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2019 Chevrolet Equinox

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 382.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

128 reports with mileage · 173 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 100 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 67 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

22 crash reports7 fire reports5 injury reports

Engine complaints

100 reports
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130,000 miles · Apr 24, 2024
EngineService Brakes, Hydraulic

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to slow the vehicle, she became aware that the brake pedal required excessive effort to bring the vehicle to a complete stop. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occur…

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The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to slow the vehicle, she became aware that the brake pedal required excessive effort to bring the vehicle to a complete stop. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The ABS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was unable to duplicate the failure. Later, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle suddenly lost motive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the vacuum pump, resulting in damage to the timing chain. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 130,000.

NHTSA ODI #11584927

78,000 miles · Feb 15, 2024
EnginePower Train

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH for approximately a mile, the Engine Power Reduced message was displayed. The vehicle lost motive power, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact spoke with an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the vehicle …

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The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH for approximately a mile, the Engine Power Reduced message was displayed. The vehicle lost motive power, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact spoke with an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed. The contact continued to drive, and the engine power reduced message was displayed, and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The dealer contacted the manufacturer for additional guidance. The dealer later informed her that the vehicle needed two computer program updates. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. While driving at unknown speeds, the vehicle decelerated. The reduce engine power message was displayed. The vehicle was taken back to the same local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the air conditioner caused the failure, the charge air cooler was freezing, and the turbo and shutter system needed to be cleaned. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. While driving at highway speeds, the reduced engine power message was displayed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, Michael Bates Chevrolet Inc. (23755 Allen Rd., Woodhaven, MI 48183, (734) 365-6790), where it was diagnosed that there was zero pressure in the turbocharger. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.

NHTSA ODI #11572042

122,000 miles · Feb 8, 2024
EngineService Brakes

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake assists, and the check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed oil valve. The vehicle was repaired. The contact was informed that when the check e…

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The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake assists, and the check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed oil valve. The vehicle was repaired. The contact was informed that when the check engine warning light illuminated, other warning lights would sometimes become illuminate. The contact stated that a day later, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brakes were inoperable. The contact depressed the brake pedal and the contact noticed that the brake pedal was difficult to depress. The brake assists warning light illuminated and then disappeared. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.

NHTSA ODI #11570811

Mileage unknown · Dec 25, 2023
EngineService Brakes

I was at a stop light, the light turned green and I proceeded to lift my foot off of the break giving the vehicle a moment to autostart, I pressed the accelerator, and the car started to make a sputtering sound and tremble terribly. The vehicle's engine shut down in the middle of traffic, no warning lights appeared on my dash bo…

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I was at a stop light, the light turned green and I proceeded to lift my foot off of the break giving the vehicle a moment to autostart, I pressed the accelerator, and the car started to make a sputtering sound and tremble terribly. The vehicle's engine shut down in the middle of traffic, no warning lights appeared on my dash board. The power of the vehicle was still on. I placed the car in park, then I turned the power off. I tried to restart the vehicle this time the vehicle continued to shake and sputter but it did not move when I placed the gear in Drive. I had to be pushed put of the road by the Police and then towed to the dealer. The service engineer at the Chevy Dealership was able to start the engine and take it for a test drive, the vehicle also shut done on him but also left him with no ability to use the breaks. He was unable to stop. Thankfully no one was in front of him or behind him he was able to have the vehicle towed back to the service bay. I was told that the break vacuum pump disintegrated and went into the engine cam shaft. That caused the engine to completely shut down. I believe this is a safety issue as no sensor or engine codes ever displayed and the dealership took 2weeks to diagnose what was wrong because they were not getting any codes displayed on their diagnostic equipment. There was no way for me to know this break vacuum pump was failing to be able to proactively replace it to prevent this serious malfunction from occurring. I could have been seriously injured and cause a horrible accident as I was headed to the highway that morning. I would like to be contacted in regard to this.

NHTSA ODI #11561777

Mileage unknown · Dec 9, 2023
EngineService Brakes

2019 Equinox LT. 1.5 litre Vacuum pump clogged and exploded internally. Almost killed my wife and I when brakes failed. There appears to be TSB’s dating as far back as 2015. Chevy has been aware of this issue yet continued to produce vehicles with this defective and dangerous design. It sounds as if piston rings are prem The pu…

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2019 Equinox LT. 1.5 litre Vacuum pump clogged and exploded internally. Almost killed my wife and I when brakes failed. There appears to be TSB’s dating as far back as 2015. Chevy has been aware of this issue yet continued to produce vehicles with this defective and dangerous design. It sounds as if piston rings are prem The pump connects to and is powered by intake cam. Dumb. Micheal Bates dealership say I’m responsible for the parts and repairs, because is no warranty, which are about the car used repairs, all internal damage to engine.

NHTSA ODI #11559288

Mileage unknown · Nov 17, 2023
EngineService Brakes

The vacuum pump failed, which left me without power brakes while slowing down on an interstate exit ramp. There were no warnings or indications of failure in advance. The brakes were fine as I got on the interstate, then I became aware of the problem as I exited about 30 minutes later. I nearly rear-ended the car in front of me …

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The vacuum pump failed, which left me without power brakes while slowing down on an interstate exit ramp. There were no warnings or indications of failure in advance. The brakes were fine as I got on the interstate, then I became aware of the problem as I exited about 30 minutes later. I nearly rear-ended the car in front of me as we approached the stoplight. Without power brakes, much more force than usual was necessary to come to a stop safely. This is a very dangerous situation as elderly or physically disabled drivers may find it very challenging to apply enough force to come to a stop, especially when slowing down from 70+ MPH interstate speeds. Metal pieces broke off from the vacuum pump and caused damage to the cam shaft. While reviewing some YouTube videos on the topic, I discovered I'm not the only Equinox owner to experience this type of failure around 5x,xxx to 6x,xxx miles for the 2019 or similar model years. Here is the link to one representative video, and the comments indicate there are others who have experienced something similar... 2018 Chevy Equinox Vacuum Pump Catostrophic Failure! [XXX] Here's another: 2020 chevy equinox brake pedal really hard or no brakes fix [XXX] --F One more example: 2018 -2019 and up chevy equinox brake pedal Hard easy fix [XXX] Unfortunately, my vehicle was subsequently totaled in an unrelated accident, so it is unavailable for inspection. I believe public safety is at risk, however, so I have decided to submit this report anyway. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11555647

Mileage unknown · Oct 12, 2023
Engine

Car wouldn't start 6 months ago, replaced with new battery. Few months after, car wouldn't start again, replaced starter August 23. October 23, car wouldn't start again, made odd whirring noise. Replaced starter. Have had 3 new starters, now told its the flywheel and again will have to put in another new starter? Starter has…

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Car wouldn't start 6 months ago, replaced with new battery. Few months after, car wouldn't start again, replaced starter August 23. October 23, car wouldn't start again, made odd whirring noise. Replaced starter. Have had 3 new starters, now told its the flywheel and again will have to put in another new starter? Starter has to be replaced again, probably tried to start car & burnout out starter, I was told. Need a new starter 2 days after this 3rd new one was replaced? All seems to be consistent with the start/stop feature in the car, always made noise when trying to drive after being stopped at a light.

NHTSA ODI #11549629

Mileage unknown · Aug 15, 2023
EngineStructure

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear of the vehicle started to sway from side to side. The contact then became aware that the sway bar had fractured. The contact stated that her fiancé was able to tighten the bolts and the contact was able to safely dr…

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The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear of the vehicle started to sway from side to side. The contact then became aware that the sway bar had fractured. The contact stated that her fiancé was able to tighten the bolts and the contact was able to safely drive the vehicle to the residence. The contact stated that the service engine warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel for more than two months. Additionally, the air conditioner was inoperable, and there were wires hanging down underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.

NHTSA ODI #11538614

Mileage unknown · Aug 10, 2023
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemPower Train

Twice the vehicle has gone into limp mode (15 mph max) on busy highway in last month. Diesel particulate filter clogged both times. Currently has been in Chevy dealer shop for over two weeks. Emission system failure and dealer cannot figure out cause. They are currently replacing many parts and cannot assure us this problem will…

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Twice the vehicle has gone into limp mode (15 mph max) on busy highway in last month. Diesel particulate filter clogged both times. Currently has been in Chevy dealer shop for over two weeks. Emission system failure and dealer cannot figure out cause. They are currently replacing many parts and cannot assure us this problem will not reoccur. 47,000 miles. Maintenance has been better than recommended for oil changes and filters. Currently awaiting second repair invoice.

NHTSA ODI #11537580

Mileage unknown · Apr 16, 2023
EngineFuel/propulsion SystemUnknown Or Other

There was a recall back in 2019 for this same issue the charge air cooler is still disconnecting from the throttle body. I bought this car in 2021 supposedly the issue was fixed back in 2020 after the recall was issued. The same thing is happening. When I accelerate the air hose connecting to throttle body is disconnecting from …

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There was a recall back in 2019 for this same issue the charge air cooler is still disconnecting from the throttle body. I bought this car in 2021 supposedly the issue was fixed back in 2020 after the recall was issued. The same thing is happening. When I accelerate the air hose connecting to throttle body is disconnecting from and causing the engine warning of reduced engine power to show up. This is very concerning because when driving on the freeway with my family this is happening and this could get someone killed. The fixes back in 2020 are not up to standard or the replacement parts are faulty or the repair was not completed successfully. This has been happening since last year summer

NHTSA ODI #11517268

Official recalls

4

20V668000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

Oct 29, 2020

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.

19V667000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly

Sep 19, 2019

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Equinox all-wheel drive vehicles. The fuel tanks may have been manufactured with an improperly sealed seam, possibly allowing fuel to leak along the seam near the fuel inlet.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A fuel leak in the presence of the ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began October 24, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-586-596-1733. GM's number for this recall is N192271870.

19V184000 · Seats

Mar 7, 2019

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles. The rear-right seat may have insufficient welds on the head-restraint bracket.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: In the event of a crash, the insufficient welds may result in an increased risk of injury for an occupant seated in the rear-right position.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear-right seatback frame, free of charge. The recall began April 15, 2019. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N192209550.

18V576000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:caliper

Aug 30, 2018

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

Go deeper into Chevrolet Equinox problems