2011 Chevy Equinox Problems
Note: This post is very long but I think it is important to share our story as there is not a lot of reviews from consumers who have experienced issues with the 2011 Chevy Equinox.
After months (literally) of researching, sitting in, and test driving hundreds of cars, my boyfriend and I were excited to find a car (Small SUV) that fit our specifications perfectly!!! We set 3 criteria we wanted our car to fill:
1. It must be comfortable and drivable for both of us (he at 6'4", me at 5'3")
2. Under $25,000
3. Great on gas as we travel 35+ miles each day
We were simply ELATED when we found that the 2011 Equinox fit all of that AND was really cute, stylish, and technically modern!
We purchased our 2011 Equinox (4 Cyl.) in October 2010. We were in love with our brand new car until day 13 of ownership when we were driving to work, 3 lights (including the engine light) came on and the car completely died on the highway. Our car was towed away that morning and in the shop for 2 days. We picked it up the night it was ready.
Problem #1 - We were informed that one of the high-pressure gas valves got lodged which shut down the entire car.
The night he picked it up, as my boyfriend was waiting in the car for me, after only about 30 minutes of getting our car back, the check engine light went back on...we brought it back to our dealership within minutes. We picked up the rental we had just dropped off again and were promised that it would be fixed the next day.
Come the next day, our dealership called to say that our car was ready to be picked up.
Problem #2- what caused the check engine light to come on a second time was a coil in our engine that had apparently burnt out.
The following day, I drove off the lot and immediately became concerned when I noticed that my car seemed to be idling rough. Once I got on the highway, I noticed hesitation when the car was down shifting when slowing down.
The next morning, as I was driving to work, my brand new Equinox was jolting forward when transitioning from 1st to 2nd gear. It honestly felt as if I had been hit. That following day we brought the car back to the dealership where the tech who worked on our car sat in it with us and claimed that he did not feel the jolts/rough idling we were even as he was sitting in it with us. We were told that it was possible that the gas we had been putting in the vehicle may cause what we claimed to experience. When we first purchased this vehicle we were informed that "this car is meant to be driven...just use regular!" but now, this technician was suggesting we allow the tank to run through and then switch to mid-grade. After 2 weeks of using higher grades of brand name gas, the car was still idling extremely rough.
Since then, we had brought it back once to complain about this on-going problem and were again sent away and made to think that we were a little crazy or "sensitive".
After a couple more days, (Nov. 15th) we were so irritated with this idling problem (which seemed to get worst in the cold even after warming up in the morning for 20+ minutes) that we demanded that our dealership take the car in inspect it.
Problem # 3 - After 3 days of it being in the shop, I received a call from our dealership where I was told that there was an issue with the cylinders in our engine. I was also informed that GM had told my dealer that because there was a slight issue with them, that they would not receive the part until appx. Dec. 20th!!
The part came in a couple days earlier then expected and we had our car back the week before Christmas. Still however, theough I did not notice any problems or hesitation in downshifting, our car was STILL idling very rough!
However, because the dealership informed us that they did everything GM instructed them too and there were no codes coming up that there was basically nothing else they could do, we continued to drive the car despite the frustration for a couple more weeks.
Then, once again, in early January, as I was on my way to work the "check engine" light came on yet again!
I immediately called the dealership (thank you BlueTooth) and was enraged at this point! I brought it back and after 3 days of our car being in the shop, we were told the car was fine, they cleared the code and drove it 35+ miles, and claimed that it was running great.
Yet still, rough idling. We purchased our car in early October 2010, it was in the shop total for over 45 days...that says something...I will also add that of our total 32 miles of traveling per day, 28 of them are highway yet our vehicle shows that we get on average only 20.1 mpgs. Though good for an SUV, certainly not what is advertised or "estimated".
At this point, we have indeed contacted a lawyer. GM has declared our car a "lemon" and will be buying it back from us.
This is more disappointing then I can explain as we truly, truly love the style, modern technological capabilities and of course the fit and gas mileage but we have no choice but to start at square one, and look elsewhere.
I truly hope that sharing our awful experience with this car has helped someone else feel like they are not alone in the struggles as we do. We continue to be hopeful that Chevy fixes and figures out the engine/transmission issues that are obviously occurring in the 2010/2011 models and hope that one day soon they will release a higher-quality version as there are obviously flaws in the engine design : ( I hope to one day have a perfectly reliable Equinox.I am glad to see that there are consumers who have had great experiences with their Equinox and truly regret that we were not one of them.
Thanks for reading!
After months (literally) of researching, sitting in, and test driving hundreds of cars, my boyfriend and I were excited to find a car (Small SUV) that fit our specifications perfectly!!! We set 3 criteria we wanted our car to fill:
1. It must be comfortable and drivable for both of us (he at 6'4", me at 5'3")
2. Under $25,000
3. Great on gas as we travel 35+ miles each day
We were simply ELATED when we found that the 2011 Equinox fit all of that AND was really cute, stylish, and technically modern!
We purchased our 2011 Equinox (4 Cyl.) in October 2010. We were in love with our brand new car until day 13 of ownership when we were driving to work, 3 lights (including the engine light) came on and the car completely died on the highway. Our car was towed away that morning and in the shop for 2 days. We picked it up the night it was ready.
Problem #1 - We were informed that one of the high-pressure gas valves got lodged which shut down the entire car.
The night he picked it up, as my boyfriend was waiting in the car for me, after only about 30 minutes of getting our car back, the check engine light went back on...we brought it back to our dealership within minutes. We picked up the rental we had just dropped off again and were promised that it would be fixed the next day.
Come the next day, our dealership called to say that our car was ready to be picked up.
Problem #2- what caused the check engine light to come on a second time was a coil in our engine that had apparently burnt out.
The following day, I drove off the lot and immediately became concerned when I noticed that my car seemed to be idling rough. Once I got on the highway, I noticed hesitation when the car was down shifting when slowing down.
The next morning, as I was driving to work, my brand new Equinox was jolting forward when transitioning from 1st to 2nd gear. It honestly felt as if I had been hit. That following day we brought the car back to the dealership where the tech who worked on our car sat in it with us and claimed that he did not feel the jolts/rough idling we were even as he was sitting in it with us. We were told that it was possible that the gas we had been putting in the vehicle may cause what we claimed to experience. When we first purchased this vehicle we were informed that "this car is meant to be driven...just use regular!" but now, this technician was suggesting we allow the tank to run through and then switch to mid-grade. After 2 weeks of using higher grades of brand name gas, the car was still idling extremely rough.
Since then, we had brought it back once to complain about this on-going problem and were again sent away and made to think that we were a little crazy or "sensitive".
After a couple more days, (Nov. 15th) we were so irritated with this idling problem (which seemed to get worst in the cold even after warming up in the morning for 20+ minutes) that we demanded that our dealership take the car in inspect it.
Problem # 3 - After 3 days of it being in the shop, I received a call from our dealership where I was told that there was an issue with the cylinders in our engine. I was also informed that GM had told my dealer that because there was a slight issue with them, that they would not receive the part until appx. Dec. 20th!!
The part came in a couple days earlier then expected and we had our car back the week before Christmas. Still however, theough I did not notice any problems or hesitation in downshifting, our car was STILL idling very rough!
However, because the dealership informed us that they did everything GM instructed them too and there were no codes coming up that there was basically nothing else they could do, we continued to drive the car despite the frustration for a couple more weeks.
Then, once again, in early January, as I was on my way to work the "check engine" light came on yet again!
I immediately called the dealership (thank you BlueTooth) and was enraged at this point! I brought it back and after 3 days of our car being in the shop, we were told the car was fine, they cleared the code and drove it 35+ miles, and claimed that it was running great.
Yet still, rough idling. We purchased our car in early October 2010, it was in the shop total for over 45 days...that says something...I will also add that of our total 32 miles of traveling per day, 28 of them are highway yet our vehicle shows that we get on average only 20.1 mpgs. Though good for an SUV, certainly not what is advertised or "estimated".
At this point, we have indeed contacted a lawyer. GM has declared our car a "lemon" and will be buying it back from us.
This is more disappointing then I can explain as we truly, truly love the style, modern technological capabilities and of course the fit and gas mileage but we have no choice but to start at square one, and look elsewhere.
I truly hope that sharing our awful experience with this car has helped someone else feel like they are not alone in the struggles as we do. We continue to be hopeful that Chevy fixes and figures out the engine/transmission issues that are obviously occurring in the 2010/2011 models and hope that one day soon they will release a higher-quality version as there are obviously flaws in the engine design : ( I hope to one day have a perfectly reliable Equinox.I am glad to see that there are consumers who have had great experiences with their Equinox and truly regret that we were not one of them.
Thanks for reading!
1
Comments
A couple weeks later while driving , my car seemed to downshift with a jerking motion. Brought into the dealership and after 2 days of hearing nothing from them I called and they told me they were not sure what was wrong with it and would probably have to put a new transmission in it. I called Cheverolet and told them of the issue. I want a new car or my money back !! We wanted to buy an american made vehicle but dont know that I would do it again. Very unhappy with my Chevy Equinox !!!!
You stated you contact Chevrolet; do you have a case set up? If so, could you please email me the case? I would like to look further into your situation.
Thank you,
Caron, GM Customer Service
However; I have experienced the eratic up-shifting ussually when accelerating getting into traffic from a lower speed going up a slight incline or interstate Hyw entrance ramp.
In addition; I have experienced the notchy / sticky steering when on a straight and smooth high speed freeway at around 65-70 MPH on a sunny clear day in Florida; I have been monitoring this steering matter; It's good to know that others have the same steering issue.
Finally; I just started having issues with the A/C switch not working; the A/C compressor continues to run when switch is turned off; not a huge problem in Florida. However I would be at the GM Dealer TODAY getting this matter resolved; if I lived in CANADA where this awsome SUV was built!
With this being said; I like the vehical and the fuel mileage did improve as I approched 10,000 miles; I average over 25 MPG and 28 - 29 MPG on a trip cruisng at 75 - 80 MPH with A/C Running.
This is a Great SUV and I will probably purchase another one in the furture.
Roy in Tampa Florida
I apologize for the problems you have experienced with your new vehicle. You stated you spoke with GM Customer Assistance, were you given a case number? If so, could you please email me the number? I would like to look further into your situation.
Thank you,
Caron, GM Customer Service
Thank you for your concern and I do appreciate your willingness to look into my case further. Yes, I do have a service request number however, while I do not have a legal case at the moment I am in contact with an attorney who has advised me not to communicate with GM any further regarding this issue. I am supposed to just keep bringing the vehicle into the dealership each time the problem occurs in hopes that we can finally duplicate it somehow or have it happen while the tech is in the vehicle. The dealer also blames the high rev and lack of power on the 4 cylinder which I disagree with as this not my first vehicle. I am going to have to see what a different dealer says by comparison and take it from there. It's quite frustrating. While I'd like to give you my case number I am hesitant because frankly, if the person in GM's Executive Office in Detroit, MI could not assist me why would you be able to? Thank you again for your response.
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I apologize for the problems you are experiencing with your vehicle. Do you currently have a case set up with GM Customer Assistance? If so, could you please email me the case number? I would like to look further into your situation.
Thank you,
Caron, GM Customer Service
There is one pending issue with Steering that GM Dealer is aware of; intermittant sticky / notchy steering on straight hwy; this has only occured in my Nox 2-3 times in the last 30,000 miles.
Basic: 3 yr./ 36000 mi.
Drivetrain: 5 yr./ 100000 mi.
Roadside: 5 yr./ 100000 mi.
Rust: 6 yr./ 100000 mi.
Chevy appears to agree with us (pdf file).
So, if the steering rack goes in 37 months or 37,000 miles, will it be covered under warranty? "Drivetrain" typically means the engine, transmission and perhaps the axles.
I apologize and understand your frustrations. I do understand not wanting to give your case number since you are speaking with an attorney. I do want you to know we are here if you change your mind.
Thank you,
Caron, GM Customer Service
Enjoy your car and let the GM engineers do their job and tweek the service / repair issues.
Once again, thank you for your reply however, it's not the fact that I have an attorney that is keeping me from giving you my case number. As I said I have an attorney but unfortunately no pending legal case as of yet.
You did not respond to my question which was: If GM's Executive Office in Detroit, MI could not do anything for me how is it you can?"
I appreciate your continued attention and look forward to hearing from you.
I do still have a the standard warranty so any work would be covered. Not sure about other people but my "reactions" are well warranted.
Please keep us posted when the issue has been taken care of. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact us directly.
Thank you,
Caron, GM Customer Service
I apologize I must have misunderstood you, when you said you were advised not to speak with GM I took it as you were taking the advice of your attorney. By asking for your case number I cannot guarantee a different resolution than what was offered I just simply wanted to take a second look at it.
Thank you,
Caron, GM Customer Service
You are correct my attorney did advise me not to have any further contact with GM regarding this issue BUT since there is no legal case actually started as of yet, their advice is really at my discretion. They are still reviewing the case to see if we can move forward at this point or if we need to bring the truck to another dealership for investigation and duplication of gasoline smell and get a different service technician's perspective on the high idle/rev'ing.
I see no harm really in sending you my service request number in this interim period and look forward to your insight.
Thank you for your time. I look forward to hearing from you.
I just sent my request number to the e-mail listed for you on this forum.
I await your review of my case and subsequent reply.
Thank you.
Have you spoken with GM Customer Assistance? If so, do you have a case set up?
Thank you,
Caron, GM Customer Service
I just sent my request number to the e-mail listed for you on this forum.
Please confirm receipt of my e-mail so I know you received it.
I will then await your review of my case and subsequent reply.
Thank you.
Caron,
Please advise for setting up case report.
Roy in Tampa
Thank you for sending the requested information. I am still looking into your case and will get back to you shortly.
Thank you,
Caron, GM Customer Service
Wonderful! Thank you for confirming receipt of my e-mail. I appreciate your taking another look into my case. I understand it will take you a little time. I look forward to hearing from you. Regards.
Thank you for your feedback on the vehicle. Please keep me updated on if you concerns were address at the dealer. Have a great weekend!
Christina
GM Customer Service
What you call the basic warranty is called the "Bumper-to-Bumper New Vehicle Limited Warranty". Here is what it states on Chevrolet.com hover over "Owners" then select warranty, and it is 3rd to the last on the page. Here is the link:
http://www.chevrolet.com/owners/warranty/
Covered for 3 years/36,000 miles*
Chevrolet backs your new vehicle with its no-deductible, Bumper-to-Bumper New Vehicle Limited Warranty. The entire vehicle is warranted for repairs, including parts and labor, to correct problems in materials or workmanship, for three years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first (except normal maintenance). The warranty covers towing to the nearest Chevrolet dealership, and there is no deductible for warranty repairs during the warranty period. The warranty transfers automatically with vehicle ownership during the warranty period.
Hope this helps! Have a great weekend!
Christina
GM Customer Service
My understanding is that a notchy steering issue, like the one Roykulp says he is having, would not be fixed under warranty after the 3/36 period since it's covered under the B2B warranty and not the longer drivetrain warranty.
Apparently there was some confusion with people thinking there was a 100,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty (that'd be nice :shades: ).
I have the 4 cylinder in this car and like it so much, I just bought another one with the same equipment level but in a GMC Terrain. What a sweet ride.
Also, about 2 weeks ago, I pulled into a parking lot, was going about 10-15 mph, turned down an aisle, and the car completely stalled. Has anybody else experienced this? (didn't think about OnStar diagnostic at the time)
I'm taking the car in tomorrow to see what they say, but am wondering if anybody has an idea for known issues, or has had similar experience with these issues. I know that if there aren't any codes, they have to try to replicate the issue, and since it's random, not every time I start the car, then it's really all about luck for them to diagnose it....help is much appreciated! Thanks in advance!
If you read through this forum, quite a few people have had the stalling issue. I haven't seen the noise issue posted but it doesn't mean it hasn't happened to other people. I'm personally still having a "gasoline smell" issue with my car that has no error codes and cannot be duplicated. I think they don't want to duplicate it because it's daily and obvious! Have you brought your car into the dealership? If you not you should as the repairs (if any) should be covered under warranty. If repairs are made (or aren't) and the problem persists continue to bring it to the dealer (maybe a different one if need be) and start a claim with GM directly. A lot of people are having similar issues and customers need to make sure they are addressed properly one way or another. "I can't find the issue" or "sorry, we can't duplicate" is not acceptable when it it keeps happening, they should try that much harder. Good luck! Please keep us posted! If enough people are unsatisified and have unresolved issued GM may listen to a group more closely than just individuals. Hopefully, your matter will be clearly pinpointed and resolved. Getting the run around is not fun to say the least.
Could you please email me your VIN? I would like to look further into your situation.
Thank you,
Caron, GM Customer Service
This is my first *brand new* car, so I have a (probably simple) question... Since the noise on startup and stalling are purely random issues, and it may/may not happen while THEY have my car... I know my warranty will cover the repair, and I know that as long as it is documented while under warranty it will still be covered if whatever the problem is completely breaks later on down the road... What qualifies as sufficient documentation for that? Just the work order/receipt from the dealer, or do I have to "start a case" with GM? Sorry I'm new to this, just making sure I cover all of my bases.
If they call me and say they found nothing, what should be my next step? Do I just take my car and wait for it to happen again, or demand more?
I thank you for your effort but really did not think you'd be able to do much else for me. I continue to have the "gasonline smell" issue and my attorney and I are moving forward with a case.
Thank you!
Sorry your having so much issue especially with a new vehicle. If the issue is random, just bring it in and keep hopeing for duplication or perhaps an error code. If this goes on I'd start a case with GM just to have it additionally documented. The dealer will give you paperwork every time it goes in but it helps to have a direct link to GM in case you need to push for restitution of some kind.
It is a shame you have to beg for a loaner/vehicle. They should be more considerate. Every place is different though. My dealer was terrible. In the past I've had dealaer give me a loaner without even asking.
The best case scenario is they duplicate the issue, find the component and it never happens again. If not keep trying and keep records and notes. Good luck!!
I apologize for your concerns. How did things go at the dealer? If you could please update me on your situation, I look forward to your response.
Christina
GM Customer Service
I also told them (forgot about it until today) that when the car sits in the sun, the dashboard makes a clicking noise on the passenger side. Hopefully they'll fix that. It stops once the car cools down but it happens EVERY day, drives me nuts!
Will post again after I talk to them tomorrow.
Thank you for your assistance in answering customer questions. Its appreciated!
Christina
GM Customer Service
I would like to encourage other owners to pipe up. Your experience may help someone else and save on those irritating (and expensive!) diagnostic fees.
Will definitely post again as soon as they are able to diagnose it.
That's great news! I'm glad they were able to hear it and will be working to solve the problem. Good luck! Keep us posted!