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: vehicle speed control
12 reports, newest first. Show all
Vehicle speed control, Apr 26, 2024
See attached document for complaint
Power train, Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Sep 22, 2023
While traveling a message appear "power reduced" a noise was heard like whistle (air whooshing). The time Car was started the engine light was on. The car was serviced by GM/Chevrolet dealership service. They found water in the spare tire compartment, but didn't not agree that it was the cause of malfunction. The asked if the car had been in a flood. I did my own research and found that this water leak problem is a known issue in litigation.
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Aug 3, 2021
i was traveling on cruise control at 60 mph when i clicked down to 55 mph at speed change. a couple minutes later the brakes slammed on hard enough to have the front wheels chirping i dont know if rear brakes came on but i went from 55 down to under 30 in a hard panic braking. this threw my wife up aganist her seat belt since she has had a stroke her resistanse to the hard slow down was low. i stepped on the gas and the brakes released i cant remember if i re engaged the cruise control or if it never disingaged. the other thing that happened was the warning about not using the info display while driving came up this only happens now and than when you start the car. so i suspect i had a momentary power lose in that circuit and what ever else is tied in to the info center im retired but i worked in mechanical engr all my life so i have some knowledge of systems
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jul 24, 2021
I was out driving on a normal errand when my car suddenly seemed to lose all ability to accelerate. When I pressed on the accelerator nothing happened and I could only advance in the car at less than 5 MPH. Fortunately I was just leaving my neighborhood and on a residential street where the speed limit was only 35 MPH anyways, but I shudder to think about what could have happened if I lost the ability to accelerate when I was on a highway or interstate, or even making a turn in front of oncoming traffic on a normal road. As any driver knows, you estimate your ability to safely turn in front of oncoming traffic based on your car's accelerator working. If I had made that judgment, attempted to turn, and not been able to accelerate and instead been left in the middle of oncoming traffic, I could have been hit and seriously injured or worse. There were no warning lights or anything that appeared prior to the incident. After losing the ability to accelerate, I received an email from Chevrolet within 10 minutes stating "An issue with the emissions system in your 2019 Chevrolet Equinox has been detected. Please service your vehicle within 7 days. Please disregard this message if your vehicle is already in for service. Inaccurate notifications can be generated during service." My car ended up being towed to the dealer for service where they confirmed and reproduced the problem. They said something about the emissions system valve(s) had to be replaced, and that this was a relatively common problem they had seen in other Chevrolet Equinoxes too, but were not aware of any recall being issued yet.
Vehicle speed control, Nov 20, 2020, crash
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS WIFE WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE WITH HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE DRIVER DID NOT SUSTAINED INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO TURNERSVILLE AUTOMALL, 3400 NJ-42, TURNERSVILLE, NJ 08012, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AN OPEN A CASE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 15,000.
Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Engine, Sep 22, 2020
ONCE I HAVE WARMED THE CAR AND PUT IT IN MOTION WHETHER IN REVERSE OR FORWARD AS I SLOW DOWN TO COME TO A STOP LIGHT OR YIELD THE CAR EITHER STARTS TO DIE OR DIES COMPLETELY. I CAN TRY TO PUSH THE DRIVERS PEDAL AND SOMETIMES IT WILL CRANK BACK UP AND CONTINUE IN MOTION AND SOMETIMES, IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC I MIGHT HAVE TO PUT ON THE BRAKE, PUT IT IN PARK AND START IT ALL OVER AGAIN. THIS IS VERY SCARY, VERY DANGEROUS!!! DOESN'T MATTER THE TYPE OF ROAD I AM ON. I WAS TOLD THIS IS A NORMAL THING FOR THIS VEHICLE, BUT THIS IS HARD FOR ME TO BELIEVE THAT A CAR IS MADE TO GO DEAD AT A MOMENTS NOTICE IN TRAFFIC.
Vehicle speed control, Electronic stability control (ESC), Engine, Jul 30, 2020
WHILE IN MOTION THE CAR RANDOMLY AND QUICKLY DECELERATES AND WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO ACCELERATE. PHILLIPS CHEVROLET HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE CAR CITING ENGINE POWER REDUCTION,TRANSMISSION, STABILATRAK AND NON VERIFIABLE ISSUES OVER A 2 MONTH PERIOD. WITHIN THAT 2 MONTH PERIOD, MAY 18, 2020 TO JULY 24, 2020, THERE WERE 7 ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR THE CAR. ALL 7 ATTEMPTS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. BETWEEN JUNE 22, 2020 AND JULY 30, 2020 THERE WERE MORE THAN 20 TELEPHONE CALLS PLACED BETWEEN GENERAL MOTORS AND I, REGARDING THIS VEHICLE AND IT'S ENGINE, TRANSMISSION AND NON-VERIFIABLE ISSUES. GENERAL MOTORS AND PHILLIPS CHEVROLET ARE REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE CAR IS A LEMON. THERE ARE CURRENTLY A LITTLE OVER 8,500 MILES ON THE CAR AND I AM IN FEAR OF MY LIFE EACH TIME I ENTER THE CAR AND I HAVE MADE PHILLIPS CHEVROLET AND GENERAL MOTORS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. THIS IS MY SECOND NHTSA REPORT. THE INITIAL NHTSA REPORT IS 302587, WAS FILED ON JUNE 22, 2020. PHILLIPS CHEVROLET AND GENERAL MOTORS ARE REFUSING TO PROVIDE ME WITH A SAFE VEHICLE TO TRAVEL IN DESPITE 7 SERVICE VISITS WITH PHILLIPS CHEVROLET, AND MORE THAN 20 TELEPHONE INTERACTIONS WITH GENERAL MOTORS. THERE A MORE REPORTS BUT YOUR SYSTEM WILL ONLY ALLOW ME FIVE DOCUMENTS,
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Jan 25, 2020
THE ELECTRONIC SPEED CONTROL SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING AND NO LONGER FUNCTIONS. THE AUTOMATIC STOP FEATURE CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO LURCH FORWARD SUDDENLY WHEN YOU PRESS THE GAS PEDDLE FOLLOWING A STOP. THE DYNAMIC BRAKING SUDDENLY ENGAGES WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON THE INTERSTATE AND THERE ARE NO OTHER VEHICLES OR OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE AREA.
Vehicle speed control, Dec 13, 2019
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH OR HIGHER WITH THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY MADE A DINGING NOISE AND DECELERATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO WAIT APPROXIMATELY TWO MINUTES BEFORE THE VEHICLE RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,345.
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Jul 15, 2019
WHILE ON VACATION TRAVELING ON 81S IN VA & DOING 70 MPH ON THE 3-LANE HWY., WITHOUT A WARNING A POWER REDUCTION MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DASH; THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. OUR VEHICLE WENT FROM 70 MPH (POSTED SPEED) TO 40 MPH. IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. WE HAD A TRACTOR TRAILER PUSHING US & A CAR PASSING US ON THE LEFT. HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE FAST REACTIONS OF MY HUSBAND AND HELP FROM THE MAN ABOVE, WE WOULD NOW BE 6' UNDER. AFTER SHAKING & GAINING OUR WITS, WE CONSULTED THE VEHICLE HANDBOOK TO CHECK ON A POSSIBLE REASON FOR THE POWER REDUCTION & HOW TO PROCEED. THIS ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE BEEN LOGGED AS DRIVER ERROR, WHEN ACTUALLY IT WAS VEHICLE MALFUNCTION. WE LEFT THE VEHICLE IN VA AT A CHEV DEALERSHIP ON MONDAY & THEY ADVISE IT WOULD BE 4 DAYS UNTIL THEY COULD WORK ON THE UNIT. WE AGREED TO PICK IT UP FRIDAY ON OUR RETURN TRIP TO PA. THE DEALERSHIP CALLED THURS. MORNING TO ADVISE IT WAS READY. WE HAD TO REQUEST PAPERWORK SHOWING THAT IT WAS WORKED ON & THAT THEY FOUND NO ISSUES WITH IT, BUT THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OUT. UPON ARRIVING HOME, WE TOOK THE UNIT TO OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND WHILE THE UNIT DID NOT REGISTER A CODE IN THE COMPUTER A MECHANIC DID FIND---5242 VEHICLE HAS A U0100 LOST COMMUNICATION WITH THE ECU--CHECKED COMMUNICATION WITH THE PCM, TCM & BCM---NO POOR CONNECTIONS FOUND AT THIS TIME. THE DEALERSHIP DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR TWO WEEKS, BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. IT IS WITH MUCH TREPIDATION THAT WE MUST NOW DRIVE THIS VEHICLE FOR 3 YRS. UNTIL OUR LEASE IS UP AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ALLOW PASSENGERS IN IT FOR FEAR OF THIS HAPPENING AGAIN AND TAKING THEIR LIVES TOO. WE HAVE READ FIVE REASONS FOR THE 2019 EQUINOX TO EXPERIENCE A POWER REDUCTION, BUT NONE OF THEM FIT WHAT WE EXPERIENCED. WE WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST FURTHER TESTING & INVESTIGATION INTO THIS MATTER. OUR UNIT HAD 4,785 MILES ON IT WHEN THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED.
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Jun 21, 2019
TRAVELING SOUTH ON 81 IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE, A TRIPLE LANE HIGHWAY. WITH HEAVY MORNING WORK TRAFFIC GOING 70 MPH WITH AN 18-WHEELER PUSHING OUR VEHICLE & A CAR PASSING US ON THE LEFT, OUR 2019 EQUINOX DROPPED TO 40 MPH AND A POWER REDUCTION MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DASH. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME THE SPEED DROPPED DOWN 30 MPH. IT WAS BY THE GRACE OF GOD THAT THE 18-WHEELER MISSED OUR VEHICLE AND WE WERE ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. MY HUSBAND PUT THE ENGINE IN PARK AND REVVED THE ENGINE CHECKING TO SEE IF THE VEHICLE WOULD TAKE FUEL. THE POWER REDUCTION LIGHT CLEARED OFF THE SCREEN, BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON. WE SLOWLY TRAVELED TO A GAS/COMFORT AREA (IN WOODSTOCK, VA) AND READ OUR VEHICLE HANDBOOK FOR POSSIBLE REASONS OF POWER REDUCTION---THERE WERE QUITE A FEW, BUT NONE THAT WE COULD RELATE TO. WE STAYED OVER NIGHT AT A MOTEL AND MONDAY (6/3/19) TOOK OUR VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP. AFTER BEING TOLD THEY COULDN'T WORK ON OUR VEHICLE UNTIL THURSDAY, WE HAD TO CONTINUE OUR TRIP IN A RENTAL UNIT. WE WERE CONTACTED BY THE DEALERSHIP ON THURSDAY (6/6/19) THAT OUR VEHICLE WAS READY FOR PICKUP. THE UNIT THREW NO CODES, BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DID GO OUT AFTER THEIR DIAGNOSTIC CHECK. WE ARRANGED TO PICK UP OUR VEHICLE FRIDAY MORNING AND DROVE IT HOME WITH MUCH TREPIDATION. THE UNIT WAS TAKEN TO OUR LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP, WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED AND THEY HAVE BEEN DRIVING IT TO MAKE THE SAME MECHANICAL DEFECT OCCUR; BUT TO NO AVAIL. TO FACE DEATH ONCE AND SURVIVE, DOES NOT MAKE ONE COMFORTABLE TO DRIVE THE SAME VEHICLE. HAD WE DIED AFTER BEING HIT BY THE 18-WHEELER, THE FAULT WOULD HAVE GONE TO DRIVER'S ERROR AS ONE READS IN MANY ACCIDENTS IN THE NEWS.
Vehicle speed control, Mar 19, 2019
WHILE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE AT ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 72 A CHEVROLET TRAVERSE PASSED ON THE LEFT AT AVERY HIGH SPEED AS IT PASSED MY DRIVERS DOOR OUR EQUINOX IMMEDIATLEY APPLIED THE BRAKES AND RAPIDLY SLOWED TO 55MPH WHEN THE TRAVERSE HAD PASSED OUR EQUINOX RESUMED 72 MPH