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2010 Chevy Equinox Problems

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  • mrjettemrjette Member Posts: 122
    We have a 2010 LT2. With a baby in the back seat, we want to be able to turn on the rear dome light. The only way to do this is to turn on all interior lights from the front upper console (or I guess open a door). I was very surprised that the rear dome light can't be turned on from the back seat.

    i went to the dealer, and they showed me a NOX with switches next to the rear dome light. They said we must not have that feature... Very odd since we got about every option under the sun. Anyone know if this can be installed now or what option/trim came with an independent rear dome light? As the father of a 2 month old, we could use this simple feature!

    Thanks!
  • hsports94hsports94 Member Posts: 4
    Latest is that the dealership tells me (after checking the oil level after 1000 miles) the oil that was used originally from a different garage was not viscous enough and was causing excessive oil usage. Of course, two oil changes were done at the dealership and still had excessive usage - more than 1 qt per 2000 miles. I don't really believe their answer so now I feel I need to take pictures of the dip stick before the dealership checks the oil level every 1000 miles for the next 5000 miles. Opinions on the oil viscosity versus excessive oil usage?
  • wallyuwlwallyuwl Member Posts: 166
    If you were using the recommended weight of 5W30 then their claim is bogus. If you were using 5W20 or 0W20 then the lower weight could cause more consumption (shouldn't, expecially in that new of an engine, but could), especially in a defected engine.
  • ags07ags07 Member Posts: 1
    Boy I should have come to this site a long time ago, like August 2009 when I bought my 2010. I too am having problems with engine knocks, exceleration and deceleration issues. Initially the dealership blamed it on the type of gas I was using. Next visit they did a software update and replaced the timing chain (belt?). Apparently there was a "design" issue with what holds the belt and it would knock against the housing. Sorry I'm sounding so vague but my "SUVEE" (that's her name) is in the shop again with the same issues and I don't have my paperwork for what they "fixed" the last visit. Today I received an update call and he mentioned an issue with the cam housing and transmission issues. Looks I'm stuck driving the HHR rental for a while. Love my SUVEE but like I said I should have checked this site out closer before my purchase - maybe I should have gone with the Hyundai.
  • wallyuwlwallyuwl Member Posts: 166
    It is nothing to do with the timing chain. It has to do with them being too agressivee with the spark timing. If you use mid-grade fuel (89 octane) instead of regular (87) you'll be fine. I actually use premium (91 octane if you can find a station that doesn't mix ethanol in, 93 octane if ethanol is mixed in) because I get about 2 mpg better than with plus. It also accelerates better and runs smoother with the premium fuel.

    If you want to still use 87, then you can get an update to the computer that changes the timing of the spark. There is a technical service bulletin out on it that the dealer can look up for you, or you can look it up online yourself. But expect to lose at least 1 mpg. I choose to keep the better mpg and better running engine, but pay more for gas. I figured it out and money-wise it is about even regarding mpg (more for gas but better mpg vs. less mpg but using 87 octane gas), so I go for the option that results in better performance.

    For the transmission, the best you can do is get the updated transmission calibration that came out 15 months ago or so. It still isn't perfect, but is much improved over the original calibration that shipped in vehicles made from March 2009-September 2009.
  • alynorahalynorah Member Posts: 1
    Hi, just bought my 2011 chevy equinox in dec of 2010. This has been my 3rd checy and I have always been pleased by the GM brand. Well, after about 3 weeks of having the car, I noticed a slight "ping/clunk" every time I would turn the wheel, either a sharp left or sharp right to get out of either a parking spot or my driveway. I have taken it back to the same dealership and finally on the last time, they were able to not only hear but feel the noise.(They have been very patient with me) I left it with them for the entire day and the car made the noise one more time. However, they couldnt find the cause. They said that they check everything under the car and everything was tight. They attributed it it something called "body Flexing". My question is - should a brand new car off the lot be experiencing something with the chassis and suspension already? I have opened a ticket with GM and so far no one else has reported it. They basically told me to wait until the issue becomes worse and then take it in. Ii am just frustrated bc it is a new vehicle and I specifically bought a new vehicle to stay away from these issues! Okay on to the second issue- the high pinging of the engine. I have had trucks and SUV's before this one and none of my trucks/ cars have ever made that noise. When I asked the dealership they told me "That is because the engine sits up high." I think the betook me for a moron.. but I dont think that I should be able to hear the engine over the radio at some points.. When I take it in for an oil change here (I only have about 2000 miles on her so far) I am going to ask them address that issue and not to tell me it is because the engine sits up high.. Has anyone else hear of the "ping/thunk" noise when ou are making a turn? I thought it might be the CV joints but they said they checked that too... arrg... I really do like chevy...but am frustrated
  • wallyuwlwallyuwl Member Posts: 166
    I'm not sure about the "ping/thunk" thing, but the engine pinging is caused by them telling you that you can use 87 octane gas, when really you can't. Their spark timing is too agressive for 87 octane but they did it to help improve fuel mileage. There are two solutions: use 89 octane or higher, or there is a computer update that changes the spark timing. But you also lose 1-2 mpg with this update. Personally, I have found that I have no problems using 89 octane. But, if I go to 93 (premium), I improve mpg by 2 mpg, and I get better performance. The cost is about the same per mile using premium or plus (89), so I go with the option that gives the better performance at about the same cost.
  • rocketentrocketent Member Posts: 60
    87 octane does not result in pinging here. Considering the number of units sold, there's only a small percentage of owners claiming a problem with pinging.

    I stop every Nox I see, whether it's in a parking lot or a neighbor, to listen to the motor and ask the owner about this and I have not heard the sound or the complaint from anyone yet. Still looking, ....'er, listening. :)
  • ronwelronwel Member Posts: 57
    When I first bought my car I was using 87 octane and would hear the pinging everytime I accelerated, and the pinging got worse if I was going up a hill. I swithced over to 89 octane, (as suggested by some posteres here) and I have not heard the pinging since.

    I've tried different brands of gas, and the pinging always comes back at 87 octane.

    Add me to the "pinging" list.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    ronwel,
    Have you spoke with a dealer about this?
    Here is what the owners manual states:
    "Use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted octane rating of 87 or higher. If the octane rating is less than 87, an audible knocking noise, commonly referred to as spark knock, might be heard when driving. If this occurs, use a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as possible. If heavy knocking is heard when using gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, the engine needs service."
    Christina
    GM Customer Service
  • ronwelronwel Member Posts: 57
    Hi Christina,

    Yes...I have mentioned this issue to my dealership several times. Each time they tell me that this is a normal sound for a direct injection engine.

    I'm one of those people who read the owners manual from front to back...and I have even used GM's recommended "Top Tier" gas...and my car still pings.

    My bigger concern is how my car wants to stall when I have it in ECO mode and it has had a chance to warm up. Everytime I come to a stop the RPMs drop and the car fights to stay running. The RPMs bounce up and down and the car vibrates. If I put the rear defrost on, the shaking gets worse and the engine really stuggles to keep running. I have broght this to my dealerships attention and they say there is nothing wrong.

    I've had my car in multiple time...had the check engine light come on 3 times...had the radio replaced 4 times, the center console replaced twice. Add in the fact that the transmission shifts oddly, causig the car to buck forward at times...I'm starting to lose confidence in this car.

    I've gone to my dealership several times and they say nothing is wrong, and there are no service bulletins.

    I've taken the car to another delaership and have been told that there is nothing wrong...that this is just how it is.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    randyrealtor,
    Have you taken your vehicle to the dealer for this concern? If not I would recommend getting into a dealer and having them do an oil consumption test. Please email me if you have any concerns or questions.
    Christina
    GM Customer Service
  • hancock33hancock33 Member Posts: 2
    Fuel pump number 3 just went out. Fuel pump #4 installed.
  • donemyresearchdonemyresearch Member Posts: 1
    I have some contacts that are having a similar issue with a 2010 4 cylinder model. And the cause of the problem is a fuel pump located on the block near the fuel rail that is leaking gas into the engine/oil pan. And once enough gasoline mixes with the engine oil, its too thin to cool or lubricate anything and the knocking/pinging will be very noticeable because all the upper rotating metal surfaces are grinding against each other causing significant damage. This fuel pump is also used on the Chev Traverse. And the replacement fuel pump assembly doesn't look anything like the factory installed fuel pump, yet the part is shipped under warranty from Chev. I would pull the oil dip stick out and smell the oil on it. If it smells like gasoline, don't start the engine again. Have it towed to the nearest dealer. This is not an isolated defect from Chev. on these vehicles.
  • tom2477tom2477 Member Posts: 3
    Please forward me the actual service bulletin, my knocking has been getting worse even when I'm using 91 grade gas.

    Thanks
  • grampy1grampy1 Member Posts: 140
    After reading all the issues,and complaints about these Equinox's,i'll never buy one.
  • dmazzonedmazzone Member Posts: 20
    Yes, be glad to send you the service bulletin, please forward your email address to me. Thanks
    Diane
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    If you guys want to exchange e-mails, then go to your profile preferences and mark your e-mail as public..

    This will allow only Edmunds Forums members to view your e-mail, and not every spam bot....

    Please don't post your e-mail address in your message.

    regards,
    kyfdx

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  • tommy312tommy312 Member Posts: 15
    I have been reading the forums for about 2 months now & all I can say is I'm glad I got my deposit back from chevy & bought an outback. It's a shame GM can't figure out the problems it's a sharp looking car at a sweet price. :confuse:
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    alynorah,
    You said you have an open ticket? What is the number?
    Christina
    GM Customer Service
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    ronwel,
    Can you please email me your contact information (including a good number to reach you), VIN, current mileage, involved dealer, and a break down of what you are/ have experienced (I understand this is repetitive its just to make it a little easier for me to get the ball rolling). I apologize for your frustrations.
    Have a great weekend.
    Christina
    GM Customer Service
  • carguy05carguy05 Member Posts: 30
    Hi, I have a 2010 Nox 4cy 25,00 miles. Have not had any engine knock, but engine is noisy. What is the "body flexing" Please explain. Thanks
  • sgr5516sgr5516 Member Posts: 163
    Was wondering, only posts I see here from GMCustSvc are requests for VIN and contact info. What do you actually do once you have that info. I don't recall seeing any posts where someone's problem was resolved because GM Cust Svc. got involved.
  • rocketentrocketent Member Posts: 60
    I don't recall seeing any posts where someone's problem was unresolved because GM Cust Svc. got involved.

    Probably most issues are fake, so when customer service asks for the information, the complainers run and hide.

    Not saying this is true in all cases! Certainly some cases are valid. It would be nice to have some follow up though, so we could sift through what's real and what's fake.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    Why would someone take the time to make up a fake problem about their vehicle?

    Seems like there are plenty of real problems out there, to keep anyone busy...

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  • jonrobbinsjonrobbins Member Posts: 1
    Hi all,

    I have a 1 year old 2010 Equinox LT AWD with only 7,500 kms on it(5000 miles). Beginning in January of this year, I'd be driving and then all of the sudden the vehicle would stall and I'd get no response from having my foot on the gas pedal. There'd be no warning. No warning lights, no sounds indicating anything was wrong. The radio would still work, the interior would still be lit up, just the engine would suddenly become unresponsive. So I'd turn the engine off, start it back up then drive home. This has happened several times.

    Most recently, this week it happened again. I was driving, I was going around a corner and the the engine just stopped responding. I couldnt restart the engine for 15 minutes and then the engine stalled again 5 minutes after getting it started. I was able to get it back home. In total I've had problems approximately 5 times since January.

    I took it to my dealership and they said they can't find anything wrong after taking it for a test drive. Well, I told them it only happens once or twice a month and it's driving fine today. They said bring it in when it happens, but how can I do that if it happens during the evening or weekends when they're closed?

    I'm very frustrated. This is the first vehicle I've ever owned. This equinox is going to get me killed.

    Has anyone experienced anything similiar? I'd appreciate any suggestions that others may have.
  • rocketentrocketent Member Posts: 60
    Really? You have to ask? Everything on the Internet is real and no one is trying to persuade others about products through elaborate stories?

    Ok then, my faith in humanity has been restored. Thanks for that, I suppose I was becoming jaded :)

    I'm looking forward to hearing the results from the customer service help - seriously.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,188
    So.... the motivation to make up problems about the Equinox is.... ?

    I don't believe everything I read, but not sure this is the place that aspiring fiction writers would be hanging out...

    Unless you think it's Ford or Honda's social media team, spreading lies? lol

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  • rocketentrocketent Member Posts: 60
    No, of course not, corporate espionage never happens on any level :P lol
  • runoxrunox Member Posts: 156
    Take note this string is over 87 pages long. You find some reported problems that are bit repetitive, but no one that has been continually complaining over an issue. If you go toward the earlier pages you'll find GM reps flying out to drive a vehicle with a customer and testing the vehicle on that drive. Going with them to the dealer and oversee the service performed.

    It's unfortunate, but those with real problems that get resolved rarely come back to inform the audience. You'll documentation that the software treeks made to the tranny programs were tested on some vehicles and reported here before they were formally adopted as service programs.
  • ronwelronwel Member Posts: 57
    Hi Christina,

    Thanks for the reply. I've already supplied my VIN to a GM Customer Service rep on this board and was told that since I live in Canada the could not help me, and that I would have to call GM customer service. I completey understand that and have been trying to contact GM up here.

    I will be taking my car into my dealership next week for some schedualed maintenace, and I will be re-addressing these issues (as my warranty is almost up.) If I could just clear up the rough idle and pinging I would love this car. I'm going to give my dealerhship one more look at this before I call GM customer service.
  • ktreecektreece Member Posts: 6
    See my post #460...I too have the rough shifting and lunging going on with my 2010 Equinox. Took it to the dealer and they said they upgraded the software. Did not fix the issue....bucks so hard sometimes I know it has to be damaging the internal transmission parts. Planning to trade it soon if they dont get a fix.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    Do you currently have a case set up with GM Customer Service? If so, what is the case number?

    Thank you,
    Caron, GM Customer Service
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    I am currently assisting Christina on the forum. By getting this information we are able to create a record of the concern and set up a case to work toward having the issue resolved. If you have any concerns about who you are sending the information to, you can also contact the administrator for more information. If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me by email. Thank you.

    Tricia, GM Customer Service.
  • rgiffrgiff Member Posts: 3
    After a year of complaining that there was something wrong with my equinox they (with my guidance) found part of it. A faulty fuel line has been leaking fuel into my oil. Nice!! They replaced the offending parts but i am leary that the problem isn't completely fixed. From the get go my car used too much oil, i almost ran it out of oil in the first 2 months!!, idled high, sometimes rev when the gas pedal wasn't touched, and just is too noisy. These are common problems I see in this forum. I complained several times about these symptoms and they just dismissed them and made many excuses that these were normal occurrences. I finally just dropped it off and told them to find something wrong with even if they have to take it completely apart. So it kinda worked but i still have other issues that need to be addressed.
  • rgiffrgiff Member Posts: 3
    aha!!! I thought i was imagining the steering issue. I mentioned it when i finally got the fuel issue fixed and they told me it was just sensitive. On a resent highway trip we determined it was not sensitive but actually "stuck" at higher speeds. This vehicle is beginning to smell citrusy!
  • rgiffrgiff Member Posts: 3
    I had this problem!! Motor had to be replaced. one of my other windows is starting to do the same thing:(.
  • evanpegevanpeg Member Posts: 2
    I too am having problems with our 2010 equinox using oil and they told us we are the only equinox out there that has this problem well obviously we are not.
    They try and make it out that it is our fault. They did an oil consumption test on our car and the oil was low and they said it was within normal range. I took it in again because they engine noise is terrible and they said it went away with they put oil in it. They told me they fixed it and just watch the oil level. Well I took it in with 8% left on my oil change and they said that it was really low on oil and the oil was dirty and gritty but they made it out to be my fault because I didn't bring it in every 1000 miles when I was told I didn't have to do that anymore. My car also doesn't want to shift right and I have to run the defrost all the time to keep the window from fogging up. We have two other cars a ford and pontiac with high miles and they run better than our crappy chevy. We did get Gm to give us a reference # but I guess our chevy dealer doesn't want to fix the problem.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    You stated GM gave you a reference number, do you have a case set up with GM? If so, could you please email me the case number? I would like to look more into this situation.

    Thank you,
    Caron, GM Customer Service
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    Rgiff,

    I have been reading through this thread and your situation has caught my eye. Would you mind providing me with any additional information that you are experiencing with your vehicle? I would like to see about doing some research about this.

    Sincerely,
    Michelle P., GM Customer Service
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    rgiff,
    Have you spoke with GM Customer Assistance?
    Christina
    GM Customer Service
  • evanpegevanpeg Member Posts: 2
    edited April 2011
    I called Melissa last Tuesday and she returned our call on Friday. She called today and I wasn't able to call her back because it was too late in the evening.

    Thanks,
    Peg
  • elli2elli2 Member Posts: 15
    I generally have few problems with my 2010 Equinox, and have gotten used to some of the annoyances. But here's something new. I had never sat in the back seat before last weekend. The ride is not only horribly bumpy, but the seat vibrates like crazy. Front seats are perfectly fine, the ride is quite good. Have others noticed this, or do I need to have mine checked?
  • cg3035cg3035 Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2010 Equinox and 2 days ago my lights went on and off by themselves while I was in my house. 20 minutes later the car actually started and turned off on its own. It did this about 6 times all on it's own!! I just got back from the dealership and they told me it was a common problem with 2010 equinox. Anyone having the same problem?
  • tanastanas Member Posts: 8
    Just got my new 2011, replacing the 2010 lemon.
    Good luck !
  • ray80ray80 Member Posts: 1,655
    Haven't magicly started our Terrain yet, but have had the lights blink and hatch open seemingly on its own a couple times. Moving the key fob in my pocket corrects the problem as a temp fix (Extended range fob creates the potential for the issue I believe).
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    ray80,
    I apologize you are having concerns. Have you had a chance to see or speak with your dealer?
    Christina
    GM Customer Service
  • ray80ray80 Member Posts: 1,655
    Hi Christina, its just a minor annoyance not really a problem ( other then to much junk in my pocket that can cause buttons to be pushed). Once the battery in key fob gets some age on it (less power) it should be less frequent. Thanks
  • cg3035cg3035 Member Posts: 2
    I have taken it to the dealer and they told me there is nothing they can do about it. They said Chevy was working on the problem and I'd have to wait until I hear from the company. So basically my car can turn on (and I mean the engine actually starting and running) at any random time and I'm just supposed to deal with it. I'm really frustrated and can't seem to find anyone else who is having the same problem. I've been searching the internet with no luck. Just a little annoyed that my brand new car is having this problem and no one can fix it.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    elli2,
    It doesn't hurt to have it looked at. Please keep me updated.
    Christina
    GM Customer Service
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