2022 Chevrolet Equinox: What to check before buying

The engine shuts off while driving, often at 45 to 65 mph, and will not restart. Most reports say there is no warning first. Some drivers lose steering and braking assist as they coast. Dealers usually replace the fuel pump driver or control module. Failures start very early, one at 816 miles, and several cars stall a second time after the repair. Many owners say their car had the same failure covered by recall 23V013000, but their VIN was not included. Some paid for the repair themselves.

The car loses power and stalls in traffic, at highway speed, or while idling. Sometimes it cranks but will not start. The check engine light may come on, sometimes with a "Do Not Drive" message, and code P129F points to the fuel pump control module. Reported failures run from about 14,729 to 90,000 miles. Owners often link the problem to recall 23V013000, but their VINs were left out. Several cars sat unrepaired because the replacement module was on back order, in one case for four months.

Power steering cuts out at highway speed, and the dash shows a service power steering warning. Two drivers hit guard rails and were injured. In both cases GM found no fault, but the selling dealer later diagnosed a steering failure. There are also two fire reports: one engine fire while driving and one fire while parked. Other complaints describe the infotainment unit going dead, which takes the cameras and safety chimes with it. Some cars had 4 radios installed. Owners also report OnStar module failures, phantom alerts, and long shop stays.

Power drops suddenly, often at highway speed. In cold weather, freezing water causes reduced-power mode, and owners describe a dealer bulletin repair that adds a wrap. Some cars stall, and others hesitate when pulling away until a turbo valve is replaced. One transmission was destroyed at 72,000 miles after a fluid line clamp broke. Another, at about 4,700 miles, would not shift or recognize Park. Some owners paid for a fuel pump control module because powertrain warranty did not cover it. One crash report describes a grinding noise followed by the front end dropping.

Two problems lead here. First, the fuel pump module fails and shuts the engine off at interstate speed with no warning. Second, moisture builds up in the charge air cooler, and in cold or very humid weather the car misfires, jerks, or drops into limp mode with codes P0299 and P2227. Some dealer repairs for the cooler do not last. Less common reports include a turbo failing around 75k miles and oil intrusion causing a misfire that the dealer said required a new engine.

Power steering stops working at speed, and the car does not turn into a curve. A "power steering service drive with care" message appears. Three of the five reports involve crashes, including guard rail impacts, and one person was injured. Dealers sometimes find no fault even when the steering is still not working. One car locked up while backing out, showed ESC and engine lights, and would not move or shut off. Another vibrates and grinds when the wheel returns from a turn, and the dealer could not find the cause.

Automatic emergency braking fails to stop the car before a crash. In one report the car also kept moving after hitting the vehicle ahead at 60 mph. Two of the three complaints involve crashes where drivers say they heard no warning and the car did not brake on its own. The opposite problem also appears: the system slams the brakes at about 40 mph with nothing ahead, bringing the car to a sudden stop and creating a rear-end risk.

In both reports, the bags fail to deploy in a serious crash, and both drivers were injured. One describes a driver-side impact with a full-size pickup, with both vehicles at about 40 mph. Police, firefighters, and paramedics at the scene noted the failure. No warning lights were reported beforehand. The second report, involving a rental car, also describes bags that did not deploy, along with a fire. The sample is small, but the failure is serious.

In one crash complaint, the belt fails to lock during hard braking, and the driver's face hits the steering wheel and air bag. The other complaint describes a grinding or binding noise from the driver's belt as it unspools and retracts. The noise continues after the belt is buckled. Only two complaints are on file, but a belt that does not lock is a direct injury risk.