Chevrolet Equinox Maintenance and Repair

jde5

Hi,

 

I am one of those equinox owners who are waiting for the new hoses that would supposedly fix the "bad odor" problem emanating from the coolant.

 

Anyways, since I still have this problem and my coolant has turned black, should I worry about any possible overheating?

 

I was negotiating really heavy traffic earlier today, driving really slow, and noticed that my engine temperature gauge read slightly above the halfway mark for a while. The meter went back to the normal (between 10:30 to 11 o'clock position in the gauge) when I finally got a chance to drive faster.

 

Is this reading, at the halfway mark during really heavy traffic, normal?

 

'Appreciate your inputs.

 

Thanks!

joe3891

You are describing normal operation of the cooling system when moving slow, the fans will not turn on until about 228 deg F. If you had got to the fans turn on temp the needle would have came right down to normal. Usually in hot weather you would not notice a rise in temp because you would most likely have the A/C on, the fans runs all the time with A/C on under 40 MPH.

jde5

Thanks for the heads up joe3891! That's good to know ;-)

 

BTW, Anybody from Canada who's had their equinox's hoses changed for the coolant "bad odor" issue? I talked to somebody from GM, and I was told the document and TSB for this issue came out about a week ago. My dealer tells me he still can't pull up the info from their system, but that he was able to order the needed parts (forgot how he's able to find out about them), only he's not sure when they'll become available.

 

I was hoping to get some tips on how to expedite resolving this issue on my vehicle --the odor's just becoming unbearable.

 

How much time would I buy for myself if I have the cooling system flushed, without changing the hoses?

 

Thanks!

mjw1

Don't do it! I've flushed my coolant at least 4 times now and each time it reeked again within 100 miles of the flush. I also had all of my hoses replaced but they were replaced with the same old defective hoses and the smell came back after about 1500 miles. They ordered the right hoses and we're doing the new hose exchange this week. Wish me luck!

nvader88

Hey 2000cavalier,

  

     I have noticed the same thing with our Equinox. I started noticing it when the weather really started getting cold. It only occurs with ours when the car is cold, After it has warmed up it disappears. I wouldn't classify ours as a jolt, but you can definately feel it as it downshifts into the gears, whereas when it is totally warmed up, you can't feel a thing. Just for your info, ours is an AWD LT, with 6000 mi.

nvader88

Ok, does anyone else get flashed by other drivers at night who think you have your bright lights on? With our Equinox, it is so bad that I can't take my hand off the bright light knob. I would say about every third car flashes me as if I have my brights on. Just wondering.

2000cavalier

Thanks nvader,

 

I'll have to keep an eye on it. I have an AWD LT with 2600 miles.

gpol42

Same thing happens to us all the time, Im not sure if it is because the lights look bright or if the High beams are on

2000cavalier

Forgive me, I don't know anything about cars when it comes to the engine and so forth. But I have a question.

 

Is it possible that the engine coolant problem is related to the poor gas milage?

 

Again please forgive me if it's so totally not related.

ccole

I have been doing tons of research on the Equinox and there are a ton of people with the same smell and sludge problem. My wife really wants that vehicle and I was wondering if your service manager said the reasoning behind the smell and sludge?? I appreciate your help, since my wife is so picky she won't even look at another vehicle.

mbqiii

Below is my letter to Chevrolet... Anyone experienced my situation also? Seeking advise from all of you. Thanks.

"I bought a Brand New Equinox from Bass Chevrolet (Northfield) last November 2004. At first it was really a good and great car. In my opinion it will totally compete with other Asian SUVs (or even beat them) within this category. I was really in love with this SUV at first. However, lately problems arise with my car. First it has a knocking sound on the steering wheel when you run on a brick pavement or roads with small path holes on it. So I decided to check it with my dealer at Bass Chevrolet last Dec 30 and then they find out that the Steering Column on my Equinox has defects on it. Bass Chevrolet decided to change or replace it with a new steering column free of charge because it is under warranty. After they make the replacement, I took the car and tested it and the knocking noise was gone however another problem came up. The horn, cruise control malfunction or it did not worked; again I decided to check my beloved Equinox with Bass Chevrolet on the following morning. However, it was holiday during that time instead I went to Bass Chevrolet last Jan 3 and the dealer told me that the coil (the one that distributes power to cruise control, horn and airbag) on the steering malfunction. And that is the time I found out that the airbag was not working; therefore from Dec 30 to Jan 3 I was driving without an airbag!!! So again, the dealer replaced it with new one and fixed the problem, again free of charge. So I have a horn, cruise control and AIRBAG now but another problem existed which came out from nowhere... a whistling or hamming sound inside the cabin or cockpit when you are on idle or when I accelerated my car... Such a thing, I never heard it before since I bought that car until the replacement of that coil was made. Oh my dear Equinox what happened!!! Now, I am schedule on Friday to check in my Equinox again with Bass.

I am very frustrated and disappointed with this car now it seems the value of my money buying this car was wasted. I really feel that I bought a VERY CHEAP CAR, unreliable and not even at par with ASIAN CARS. And I don’t know if I am going to use this CAR anymore, and I am thinking of trading it with another car or I will not buy AMERICAN CAR in the near future. I feel really CHEATED... considering this is my first car in this country!!! I really thought American Cars are great cars but with this very bad experienced I now doubted that preconceive concept or idea is real.

And one more thing, I read about some forum of some owners of Equinox claiming and complaining about how the coolant of an Equinox stinks, it’s really true because my Equinox also stinks.

Hope you can do something with this car if you want regain the market share lost from your competitors.

And lastly, is there an option that Chevy or GMC will replace my car? Or can I return my car with my dealer?

Hoping for your immediate reply."

npgmbr

The coolant problem is solved. GM has issued a fix for it.

joe3891

I would say you need a new dealer, the dealer is causing most of your problems, inexperienced techs.

m4825

It is true that a lot of people have experienced the smell issue with the coolant. Supposedly there is a TSB out on the issue now. My personal vehicle has now run up about 1,000 miles without any recurrence of this problem. The last time my system was flushed out before the new hoses were available, the coolant had turned brown and stinky again within 6 miles. Supposedly the process by which the rubber hoses are cured is the culprit. According to our Service Manager there are three processes used in the industry. One uses Peroxide and Dex cool for some reason has a chemical reaction with the rubber cured by this process.

 

The new factory replacement hoses made here in the U.S. do solve the problem!

 

Other than this issue, I have had no other problems with my Equinox at all so far. Best of luck to you!

miko2

I purchased my Equinox on Jan 3rd. My first trip was a 5 hour jaunt up to Evart, Michigan. After two hours of driving I started to have some back pain. (My Nox has a 6 way power cloth seat). I tried tilting the seat back to different positions. I adjusted the seat bottom and moved the seat forward, then back. I could not get a position that was pain-free. The pain in the center of my back (around the shoulder blades area) became severe. The ride home was just as bad. The pain was not just while driving. I actually had to recover from the ride. It has been 7 days and my back is still slightly sore. I only took the one trip, then parked the Equinox. I have a Chevy Caprice that I am driving until the seat issue is resolved. We have four vehicles. A 99 Malibu, a 95 Caprice Classic, and a 2003 Honda Pilot. These vehicles have seats that are just fine, no back pain whatsoever. I had a Dodge Gr. Caravan and a Dodge Intrepid. Again those seats were fine.

I took the Equinox to an upholstery shop and had them make me a custom back cushion. It is 3" thick at the top (including the added headrest part), and 1" thick at the bottom of the back seat. This may solve the back pain issue, but I will need to take an extended trip to know for sure. I am just surprised that a company that has made vehicles for as long as Chevy has, would design a seat that inflicts such mortal pain!!!!!

2000cavalier

Did you try adjusting the manual lumbar support? The knob is located in front of the seat just under where your right knee cap sits.

 

Hope that helps.

miko2

Yes, I tried the lumbar adjustment. It did not help the situation. The problem is that the seat back is shaped sort of like a "question mark" (?), and assumes everybodys' back is shaped the same. A nice (nearly) straight, soft foam structure would be more comfortable for anyone who spends hours-at-a-time behind the wheel. Show me a Lazy-Boy recliner with a (?) shaped seat back. That is my point. For short trips, the seat back is bearable, but not for extended driving.

 

Question: Can anyone tell me if there are other 6-way power seats that have the same mounting (bolt pattern) footprint. I am considering replacing the front seats with seats from another Chevy model, or with seats from another car manufacturer. I do not mind making some modifications, but I hope not to cut the carpet. I do appreciate your input. Thanks.

glohan

I feel as though I have had at least half of the problems being mentioned on this site. Do I have to look forward to experiencing all of these other problems in the future as well? After having to take my Equinox in 4 different times I decided to try to find some information about problems with this truck on the internet. I am almost sorry I have started looking. I wish I had seen this before I bought I would have gotten a Honda or something more reliable. I did not buy a brand new car only to have all of these headaches.

senseless

I had the same problem with mid-back pain and I'm confident it will go away by 2000 miles or so. The seat will break in, soften and form to your body.

 

I can't call it the most comfortable seating in the world, but it's certainly acceptable now. Don't do anything rash yet!

texjim4

MY NOX was fixed a week ago. No more stinky coolant yet. To get it fixed call the 800 number for Chevrolet and get a complaint number. they will send the parts to your dealer and he will call you in. The dealer flushed my car 5 times before he replaced hoses and coolant. The second time I started it I got strong smell which went away quickly. It has not returned. I have almost 5000 miles, no other problems and about 22 mpg doing local driving.

synturi

My sister owns a 2005 chevy exuinox(or...owned). Today the cigarette lighter began to spark while it was being used to charge a cell phone and and upon pulling the charger out there were flames that ended up consuming the entire car before the fire truck was able to get there. I was just wondering if there has been any mention of such things before. Having bought it only 2 months ago, it is well under warenty and the dealership will replace it. Howver if anyone else has come across such a problem let me know. thanks

gpol42

Itoo am getting some of the lousiest mileage ever, I bet a big old gas guzzeler is getting better mileage than me, Does any body know why?

eastman

after 110 miles, i had the same problems in heavy traffic. surging, not responding to the accelerator, and sometimes backfiring.

this is related to the electronic fuel system.

mechanics spent huge amount of time tracing this down. the problem was that it was intermittant and could not be duplicated in the shop.

on the third return, the computer that controls the electronic fuel system started to spit out the codes these guys needed to narrow down the problem.

a. behind the left head light there is a grounding cable that in some cases does not sit on bare metal but on the 'painted surface' of the chassis. this needs to be metal to metal connection. this can cause faulty signals to be given to the computer that controls the fuel system.

b. wiggle test on the main computer connections showed that one of three connections was also not seated tightly out of the factory.. this had to be reseated. this confused the computer that controls the mixture of air/fuel it needs to send to the injectors.

 

need to remember that you're really connected to a computer not a metal linkage that controls the acceleration. if something is wrong with this baby, its pretty hard to check out. i agree with the last gentleman about leaving the car with the dealership until they track this problem down. thankfully, i had a very concerned mechanic who explained everything to me and would not let my car out of the shop until this was resolved. now my car drives beautifully.

jde5

Hi All,

 

The 'old' hoses on my equinox finally were replaced earlier today. Here are the part numbers of the hoses & coolants used:

 

15281801 Hose

15281796 Hose

15281788 Hose

15281792 Hose

15281793 Hose

10953464 Coolant

10953031 Coolant

 

Also, in the job description, the tech followed instructions according to bulletin #04-06-02-010, document ID #1578082

 

Can somebody please confirm that these numbers are correct?

 

Note that I'm from Canada. I'm not even sure if the bulletin reports here are the same in the U.S.

 

Just want to have some peace of mind, I guess. I've been bothered by the foul odor issue for a while now I don't want to get the smell back.

 

Thanks!

gpol42

Do you get good gas mileage? And I too have had it accelerate sometimes, I will look at the connections

czipper

I was disappointed to find that my Equinox is getting well below what I expected and what others are getting (I'm getting around 16 to 17 mpg at 25%city 75%hwy). I am wondering if anyone has approached their dealers about this problem and gotten some solution?

 

Thanks

gpol42

Hi there, Guess we all are getting the worst gas mileage ever thought of on a newer vehicle.

Im averaging 20 on long rides and sometimes less than 10 mpg on short distances, As to the dealers, well they do not ever want to do anything that has to do with a problem, mainly because once they sell you the car they don't want to talk to you unless your there to buy something. Also the mechanics at my dealer said the car is so new that they really do not know what is in them and how to do most repairs. It seems to be a vehicle that was rushed out before all the quirks were found

Let me know if your dealer has any ideas,

Thanks

mitzij

Yep. Same part numbers as bulletin. Let us know how it works out.

noxwannabe

There are advantages to not putting many miles on, I havne't ran into the problems yet. But then I haven't opened up my radiator to smell it either. Had my Nox since May 04 and haven't taken it to the dealer yet. I've even stayed away from oil changes (I've got about 3000 on it). But I'm making my list and checking it twice for when I do go in.

 

Somebody mentioned bright headlights. Yep I get flashed too so I'll have them check the angle. The low beam actually show more of the road than the high.

 

I've got my recall notice for the rear hatch. Haven't had any problems but I'll get it replaced.

 

I'm starting to hear clicks up front when parking so I'm going to pay close attention and see if it's starting to develop the strut problem.

 

I haven't checked the coolant yet but now that the new hoses are in I'm wondering if they'll send out a recall on everyone's.

 

I haven't had any acceleration problems but I'm wondering if the wires hadn't ought to be taped into position so they don't drift over to a painted spot.

 

Sounds like we've got fixes on all the issues.

gpol42

Hello, I saw your post and it is strange my dealer was surprised when I asked about built in run down protection , and said they did not know if it was there, have you had any more problems? My concern was that the rear passenger door was popping open enough to leave the lights on when it was closed, dealer said I needed to slam the door harder, but the other doors closed tight very easy, so after going around a bit dealer did look at it and made some adjustments, door still pops but not as frequently, We now have about 5000 miles on it but the gas mileage does suck

Any other problems?

Gary in NJ

gpol42

Hi,

Mileage get any better? Mine is at approx. 5000 miles and my mileage still stinks

20 if luky on a long haul but if I get 8 locally it is a good day.

gpol42

Gas tank is 16 gallons and it seems that Im putting gas in all the time

gpol42

Acceleration problem has happened a few times and also a braking problem where the brakes all of a sudden grab, The foul oder problem is something we have not experienced yet, but I do remember that at one dealer, they said that if we smelled a oder when we were test driving that it would wear off after the nox was broken in usually after 1000 miles, makes me wonder if the oder was the foul smell everyone was talking about, because we did not smell anything. Our Nox was still wrapped and no miles when we bought it, no smell yet but we have the window pressure problem, the door pops open sometimes, the radio may not be working correctly and really how would one know if it was or wasn't, and a big disappointment is the Gas mileage, very poor, today I will look at the coolant to see what color it is

This site is very helpful

sexy_nox

I love this car soo much, i am trying to get my wife to sell her BMW X5 and move into a real sport utility cross over!

This vehicle is rugged, and those typical chevy good looks. I mean an X5 is nice, but you can't load anything into it, or have dinner on the rear parcel shelf (if only we could camp in it like our old aztek).

 

For the rest of the people on this, atleast reply with one thing you LOVE about your Equinox.

infinia1

i love everything about my nox! the only problem so far has been the stinky, black coolant issue and it was fixed properly! i do wish it had the 3500 instead of the 3400 but it does fine.

 

i'm finally starting to see them more here in wyoming, but my local dealer doesn't even advertise it at all (newspaper ads), yet they are already advertising the cobalt!

outdrsman69

It's been quite sometime since i posted about my front strut problem. Still isn't fixed 100%,but Pennsylvania has a lemon law, which i pursued back in the beginning of August.

     But moving on, has any one noticed a short burst of thumping sounds coming from the driver's side rear of the vehicle? It only happens every so few often, when it's cold no less. It's a burst of 3 thumps, as if some thing's knocking on something else. I am also having the problem w/poor gas mileage. Except mine, once it drops under the 1/4 mark on the fuel gauge, the idiot light will light on cold start, than go off after a few minutes of the engine warming up. Than, it rises to above the 1/4 mark. Granted, I should not let the level go below that mark, but still. Any takers on these problems?

     Sure, I like the vehicle, being it has a lot of great features that the rest in it's class doesn't have. But unfortunately, the downs have out-weighed the ups, and I've only had my 'Nox' since the end of April w/ apx 7700 miles on it now.

camaro86

I have been having issues with water leaking into the spare tire compartment of my Equinox. At one point the dealer stated that there was 8 inches of water in the spare tire area. This water went into the back seating area and soaked all of the carpet.

 

I also notice that with the front windows rolled half way down I can move the glass side to side about a half-an-inch. It has been in the shop 9 times for multiple things.

 

Does anyone else have these problems?

toby4

Ive had the strut and coolant problem but they have since been resolved. I love the car, even though the gas mileage seems to be getting worse. However, I too have hear the three short thumping sounds, only mine comes from the front right. I have no clue and only hear this in the cold about 1/2 half of a mile from my house.

camaro86

I also hear the 3 thumps coming from the rear of the vehicle. It is not consistent so I have not brought it up the dealer. I know they would not be able to repeat it. I am currently in talks with GM for a buy back for my water leak.

michelle6

I bought my Equinox June 29, 2005 and I now have 10,000 miles on it. Since then, I have also heard the knocking noises. I complained to the dealer during my last oil change, they told me it was snow stuck around the bumper. However, I KNOW that this is not the case because the car made the noises in June when I bought it. Before it was only once in a while, but know it is almost everytime that I start it. My car also does the thing with the "dummy" light.

michelle6

Has anyone else had a problem with their car not reversing when put in gear. This has happened to me a few times. I am taking it in tomorrow for knocking noises, sqeeking noises, and reversing problems. I will let you all know what happens.

nosirrahg

I'm not a Nox owner (possibly a future one, though), but noticed mention of some "thumping" sounds coming from the rear of the vehicle. As a 2000 Impala owner, I know there was a complaint early on with this vehicle of the fuel sloshing around in the tank, which produced what some might describe as a "thumping" sound - just offering it as a possibility of what you might be hearing; if the sound happens when stopping short for a speed bump or something, that might be what you're hearing.

sandgirl

I just bought ny car 3 weeks ago and 2 days ago my back drivers door started making awful noises that didn't go away with oiling. Over all I am extremely unhappy with this vehicle.

sandgirl

I am experiencing very poor gas mileage, roughly 15-16 MPG, far below what Chevy stated on the sticker. I called GM's customer service and they have no suggestions and claim to know nothing about this problem. I also called my dealer and all they could say was "Sorry to hear that". I traded my 4Runner in for the specific reason of gas mileage and I am now spending more in gas than ever. Bad choice of vehicle. Strongly suggest against purchasing one.

dekreek

Whatever happen with this Odor problem?

dc_driver

Couple things..

 

Break-in: All vehicles (I do not own an Equinox) have a break in period and typically around the 2-3K mile mark owners see their MPG improve considerably. Go look in the CRV message boards and owners that were averaging 19MPG are now getting 23-26MPG easy. I would expect your Equinox to improve over time My Tribute with 4K miles has definitely improved.

 

Cold weather: Where do you live? I have noticed that both of my vehicles get worse gas mileage (2-4MPG less) this past Winter. Some gas stations put in additives, and other forums discuss this topic at length. I would expect your MPG to improve with warmer weather.

 

City vs highway: Where are you driving (city/highway)? My Tribute gets 15-17mpg in the city but 21-24mpg on the highway.. If you are getting 15-16mpg in mostly city driving then this is about average.. If you are driving mostly highway then I would say this is a little low..

 

Driving Habits: Remember these EPA estimates are not entirely accurate and if you have a lead foot, your Equinox will never get close to those numbers.

 

I think you need to give it some more time, wait for it to warm up, and also take it on an extended road trip (highway) to see what you get. Bottom line, if you have a "lead foot" and drive mostly city miles, then you will most likely average 15-18MPG.

npgmbr

Problem solved. GM issued a TSB in either Dec or Jan.

michelle6

The reason all of you may be having worse mileage right now is because of winter. You have to take in to account how much is being used when you start it to let it warm up. However, I know that the mileage is bad regardless of the season or weather.

michelle6

Has anyone else had a problem with the windows sliding down about 1/2 inch when they are up. I can keep pushing the window button and they go up then fall right back down.

michelle6

For those of you have had your vehicle bought back by GM, how did you go about doing it. I am having a lot of problems with mine and I am not happy with it at all. I have taken it into the shop several times and nothing has been accomplished. I am tired of all of the problems. Please give me info if you have any.