Engine, Jul 11, 2025
My car had been sitting for a week as we were off on vacation and when I came back the car would not start. Oil had been changed 1 week before that by Miller and Son. After towing it to Miller and Son Chevrolet (724-378-0542)we were told it was a timing chain issue and once they opened things up I was told the engine is ruined. The car only had 71,000 miles on it(I purchased it last year) We spoke to multiple mechanics who stated this was a common problem for this car and if the engine had failed while driving it could have caused a fire/accident. I have a [XXX] son and he very much could have been trapped in the car. If this is happening frequently as the mechanics have told me why has this not been recalled. I religiously had my oil changed as required. I tried calling GM (case #[XXX]) without much success. The dealer wants $9000 to put in a new engine which I need to get a loan to do but also my fear is will this happen again. I would appreciate you looking into this issue. Thank You. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, May 20, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while at a stop, the vehicle lost automotive power. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond while shifted into gear. Several unknown warning lights were intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and a transmission error code was retrieved; however, no other failure was identified. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired, and an unknown part was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to another independent mechanic for a second opinion; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to a third independent mechanic, where it was it was diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.
Engine and engine cooling, May 9, 2025
The contact called on behalf of the owner of a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that there was coolant leaking from the engine compartment. The vehicle was driven to the contact and to a local mechanic who diagnosed that the coolant expansion tank recovery hose had failed causing engine coolant to leak from the hose onto the PCM. The contact stated that the hose needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was concerned that due to the location on the hose the failure would reoccur once the hose was replaced. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet contacted regarding the failure. The failure mileage was 49,549.
Service brakes, Engine, Mar 24, 2025
Poor quality Vacuum Pump failed, resulting in debris in crack shaft assembly and preventing brake functionality. Check engine displays and error message stated "Service Brake Assist" which does not indicate a vacuum pump failure, which is misleading in troubleshooting issue. Hard brake pedal is a symptom, which would lead a repair facility or consumer to replace Brake Power Booster, which does not resolve issue, but will temporarily resolve brake pedal symptom, leading to further damage to crank shaft.