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2010 Chevy Equinox Problems

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Comments

  • dmathews3dmathews3 Member Posts: 1,739
    Sounds more like a worthless dealer to me. Is there another dealer near you could try? I guess I'm lucky as there are about 8 dealers within about 20 miles of where I live but so far after a year only one small problem and I haven't taken it in for it yet. Got to wait for cold weather. It seems my radio locks up first thing after starting if weather is real cold like 10 degrees or so. does it a couple seconds after start and I shut down. open the door to cut power to radio and restart and all is well till next start, days, or who knows how long.
  • nox2010nox2010 Member Posts: 2
    i have the answer, my 2010 started running like crap around 12000 miles.. i was on a trip when i slowed to stop at a light and the thing started bucking and sputtering, it stalled and i got onstar on the phone.. they ran a diagnostic and it came back as the fuel trim being rich and they recommended i use a fuel treatment and that if the problem persisted to take it to the dealer .. it didnt persist.. jump ahead a couple months, my check engine light came on and went off, came on again.. i called onstar and they ran a diagnosdtic which came back with an engine code of p0172 which is, fuel trim is rich... i am at 33000 miles on my nox and over the past couple months have been battling the engine light .. every time i called the dealer they told me the problem was probably dirty gas or something else so give it a fuel treatment and it should fix itself.. i did this and it worked.. well guess what, if you have this problem and you are getting crap mileage, car exhaust smells like a 72 pinto and your idle is rough, check your oil, does it smell like gas? if so it is your high pressure fuel pump malfunctioning..it is over pressureized and is basically flooding your engine.. the excess gas is going into your crankcase and disslolving your oil..... i took mine into the dealer and insisted that they find the problem.. they couldnt.. i searched on line for technical service bulletins pertaining to the 10 NOX and i found out that a TSB has been posted for the high pressure fuel pump being faulty in some !)'s .. i took my car back and cornered the repair tech.. i told him that we need to stop F**** around and fix the problem.. it old him that i had found a service bulletin online and he seemed completely surprised and after 20 minutes they told me i would have to schedule an appointment to have my high pressure fuel pump replaced because it was faulty..had the work done on tuesday the 15th of november and i got 27.5 MPG as my average MPG after driving 400 miles..
  • roykulproykulp Member Posts: 52
    Way to much drama..You really need to focus and communicate the mechanical issues with this 2010 SUV!!!
  • jpatrick2jpatrick2 Member Posts: 17
    On two occasions upon starting, I get engine noise that sounds like low or no oil. It clatters loudly for about 2 seconds then it is fine. This generally occurs after the vehicle has been sitting for 24 hours or longer. From past experience with other cars it sounds like all the oil has drained from the engine and it is replenished during those first 2 seconds. At any rate, I doubt this should be happening. I have the 2010 I-4.
    Anyone else notice this?
  • roykulproykulp Member Posts: 52
    My 2010 nox dose th same thing; has never been an issue for me....This is normal for this 4 cyl engines when first started; there is never any oil pressure till the engine is running in any engine. I'm surprsed someone from edmonds did not fully explain this non-issue matter for you.
  • jpatrick2jpatrick2 Member Posts: 17
    I'm well aware that oil pressure is created by a running engine, but this is the first vehicle (of many) I have owned that routinely does this.
    The noise is similar to what occurs when a vehicle is started immediately after an oil change.
    If indeed this is a nonissue as you say, then GM apparently found a way to prevent engine damage during those 2 seconds of clatter.
    Be happy to hear an explanation from Edmunds as you noted.
  • roykulproykulp Member Posts: 52
    Why do you assume the specific sounds / noise during engine start up is causing internial damage? These raspy 4 bangers are known for not being very quite; you can't compare this engine to a V6 or inline 6 Cyl....If the car is running well and getting better that average MPG enjoy it...You have 100K warranty for drive line issues. I'm approaching 40k on my 4 cyl Nox and no real issues that have me concerned to date. I'm concidering buying new one in the near futrure.
  • jpatrick2jpatrick2 Member Posts: 17
    The reason I suspect damage may be occuring is because what I'm hearing is an engine running without oil for a few seconds. It is important to note that this only occurs when the Nox has been sitting for over ~24 hours. Normal operation where it is started and stopped several times in a day is not a problem. I would not give it a second thought if it rarely happened, but it happens often. I'm not confusing this sound
    with the normal raspy 4 banger sound.
    I'm not complaining about the overall Equinox experience, just what I suspect is a future problem in the making.
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Michaelrussell,

    I see you've already contacted GM. Looking forward to hearing how things go.
    Best,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Nox2010,

    Looks like things are taken care of. If you need any help from Customer Assistance, please email us more information.

    Best,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Thank you for this post, kynox! It's great to hear from happy drivers, and I'm so glad to know that you're well taken care of at your dealership!

    All the best,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • michaelrussellmichaelrussell Member Posts: 2
    Sarah from GM, I have indeed contacted GM but my issues are far from resolved. So far the fuel pump has been replaced and the ECM was updated, if anything the vehicle is running worse then ever. Yesterday stopped at a red light my vehicle was louder by far than the giant diesel truck next to me. I'm embarassed to drive it. Tomorrow it goes back to the dealer for the 7th time, this time for the engine knocking and now an old breaking grind that started up again that was fixed a week ago. Worst vehicle experience I have ever had by far.
  • dougggdouggg Member Posts: 7
    Youg need to get this taken care of right away. We have a 2010 Equinox and have taken it to Dealer A for this exact same problem and we were assured by the service manager the sound was normal. It's been one oil chnage and yesterday we took it to Dealer B who siad the engine is ruined due to no oil getting to the lifteres. They went on to say the enigine had only one quart of oil in it.

    When we told then the low oil pres light had new come on they said GM didn't put low pres oil lights/indicators in the Equinox. (I find this hard to beleive.)

    I've been doing BING searches and there are a lot of people reporting low/no oil in Equinoxes. In all of the posts I have seen no one has reported a oil leak so the the thought is the engine must be buring the oil. (And at a very fast rate, 1-2,00 miles per quart.

    The dealer is telling us we are faced with replacing the engine.

    Anyone else finding their Eqinox is running load (like no oil) or finding the enigine has very little oil?
  • ray80ray80 Member Posts: 1,655
    I would never wait for a low oil light to come on before checking oil level, on any vehicle. By the time the light comes on you may already be damaging the engine.
  • bdymentbdyment Member Posts: 573
    The oil light in most cars is a light to warn of low oil pressure, not necesarily low oil volume. Oil level should be checked manually via the engine dipstick. Check the level at least once a month and add oil if necessary. Do not overfill.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    A good routine is to check your oil every time you fill up, or every other time if you fill up often.

    Rarely see anyone doing that though. :sick:
  • roykulproykulp Member Posts: 52
    In addition; drive should be aware of potential leaks on driveway and garage floor where a vehical is parked, oil burning smell, Oil leaking from exhaust tail pipe Etc. These are all potentail issue warning signs that should get attention ASAP.
  • rski43rski43 Member Posts: 13
    .....down 2 qts. I ck'd a month ago & it was only down a strong 1/2 qt. I measured it from what came out of the drain pan (I still do my own at age 61). We def won't be keeping this past 5 or so years.
  • rski43rski43 Member Posts: 13
    I really don't think you'll find oil leaking from a tail pipe. Temps are too hot & will vaporize it. You may see a blue "twinge" but I've never seen dripping oil. I would expect Oxygen sensors & cat converters to "hic-cup" before you'd see oil "dripping" from a tail pipe.
  • roykulproykulp Member Posts: 52
    I agree; however you will find evidence of oil residue around tail pipe if the engine is passing through and burning a significant amount of oil. I have let the dealer change my oil from the get go; to help assure "GM" is liable if I have engine issus during the 100K warranty period; my nox has about 40,000 miles on it.
  • farmboy98922farmboy98922 Member Posts: 6
    I have 57000 miles on my 4 cylinder equinox. I use castrol syntex 5-20 I go 10000 miles betwened oil changes I change the filter at 5000 I have never had to add oil. I have only had one small air leak in some canstier that was covered by Chevy. My equinox has been great I comute 150 miles a day and get 26 mpg by speedomter .I am sure not everyone does not have all the prolbems I read about.
  • robert145robert145 Member Posts: 5
    I never felt good about the dealer taking apart the 2010 Equinox engine at 15,000 miles. It has never been the same. I knew GM or the dealer wouldnt do anything to help me, so I opted to move to the 2012 LT w/2LT and take an unwanted financial bath. We shall see where this effort takes me.
  • daveh2178daveh2178 Member Posts: 1
    First off, let me start by saying I think this is a great looking vehicle inside and outside, I just wish they would have spent that much time with the parts on this thing. My MAIN problem is that ever since I bought this 2010 4cyl almost 2 years ago I have the same problem of engine noise with no fixes to date and I have had it at Chevy a bunch of times. They call it a detonation ping, I have been told to try different gas and no change whatsoever. Months ago there was supposed to be a computer update to fix it and no change. This noise is so aggravating, the noise is only present when you accelerate on gas, if your not pushing the gas pedal you don't hear it. Not to mention in the first few months after having it they replaced the whole engine cause it was burning oil. Another thing is inside the car different things squeak and rattle like stuff is not tightened down, sounds like the car is older then 2 years. I use to have a Chevy S10 in 1999 and not one problem, this is the first Chevy I have had since then and not sure I will ever buy one again after this. Any help would be great.

    THANKS
  • roykulproykulp Member Posts: 52
    I would have exercised my 3 year 36000 mile un-conditional warranty for all the issues that you claim to be having; way before the 2 year time frame. My 4 cyl 2010 nox engine is so called raspy also when accelerating; has never used any oil and I check oil in between all oil changes. I have oil changed at dealer around 3500 miles and logged about 40k to date with no engine or drive line issues to date. In addition; the cabin of my 2010 nox is tight and have never had any issues of cabin noise Etc. Maybe the Edmonds hosts / engineers can help you resolve your disturbing nox issues.
  • dmazzonedmazzone Member Posts: 20
    I also had the same issue and there is a service bulletin out for this pinging noise and I had them take care of it. The only thing they did warn me that my gas mileage would decrease, which it did by about 2-3 miles a gallon. This is the service bulletin: #PI0325: Detonation, Spark Knock and/or a Rattle Noise on Light Acceleration 1500 to 1900 RPM - (Dec 9, 2010). I bought the car mainly for the good gas mileage but couldn't stand the noise so I opted to give up the good gas mileage. Good luck
  • cgallo2cgallo2 Member Posts: 8
    So, sorry I've being trying to forget about the stupid problems my car has but wanted to keep you all in the loop to my story.

    1.) The "GM Rep's" on this site - do nothing, sent them my info, I've heard nothing so - again, thanks for the consistently poor service, at least that is something you clearly do well everywhere within north America.

    2.) Got my car back from the rebuild only to drop it off 2 days later - smelled fuel within the car. Kept it over night and gave it back saying they tighten everything and they did not believe it was fuel but think I was smell the lube from the freshly rebuilt engine.

    3.) So it's now clearly winter in Canada, still no snow but I have noticed more and more that when the heat is now turned on you can smell some kind of fumes from the engine or something because the more the heat works, the stronger the smell. I'm trying to find time in this busy holiday season to yet again drop off my car - FML!

    Now, tis "Smell" is making me sick, like it gives you a headache and can almost make you vomit... what am I smelling? I was going to go to the hardware store to see if I can buy a test to see if I can determine what it is that my family is breathing, I'm getting concerned for our health but I want to know what the smell is 100% vs GM telling me what they want me to think it is.

    Anybody know what could be feeding through my vents when the heat goes on, I really don't think it could be fumes from the emissions but could that be? I don't know how cars work, how lines run but the smell wasn't there when I got the car back, a fuel smell was but this is something new and only appears to come into the car with the heating system.

    Oh, and the kicker people - when I got the car back from the rebuild the engine now makes a clicking sound that was never their but guess what I was told - Ma'am, I've seen this a lot, you see you've been in a rental car for 2 weeks so you got used to that and forgot how your car drove - tat's a normal sound, it's the fan when your defrost comes on, I said but nothings on... um it's normal.

    I've actually taken the time to write out my story, post it on the side windows of my Equinox to advertise my story, and the service the dealership provided(which I fell they actually respect me, listen to me) as well as the "Help" GM has provide to my family(which has basically been repeating everything the dealership has told me but differing in telling me they feel this is a normal problem and the dealership tells me that they've never had a problem like this?) - oh, and to let people know to "Ask" for that oil light feature that GM Customer Care so happily pointed out that, that was the reason my light failed because I never had one you know because the dealership told me I had no oil in the car - GM's answer to me was that the oil light was not in my car, so when the engine was shaking cause it had no oil that light or the engine light never came on but "NO ONE AT GM HAS ACKNOWLEDGE THIS" so again I will just tell my story, still waiting for someone at GM to actually care, not just get the Coles note version of my problem but actually listen to my problems that I've been dealing with for months(well over a year) instead of just brushing me off like my problem was with the dealership - no that's not my problem, my issue is with the fact that I've given you months to fix the issue and it still continues and GM feels that it's my burden as everything has been on my time.

    Another kicker I addressed with GM that I think is a joke - I had to add rental coverage onto my insurance when I told GM I thought that was a joke and they should pay for the rental insurance they told me their not in the insurance business. So it's my fault that when I got coverage on my brand new vehicle I didn't think to add on insurance to cover a rental car, my insurance covers a rental car for an accident however not for warranty repairs - but the rep kept repeating to me over and over - it's not GM fault you don't have rental cars for warranty work - what a joke right.

    Ya, that's another key note I have on my car - If you buy a GM be sure your insurance covers rentals for warranty work because it's going to be your responsibility. Oh, but to make me feel better they gave me $150 gift card to use towards services?

    I'll let you know what I'm breathing asap - Hope everyone has a very Happy Holiday Season and hopefully Santa doesn't bring you a GM!! :lemon:

    Any advice for determining what I'm breathing would be loved so I can be 100% sure my health is not being harmed.

    CG
  • jonoxjonox Member Posts: 100
    Suggest you run a search for heater smells on the Equinox site - you'll find plenty of concerns. Sounds as though you may have a leaky heater core.

    Good luck.
  • bd2010bd2010 Member Posts: 3
    Just googled 2010 equinox problems. Got this site. From some of the posts I have read so far, everything sounds familiar - shaking and stalling while stopped; no oil; no warning that there is no oil; no signs of leaking oil; happening more than once. Until coming across this site, thought my issues were only happening to my vehicle. Now hoping that when I do get my vehicle back (it has been at dealer's since Dec. 14th) I don't continue to have issues. I really like the vehicle and have not had any other problems except this. Bought it brand new in September 2009 and have put 105000 km on it. When it was at 86,000 km, I took it to dealer to have oil change and complained about a loud noise (sounded like a diesel engine). I was told the oil level was down 3 litres (dealer blamed the garage where I had the oil changed previously and said it looks like they didn't put enough oil) and they could not find anything causing any noise. Next oil change, took back to dealer with same noise but I didn't mention it because apparently it didn't exist before. This time they found something wrong with engine and did some repairs. This latest problem came about when I started from a green light and the vehicle shook violently and check engine light came on. It was around 6pm and next morning checked oil level and there wasn't any. I hadn't even driven 9000km since last oil change. Hoping that I won't have to keep oil on hand just to keep driving a 2 year old vehicle
  • jonoxjonox Member Posts: 100
    Suggest you check the 2011 thread where it was recently suggested that GM have admitted the 4 cylinder Equinox engine has a design flaw and replacement is the remedy.
    Is the dealer replacing your motor?
  • stillmc1stillmc1 Member Posts: 4
    For the 2nd time in 6 months I am getting a new engine in my 2010 Equinox LS. I first had the engine replaced in July at 30K miles. Now with 42K miles, they are replacing my engine again. I haven't heard exactly why. I brought the car in for routine oil change. The engine was also idling rough and stalled on several occasions so I wanted them to check that as well. The dealer rep did give me the riot act on the phone, however. The last time I had the oil changed was back in July. He said I should be replacing it every 4-5K miles. I told him I was always relying on the oil change indicator. He told me not to and I should follow his recommendation. I asked him why GM would provide the indicator then and he had no answer. I think he said there were only 1-1/2 quarts in the engine when drained. I told the dealer I wouldn't wish this car on anyone. I need a reliable vehicle and this surely isn't it.

    Also, does anyone know if this vehicle has a cabin air filter? The air seems dusty when turning the car on in the morning. TIA
  • bd2010bd2010 Member Posts: 3
    Yes, the dealer said they had ordered a new motor. I will check out the 2011 thread. Thanks.
  • esperinosesperinos Member Posts: 18
    I have had my 2010 Equinox LT AWD for less than 2 years (2 year in March 2012). I have 47000 miles on it. Though it has been a good vehicle, I noticed at about 20000 miles that it started making a subtle "rattling" noise when accelerating. I mentioned this to the service person at the dealer where I get my oil change, but they said they checked and couldn't find anything. At about 35000, an acquaintance of mine mentioned to me he thought my engine was making noise - there was a soft "knocking", but thought it was just because it was a 4 cyl engine. Over the last 10 days, this noise has gotten louder - it sounds like a diesel engine, so help me, and when I accelerate, the noise disappears, there is a rattling sound for about 4 or 5 seconds when the vehicle changes gear. I hear no noise at speed, gas mileage appears to be OK. But once I decelerate and stop at a stop light, the noise is back with a vengeance. It is not only annoying, it is worrisome to me. After reading all of these posts - as well as posts on other sites - I am taking my vehicle to the dealer first thing tomorrow. I have seen posts elsewhere about complete engine failure and replacements.

    This brings back memories because the last time I heard noise like this (without a check engine light coming on) was 25 years ago with a 1983 Honda Accord - and that ended up in complete engine failure. I got a complete run around from Honda then, and it took me literally 20 years before I took a chance and bought another one. This Chevy is my first GM vehicle in 20 years also - hopefully, I won't have to take the same measures.

    Oh, and if I am told that this is "normal", I will point to my wife's 2010 Equinox, which is a mere month older, and has 17500 miles on it - it definitely does NOT sound like mine (and if I hear ANY similar noise coming from it, it too will be brought back to the dealer).
  • tyrelwtyrelw Member Posts: 1
    My wife's equinox has had some issues lately. This summer it was about 95 degrees out, headed down the highway, no wind, not going uphill and it downsifted into 4th gear and ran about 4,000 rpm and would not shift back up into 5th or 6th gear. It only happened once and she mentioned it the dealer at the next oil change and they couldn't find anything wrong. It has also seemed low on power, even lower than normal lately. This weekend the check engine light came on for a few days and then went off. Then Monday morning when I went to start it, it would start and run for about 1/2 a second then shut off. I did this about 4 times, went in and told her, came out and it started right up. It has the 2.4 liter. Has anyone ran into problems like this.

    It is a good looking car and drives nice other than being the most gutless vehicle I have ever driven. I'm a chevy person and have an 07 duramax, but this car is really starting to sour me on GM. Might have to go back to Fords, or got forbid get rid of the equinox and get her another Subaru.
  • trooperevtrooperev Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2010 Equinox which currently has 13,211 miles on it. Obviously I don't drive it much. Last December 22, 2010 the check engine light came on and the car stalled at every traffic light. I took it to the dealer, they said they fixed it and the problem was my oil was very dirty. Did't make sense to me, but I'm not the mechanic, the oil only had maybe 2,000 miles on it. Yesterday same problem. Engine shut down at every light. Check engine light is on. Took it in today and the tech according to the service manager thinks he found the problem, but couldn't tell me if it would be done tomorrow. If it isn't am I not entitled to a loaner under the warranty. And if this happens again would this not be covered under the lemon law. Thanks for any help.
  • esperinosesperinos Member Posts: 18
    My dealer called me and gave me a vague story that there was something wrong with the timing chain and the belt tensioner. No explanation as to why there was low oil in the pan, except that the engine must have been burning it (there were no leaks). As to why it was burning it, no explanation. I'm anxious to see how long the repair will last. I've loved this vehicle and want to keep it, but reliability is key for me.
  • catosmamacatosmama Member Posts: 1
    Bought my 2010 Equinox new. It went through the center console recall when I first got it, no problem. I kid you not, on the two-year anniversary of my purchase, the problems started. It wasn't running quite right. A few weeks ago, it started running really poorly, like it was going to stall when idling. The check engine light came on. In it went to the dealer...they updated two fuel software updates. Still not running quite right, threatening to stall while idling. Today, waiting at a stop light, the stabilitrak light came on. Now I have to schedule another visit to the dealership.

    My grandfather retired from GM. This is the second brand new GM product I've purchased, and I had two used GMs before that (although this is the only Chevy...how I miss my beloved Pontiacs!). I'm concerned that this is just the start of the problems. I'd be furious if it wasn't still under warranty...even so, it's time off work and time without a car to deal with this.
  • spbb_1975spbb_1975 Member Posts: 2
    I have the same exact issue..perfect to what you are saying, they went through the center console, and when it was just at 2 years old it started to act like just as you explain..I live in Germany and we thought it was due to shipping..its not..after I see all these other people have the same issues. I took mine to an authorized dealer here in Germany and they say its my O2 censor. I am not sure about that..but we are waiting on the part to come in to have it fixed. Mine is running rough, engine light is on, my even stays started for a few seconds after I take the key out. (due to the ECU unit sending too much gas into the engine), stabilitrak comes on when I am stopped..sounds like our cars are just the same. I really wish GM would do something about this..I think it needs to have a recall as soon as they figure it out..seems that they all do not know what is wrong with our Equinoxs..:( Let me know what they say about what is wrong with yours..then maybe I can explain it to my dealer here..:) Hope its fixed soon!
  • bd2010bd2010 Member Posts: 3
    edited December 2011
    I picked up my 2010 Equinox from dealer yesterday. The invoice states the engine assembly, camshaft and actuator were replaced. All under warranty. But they charged me for an oil change. I told the cashier I did not come in for oil change, did not request oil change - there was no oil left to change. She said the service person I was dealing with was away this week and I should talk to him next week. When I got in the vehicle, I checked the oil life message. It was still at 50% as when I brought in the vehicle. I went back in the dealership and a service person came out and reset it. Because of the issues with oil/no oil, I will be checking the oil every week.

    On December 14th, when I brought my Equinox in for repair, the dealer did arrange a free rental for me. During the 1st 100 km I drove it, a 2012 Impala, the "change engine oil" message came on. Made me laugh (what else to do). At least the Impala lets you know you are due for an oil change.

    I note that this is an American website and I wanted to find a Canadian site to see if there was any recourse for us in Canada. If you are Canadian and having these problems, I recommend that you go to https://contactus.gm.ca and send an e-mail message under Ownership/Customer Relations. I sent a brief message about problems I was having with my vehicle the night before I found out my vehicle was ready for pick up. Last night a customer service rep called me and asked me some questions and seemed to be genuinely interested in my concerns. She asked what dealer I was dealing with and said she would be contacting them to discuss my vehicle. I mentioned the oil change issue and she said GM would be sending me a "free oil change coupon".

    There seems to be at least one or two new postings a week on this site regarding the 2010 and 2011 Equinoxes. It is unfortunate that no one at GM has acknowledged to me there is a problem. I hope they fix what's wrong because I really like my Equinox and it is good to have it back.
  • smc8888smc8888 Member Posts: 25
    Can someone tell me where to find the service bulletin for 2010 Equinox?
    Thanks
  • juve3juve3 Member Posts: 15
    Wow 2nd engine replacement, i'm still on my first =)... I had a major issue with oil comsumption and they replaced my engine, put a 2011 enging in my 2010 Equinox. This was a few months ago, so far no issues and no longer have a ticking noise.

    Now for the cabin air filter, it should. It's behind the glove box, changed mine in September.

    Going to the dealer soon to have them check the transmission, mine seems to be acting up. I really liked the Equinox when if first came out, but I can honestly say I regret it now.
  • camcahog23camcahog23 Member Posts: 1
    Does anyone outhere know if a Lemon Law exist for this vehicle? We are having just too many mechanical problems for a car that only has 25,000 miles. I have a 2007 Suzuki Forenza with 75,000 miles and I have not had one mecahnical problem at all!! Please let me know.
  • angryequinoxangryequinox Member Posts: 1
    I had the same issue! There is no oil in my garage, on the ground or elsewhere yet I've been to service twice so far for no oil in the car. They have no idea where it is going and the light states the oil quality is at 50%. How can you have oil quality with no oil? I want this car out of my life. I have had nothing but issues since my purchase 9 months ago. This is completely unacceptable and time consuming.

    My door is leaking water when it rains or has any dew on it, I've had the evaporator hose replaced twice. I hate this car.
  • smc8888smc8888 Member Posts: 25
    I was trying to adjust my lumbar support few weeks ago and heard a loud pop noise and the lumbar support went dead. I know the motor is still OK because I can still hear the motor running when adjusting the support. I found from web search that there is actually a technical service bulletin PI0246A that address this issue. Apparently a lot people have had the same problem.

    2010-2011
    Equinox, Terrain - Front seat power lumber support inoperative
    Replace only the screws. A revised screw has been released
    Don't replace the lumbar assembly

    Unfortunately, my car already has 40000 miles on it and it is out of mechanical warranty. I think GM should cover the repair cost because there apparently has been a design flaw. Can anyone suggest me how to approach a dealer to get this done free of charge?
  • ray80ray80 Member Posts: 1,655
    I think if your nice about it and ask if they can assist with fix they may be willing to work with you. You can also send an email to gmcustsvc user here (see post 249 in 2011 equinox topic to click on name and get email addy) to open a case to see if they can assist (they will need the last 8 of vin, description of problems and if you add your edmunds name it could help).

    Did I mention it nay help if your nice about it?
  • carver89carver89 Member Posts: 1
    Hi,

    I know it's now 2012 but if you can still find your copy of PI0325 Spark Knock, would you email me a copy of it?

    I would really appreciate it.
  • esperinosesperinos Member Posts: 18
    My last post, I mentioned that the timing chain and tensioner were replaced. Still no idea where the oil went (dealer verified there were no leaks). I picked up the car on Jan 3. Seems to be running fine since then, except for a soft, intermittent knocking at idle (very hard to hear, and nowhere near the loud knocking which it had when I took it in). I've been checking the oil level and it seems to be OK. The rattling sound I was hearing on acceleration for the last 20000 miles is gone. I have been doing some reading on the Ecotec engine, and noted the higher compression ratio. I've taken to experimenting with higher grade gasoline, though it is supposed to run on regular gas. I will let you all know if this helps.
  • ronwelronwel Member Posts: 57
    Well…after 2 and a half years of pain and torture, I have gotten rid of my 2010 Equinox 1LT 4 cyl. From the start this car has been nothing but problem after problem.

    The final straw was last week…the car started to run really rough, and I had the check engine light come on 2 different times…both times it was reported that the car misfired. The car only had 37,000 KM on it, so there is no way this car should be misfiring. I took the car in the first time the check engine light came on and the dealership said that the #1 spark plug was fouled, and the coil was weak. I spoke to a few of my “gear-head” friends (who rebuild engines and drag-race for fun), and they said this is very bad for a new engine…spark plugs should not be getting this dirty in a fairly new engine. They figured that the #1 cylinder was damaged, and I should get a compression test. I decided to get a new car since my warranty was coming up in a few months and I've lost all confidence in this vehicle.

    Here is the list of most of my old (2010) car issues (I have misplaced some of my service bills)

    3673 KM – Radio malfunctioning, 3 months to fix. Involved GM customer care and a Tech from Oshawa plant to look at car. Replaced and reprogramed the centre console. Rental car provided.

    8302 KM – Recall. Defrost and evaporator hose fixed

    12530 KM – Transmission changing gears rough…sometimes not going into gear. Engine pinging. Reprogramed ECM.

    17823 KM – Car feels like it is going to stall. Replaced cam shaft actuator solenoid (bank 2 – left side) exhaust

    20600 KM – Weather stripping fell off read driver side door. 6 weeks to order and fix.

    21605 KM – Temp gauge stopped working, “AC off due to high engine temp” (middle of winter), Engine fan continually runs. ECM reprogramed

    22588 KM – Check engine light, Air resonator pipe misshaped. Fixed.

    26900 KM – Major rattle from front passenger side wheel well. Tightened body panel.

    28350 KM – Musty smell coming from AC vents. Can not find cause.

    30855 KM – Greenish/yellow fluid leaking from front passenger side, AC Condenser leaking fluid at core. Replaced AC condenser. Rental car provided.

    32290 KM – Engine wants to stall. PCM update. Upper Throttle body coated with carbon – valves sticking. (Should not happen after only 30,000 km). Induction system service. Rental car provided.

    33900 KM – Oil leak under center of vehicle. Torque converter seal leaking fluid between engine and transmission. 2 days to repair…had to drop transmission and fix. SHOP NOTICED ENGINE OIL LOW FOR NO REASON…topped up. Rental car provided.

    36011 KM – Check engine light on. #1 spark plug fouled, coil weak. Replaced

    36450 KM – Musty smell coming from AC vents getting worse…Can not find cause. ENGINE OIL LOW…topped up.

    37100 KM – Check engine light on. Engine misfire. Reset light.

    I’ve lost complete confidence in this car. I’ve been very lucky that my boss has been understanding of my car issues. I’ve missed a fair amount of work dropping off and picking up my car from the shop.

    I had the oil replace at every 5000 KM, had every recommended service performed, used mid-grade gas from a high turn-over “Top-Tier” gas station…YET, this car ran rough and wanted to stall almost all the time. At around 20,000 KM I had to stop running the car in ECO mode or it would try and stall.

    As a comical twist or irony…as I was driving my old 2010 Equinox in to the dealership today, (to pick up my new car), the Check engine light came on again and the car just about stalled.

    The dealership gave me a good deal on a new 2012 Equinox 1LT 4 cyl. Unfortunately I have too much invested in Equinox accessories, (winter tires and rims, cargo shade, roof rails, etc…) to get any other car. I also considered trying to go to arbitration to get GM to buy back the car, but I have neither the time, energy nor money to go this route.

    So...I hope everyone else has better luck with their 2010 Equinox’s than I did. Mine was a dud :lemon: .
  • esperinosesperinos Member Posts: 18
    Sorry to hear that. My repair has held up (so far), but I'm keeping a close eye on things. I've (fortunately) not invested in Equinox accessories, so if I am faced with the situation, I can still seriously look at another vehicle. I wonder, though, whether the 6 cyl version of the Equinox has had similar problems?
  • janaleilajanaleila Member Posts: 1
    I have been in anguish for the last 6 months, due to my 2011 Chevy Equinox.
    Approximately 1 month after I purchased the vehicle in December 2011, there was a knocking noise that sounded like it was coming from the back of the car. Coupled with the noise, my gear shift lights went out. I took it to the shop and they said they would have to keep it for a while in order to get the gear shift lights fixed and did not offer a rental, so I could not do it. Thinking I could live without the lighting at the gear. They were unable to duplicate the knocking. The knocking has continued to occur intermittently.
    Fast forward a couple months. The car makes a weird noise when I start it, as if it is struggling and then at stop signs and stop lights, the car shuts off. I take it in, with the engine light on and they cannot duplicate it.
    For the next two weeks, the car runs fine. Then it begins shutting off at light a couple of days during this week. The engine light comes on and then goes off at times. I have put it in the shop again this week, so this will be the the fourth time that the car has been in on issues, within a one year period. My onstar diagnostic tells me that there is a problem with the transmission or the engine, but the Chevy Service basically tells me that doesn't mean much. What is the purpose of having the Onstar, then. I am being told that the car has to read certain codes in order for them to diagnose anything. The trouble is that the last time I took it, the engine light went back off and they tested it and said that is detect that there was a problem, but that it had passed. How does that help me? I did a ton of research before I bought this car and I bought it because it has fluctuated between number 1 and number 2 in the auto ratings, the gas mileage is supposed to be superb and it is a good looking car. I cannot afford to keep losing time from work and managing my life between car service trips, it is unfair and I am a customer that has already spent thousands on this vehicle. Will let you know what happens today when I hope to pick it up.
  • dowling01dowling01 Member Posts: 1
    I bought my Equinox in June of 2010 and I have less than 35,000 miles on it. Prior to the last month and a half the car has been running great but I started noticing my 2010 Equinox was struggling in reverse and First & second gears. The RPMs run high, like if it was in neutral, and it takes 3-5 seconds for the gears to kick in. It became increasingly worse the more I drove it but when I could barely back-up out of may garage I knew something needed done ASAP!
    I took the car into the dealer and it was determined the transmission needed replaced or rebuilt. The reverse gear was stripped and the fluid in the transmission was black. I was given a loaner from the dealership until the car can be fixed. The dealer has been great but I should not have this problem. After reading this forum, it appears that this is a common theme with this vehicle.
    Talk about Frustrating! The car is relatively NEW.
    One of my main concerns is the fact that, this car has less than 35,000 miles on it and I am already having it repaired. Say 1 year goes by, what if the same thing happens to the new transmission? I will be out of the manufacture’s warranty and I am stuck getting this fixed myself. Will the new transmission correct the problem?
    I need to make sure my wife, my newborn, and myself are safe to ride in this vehicle. Any advice?
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