2010 Chevy Equinox Problems

rocketent

I felt the same way after the first couple of hundred miles, but now all is good.
First of all, I had the tanny flash done to my computer.
This helped a lot, but I still wasn't 100% satisfied. I didn't really hold too much faith in the whole "learning transmission" theory, but over time my tranny has smoothed out significantly and I don't notice any glitches in the shifting at all anymore. I drove a six cylinder and it feels rather sluggish or hesitant before it gets into it's power range, but fine once it gets up to speed. My four is peppy, has great pick up and I have no probs on the race track that defines California's freeways.
There's a whole thread on this subject under transmission fix, where I've posted the Calibration bulletin #09271 issued on 10/8/2009. Along with a scan of what was flashed here: http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/1363/09271aserviceinfo.jpg
There may be newer bulletins, but I haven't checked recently.
From my personal experience, I would say your tranny will get a lot smoother.

maxiumpete

You might try having the tranny program updated first. I believe some folks have found that getting the latest download from GM may improving the shifting behavior if you haven't already done that. Check out the Wallyuwl posts.

fritz88

I had the "sticky" steering issue. I thought I was going crazy at first. I approached my local dealer with the issue and was told that it was "normal", that's how they all are! I have about 9000 miles on my 2010 Nox and this steering issue, as of the last couple of months, does not seem to be present. I have also been driving on bad roads which keeps my speed down.

bluesgal

Thanks, I will take it to the service dept. asap.

12weeks

After waiting 12 1/2 weeks for my 2010 Equinox I'm ready to give it back. At 335 miles it shut down on me and I barely made it off the road, waited for over 2 hours for GM Roadside to tow vehicle because OnStar gave them the wrong location by 7 miles. Dealer took it in and replaced 2 sensors, even though the fuel gauge displayed 1/8 tank it was empty. About 2 weeks later the same thing happened, just shut down-no low fuel lights came on either time and again it was empty. Now the dealer has it back again, 2100 miles and he's got some module on order. Has anybody had anything like this happen? My 60 days will be up February 4th, do I have a lemon?

crkyolfrt

In reading through this Nox thread, I am left with mixed feelings. On one hand there are some fine people here who share like interests and obviously their choice of car to drive. There seems to be the odd mechanic, male/female commuter, retirees and of course even your proverbial soccer moms. A real good mix. But what strikes me here (in a discouraging way), if some posts are real, is that I am losing confidence in pursuing an Equinox now. There seems to be a wide array of some pretty serious flaws and these are on brand new cars under wty. Not cars whose wiring, and connectors and numerous sensors that haven't yet been exposed to a winter climate of salted and calcified roads. So this is a concern.

But the thing is, there is the potential for misuse and some dirty pool if like, on these forums. There is nothing to stop members who own Japanese or other North American type dealerships from trolling the site and creating literally, false ailments with the car, in order to spread uneasiness and even resultant changes of mind in which car a reader decides in the end to lay down their hard earned cash on.

So.... either the new Nox has some pretty serious woes and a higher than average number of teething errors, or not all apparent problems reported here are real. I wonder? So has anyone else wondered this or is my conspiracy mind working overtime on a snowy mid-winter afternoon?

stever

The trolls are usually pretty obvious.

And it's human nature to visit a forum and complain. When everything is hunky-dory, most owners don't seek out a forum to look for solutions to problems.

Every make and model here has people posting about problems with their cars, so keep that in mind as well.

mickeyrom

I have heard it said that you should never buy a brand new model,such as the 2010 Equinox,because they need some time to get the bugs out.I am undecided if that is true or not.I guess it depends on just random luck.
As far as some people have an agenda....I have no doubt that is true.Not only on this thread and vehicle,but on many other car sites and car revue sites.

bluedad

actually for the number on the road, the feedback is pretty good. People love to "bash" on forums as it makes them feel vindicated and a bit like an expert when they are not. There is even one "complaint" about the electronics (there was no low fuel warning, this may be a legit issue) when in reality the owner ran out of gas. TWICE. Anyone driving around on an eighth of a tank or less almost deserves to get stranded. Sorry, but it's just common sense (or the lack of) which seems to often be the "issue" people have with their vehicles. I had two Trailblazers and the initial "feedback" on those was a lot worse and that was a terrific truck (both of them)

brueggie

I guess I have been lucky over the course of the past 14 years or so of buying 10 new cars, 5 of which were a new model:
'98 Trans Am - new model year
'00 GMC Pickup
'00 Grand Prix
'01 GMC Envoy - new model year
'03 Sante Fe
'03 Matrix
'04 Trailblazer
'05 Camry - new model year
'07 Tahoe - new model year
'10 Equinox - new model year

I had one problem with the Tahoe - one sensor that knocked a bunch of stuff off line when it went out but one trip to the dealer and it was fixed and never had another problem - bulletin was already issued for the specific sensor.
We have had minor problems with the 'Nox (search my threads for details) and with one trip to the dealer it was also fixed - bulletin was already issued. I cannot think of anything else with the other new cars that I had them in the dealer for issues.
My Camry is pushing 96000 miles and all it has needed was a new tensioner, water pump and battery.
My opinion with the way these cars are currently being built with more computers, more sensors, more electronics that there is a greater chance of something to go wrong may it be major or minor. The Equinox is a great vehicle for us and so far we have enjoyed it without any major issues. As to other comments made, I too would be on here voicing my concern about major issues for two reasons: One - to find out if others are having the same issue and Two - to warn people. Do your research, compare the negative/problems against how many '10 'Nox's are on the road and I think you will see that the major problems experienced/reported are maybe 1%.

runox

make sure you depress the "lock" button before the remote start button.

jlg44

Does anybody know the production dates of the heads with the metal shavings and what would be the manufacturing dates of the vechiles involved? Were the heads a problem or the acatuator or both?

wallyuwl

With my vehicle the actuator needs replacing. I had the problem at about 6k miles. Seems most people with the shavings problems experience the problem rather quickly, under 1000 miles. I don't know if these two issues are related or not (I don't know enough about engines), but so far these seem to be the two engine problems out there.

crkyolfrt

Yes that's true, and I agree with you and as Steve mentioned also, people tend to chat about problems more than successes, and also I really didn't have any stats on the # of 2010 Nox sold so far, but then there must also be a great number who also don't know of this or similar sites.

There is always the common sense element too as has been mentioned. But some of the problems do seem to be owner-blameless ones. I guess it is about the numbers tho. I too bought a new model year Matrix (I think 03 was first year?) at least it was in Canada. Was a good car, with very few problems although I think the auto tranny was going in it cuz it smelled hot and had only had one day of hard use. Never drove in hilly terrain or with a # of passengers or trailer towed.
- It had replaced under wty rear hatch window struts twice and they still wouldn't hold lid up properly.
- The little cubby bin plastic door wouldn't stay closed
and only very few issues really. So was a great success for a first year run in my mind.

About buying first year runs...In these modern times of nickel counting, mfgrs seem to be constantly finding ways to improve their profit margin and think that owners don't notice. A good example of this is the Matrix. My 03 had the good GM sound system, yet with my friends new 05 they had started to fit the lessor cost Corolla sound system as standard.

But the 05 had the cubby bin door redesigned.. haha

jlg44

I read your post but didn't see what symptoms were you having that you had to take it in and they changed the actuator?

stever

Forgot to mention that people are generally more upbeat about their cars over in the Consumer Ratings & Reviews.

jimn12

Picked up my silver 1LT on Jan 25. Three options: 1)power seat because I read the seats are hard and unforgiving, 2)backup camera because I could see the rear has poor visibility, and 3)a sunroof because I wanted a sunroof.

Power: the 4 feels much peppier than I was expecting. The AWD might be better off with a 6 cyl but I think the 4 with FWD is perfect for non-drag racers.

Transmission: Some hesitation between shifts but no big deal. Turn the ECO button off and it is barely noticeable. With ECO on the hesitation is a little more noticeable because RPM is lower, but it's not real bad.

Handling: I was expecting a fairly soft ride, but I was pleasantly surprised with the firm ride.

Rear visibility: Worse than I expected. The camera only helps straight back for short distances. The rear quarter blind spots are large, and the tinted windows and tinted mirror don't help. I'm 60 years old; younger eyes will probably have less of a problem.

Seats: Calling them firm would be too kind. These seats are HARD. Power driver's seat definitely helps find a comfy position. Kinky lumbar adjustment.

Overall, I like it. I like driving it and I like looking at it. It's economical and has plenty of room for the wife and I to go camping or to pick up something big.

mickeyrom

I decided that I coud not afford a Nox ,so I bought a used Prius.
At least I will get great gas mileage.

nifty56

The USB port is for a memory stick, download music onto it and put it in the USB port. As for the MP3 player, you will need a line from the player to the AUX jack to play music. A MP3 player has nothing to do with the USB port. Any MP3 player should work, I have 2 and both are different manufactures and work fine in the Nox Hope this helps..

remmy4

An IPod or a Zune.

runox

Hope you enjoy Toyota's recalls. :sick:

Seats hard ? Geez, you must have one soft fanny, this is the most comfortable ride I've ever had.

Forum whiners - let's face it, people seek out the internet for new cars for one of two reasons - 1) they're hunting information about a car they are considering for purchase, or 2) they think they have a problem and are trying to find out more about it.

New car buyers generally don't do searches to find out where they can post about their satisfaction. There are close to 30,000 '10's out on the road now. Yea, some have tranny bugs or other selective issues, but if you read through the threads on this forum, GM is tackling the bugs. Every mfg has there woes one year of another. Look at the Prius brake issue now. It'll get fixed, GM trannies got fixed, and we all move on.

Personally, the '10 Nox is the right fit for me

crkyolfrt

you said: "New car buyers generally don't do searches to find out where they can post about their satisfaction. " :roll eyes:

I guess that's why there aren't any Corvette or Mustang or F150 or even Chevette forums that people chat about their ride? yup...rolling eyes again..

And kicking Toyota owners when they're down, or calling us here on this forum "forum whiners" won't win you any favours around here.

Let me guess, you're not getting over-run with friends right? Both here on the internet and off?
Rhetorical by the way..

mickeyrom

Did I whine? I don't remember mentioning seats....you're losing me pal.I have bigger problems than recalls,or haven't you heard?Actually there is a similar car to the Nox which might be cheaper and better.The KIA Sorento.Check it out sometimes,just for fun.The Nox does get better mileage.32-29

gpocha

Sticky steering is not normal! I have a 2010 equinox awd thats been in the shop for the last month for the steering sticking at road speed that just about put me in the ditch on icy highway. But thats not the only probem, when i turn the engine off the vehicle keeps running for a few seconds. These problems started at 9000 km and back in november of last year. The first couple of times i took it back to the dealer they told me they couldn't find any code on the vehicle and it would crash there computer. Now they ordered injectors for it thinking that is causing the problem's.

tidester

Forum whiners ...

I am glad to hear that you are happy with your Nox but I wonder how you distinguish between people airing grievances about their vehicle and those who whine about those people? It seems to me that one is on topic and the other is off topic. :P

tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper

bluedad

My IPhone works perfectly plugged in the USB for music. 32G of storage means I won't run out of songs anytime soon.

vanman1

Better start saving up for the replacement batteries in a few years.

mickeyrom

We have several friends who have a Prius, and none have replaced EITHER battery.One Prius has over 180,000 miles.Their only repair was brake pads. Not only that,but the main battery is guaranteed for at least 100,000 miles.I doubt that my Prius will exceed that.

vanman1

Best to get rid of it before the batteries die off. I saw on TV, about $8K for new ones.

stever

Unless the computer is fried, expect to pay around $3,000. You have to watch the dealer though. link.

How about we get back to the 'Nox?

rileyroo11

have 2010 had recall on heat /defrost fixed... two days later on highway the headlights went off while driving at night and the security lock light came on screen ..both for 5 sec then back to normal. whats up anybody know???

mickeyrom

And people think Toyota has problems?

elisa81

If you go back far enough you will see that I've written some raving reviews about my new 2010 2LT Nox. Those feelings have not changed, even though I have had 2 problems, which have resulted in the vehicle being towed both times.

The first time was about 6 weeks ago. I was driving to work on the interstate when I received a warning that my engine was overheating. I called Onstar immediately and they told me that there was something wrong with my engine/transmission and that I could lose control of my car. Fortunately I was close to work. So, when I got to work I called my dealer. They told me it wasn't safe to drive, so I had it towed. A day later they said the thermostat had broken somehow, making my transmission overheat. They fixed this "totally random" problem and I was back on the road in 3 days.

Then, last week I had the same warning come up and the same response from on star. So, once again I had it towed back to the dealer. That same day they were able to tell me that the onboard computer that manages power output to the engine/transmission was malfunctioning, putting some of the major functionalities of my vehcile into an "eco mode" resulting in too much power going into my engine & ttransmission, to the point of overheating. Within one day they had replaced the computer and once again my car seems to be doing just fine.

Just for my own knowledge, I have already checked into lemon laws for the state of Missouri. I have 2 more instances to go before I can file a claim.

I am hoping that they have found the problem and that my car will run without issues now long term!! I really do love my car and get frustrated with having two similar instances in less than two months.

Anyone else had a situation like this? I really hope it doesn't happen again!!

10lt2

It is true that 1st year cars have a higher rate of problems than 2nd or 3rd year cars. That is the nature of the business. Some asian care are released in Asia for a year prior to North America to help with this.

I have owned 3 1st year GMs and have a 2010 equinox now. None have had any major issues but my 2004 Colorado needed a brake light switch and had an emmission light come on that was a warranty issue.

My 2010 Nox picked up Nov 2009 has been perfect so far. Not even the smallest glitch or manufacturing issue. Everything is tight and works.

10lt2

I have read that there is a recall on the 2010 Nox for the defroster. What options do you have to have on the car to fall under this recall. Anyone been notified about this. Mine works fine and I have not heard anything.

I am trying to figure out if my model falls under the recall.

back2front

I bought my 2010 Nox in July of 09 and mine was also working perfectly. When I took it in for a tire rotation and oil change it came up that I needed two recalls fixed a (defroster-control head and a vacum hose) took 15 minutes and all seems fine.

merf1

I drove both the 2010 Nox and the 2011 Sorento.
I liked the Nox but
did not think it rode quite as well as the Kia.
The Kia has more cu ft of space inside and a little more passenger space.
The Nox has better fuel economy.
I bought the Sorento for $1500 under invoice and the price on the Nox was not negotiable.
The deal closer was that the Kia has a 5 year 60,000 mile bumper to bumper warrant but the Nox only has a 3 year 36000 mile bumper to bumper warranty.
My trade in was a 2006 Hyundai Tucson GL with 43000 miles on the clock.
I paid $16200 when I bought it new and got $8500 for it in trade.
That is less than $2000 per year of ownership.
I have to say I am hooked on Hyundais and now on Kias.
My wife drives a 2009 Sonata and her last car was a 2006 Sonata.
The only problem we had with any of these cars was a defective alarm system on the 06 Sonata.
Another good point about the Sorento is that it is made in the USA.
In my humble opinion the Hyundai- Kia brands are among the very best in reliability and quality control.

crkyolfrt

I enjoyed reading your post. You had good useable info.

The Sorento doesn't have a 4 cyl option right? A 2.4litre 4 cyl in a vehicle of these sizes and weights are totally doable in this day and age. Sometimes we need to slow down and smell the roses or lilacs.
Even for merging, they aren't all that slow. Especially if a fellow motorist eases off a little to give u that extra little bit of room for only that extra 2 or 3 seconds it takes to get up to speed.
Happy for u tho to find a brand that you feel does right by you.

A friend of the family has been screwed over by the local Kia dealer by an expensive drivetrain repair that they did incorrectly and tried to shirk their responsibility. The repair (not expensive) caused a hugely expensive driveline repair that they made us jump through hoops to take responsibility for. Idiots. Even if we don't penalize Kia as a company, their representative of their product in our town (Bracebridge) SUCKS. And I hope they read this. Just think older 1st generation Sportage driveline issue if you're reading this Mr Kia of Bracebridge. Karma baby. It'll get you on your butt.

wallyuwl

We probably would have seriously looked at the new Sorento or Tucson if they were available when we bought our Nox, but we used Cash for Clunkers and the new models of those other vehicles weren't out yet.

I know someone who had a first generation Sportage and had nothing but problems. It was a horrible vehicle. I know that was a long time ago, and now Kia is owned by Hyundai, but just saying.

My mom also knows someone whose husband is a Ford mechanic at a dealership that sells new Fords and Kias, and he says Kias are really expensive to fix and parts are hard to find. So it is a good thing they have that good warranty. But Hyundai is now rated very high for initial quality, and they own Kia, so maybe it isn't anything to worry about.

Overall we're very happy with our Nox and the treatment we got at the dealership, especially on such a new and in demand vehicle.

wit2

I didn`t notice you saying that you owned a 4 cyc vechile. Have you or particularly a 4 cyc the size or weight of a sorento? I had a 4 cyc saturn vue weight of 4700 lbs and I thought it was powerfull enough but later decided it wasn`t. Driving in cruise control and with the slightest up grade the trans would shift from 4th to 3rd to try to maintain speed. This was very agitating to the point that I now have a 2.2 chevy HHR and it is adequate for the size of the vechile. I am looking into a 2010 nox but I definitely will get a 6 cyc. I had a 4 cyc pontiac grand am years ago it was enhanced with what they called a quad 4 which was rated at about 40 hp higher then the standard 4 but with four adults in the car it was very sluggish and the vechile wasn`t all that big or heavy to start with.

wit2

Read message # 248 by me wit2. It expresses my opinion on a 6cyc verses a 4cyc

crkyolfrt

Yes I am familiar wit h the Quad 4. 16 valve head if i recall. Requires revs to perform. Not a great design for heavy loads at low revs. A bit raspy of a motor too.

Yes, in hilly terrain can be a problem with constant downshifting if an engine is a little under torqued for hills and heavy loads. Final drive ratios are geared very tall so the fuel mileage claims can be met under the controlled (non-aggressive) testing. Maintaining a set speed near the 'cruise' rpm at 50 or 55 or 60 mph in top gear and in hil;ly or even grades, does tend to downshift.....especially if car loaded with people or A/C on etc. So there is when a 6 might shine. So it becomes a judgement call. You want instant ondemand torque for your cruise, or do u mind paying what is likely a premium in fuel usage at the end of the year. If you tow or have a car load of occupants often, or are an impatient by nature sort of personality (no slight intended) likely better with the 6.

kerry11

I have the 2006 Nox and I bought it new has about 45k and I have every problem you can think of. Steering had the column replaced, had the power steering replaced twice, ABS brakes replaced and think they are going out again, Over flow tank had to be replaced,struts, ignition has been replaced but still does not work. Visors have been replaced three times, the molding on the inside windshield on the drivers side the long thick wide one fell in my face while driving. Driver window has been re wired twice, now it is scraping from inside the door. My leather seats look horrible the use very low quality leather. My brakes (pads) have been done four times in one month..... Now I think the transmission is going out, and the steering is scaring me.. I will keep you posted I have contacted GM and they don't' have anything good to say.

runox

A little side note about these hybrids. Now that the insurance companies have realized the electronics are so sensitive in crashes, they are upping the premiums for collision about 20% on them to cover the increased cost of repair.

brueggie

'10 LTZ 4cyl

I know there is a recall on the HVAC module, just hadn't gotten notification yet. Sunday morning before church, we stopped at the local Wal-Mart which is about a 5 min drive from the house. All controls, heated seats etc. were working correctly on the way. Got back in after Wal-Mart and nothing. No radio controls, no HVAC controls and no heated seats. Tried everything we could think of besides disconnecting the battery and still nothing. Still had radio controls on the steering wheel but I can only imagine if we had the heat/defrost on full blast and it was stuck. It is at the dealer now, taking care of a couple other issues as well. Couple hard shifts and rough idleing. It has 5500 miles on it now so I would say it is broken in. Wiper blade has a 1/4 inch area on the drivers side that isn't wiping correctly and there is a rattle coming from the rear lift gate when driving over bumps or a rough road.
On a side note, made my case that the vehicle wasn't safe to drive without the HVAC controls in case the windows fogged up and the dealer didn't even hesitate offering a rental! Don't know how many times I had to wait for a shuttle or another ride after having to leave vehicles for repair in the past that didn't justify a rental.
Dealer said a day or two to get the module in and replaced.

carguy05

Hi, I have a 2010 Nox (7500 miles) and when I brought my car in for a minor adjustment on the brake lights about 3 weeks ago,the dealer told me about the HVAC module recall and ordered the part, I never received any notification from GM. I made an appointment for the following week when the part came in and waited for the repair.which took about 2 hours. After the module is installed, the computer has to be re-programed. I never had any problem with the controlls like you did, but understand that this is exactly why they are recalling it. Good Luck. Make sure they have the module in stock before you leave your car.

photojem

This was exactly the problem that I had back in November, on my then 2 month old LS, which brought me to this forum!..No one had a response for me! I was just happy that it corrected it self over a weekend where it was warm enough in the northeast to not need the heater or defroster, and I was able to avoid the dealer. Thankfully, it hasn't had a repeat episode either over the winter.
-Jim

brueggie

Picked the 'Nox up last night, everything is smooth as the day we brought it home. Still waiting for the wiper to come in, had to special order it. Don't know if it is the arm being replaced or the blade. There were 2 recalls completed, one for the HVAC and the other for an evaporator hose that I hadn't heard about. Washed and vacuumed just in time for the spring storm this afternoon!

bluesgal

I hadn't heard of any recall. I have a 2010 ls purchased in November...should I take it to dealership? What exactly is wrong with the hvac?

carguy05

My understanding is that the defroster could stop working which would be a safety concern if you were driving in bad weather and needed it. I would call the dealer and inquire. They may have to order the part.