Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

2010 Chevy Equinox Problems

1343537394047

Comments

  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    michelle_s,
    We're sorry that you've encountered so many difficulties with your Equinox and are available to you if you want for us to check into anything further. Please email us at [email protected] with more details (including your name and contact information, the last 8 digits of your VIN and mileage, and a summary of the situation).

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • suevensueven Member Posts: 79
    Really Sarah -
    Please do not give these people hope.....
    I just had a RUDE district specialist hang up on me - Justin at extension 42585.
    My truck does still not run right after the new engine however JUSTIN insists my case in closed and there is no one else I can speak to.
    H said I was provided a solution which was a 2000 credit towards a new GM - I asked for the 2000 towards my lease payments and I would pay the rest just to give this truck back before myself or my kids get killed on the highway....
    I have never been spoken to so rudely in my life - at no point in time was I treated like the customer. No wonder why the company was failing - we should have let them tank the way they are letting the poor consumers rot who purchased this vehicle....
    My lifies mission now is to make sure I tell aas many people as I can this story and other stories I have read on this forum to make sure no others suffer after puchasing a GM product.
  • suevensueven Member Posts: 79
    Has your new engine solved all the problems. My truck still does not run right - random acceleration and decelleration and they cannot seem to fix the problem...
    GM clearly does not give a crap - and I need a vehicle I can put my kids in - at this point I will not - IT is just not safe.
    My "District specialist" hung up on me yesterday - not sure what else to do - I want to scream every month when I have to make the payment.....
  • aussieinvaaussieinva Member Posts: 8
    I am now following the instructions of my attorneys and recording every conversation I have with GM "Support"...and it seems to make a difference...you should advise the peson you call that you are recording the conversation as per your legal righst to do so...it makes most "service" people sit up and take notice...and if the caller is rude again, upload the recording to you tube...

    The "Sarah" at GM is a toal waste of time, these people have no authority, neither do the District reps...

    Good luck and keep those children and yourself safe....
  • duetsuduetsu Member Posts: 36
    I have about 1000 miles on my new engine and so far so good. Stay on the dealer to make it right - they are your best bet. Contact GM directly - go to the website and find the customer care phone numbers and just keep on them. Good luck - I feel your pain
  • suevensueven Member Posts: 79
    Calling the dealer again today - I have tried to call GM - i had a case number and all...
    JUSTIN - my district specialist hung up on me yesterday when I would not agree that a 2000 credit for a new GM vehicle was not acceptable as a solution....
    If I did not care about my credit I would stop paying for this truck!
  • llamitiellamitie Member Posts: 13
    Contact your states attorney general. I did here in NY and its in process of aribtration. Have no idea where it will get me - but it sure feels good that they have to "explain" themselves to someone. I also copied the same packet and sent to Gm directly - the PO box on their website. I did get a GM rep to call me and offer me some lame deal. $2k towards a new car (like I want a new GM car???) or 24k of free oil changes. Yippee. I put $5k down on a new car and got a pile of crap instead and what does the oil change get me? 2 or 3 changes like $400 worth of services. I repsectfully declined the offers and we will see where the attorney general can get me. Suggest you do the same.
  • kynoxkynox Member Posts: 18
    edited March 2013
    Does everyone know you can go to safercar.gov and file complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Admin. ? Currently there are only 101 complaints filed with the gov on the 2010 Equinox. Less than 5 to do with oil consumption. It will take a whole lot more compliants on the issue to get the admin to look at it. I have a 2010 with 36000 miles and have just now had timing chain and tensioner replaced. no oil consumption. Get 31 mpg on trips and 24 around town. I have had no other problems other than a rattle. I am very happy with the auto and the dealership that service`s the car for me. Truedelta is also a website than uses consumer reports to rate reliability issues. They show the 2010 with a average of 3 lemons per 100 cars . so there are some bad cars out there with problems. So the issue is if it is a big enough problem for the Safety Admin. to look into the issue. Using this forum won`t get it done. Sarah , hang in there . You are only doing what you are allowed to do. Thanks
  • suevensueven Member Posts: 79
    kynox -
    keep a close eye on your vehicle - the oil consumption problems usually start to occur around 30K miles. I had the rattle and that is what started this process - with the dealer first replacing the cam shaft actuators - after rattle did not go away they replaced the timing chain and the cam shaft actuators again. CHeck your oil - mine always smelled like gas so then they replaced the fuel pump - which did not fix the consumption problem so finally the engine gor replaced. THis vehicle was fine for the first 30K miles. I did post to safercar.gov. I never received a response.
    Fortuantely I have had a responsive dealer - but at the end of the day - I am paying for a truck that does not run properly and has never gotten the advertised gas mileage.
    Complete disappointment!
  • suevensueven Member Posts: 79
    I will have to do this....
    The Senior District Specialist called my husband back today....
    Refuse to provide any assistance and when asked for her last name or employee ID number she refused to give it!
    Well EMILY - when I get killed in this truck or one of my kids gets killed - trust me - I will find out your last name and will be holding you amongst all the others who were completely unhelpful personally responsible for any harm caused to my family!
    You are all disgusting!
  • duetsuduetsu Member Posts: 36
    sueven - you were offered a $2000 credit??? lucky you (totally sarcastic here) - and I mean that only in regards that my lovely and rude and bitchy district specialist Emma would only offer me $500..... but my dealer is working with me and the new engine he put in seems (so far!!) to have fixed the problems I was having....
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    Try making sure you are not running in ECO mode, to see if that helps with the stalling issue when coming up to a light. GM went to ridiculous lengths in an attempt to get fuel mileage bragging rights with this 4 cylinder. Among many such tech as way too far advanced timing (one of the causes of knock and ping and engine damage) and knew that if they spec'd premium octane gas that no one would buy their crappy product. Also has a system that works in union with the engine and transmission and ECU, and it will lower engine revs when coming to a stop. Yet another gimmicky and poorly designed fuel mileage extender effort. Failed. So try this to at least help isolate the stalling being from other issues. Stalling is a pretty big deal and not taken nearly seriously enough..
  • brad5879brad5879 Member Posts: 12
    As I posted 3+ mos. ago, we finally traded in the Equinox and took a little bit of a hit to get a 2013 Honda CR-V. So far it's been really nice.

    Anyhow, I got an email a month and a half ago to review the customer service I had when taking in my 2010 Equinox. They haven't updated their records but I felt somewhat bad because I am sure I knwo exactly why someone brought it in for service.

    Shame on GM and Chevrolet and all involved for making peoples lives miserable trying to get this resolved. I can only hope that none of you ever, ever buy a GM car again. I know I won't be.
  • thelma61thelma61 Member Posts: 8
    why is this message crossed out? I know how you feel, when I started my odyssey, our first thought was to trade it too. But I knew I would be passing on a problem that needed to be resolved by the manufacturer. We took them to the mat, but holy crap - it was a horrendous ordeal and amount of energy expended. Nobody should ever have to go thru that, especially with a brand new vehicle. When my husband first spoke to GM about the issue, the woman he spoke to let on that she had not heard anything about the problems we were having. He told her it was all over the internet (this forum) and she said she didn't care about that. Wonder if she still has a job. She shouldn't.....
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited March 2013
    Probably clicked the "overstrike" button when posting. (It's the ABC one).
  • suevensueven Member Posts: 79
    Have been hung up on by so many people at GM corporate I have lsot count....
    I am beyond frustrated.... picked up my car last night and still not right.
    This is a loosing battle.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    You might be able to reach someone via Twitter or through one of the other GM "social" sites.
  • clebo1clebo1 Member Posts: 78
    :lemon: Pleasse note these vehicle are pieces of Junk which Chevy thinks is a quality vehicle, i have one, 3 sets of say bar links, head7 rear seal gasket.Oil burning,electrical problem,Transmission problem you name it is has had it!!!,all Chevy Equinox or prevbious owners out there who have puchased these lemon, please the only remedy we have is a class action lawswuit against Gm- Chevy division Please call 1-800-222-1020 and lodged all you complaint you have had with this vehicle the Chevy Equinox.hopefully a Class action lawsuit firm out there will see this post and help file a Class Action lawsuits Under the terms of this Vehicle the Chevy-Junk-Onox.GM should be ashamed of themselves for putting a piece of Junk like this on their Auto Line!!!GM wants wants you buy American,but in Good Conscious they have refused to do so!!! Boycott Chevy_GM and their inferior products.Mr. cleveland Ward 18 Crowell St. Dorchester,Ma. 02124
  • clebo1clebo1 Member Posts: 78
    :lemon: This vehicle is a piece of junk,dump it asap..and engine from factory,Gm knew this. a better engine probably could have been built by a 2 year old@!!
  • smc8888smc8888 Member Posts: 25
    Just received a letter from Chevrolet about a "customer satisfaction program". Instead of fixing the engine oil consumption problem, they will reprogram the ECU that recommend more frequent oil changes to support engine durability and overall operating costs.
    What a joke, GM is implicitly admitting the wide spread problem and tries to cover it up by forcing more frequent oil changes.
    What a joke.
  • duetsuduetsu Member Posts: 36
    Sueven - I just got the same letter on Friday, March 8th... and ironically it was dated Feb 1, 2013 and the offer to reprogram the ECU was only good until Feb 28, 2013. Thankfully my awesome dealer did the work when they put the new engine in.... Too bad the letter didn't give a return address as I would have sent the joker who signed the letter a response about the issues with this car....
  • ray80ray80 Member Posts: 1,655
    smc8888, You are talking about two completely different things. The reprogram has to due with oil change frequencies suggested by the oil life monitor and has nothing to do with and is not intended to address the oil consumption problem some owners are experiencing.
  • nox123nox123 Member Posts: 76
    This recall is good through February 2015 depending on month you purchased your 2010 Nox. The intent ios to get owners to change oil on a regular schedule or appropriate time; the worn broken down oil will cause internal excessive unnessisary engine wear. being said; the idiot gauge that monitores engine oil life is not a smart way to gauge oil changes in this 4 cyl. or any other engine. Oil changes are cheap and good insurance for your warranty protection.
  • esperinosesperinos Member Posts: 18
    I believe the letter said Feb 28, 2015. By which time, I will ditch my wife's Nox. I have told her to listen for any abnormal sounds.
  • traciftracif Member Posts: 4
    I was never sent ANYTHING from Chevy. Nada. They have blacklisted my truck for now. I cant even get Chevy to change the oil. The dealer who was working with me for so long has just been advised by the local GM Rep that there is NOTHING WRONG with my truck and is no longer authorized to work on it. I had to take it to STS for my oil change. ;)

    Cant wait to know the outcome from ALL OF MY PUBLIC OUTBURST!! There is NOTHING I wont do to keep my daughter safe. Nothing. :lemon:
  • wirks4mewirks4me Member Posts: 7
    edited March 2013
    Hi Folks,

    I have not posted anything here since I traded my 2010 Equinox for a Ford, but I do follow the updates everyday.

    I have been getting emails from GM about my satisfaction with my Equinox...they don't even know, that I don't own it any more!

    Just got my letter today from the "customer satisfaction program"...how sad that GM is covering up their engine problems with more frequent oil changes, what a joke.

    My question is: Has anyone contacted their US Senators or Congressman concerning this cover-up by GM? Maybe if all of us sent them emails, they would look into this...

    What do you think?
  • reena02reena02 Member Posts: 3
    i have been reading everyone's posts and i feel sick to my stomach that i made the same mistake! i wish i read this before buying this car but i was really excited that i felt like i got a great deal...a 2010 with only 46,000 miles on it. unfortunately the day we went to pick the car up we been having issues and that was a month ago. first the engine light was on and we brought it to sales person's attention but he said its not a big deal it just got detailed so that could have triggered it and for us to take it for the weekend and if it doesn't go away to bring it back. so as we were driving out my boyfriend told me to park it so he can drive to keep in eye on how the car was driving...so when i parked the car started vibrating really bad so we went in to get the sales person and asked if they can at least put it on the machine and tell us what the problem is...the mechanic was there for a good couple of minutes before my boyfriend told them he wants to look at what it says before he erases it and right when we went over to the car the mechanic said that right when he hooked it up it turned off...which we both know that he just erased it! so from day one of purchasing the car i've been feeling horrible about my decision!
    we took the car home and the next day the engine light was on again so we decided to got to advanced (sunday)and have them check it that way we would have known what the issue was before we brought it to the dealer in case they tell us it just turned off again...but for some reason advance's machine didn't go up to 2010 models they still plugged it in...i swear i had planned to take the car in on monday (we bought it fri) and it was on all weekend until monday it turned off so i decided not to take it but the vibrating was sill there. i noticed that it would vibrate/shake more when it was on eco mode so i turned it off but it was still there. so i did my own research on here and on youtube. on youtube it had a thing about the fuel leaking into the oil in the 2010 equinox that it was a defective fuel pump. so i printed that and some of the msgs on here to show them that there is something def something wrong. it was last week that i took the car in and they call me telling me that the fuel pump is defective and that the part will come in tomorrow so i asked for a rental since i had to work the next day they agreed. so before i went to get the car they called me that they got my car fixed and i can pick my car up instead. so when i picked the car up the vibrating is still there i called them the next morning and they said they couldn't look at it to the following week. so the car was back at the dealer this past wednesday and they are telling me nothing is wrong with the car whatever little vibrating its doing is normal...? i told them that i want them to send the car to a chevy dealer so that they can look at it which was sent today and they just called me today saying thats it normal that they drove their other cars with the same engine or whatever and its the same.....so is this normal? or should i take it to another chevy dealer plus i have a 3 month warranty through the dealer i bought it from so i dont know if there will be any issues if i had someone else look at it. :confuse:
  • ambs1ambs1 Member Posts: 1
    The 2010 Equinox was the first car I bought without my parents help. My father wasnt happy about it but still helped me with the paperwork. I've owned it for a little less then a year and now realize PARENTS KNOW BEST! I have had nothing but problems with it. I was sitting at a red light and it just died on me. I took it in to have it looked at and the dealer said they couldnt do anything because the check engine light wasnt on. So I continue to drive it and it continues to die on me. I'm now over 50,000 miles and I'm sure the check engine light will come on now that its out of warranty. I also called GM and they acted like this was the first complaint they ever had reguarding 2010 Equinox. Glad Im not alone! Terrible car!! Wish I listened to my father!!
  • nox123nox123 Member Posts: 76
    Number # 1 I would suggest letting GM Dealer handle all warrenty work.

    Number # 2 Change engine oil every 4-5K do not go by idiot gauge.

    Number # 3 Add fuel conditioner to fuel every oil change "all engines"

    Number #4 Do not let all the hype on line freak you out "let GM Freak out" and do the warrenty work while in the 100K window for the drive line.

    I have over 50k on my Nox and have experience some of the warrenty related issues with my 2010 4cyl. to date. The "truck" runs fine, gets a respectable 22-28mpg the way i drive and has never broke down or caused me to question its safety.
  • nox123nox123 Member Posts: 76
    The percentage of disgruntaled owners; leased or owned vehicals is no doubt so low you will never cause any great concern with safecar.gov...A vehical stalling occasionally, making raspy engine noise or consuming oil is not a national safety concern, that will cause a huge recall...These are warranty matters / issues...Fact is, this newer Equinox "SUV" is one of "Consumer Reports" top rated SUVS for reliability and cost since 2010. This is probably where the dis-satisfied customers should be going to voice their consumer oppinion. Being said, I still own my 2010 Truck and have not experiened any problems getting reasonable repairs made since purchased in October 2010; dealer has always taken care of me and the truck runs fine; raspy but runing fine...Glad I change oil every 3500-4500 miles and have the 100K warranty!
  • nox123nox123 Member Posts: 76
    I think you should enjoy your new ford ride and contact washington with any further spare time you may have! I going to start surfing the Ford Forums in my spare time and dig up some old ford skeletons! Gotta love this nox reality forum!!
  • ronwelronwel Member Posts: 57
    edited March 2013
    nox123 - I can't figure out if you are a troll, or need to get your head out of the sand. There are major issues with this engine. I got rid of my 2010 Nox due to unreliability and engine issues. My father's 2011 is starting to rattle and show engine trouble. And STALLING while in traffic IS a safety issue!

    This is not a small sampling of cars. I'm part of another online theta platform forum, and over there both the NOX and the Terrain are being reported as having the same issues discussed here.

    Your Nox is running fine, but don't dismiss those who are having touble.
  • nox123nox123 Member Posts: 76
    Ron..no ones dismissing any GM issues...I'm simply giving my own opinon having pretty good mechanical sense for my own 2010 Nox...I still own my 2010 Nox and have had some of the same issues ie; engine, Trans Etc that have all been resolved by GM dealer for FREE incuding loaner car.

    I appoligize for not caring to join your rally against one of the largest Auto Builder in the World....Being a business owner I choose to lead not follow; I will let GM Fix or Repair my car till I trade for a new nox this fall or 100K gm plan expires! I get some good information and feed back from this Edmonds forum. However I dismiss the garbage and non-sense that is nothing more than a forum realty show!

    Hey, I have had a pretty good luck with my suv/truck, my business asscociate had good experience to date and a some owners I meet on road have had no safety or scary issues...GM just came out with a new policy for changing motor oil last week; makes me wonder how many with engine issues were related to owners not changing oil & filters as recomended or not even at all?

    I personly know men and women that think nothing of not changing oil or maintaining their vehicals; my wife happens to be one of them!
  • ronwelronwel Member Posts: 57
    Being a Canadian, and living a short distance from the plant where they build the Nox, I'm very loyal and partial to GM. Every car I've owned, or my parent have owned has been GM.

    This is not a rally against GM, but legitimate issues with an engine that is not functioning correctly. My old 2010, my parents 2011, and now my new 2012 all are showing the same issues. This is not some over reaction, but a legitimate problem. I'm careful about my cars, as well as my parents. Every 5000km my cars get an oil change, some times sooner. This is not a case of neglect.

    So..enjoy your Nox, and I am glad that you are not having issues, and having it stall in the middle of traffic. However, instead of making cynical, snide, and arrogant remarks, just stay quiet if you don't have any solutions or positive things to say. Those of us with bad engines are upset, and making ill-received comments are not helping matters.

    (And yes...GM has fixed my old 2010 for free. But I've also missed a bunch of time at work, and stress about getting my car in to be fixed while trying to look after my family. I'm sure those of us with engine issues have all had to deal with juggling our schedules to deal with this.)
  • reena02reena02 Member Posts: 3
    nox123, does yours vibrate when you're stopped at red light or at a stop sign or even just parked and go to reverse? the vibrating comes and goes.... they say that it's normal...
  • kbryan549kbryan549 Member Posts: 1
    I have 2006 Equinox also and have had numerous problems over the last three years. If your are still sharing info, (I realize this post is two years old), I would be very interested in receiving it from you. Thanks.
  • nox123nox123 Member Posts: 76
    Occasionally it will run little rough at an idle; i do not use ECO and vehical seens to run better; I also do not sit long in traffic with truck in drive; I idle in newtral when hanging in traffic for more that a few minites.
  • nox123nox123 Member Posts: 76
    Interesting information: Wards Auto Magazine dated December 2009.

    Oil spray reduces friction and noise in newer 4cyl Nox engines. Changing oil on regular schedule / mfg. recommendations would be imperitive to avoid friction and noise per this Wards Magazine artical 12/2009. Low oil level would shut down engine per other gm information; this is most likly caused from older broken down oil; which causes excessive friction / wear in 4cyl engine.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    reena02,
    We would be happy to check into this situation with your Equinox further. Please contact us via email at [email protected] with more information ( including your name and contact information, the last 8 digits of your VIN and mileage, and a summary of the situation).
    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    ambs1,
    I see that you have connected with us by phone - did you have a Service Request (71-**********) for you when you called?
    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • dnydny Member Posts: 8
    at the risk of upsetting the people here that have had problems, I think nox123 has made some good points.

    I have had a number of problems with my 2010 Equinox and I am among those who have had their engine replaced. I may be fortunate in that my dealer is in a small town and their business depends on their reputation and that means they provide great service. My dealer has always taken care of me, and while I have had to talk to GM customer service on occasion, it was not because of my dealer, it was because of GM policies.

    My service manager (who I respect greatly) said that he believed that the engine itself is a very good engine and the problem is due to not using a synthetic blend for motor oil, i.e. don't use the cheapest oil the dealer has, and in not changing the oil often enough (thus the programming change on the oil life "gauge")

    The only time my engine knocked or stalled was when the engine was low on oil, i.e. off the dip stick, and if that is your problem, then put in some oil and get to your Chevy dealer to do the oil consumption test so you can get the engine fixed/replaced.

    For those of you who think other companies don't have some of the same issues, let me share what a friend of mine encountered. He has always owned Ford pickups and he noticed that his was burning oil so he took it in. His service manager told him that was common and that he should expect it to burn a quart of oil every 3000 miles. I personally don't believe that should be the case but it does point out that GM is not alone in having defects.

    Again, if you are having problems, gather the information from this forum and see your dealer (and if your dealer isn't any good, find another one or call GM directly.)
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    kbryan549,
    Let us know if there is anything you would like for us to check into, as well. We can be reached via email at [email protected] (include your name and contact information, the last 8 digits of your VIN and mileage, and a summary of the situation).
    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • audionuttyaudionutty Member Posts: 19
    The equinox 2.4L engine failures would NOT be prevented by using synthetic oil nor by changing the oil more often. The dealer is just making that up to make it sound like it's the customers fault instead of a design flaw. I used the best FULL synthetic oil from the first oil change and changed the oil every 3000-4500 miles (not by the oil life indicator which typically had 50% left). My engine had the same oil burning problems as everyone else and had to be replaced at 38,000 miles
  • crkyolfrtcrkyolfrt Member Posts: 2,345
    Bingo! 5 lines but speaks volumes.

    Is this 2.4 used in the Malibu. Or any other GM? Seems to me I read somewhere a couple years ago, it was built...forget..but think that it was dif from the Malibu. Do Malibu owners have this same issue? If they do..well..

    I really really hate it when you get the infamous "they all do that" or "that's normal"...I could punch 'em in the mouth when I hear that...and I've never hit a person in my life. Yes, in years past before I started boycotting all the brands that insult my intelligence..country loyalty be damned if you are going to STEAL and LIE to my face.. i did have a clinched fist in my pocket a few times and a forehead vein that I'm sure was close to redecorating their service showrm.. :sick:
  • nox123nox123 Member Posts: 76
    Very well said...Owners need to accept responsibility and just hold GM's feet to fire under 100k warranty plan. I owned a new 1990 BMW with 36K Mfg warranty and was stuck replacing the engine due to having 45000 miles and out of mfg warranty. I Feel good about having the 100k protection after following these forums. I will hold GM's feet to fire if I have any warranty issues like the ones I read about; the warranty was key when I purchased truck!
  • reena02reena02 Member Posts: 3
    i already spoke to someone named brent from gm about this and i have a request number and everything....he was supposed to call me but he never did
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    reena02,
    If you wanted to forward us that Service Request number via email at [email protected] we can check to see what's happening with the file.
    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • esperinosesperinos Member Posts: 18
    I have just completed a little over 34000 miles on the vehicle (non-GM) that replaced my 2010 Equinox, and I have had no problems with it whatsoever. One of the things I resolved to do was to ignore the vehicle's oil life indicator. I have gotten my oil changed every 3500 to 4000 miles, regardless of whether the indicator says it is due. The "oil life" indicator on the Equinox (also found on other GM cars) is a farce. It will easily get you to go up to 9000 miles before an oil change. With our remaining 2010 Equinox (about 30000 miles), and the 2011 Cruze (which has the same Ecotec engine), the oil is being changed every 3000 miles. I think that trying to extend the interval between oil changes is penny wise, but pound foolish.

    I have not heard any unusual noise from either of my remaining GM vehicles - yet. I am listening closely, and when that happens, the vehicle(s) will go back to the dealer, and I will demand a new engine (not the "fixes" which I received with my previous Nox, two in one month).

    I am not saying that it is only the oil change interval that's the problem. I truly believe there is a fundamental design flaw (or manufacturing flaw) in a batch of the 4 cyl engines that were installed in the 2010, that is now declaring itself. I am not an engineer, but what I have experienced - and what I have read on this forum - means that the problem is not a one-off or a coincidence. I can imagine what a recall will cost GM, but I know what it has already cost them - the loss of any customer loyalty I had. My current GM vehicles will be cycled out sooner rather than later and will be replaced by non-GM products.

    I experienced the stalling problem also, and there is no doubt this is a safety issue at highway speed. It is only a matter of time before some tragedy occurs. :lemon: :lemon: :lemon:
  • michelle_smichelle_s Member Posts: 6
    I have been following this forum for a couple of weeks and I previously posted about an issue I had with my car stalling. GM customer service commented on one of my posts so I have been e-mailing them keeping them updated on the status of my performance issues.

    Just to recap in case anyone else is having similar issues...my car stalled when I slowed to a stop. I didn't happen every time and seemed to always happen if my gas tank was at or below half full. It began to chug, spit/spatter, and eventually stalled. I described it as air being in the lines. It lost power and just died. It started back up without issue but I was fearful to take my car anywhere when the whole family was going for fear that my car would not be reliable. At this point, I've had the fuel pump, two silinoids in the cam phasers, timing chain guides and the timing chain replaced. I'm in a "wait and see" mode right now. I also know that gas was found in the oil. I do have to say that so far my dealership has been great. Communication with GM customer service through this forum has been great as well.

    THEN...today I got a letter in the mail from GM advising that a software update has been introduced for the oil life monitoring system and I need to make an appt. with my dealer to get this software update. Two questions: First, am I getting this now because GM has been in contact with me over another issue (may or may not be related to the oil) or did everyone get this letter? There are issues I have with this letter. After reading MANY posts on here about people having issues with having low oil levels between oil changes, I'm thinking this is a CYA for GM. My letter says that in most cases, this update will recommend more frequent oil changes to support engine durability and overall operating costs. I change my oil every 3,000 miles not when the light comes on saying I need to change my oil. So, with that said does anyone know if my oil is going to need (or be recommended by this new software) to be changed more frequently than 3,000 miles? So basically, if you don't change your oil as often as recommended by this software (is it going to recommend changing the oil after 1,000 miles?????) then GM won't honor any warranty you have??? The letter also recommends that you check your oil level at each fuel fill. So, if you don't (who does?!?) and your oil level gets low, GM won't honor your warranty because you didn't check it frequent enough to catch the low oil level??? Clearly low oil levels are a common issue in the 2010 Equinox because people have hundreds of posts on here about that. This is GM's way of addressing the malfunction?!?!? You cannot put the design/engineering flaw back on the consumer. Figure out what is causing low oil levels and fix it!! The cost of the recall won't be nearly as costly as the loss of customers they have as a result of all of these issues. Just sayin...
  • elli2elli2 Member Posts: 15
    edited March 2013
    Here is my story (much of which echoes what I've read from others). October, 2012: My 2010 4-cyl Nox had been running great for over 2.5 years. One day it starting to buck and stall when I was decelerating as I approached a traffic light. Foot on the gas it was fine, but when decelerating, it kept doing this, and almost stalling each time. I immediately took it to the dealer, who said that I needed new cam actuators. They also changed the oil, and the car was fine.... Until February 6, when the exact same thing happened again: bucking, near-stalling as I would decelerate. Immediately brought it back in, and they found nothing wrong, except that the oil was completely dry. COMPLETELY dry. They filled it up with oil, car was fine.

    Yesterday, 5 weeks later, I turned on the car, stepped on the gas and the car would go no more than 10 mph - no revving of the engine - foot to the floor, 10 mph, no rev. Hmmmm. After about 3 minutes, it "engaged" and seemed okay after that. Came home, let it cool down, and checked the oil, which seemed to again by dry! Decided last night to drive it in today for service. Good thing, because this morning, I started it in my driveway, went back into the house to get something, came back out, got in, and before I could put my seatbelt on, it sputtered and stalled. Started right up and I drove to the dealer. Reminded my service guy of the history, and what had happened in the last 24 hours, and that I had been reading a lot about all of the oil consumption problems and people who have finally had their engine replaced. He promised he would be proactive.

    My service guy called at 5pm and told me that it took a little convincing with his service manager and corporate, but that I will be getting a new engine! Inspection revealed the oil was completely dry after just 5 weeks, and that there were no leaks...Which means that the engine was the problem. Of course, after following this column (and reading the Chevy bulletin on Oil Consumption that another reader posted), I knew that this was the eventual solution. I am hoping that this truly resolves all my problems, and also hoping it helps with the horrid gas mileage (I only average 19 mpg). I actually really like my car and if the new engine solves the problem(s), then I will be happy.

    So if you are having these symptoms, DO NOT DELAY. Get to your dealer and get someone on your side. Have the oil consumption test done and demand a new engine if all else fails. You just might get one, too.
Sign In or Register to comment.