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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
63,182 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2012 Chevrolet Equinox engine problems

engine problem

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2012 Chevrolet Equinox Owner Comments (Page 2 of 18)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #322

Jul 012022

Equinox

  • 106,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle was shuddering and sputtering. There was no warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the engine was experiencing excessive oil consumption. The contact stated that she had been adding a quart of oil in the vehicle every two weeks. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under an unknown extended warranty coverage. The dealer advised the contact to complete an oil consumption test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as the vehicle had exceeded the 10-years Extended Warranty Coverage. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.

- Bartonville, IL, USA

problem #321

Nov 032022

Equinox

  • miles
Yes, vehicle is available for inspection. Car dies while in motion, which causes increased risk for accidents to occur. Problem has been inspected by several independent service centers. Not inspected by manufacturer (Chevy) as they will not book appointment for recall inspection as they say no recalls on vehicle. The check engine light came after some time of experiencing issues with car prior to the failure (car constantly dying). Concern: I took my vehicle into a mechanic shop to be serviced as it was having multiple issues, one being that my car was constantly dying while being driven. Diagnostics determined that my car has a plugged PCV system. They did not perform repairs as they found a recall for this issue that covers my specific year, make, and model. I called my local Chevy dealership and they stated they could not find a recall and referred me to General Motors. I contacted GM and they stated that my particular VIN was not apart of the recall. I was told that my car did not receive parts from the same location that was deemed to have been producing faulty parts. Given this reasoning, I asked for information on where my parts came from vs where the parts came from for the recall. They said they did not have access to that level of detail and that my option for escalation was to submit a safety concern to NHTSA. I find it highly suspicious that they state my car is not affected, but cannot provide proof as to how they came to that conclusion. I cannot be the first person to question why my car is not covered when it has the exact issue being recalled. This is our family car that transports our children daily and is now unsafe without proper repairs. GM/Chevy should be required to show proof of why my particular car is not covered and if not, they should be liable for the repairs. Here is the recall information that I have: Document ID: 4098165 Document title: #14882: Special Coverage Adjustment -?" Plugged PCV Orifice in Intake Manifold (Mar 4, 2015)

- Felton, CA, USA

problem #320

Oct 222022

Equinox

  • miles
Timing belt front cover is bad, the car is constantly leaking oil and fuming dark smoke. I had to stop driving immediately to avoid a fire. The oil was changed 3 weeks ago and today, there-??s no oil in the car.

- Homestead , FL, USA

problem #319

Oct 042022

Equinox

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When outside temp is at 60 degrees or below car will stall out after it is put in gear. Letting the car warm up does not stop this problem. Only way to keep it running is by putting it in neutral when coming to a stop. I have previously taken to a dealer (Tom Hesser Chevrolet) who stated it happened to them but they did not have a code come up so they could not fix it. Car also sounds rough at start up. Car previously failed the oil consumption test and had new pistons and solenoids put it. I am concerned from reading about others with this issue that it will be a costly repair of either the drive chain or engine replacement. This has been happening for the past 3 years when the weather gets cold so I deal with this all winter long, October- April. I have no documents to upload as no work has been done due to the lack of a code. Will also note when my car failed the oil consumption test the oil light never came on. I questioned the dealer about this & they stated there is no warning light for low oil but when I turn the car on and all the lights on the dash come on there is a low oil light.

- Moosic, PA, USA

problem #318

Aug 112022

Equinox

  • 134,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed there was oil in the engine and the engine and exhaust needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 134,000.

- Depew, NY, USA

problem #317

Aug 132022

Equinox

  • miles
the camshaft actuators continue creating difficultdriving conditions. The POO11 and POO13 Codes continually show Faulty even after replacement. the Vehicle {2012 Chevrolet Equinox} Lurches and Bucks, creating difficulty for the safe operations of this vehicle. This creates Adverse reactions from other motorists by just acting up, even after repairs. This is my 3rd time replacing these components to no avail. The OBD does kick out the engine light, but its Definately Manufacturer POOR DESIGNing. This problem while driving in traffic is Concerning. Is there any remedy? parrybruce57@gmail.com August 18,2022 Thank You B A Parry

- Parish, NY, USA

problem #316

Feb 102021

Equinox

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My PVC hole for my oil got plugged due to a poor design choice resulting in water build up to accumulate inside the tube. As a result the rear main oil seal blew out resulting in significant damage to the engine.

- Blaine, MN, USA

problem #315

Jun 172022

Equinox

  • miles
I bought this SUV in 2015, August. I was never told about the issue of poor oil.consumption in this particular make, year and model. In 2017 the dealer had me.do a monthly oil consumption test which it failed. The dealership never said there was a recall but they offered to rebuild the engine at no cost to me. Now I ha e the SUV in the.secind garage and am.told I need a new engine. I called GM and said the warranty on this seems to be current since it had a 7 year warranty. I was told.that the warranty began in 2012 hence it is no longer in place. Seems like had I known about the issue with this model and year equinox I wouldn't have bought it! I am.waiting on carshield to determine the cause of the failure as to whether they will.civer the $6000 repair or not. Seems unfair.The timing chain was new allegedly when dealership rebuilt this engine in 2017, why is it broken now ?

- Owings Mills, MD, USA

problem #314

Jun 052022

Equinox

  • miles
Car surges when brakes applied while.

- Saint Peters, MO, USA

problem #313

Feb 152020

Equinox

  • 79,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH on the highway, there was an abnormal sound coming from the rear of the vehicle and smoke coming from the exhaust. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull over and had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine was blown and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 79,000.

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #312

Apr 042022

Equinox

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

40000 miles and burns 1 qt. of oil per 1000 miles

- Stoughton, WI, USA

problem #311

Mar 302022

Equinox

  • 121,275 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving at 35 MPH and approaching a stop light, the vehicle began to hesitate and emitted an abnormal sputtering noise while depressing the brake pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled into a gas station and turned the vehicle off. The contact refueled the vehicle and was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts. As the contact began to exit the gas station, the vehicle lost motive power without warning. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The local dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 121,275.

- Rose Hill, KS, USA

problem #310

Jan 012022

Equinox

  • miles
I have a 2012 Chevy Equinox. A recall dropped years ago about excessive oil consumption problems with the exact engine that I have. My oil consumption test came back inconclusive. So, I thought that I was one of the lucky folks who did not have the bad rings and pistons. WRONG. I just didn't experience the problem yet because I had low miles and it didn't hit at the same time as everyone else. Fast forward to today, I burn one quart of oil every 500 miles. I took it in, when I noticed it, to a DIFFERENT Chevrolet dealership and they said that I am FOR SURE consuming excessive oil. Of course, I just missed the Special Coverage 16118 Excessive Engine Oil Consumption repair from GM, so they want to charge me $2,200 of the $2,400 that it will take to repair it. They will spot me $200. I mean, come on. I have a record of TRYING to get the recall done when it first came out. I was told that I didn't need the repair. I don't know. I feel like I should still be taken care of here. GM is now ignoring my emails and voicemails, asking about getting help.

- Dayton, OH, USA

problem #309

Feb 152022

Equinox

  • 126,094 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while approaching a stop sign and depressing on the brake pedal, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated he was able to restart the vehicle but heard an abnormal sound and the vehicle then stalled while parking at a nearby parking lot. The contact stated that there was oil leaking from underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to his residence. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with Manufacturer Communications number 17329; however, the vehicle was not included. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure and was informed that the VIN was associated with the Manufacturer's recalls. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 126,094. The VIN was invalid.

- Mora, MN, USA

problem #308

Feb 082022

Equinox

  • 117,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking oil from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic where it was diagnosed with needing the rear main seal to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.

- Dayton, MN, USA

problem #307

Apr 262021

Equinox

  • miles
Excessive oil consumption, recall notice received 3/2021. I had been dealing with excessive oil consumption for years and received recall notice from GM about that exact issue in March 2021. Starting 4/26/2021, I have met the excessive oil consumption requirement three times through Bergstrom Chevy in Middleton, WI. The dealership keeps saying I need to demonstrate further excessive oil consumption. Today I called GM and their representative said I needed to submit a claim in order to qualify for the recall. The dealership was given the recall paperwork in April 2021 and did not submit this claim. I am unsure why the recall is not being honored.

- Madison, WI, USA

problem #306

Dec 292021

Equinox

  • miles
On dec. 29,2021 I started my car and while I was warming the engine(idle) the following lights came on: Engine, Break, ABS, TCS/StabiliTrak, Service All Wheel Drive, Service StabliTrak & all the gauges except the fuel were moving up & down. Also on the shifter the P was blinking. I turned the car off then sack on after a few seconds & it came on like normal I drove a few blocks made a stop in the corner store for a btl of water & when I got back into the car it wouldn-??t start. When I turned the key to start it the dash would go completely dark when I-??d let the key go the dash would come back on. Everything time I tried to start the car the dash would go out completely. I got the car towed to a repair shop but they were closed. When I went to the shop that morning I saw that they were closed Jan 1st. So I sat in the car & something said -??try it-?? & the car started like nothing was wrong. I get 3 blocks and the same lights turn on again. I drive for 6 blocks to my parking space in my complex and park. I ended up having to move to let my wife out of the spot but the car wouldn-??t start & the dash was doing the same thing from the night before so I put it in neutral and pushed it. Monday I walk to my parking spot & it starts up like nothing happened but the engine light was on so I drove to the mechanic. No lights came on just the engine light and the car has been with my mechanic since 1/1/22. After a few hours googling I found that this car fits the oil consumption issue. How do I go about getting this handled?

- Brooklyn, NY, USA

problem #305

Nov 092021

Equinox

  • miles
2012 Equinox has oil consumption problem and the special warranty GM issued ends in 7.5 months or 120,000 miles however not all cars will experience this issue in that time frame but GM will not repair the cars unless they do. However they also note on their special warranty that this goes into effect after power train warranty ends but still will not repair car. My car needs new motor due to this issue but because it was after 7.5 years I must pay for motor. GM has had over 1,800 complaints and was sued and lost 3 lawsuits over this matter. How does someone who has a Equinox that-??s part of this special warranty get their car fixed if it-??s past the time frame?

- Rehoboth Beach, DE, USA

problem #304

Nov 172021

Equinox

  • miles
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while she was at the stop light, the vehicle temporarily stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to continue to drive the vehicle. The contact also stated that the ignition switch of the vehicle would not turn all the way to the locking position and would fail to release the key after several attempts. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact also stated that the rearview camera inadvertently turned black while reversing. The dealer was not notified of the failures. The manufacturer was notified of the failures and advised the contact that they could not assist with the repair of the vehicle because the VIN was included in a recall related to the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was unknown.

- Beaumont, VA, USA

problem #303

Jun 262021

Equinox

  • miles
Car stalled on highway after picking up my children from school. Purchased this car in March 2021 from a used dealership. After the stalling incident, the car started back up. Since that incident the car has been having a rough Idle and stalls when parked, stopped at a light, stopped at a stop sign and also stalls while letting pedestrians cross the street. I have also been having trouble with oil consumption. I have receipts, and I am getting oil changes every 2-3 months with synthetic oil. Oil needs to be changed way before mileage and also before date due for a change. Synthetic oil is supposed to last up to 6,000 miles or every 6 months. I only use my car for travels to work, bringing children to and from school, and travels for necessity purposes only. All my travels are within 5 miles of my home. The car seems to be burning oil very quickly. I have also noticed that the car gets worse while idling every time I need an oil change. It will run fine for a short while then the rough idle starts up again. I have read many complaints in regards to the same vehicle with the same issues. I have spoken with local mechanics and auto shops and have also heard many people having the same troubles with the same vehicle. I am a single parent of 3 children and I feel very unsafe driving my vehicle. My children do need to get to school and I do need to get to work. I feel that this should be considered as a recall on this vehicle. There are hundreds of reviews and comments of other people with the same issues I am having. This is very unsafe especially to stall out anywhere. Best regards -Natasha

- Fall River, MA, USA

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