2021 Chevrolet Equinox: What to check before buying

Infotainment and warning-system failures make up most of this category. The touchscreen goes black, audio cuts out completely, including warning chimes and phone calls, or the radio turns on loud and the backup camera stays on. The more serious problem is the engine shutting off while driving, sometimes after a string of service messages, and then not restarting. Dealers often cannot reproduce it. Water can get in through the roof shark fin antenna, reach the fuse box and cause mold. Single reports describe the liftgate opening on its own, a dead horn and door locks that stop working.

Front-end shudder and wobble under acceleration, usually between 20 and 50 mph, is the clearest pattern. Dealers have traced it to a faulty front half shaft, and owners cite service bulletin 20-NA-227. Owners say the manufacturer covers only part of the repair because it is a bulletin, not a recall. Transmission complaints include rough or missed shifts, a shifter that will not go into park so the car cannot be turned off, and reduced engine power that holds the car under 25 mph. Single reports describe sudden stalling, a failed brake vacuum pump and a parked car lurching forward.

Sudden stalling is the main complaint. The engine sputters and dies at freeway speed or while coming to a stop, usually with a check engine light, and can take many tries to restart. Owners connect several cases to a fuel pump module recall and say no fix was available when they asked. Dealers sometimes find nothing wrong. Other reports describe the turbo failing in very cold weather and leaving the car with reduced power, an ice-related fault that cuts speed, and oil consumption bad enough to need an engine teardown.

Losing power brake assist is the most serious pattern. The pedal turns hard and stopping power nearly disappears, even at highway speed. Owners report replacing the brake booster vacuum parts more than once. Another complaint describes brakes that vibrate because the front rotors warped at about 21,000 miles, even though the pads looked almost new, and the dealer could not explain the overheating. A separate report says pulling the electric parking brake at highway speed made the car swerve hard. That owner blames the switch's spot next to the cupholders.

Fuel pump failures make the car stall, refuse to start or drop into limp mode with little warning. Complaints name both the in-tank fuel pump module and the high-pressure fuel pump. One high-pressure pump failure started with a whine under acceleration at about 39,113 miles. Owners say a fuel pump recall covers some of these vehicles but not all, so others pay for the repair themselves. A separate report describes jerking and choking, traced to a large EVAP leak and the fuel tank pressure sensor.

Vibration and wobble under acceleration is linked to the front axles, which have a service bulletin. New tires do not fix it. Sharp turns from a stop can produce a grinding noise and a rumble-strip feel through the wheel. Dealers traced this to the electric steering gear, and the problem came back within months of a warranty replacement. Other complaints filed here describe the engine shutting off on highways, plus forward collision alert, lane assist and automatic high beams that stop working and resist dealer repairs.

Airbags that did not deploy in a crash account for all 3 complaints, and every one involves a collision. The crashes include a driver's side impact at an intersection, a heavy front-end hit into the back of a pickup, and a passenger-side impact in a traffic circle. Owners say no warning light came on beforehand. Two people were hurt across these reports, one with a shoulder separation. None of the excerpts includes a dealer finding that explains why the airbags did not go off.

Water leaking into the cabin is the repeat problem. Owners find puddles on the front and rear floor mats after the car sits parked, and then white mold under the seats. Suspected sources include the moonroof, an A/C water hose and a failed luggage rack seal, the last found at about 68,000 miles. Dealers often cannot find the cause or offer no help. A separate report describes a front wheel coming off at 40 mph. The brakes could not stop the car, and the driver suffered a concussion.