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
302 reports, newest first.
Service brakes, Sep 21, 2022, crash
I was driving exiting a school zone going about 35 mph. As I was coming up on a stop sign my brakes went completely out on my 2019 Chevy Equinox, and to avoid hitting kids walking across the sidewalk I ran into a cement wall to stop my car this morning on 9/21. I had it diagnosed twice and both vendors said it was the Vacuum pump brake and they have been seeing many of these cases. I checked the recall and there isn’t one but over 200+ reviews with this exact issue! This is a huge safety issue! People could of been severely hurt today. I called the dealership and they said I need to not get it fixed and wait to file a claim and call product quality claim.
Air bags, Service brakes, Sep 14, 2022, crash
The brake system failed and my car is now in a salvage lot. I believe the car will remain there only until I submit the car title. While driving in heavy traffic I was unable to make a sudden stop to avoid hitting the car in front of me. I had enough time to stop, but the brakes failed to engage properly. The brakes were very stiff and vibrated or pulsated as I applied the brakes and my car wouldn't stop prior to colliding with the car in front of me. My safety and the occupants in the other car were at risk. The life of a pedestrian, if involved, could have resulted in death. Luckily, there were no serious injuries and exterior damage appeared minimal but my car suffered serious internal damage. I was not able to confirm the problem with the dealership. My phone calls were not returned. I also contacted Chevrolet and now waiting for a follow-up call. The car was only inspected by the insurance appraiser, who deemed my car a total loss because the car frame was cracked on both sides, air condenser damage, exterior damage plus more. The insurance co. had my car towed to a holding parking lot for salvage. My greatest concern is if this had been a situation where I was unable to stop suddenly to avoid hitting a pedestrian and killed someone! The appraiser suspected the air bag sensor might have failed since the impact was hard enough to crack the car frame. Seven days prior to the accident I had rear brakes and roters replaced at a Chevrolet dealership. They also looked into a warning message on my dash - Service brake assist system. I was told nothing was wrong with that.
Engine, Jul 26, 2022
Winter 2021, vehicle went into reduced engine mode as I was going up a hill. There was no one behind me and I made it 100 ft to a driveway. I was able to turn around and get car home. Towed to Sonju, dealer where it was leased from. Fixed by them and returned to regular use. 06/28/22, while driving on a Hwy 53, 45 mph zone, with no notice, engine went into reduced power mode. I was almost hit due to the proximity of the car behind me and the sudden loss in power. I managed to hit my hazards, pull into middle turn lane until traffic passed. I then was able to get into a business parking lot. I shut car off. I made some phone calls. Turned car back on, all was fine. Back on the road. No call to dealer. 07/08/22, engine in reduced power mode while I was only .5 miles from my house. Made it to a turnaround point where I was able to turn vehicle off. Called dealer to make appt for service. Limped vehicle home. Vehicle towed to Sonju for fix. 07/18/22, after fixed at dealership, it was picked up. We made it 22 miles. I was in a urban part of Duluth, MN-speed limit 30, heavy traffic. As I turned to go up hill, engine again went into reduced power mode. There is no shoulder for me to go to and I'm almost hit from behind as the car jerked and slowed. I was able to pull off. Shut car off. When I started it up, it was still in reduced power mode. As it had been 30 mins, traffic had subsided, I went another mile to my work, where car would be safe to sit. Made arrangements for tow back to dealer. 07/19/22-towed to dealer after hours. When I moved it for better position for tow truck, the check engine light was on, but engine reduced power mode message never came on. 07/22/22-Per dealer, there is no explanation and thus far they can't figure it out. They continue to drive it to recreate the issue, but no end in sight of when I will get this vehicle back. 07/26/22-no word from dealer-vehicle is still there. I stopped bugging them!
Service brakes, Lane departure, Back over prevention, Jun 24, 2022
I was on interstate 85 going 70 miles an hour when I got on the interstate the brakes were working perfect got to go on 70 miles an hour and traffic started stopping when I hit the brakes it was so stiff that I couldn’t apply it Ammo divert to the emergency Lane and pushed with all my mic and finally got it to stop if my wife would’ve been driving it which is her car she would’ve been severely hurt probably
Air bags, Jun 22, 2022, crash, fire
I was involved in a car accident where all of the side airbags deployed. On the drivers side just behind the arm rest the airbag that deployed caught on fire and burned all th way through my shirt, jeans and underwear leaving two large burns on my left side. Some areas are 3rd degree.
Service brakes, Jun 22, 2022
After purchasing the vehicle in April 2021, 3 months later upon traveling home and entering an exit ramp the brakes completely locked while going 35-45mph into ongoing traffic downhill and would not allow me to press down on them so that I could come to a stop. I press the emergency brake and that did nothing. I had to glide through traffic into a gas station parking lot almost slamming into a gas pump. The sewer dip allowed the vehicle to slow up and come to halt blocking the traffic. This happened after midnight so I took it to the dealership in which i purchased. No lights appeared on the dash. They advised me the brake booster pressure sensor, brake booster vacuum hose and then after doing so they said non of it fixed the issue, I would need a new brake booster. All totaling over $2000 for a vehicle I had less than 6 months. Shortly after the month following July or August, stalled and the push to start button wouldn’t activate. I waited a few moments and then it turned on, with the engine light lit. I took it directly to dealerships service department and they had it a month, they eventually said it was the Oxygen Sensor and it needed to be replaced. I reached out to GM about all of the issues. They stated there were recalls but not for my VIN. CRAZY Now less than a month, a slight fender bender, another vehicle crossed into my lane, the sensors did not initiate, I had to swerve to dodge from causing any major damage and avoid on coming traffic. My vehicle sustained minor scratches on the front passenger side. Initially 30 minutes after it was running fine. Then the light sensors on the mirrors both sides remained on. No engine lights, no warnings. I’m traveling down the 5 lane Highway @75mph and the vehicle just shuts completely off. I had to get across traffic and avoid causing an accident. The vehicle would not start. Got it towed back into town. Back to the dealership and was advised I needed a new engine! Now I’m without a vehicle.
Tires, May 26, 2022
My P225/60R18 two front tires are peeling in-between threads and my threads are very low compared to rear tires. I have 23,059 on the tires.
Forward collision avoidance, May 22, 2022
today on may 22 2022 i was driving on cruise control at 60 mph when the brakes locked up and slid the wheels. the brakes didnt release untill i pressed on the gas pedal. this is the exact same thing that happened last summer and reported on your file number 11427660. this is a serious safety problem that could get someone KILLED. the dealer replaced a brake control module but same problem reappeared.
Fuel/propulsion system, May 22, 2022
Fuel leaking from fuel tank and receiving code u18a2 lost communication with fuel pump driver control module.
Visibility/wiper, Mar 25, 2022
I own TWO 2019 Chevy Equinoxes. BOTH vehicles have the exact same issue. The driver side(only) wiper blade leaves a smear with every pass, directly in the line-of-sight. I have replaced blades with many different manufacturers, to no avail. It cleans well for approximately 3 days of use, then immediately returns to the smear. It is a complete hazard. Dealer was notified. They replicated the issue. No 'solution' available. Chevy notified & report filed. This has to be a known problem. I cannot have THAT bad of luck to buy the only 2 Equinoxes with this issue.
Service brakes, Mar 18, 2022
While my wife and I are traveling on the highway out of town going 72 mph there was traffic and she began to press the brake peddle but car didn't want to stop. She had to push all body weight on the brakes and the brakes seem like it's hesitation and vibration but eventually stopped. This is very dangerous and brake service light came on. I pull off the exit and check fluids and brakes and all looks normal as I know some about cars. I called to get it checked today and lady said to bring it in right away as they are aware of this common issue with these equinox. She say either canister or pump failure which I researched and have many people who have complained but GM has changed 2018 certain models but failed this model year also and didn't fix the design for this model year of 2019 D2. Need this investigation to continue and I will begin petition for class action suit against GM which they have been notorious for law suits. Please help!!!
Power train, Service brakes, Mar 7, 2022
While driving on the highway a warning message came up that said “engine power reduced” and moment after we lost the ability to accelerate. We pull over and turn the car off, when trying to restart it, it would not restart. We were left stranded on the side of the highway. We had to get it towed to a GM dealership and after 3 days we received a diagnosis that the vacuum pump failed and seized which caused damage to the end of the cam shaft. Repair costs are approx. $1800! We are lucky we didn’t completely lose control of our vehicle and was able to get to the side of the road!
Fuel/propulsion system, Feb 18, 2022
Fuel line busted. Vehicle only has 53K miles. Could have caused a fire. Must have been a defect in this high pressure line.
Seats, Jan 31, 2022
The front passenger seat warmer gets extremely hot. It feels like it is burning your skin within minutes of turning it on. It almost feels like sitting on a hot leather seat in the middle of summer with shorts on.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jan 11, 2022
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? On at least 4 occasions, while using the adaptive cruise control, the brakes are suddenly applied hard when no vehicles are anywhere near close enough to trigger an emergency braking situation. I have to manually step on the gas pedal to have the car stop the automatic braking. We can make the vehicle available upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? This incident is startling when it occurs and can cause an accident if a vehicle happens to be too close behind our vehicle. We are reluctant to use the adaptive cruise control as a result of these incidents. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by the dealer or service center. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No component has been inspected as a result of these incidents. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? There are no warning lights or messages that appear before, during or after the incident. The incidents occur suddenly and with no warning.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jan 4, 2022
The Charge Ari Cooler Duct Disconnected from the Throttle Body. When this happens my car immediately goes into lower power mode. This is a safety concern, when going 70 MPH, it will immediately drop down to 50 MPH. This sudden decrease in speed can cause other drivers to wreck into me and my family. This problem has been confirmed by a dealer. This has not been inspected directly by the manufacturer, however it was inspected by a dealer. There were no warning signs prior to failure, only a warning after the incident occurs. The check engine light comes on.
Other or unspecified, Dec 17, 2021
Sunroof glass "exploded". Sounded like tire blew out. Scaring me into almost a panic situation. Dealer said they never heard of this. Have not gone to insurance yet. No warning signs.
Other or unspecified, Nov 30, 2021
Sometimes it will go to auto stop but instead completely shut down with no power or anything. You can do anything at all
Service brakes, Nov 22, 2021
While safely driving under normal conditions, I attempted to slow my vehicle down while approaching a vehicle that was making a right turn into a parking lot. Upon trying to apply the brakes, I was met with resistance (Hard brake pedal) which prevented my vehicle from properly slowing down. This was caused by a failed/malfunctioning brake booster/vacuum pump. Since I was driving at a safe distance, I managed to barely avoid colliding with the rear of the car making the turn, however, that miss was extremely narrow. My vehicle barely slowed down when the brakes were applied which, had I been on the interstate or traveling at a higher rate of speed, would have more than likely resulted in a collision. This DEFINITELY puts myself, my wife, and our 2 children's safety at risk. Once I successfully parked the vehicle, a "Service Brake Assist" warning messaged appeared for the 1st time. I began researching/attempting to diagnose the issue. During this time I came across several articles detailing a recall issued by GM describing the exact same issue with the brake booster/pump, ironically however, it only covered vehicle produced through 2018. I then contacted GM customer service to alert the manufacturer and see how they would rectify the situation. I was informed that my vehicle had no open recalls and was out of warranty & there was nothing they could do for me.(handwritten call log can be provided upon request) When I contacted the dealership, they informed me they were unable to see the vehicle until the 1st week in Dec. I was left to take it to my local mechanic who, upon his diagnosis, informed me that it was the vacuum pump that had failed. As previously stated, there were no warnings prior to the failure. The "Service Brake Assist" appeared AFTER I managed to safely get my vehicle to a parking spot.
Electrical system, Engine, Oct 31, 2021
The car was purchased February of 2019. The car has been stalling, car has shut completely down, and the car decrease speed sometimes while on the expressway which can be life-threatening. Not to mention that the radio freezes and the windows also gets stuck sometimes. It was reported to the car lot where the car was purchased as well as GM. the car was taken into Homewood Chevrolet where they stated that it was only a spark plug which is not true. I know that the car is having intermittent problems. They were suppose to an extensive check and I am positive that it was NOT done. There is an electrical and transit engine related issue that is not being addressed
Service brakes, Oct 9, 2021
While exiting the highway I went to put on my brakes and there were no power brakes. It pedal was stiff and I had to push extremely hard to stop and it took a long time to do so. The brake assist light come on as well. I had no prior warning, noise or any reason to believe that my brakes wouldn’t work. We checked the pads, rotors and brake lines and they were all fine so that’s not the issue. It could have been catastrophic if I had been on the highway still when this happened.
Service brakes, Sep 13, 2021
While driving on the freeway, the brakes became suddenly stiff and I was unable to stop the vehicle immediately for oncoming traffic. I had to steer away from the road onto the emergency lane and apply the brakes really hard to stop the car. There were no warning messages of any sorts and while trying to stop and start the car several times, then the service brake assist warning with the check engine light came up. I have to take the vehicle for inspection to the checy dealer to know more detailed cause of the issue. I had my wife, a 4 year old and a 4 month old in the car when this happened.
Power train, Aug 26, 2021
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle was hesitant to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer who replaced the throttle body, but the failure continued to occur. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 14,000. The VIN was not available.
Equipment adaptive/mobility, Aug 26, 2021
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH on adaptive cruise control, the brakes applied independently. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated he continued driving to his destination. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause for the failure. The contact stated he continued to experience the failure. The contact took the vehicle back to the local dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact stated that he continued to experience failure for over 2 years. The contact took the vehicle to a second local dealer, Cantin Chevrolet (623 Union Ave, Laconia, NH 03246: (603) 524-0770) and made the dealer aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.
Other or unspecified, Aug 18, 2021
We believe that there is a serious issue with the HVAC of this vehicle. My wife actually noticed it soon after buying the vehicle. I wasn't quite sure what it was. Anyway, on August 15, 2021 we drove to visit family and the strong odor of freon or something got so bad that my eyes were burning and began to cough. I took the vehicle to my local dealer and explained the problem. I left the vehicle and the service person called me to say that there was nothing wrong. They did a diagnostic of the vehicle and it came back fine. He mentioned that they is a "Service Bulletin" on 2019 Chevrolet Equinox that stated owners may complain of a strong chemical smell inside the vehicle. He stated that GM said that there is no fix for the problem. This is unacceptable since my wife has allergies and asthma. If this chemical smell is harmful, they should recall all the vehicles affected and correct the problem. It seemed to me that GM's attitude was "tough, live with it". There needs to be further investigation into this by our government and should force GM to correct this problem. I am waiting to hear more from the dealership regarding this problem today. I don't expect to hear anything different than what they told me yesterday, (August 17).