Chevrolet Equinox

carsntrucks

Sorry to hear about the grinding problem, nancys1. I understand the frustration. I bought a Saab 9-5 in November and took it in 3 times for the same problem. I was not happy! However, out Equinox has been a champ. We just started our third month and no problems whatsoever. Hopefully, they will get your problem fixed and you will have many years of happy motoring.

carsntrucks

The Equinox handles very well, is quiet and has a great stereo including the XM unit built in. Obviously, unrelated to the engine choice. Every car has compromises. The 'nox has more than adequate power for what it is and gets good gas mileage. Granted, the Saturn is probably faster, but how much faster and why should I care? If I had wanted a smaller and faster car than the Equi I would have bought the Vue.

senseless

I did experience the "grinding" noise, Nancy. I noticed it when turning the wheel all the way in sharp turns. I'm guessing it may have something to do with the electric steering, which is probably new for Chevy mechanics.

gee35coupe

Well I guess "good enough" is okay by you. But last time I checked, GM was THE largest car company in the world. You would think that the largest carmaker would have a lock on the market. But in nearly every case, they are making cars that are "good enough". They have been knocked totally out of the minivan market and the Malibu is a poor excuse for a family hauler.

You'd think an ambitious design such as the NOX would have the best of everything, but the interior materials and drivetrain leave a lot to be desired. I'm waiting on the NOX special edition that has to be in the pipeline. I hope they address some of the glaring issues in the regular ones. I'm not talking hand stitched hides on the seats but they could at least use a classier looking plastic on the dash an a thicker fabric on the seats. A nice velour perhaps.

nancys1

Have you had the car in for service to fix this noise?
I will let you know what they find out..hopefully today.

senseless

Nancy, the noise was in my test vehicle, which I only had for 24 hours. I did order the vehicle anyway, figuring it was correctable. Please keep us informed!

dan165

Mark my words to the engine critics, the 3.4L is very good and you won't disappointed. You will never see a Honda engine in a Chevy so there is no point in wishing.

npgmbr

mr_bots - Thanks for clearing that up. I was saying just what you stated about the fact that the Honda engine only being in the VUE because it was possibly political, a trade or something else, but other people in the forum would not hear what I was saying.

gee35coupe

http://www.autofieldguide.com/articles/050405.html

The Equinox also comes standard with an Aisin AF33-5 five speed automatic transmission. This is the same transmission that had been used for the VUE equipped with a six-cylinder engine—before the VUE switched to a Honda-supplied 3.5-liter, 250-hp six-cylinder engine and transmission package. Wazir says that a key reason why the Aisin transmission is used is because of its compact size: it has a 14-in. axial length.

And I guess cheaper fabric and plastics make it a better "value".
So why the difference in the V6s? Why not offer the Honda engine/transmission package in the Equinox, as well. Wazir says one fundamental reason is value: the base MSRP for the V6 VUE is $22,405; the base MSRP for the Equinox is $20,995. And Chevrolet is meant to represent value.

infinia1

does anyone know what direction the roof rack cross bar should face? mine came from the factory with the tapered end facing back. it seems like it should face forward. what direction are everyone's facing?

also, the window button of the passenger side rear door sticks in the "on" position when lowering the window. so far, this is the only problem i've had. does anyone have a hood deflector/protector yet? chevrolet has part number 12499089 on the gm accessory website, but it's not in production or available yet. there are more accessories here: http://www.gmgoodwrench.com/gmgoodwrenchjsp/accessories/accessory- list.jsp?make=chevrolet&model=equinox&year=2005&sid=3- 362601227180733

i have also fould part number 18464 for a lund, which is what i will buy since it has a lifetime warranty, versus only 1 year for the gm part.

someone bumped me in the front already! i always park far away too, but i noticed that someone had scraped the lower gray part of the bumper! grrrrrrr....and only at 2100 miles so far!

repoboats

I brought my Equinox to the dealer (with 950 miles) to check out the annoying steering noise on Monday June 7, 2004. The noises started on the first day and continually got worse/louder. The dealer says there is a service bulletin and the problem would be fixed right away. That was 3 weeks ago, thankfully they gave me a loaner.
Now they are telling me the car would have been safe to drive, even though it is making very strange steering noises. They say the magnets in the steering column are making the noise. The fix is to replace the steering column with a new design, and the parts are scheduled to arrive at my dealer on July 5th.
I have had very poor contact from the service department regarding the status of my car. Very disappointing.
The service department says this only happens with certain trim levels. I have a 2005 Equinox LT1 1SE (leather, 17" wheels, sunroof, ect...) Be warned!

carsntrucks

I don't even use the power that I currently have. It's a preference thing, but I'm usually trying to drive smoothly and maximize my fuel economy. If I want to race, I'll do it in my SAAB or get that new Porsche 997 (911) that I feel I really deserve. Although I feel the 'Nox is a capable performer, I don't think it was designed to be a racer. I believe the stopping distance is a bit long, it has rear drums and it is a bit tall to really rock and roll.

Now, if you want to talk about how the Vue engine gets better gas mileage, (I think it does) than my 'Nox, I'm with you all the way.

nancys1

Very interesting..my Nox is the same model.
At this point, the service dept said the problem is a left front strut which they are in the process of replacing. I get my Nox back tomorrow..so, if it is still making those grinding noises, I will let them know what you told me..about the magnets in the steering column.
You can turn the steering wheel back and forth and hear the noise..its awful!
I have a loaner car but I really MISS MY NOX!
Good luck to you, hope they get this annoying problem figured out !!

senseless

Thanks for the report, Nancy. It would be interesting to see the service bulletin, if it's available to the public. I don't know what magnets would be doing in the steering column; maybe they mean the electric steering motor that aids the steering column. It might be stuttering or ratcheting at the limits.

It's good that there is an acknowledgment of the problem and a fix in the pipeline. That's part of the fun of being first on the block!

nancys1

Does anyone have a link to the GM service bulletins for the Equinox?

npgmbr

Dude, I have not clue what your getting at.

gee35coupe

Value isn't only in the price paid, but what you actually get for the price. There's no value in cheap materials.

I guess I just expect too much out of my $24,000. My bad.

bigdaddycoats

has a comparo and the Nox wins! Just got the issue and have not read the article yet.

senseless

According to CNBC, Domestic automaker's sales were weak in June. This may mean more generous incentives to come, I hope. My order comes in late August, and my fingers are crossed for 0% financing for 4 or 5 years.

How are Equinox sales? There seems to be ample supply on the lots, but I heard that there are many potential buyers delaying for the side curtain airbag package. I'm one of them and hope the wait isn't too long.

deg856

The rear-end looks unfinished with the whol muffler hanging sideways in plain view. Can't think of another car like that. It cheapens the look. I get the feeling that some guys overruled the stylists' protests and said, "Nah, no one would care." Well, think agian. It's an eye sore.

nortsr1

Just went down to my local Chev dealer's lot (7:30 A:M) no salesmen to hassle me...there were "six" new 2005 Equinox Lt.'s in the back area. That probably means they will be offering better deals on the left-over 2004's.

bigdaddycoats

There were no 04's. Nox came out as a 05.

nortsr1

I realized that about ten minutes after I had posted.

nancys1

I am still waiting on parts to arrive, they promised them 2 days ago..and now it looks like next week. I am trying to be patient.
I have a rental car but am anxious to get my nox back!!

barlo

Has any one heard about a special edition equinox coming out soon?

anonymousposts

With all of the good things the MT article had to say about the Equinox's interior and styling and all of the good things they had to say about the Vue's Honda-built powertrain I believe that if GM had put the Honda powertrain in the Equinox they would be getting MSRP for them .. easily.

senseless

I disagree with the Motor Trend review in some respects. They loved the interior, which I thought was spartan and moaned about the steering, which I thought was just fine.

As far as the engine, drive one before you decide against it. You may be surprised.

mr_bots

Honda does not give GM enough engines to put in the Chevrolet Equinox, even if they pulled it out of the Vue. I think the trade agreement is 50,000 engines annually which is quite a bit lower than the projected annual sales of the Equinox. GM will never put the Honda engine in the Equinox, but I do believe that in a year or two the 3.5L thats in the Malibu will be put in the Equinox.

anonymousposts

Well maybe they should have offered a Equinox SS with the Honda 3.5L. The Equinox is too nice to be saddled with the 3.4L. If GM is serious about taking on the imports with it's Chevrolet line they would've put an engine in the Equinox that matches the exterior styling and features.

joey2brix

GM moves at a snail's pace. They're only comming out with a trailblazer SS for '05. What like 4 years after the fist TB came out. DOn't expect anything soon from Chevy. They'll only do it when sales start to slip.

dan165

You will NEVER see a Honda engine in a Chevy, NEVER EVER. What you might see is a 170 hp 2.4L Ecotec option down the road or a supercharged SS version.

If you want the 3.5L, buy a Saturn or a Honda Pilot for many thousands more.

senseless

I guess it's not in the same category, but I liked driving the Equinox better than the Pilot. The Pilot felt more substantial, but also heavy and dull. It just wasn't fun to drive like the Equinox.

Past transmission problems aside, the Pilot is probably more reliable. The Honda deal for end of the run 2004s? 5.75 financing and a larger discount off msrp. Yawn.

anonymousposts

If Chevy really wants to woo the import buyers they will have to either use a Honda engine or put a better one in the Equinox. With Toyota taking over everything GM is going to have to make their vehicles competitive with Toyota products if nothing else. And the Equinox's current engine is not competitive. Even the recent comparison test said that they would have loved the Equinox that much more if it had the 3.5L.

My point is just that it's sad for the Vue to have the much better engine when the Equinox is a much better vehicle in most other aspects.

vanman1

Toyota's RAV-4 is near the bottom of the pack for small SUVs. GM's competition is Escape / Tribute and CR-V. Seems to me the Nox is more than competitive with all of them from what I have read and seen.

Chevrolet will never have Honda engines, this is 100% true. Saturn is billed as a non-core GM brand and that's how it gets away with having that 3.5 motor. I don't think the Nox needs it anyway.

anonymousposts

The Ford Escape has more HP than the Equinox, and while the CR-V doesn't have an available V6, the 4 cylinder is competitive with the performance of the Equinox. Especially if you opt for a manual transmission in the CR-V.

I don't understand why it is so hard for some of you to admit that having an engine with 55 more HP and similar fuel economy would be a good thing for the Equinox.

senseless

Getting more HP out of similar displacement can mean higher compression preferring Plus or Premium gas, doesn't it?

So, the Equinox engine is cost effective, smooth, reliable, fuel efficient, runs fine on regular and has lots of torque. It's not a performance engine. Ok, I'll live with that. I still thought it was a blast to drive and had PLENTY of power. Can someone else post their driving experience?

gee35coupe

http://www.saturn.com/saturn/featurespricing/specifications.jsp?n- - - - av=510

The Escape can't even see the NOX in it's rear view yet. And the RAV is going into it's 4th year performing very well saleswise. Far from the "bottom".
http://www.autosite.com/editoria/asmr/svsuv.asp
 

I know the NOX engine isn't a "performance engine". That's what we have been disciussing the whole time. When you look at this SUV the first thing you notice is the sporty styling though. It has a serious front rake and a very athletic "stance". It's a very aggressive looking vehicle. It deserves what GM calls a "high feature" engine to go with the look. I mean come on, let's come into the 90's.

senseless

The autosite was interesting. The sales figures show big drops in gas guzzlers and big gains in fuel efficient suvs. This may cause some pain for leasing companies as these suddenly less desirable vehicles get returned in droves. They planned for high demand and high residuals for the big suvs.

jondoe

I am looking to buy a NOX but i am concerned about the front end problems that everyone is reporting(the squeaking and strut problems). Are these problems only on a certain model or both the FWD and AWD. I plan on buying a LT FWD. Thanks

nancys1

My Nox is an LT FWD and has the strut problem.
It is a wonderful car..just be sure before you buy one that that has the redesigned struts..also there seems to be an odor problem with some other models..kinda weird.

dan165

Is the odor issue the a/c? I know many Toyotas have the problem of rotten egg smell from the a/c unit. I didn't detect anything on my test drive.

My wife's lease is up next month so we will have to decide soon on the Equinox or something else. We tested a Highlander but it's looks are just not there an with a V6 and some options, the price goes sky high.

heybrady

The wierd steering noise mentioned by a few people sounds very familiar to the noise made when I turn the wheel in my fiance's Ion. I bet it has something to do with that electric steering. On a related note, I just heard an Equinox commercial today where it boasted "and the only car in its class with electric steering." The electric steering is garbage and probably shouldnt be promoted.

That said, I still like the Equinox and will probably wait until the next model year to get one. By then the 23+ msrp should roll off the lots right about 20g. That is not a bad price at all.

dan165

Looks like the plant is working over time to keep up with demand.

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/LondonFreePress/News/2004/07/09/532- 581.html

mr_bots

I have a Malibu, and I love the electric steering, its so light in the drive-way, in parking lots, and when turning corners. I haven't noted any strange noises when I turn, but I always have the radio and A/C on so maybe they're there I just don't notice them. But after getting used to the electric steering in my Malibu and then driving my Yukon or S10, the steering just seems so heavy.

carsntrucks

That thing that gets me is the steering is so smooth. It's like the steering gears are lubricated in butter. It's a nice tradeoff with the relatively poor turning radius. You may have to occasionally make an extra turn, but at least there is very little effort involved.

noxwannabe

Some people asked back a page or so for some reviews on if the Nox needs a bigger engine so here's my admittedly biased report. Don't know if I'm a typical driver but I'm a 40ish mom. What would I do with more power? I toodle around town at 30 an hour usually. When it's time to turn onto the freeway ramp, (double lane so two lanes of traffic merge into one) I tell the Nox to hit it and we leave everyone in our dust.

The one time I had to floor it (I had just turned onto a major artery and the cars were coming faster than I expected. My little Nox put it's nose in the air like a horse rearing and pushed me back into the seat.

I like how the idle is set. If I let up on the brake it will move forward but it's not pulling against the reins all the time while I'm sitting at a stoplight. If I'm coming up to a stop and let up on the gas, the car actually slows down instead of me having to mash the brakes like with other automatics I've rented. I owned manual cars for about 20 years so I'm just learning to appreciate the automatic again.

So again for me, why would I need more power? I'm puuurrfectly happy as is.

anonymousposts

For those of us who cruise at 80+ and enjoy the ocassional stop light rumble the Nox is underpowered. Ant it's an outdated, underpowered engine which makes it even worse.

bigdaddycoats

Have you driven one? Sure, there are more modern engines they could have used. I have driven one and it had plenty of pep and did not seem coarse or harsh at all. It is after all a SUV not a sports car.

gee35coupe

May be woefully inadequate to others. My Civic SI daily driver has been killed in the press for being too slow. Fine to me. 0-60 in 7.5 130 top speed. I'm good to go.

But the much larger NOX with only 25 more horses does not sound like it would keep me happy in the power dept. Like I said the engine should match the styling. Even the Trailblazer I6 had a healthy dose of power when it came out. Why did they skimp on the NOX?

mr_bots

Well for one thing the Civic Si is more of a sporty car. The Equinox is an SUV, not something you're going to race. The Equinox accelerates well, while its down on horsepower, but not on torque which is the more important number. If the Vue never came out with Honda's 3.5L no one would question the Nox's performance. It has the 2nd highest torque rating in its class(behind the Vue). Even though the CR-V has similar 0-60 times, I'd feel more comfortable on the highway in the Nox because of its higher torque at a lower rpm. Also, I look for the 3.5L thats in the Malibu to be put in the Nox for 06 or 07 when production of this engine gets more up to speed.