2011 Chevrolet Equinox: fire, smoke or burning smell

Filed Dec 6, 2023 · Electrical, Engine · 185,000 miles · OK · fire · 1 injury

The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, he noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled into a business parking lot. The contact stated that he opened the hood and noticed the engine compartment had caught fire. Additionally, the contact stated that the battery was burned and was bubbly. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with water bottles. A fire department report and a police report were not filed. The contact sustained a minor burn on the right hand and did not receive medical assistance. The vehicle was towed to the residence of the contact's parents. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 185,000.

Filed Dec 4, 2023 · Engine · NJ

I purchased the 2011 Chevrolet Equinox 5 months ago from a dealership name The Automaxx group in Morrisville, PA. Two weeks after, the check engine light came on, I took it back to the dealership and it was in the shop for 3 days or more. I got it back and every week it was back in the shop for the last four months. I was very hesitant about driving it, but I need to get to my doctor appointments and then I park it. I had to constantly put oil in it and not knowing why or where the oil is going. It started smoking black thick smoke under the hood and cut off, then cut back on and I took it to the shop near my home, and let the mechanic diagnose the problem and he said the vehicle is not safe to drive at all, it's engine failure due to excessive oil consumption and that the vehicle could possibly catch on fire and that it's a defect with the engine from general Motors. I just would like to recoup the money back that I paid for the vehicle. I was totally unaware of the harm that I was in with this vehicle. I am not sure if the dealership was aware of the faulty engine or the dangerous vehicle that they sold, but thank God I wasn't hurt and that I don't have to inhale the smoke from that vehicle. The check engine light has been on for awhile and I was told that they weren't sure why it would not go off, that was a red flag for me. It has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police or insurance company.

Filed Aug 3, 2023 · Engine, Fuel system · NV

[XXX] [XXX] [XXX] Findlay Chevrolet Chevy has thousands of complaints regarding the 2.4L oil consumption. Thousands! The engine has 97,500 and consumes 2qts in 1,000miles. I requesting that GM helps fix the issue. A normal engine does not even consume 1qt in 3000miles, let alone 2qts in 1,000. It does not leak. The only problem is a GM defect possibly with piston rings which is documented with similar years. On top of this. They had an airbag recall for similar models and years. This vehicle they say, does not have a VIN on the recall. Yet, my “service airbag” error is on. It seems that GM does not care if someone has an airbag that may go off at 70mph. Not do they care about selling people engines that consume oil at a rate that will leave people stranded in the middle of nowhere. Or possibly starting on fire from getting too hot from not having oil in the engine. Thank you for your time INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jun 10, 2019 · Transmission · MI

Excessive oil consumption: have had to completely refill 4qts of oil every 17-20 days, no oil stains in parking areas or oil burning smell when driving.

Filed Apr 19, 2019 · Engine · 100,000 miles · AR · fire

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet equinox. The contact stated that there was excessive oil consumption and the oil level warning indicator failed to illuminate. The contact stated that there were no leaks or other evidence of an oil leak. The contact also stated that there was no smoke coming from the tailpipe. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000. The VIN was not available.

Filed Jul 26, 2017 · Airbags, Electrical · 115,000 miles · SD · crash · fire · 2 injuries

June 9, 2017 at 10:00 pm I hit a deer on south dakota hwy 11 in lincoln county. The speed limit was 65 MPH and I was going 68 MPH when I hit the deer head on. I drove over to the side of the road and the vehicle stopped. After a few minutes my wife and I smelled burning electrical wire. We got out of the car and started to walk away and within 10 minutes the whole thing went up in flames. The car was totaled and the airbags did not go off. If we would have went in the ditch and been unconscious we would have burnt up with the vehicle. There is no reason that vehicle should have started on fire. Gmc will not acknowledge that there was anything wrong with the vehicle.

Filed Apr 7, 2015 · Driver assistance, Engine · 162,000 miles · OH

I was driving and came to a smooth stop at a red light and as the vehicle came to a stop, the RPM gauge needle fell below 1 and then kept lowering and the engine shook and jostled and the car engine died. All interior electronics were still working. I had to put the car into park in order to get it to start up again. It did this later while reversing. And now it just seems to do this anytime I come to a stop at a light, stop sign, anytime really. Something I found perplexing was that if I put it into park, it idles smooth. Take it out of park, it idles rough again and will stall. The information panel between the gauges says to service stabili trak. Last night, the engine overheated and coolant exploded from the engine. I have no clue what to do with this car. I have it financed and if it isn't repairable, ill be stuck with no car and no ride to work, but still have to find a way to make a car payment. I've been reading all over on different car forums and apparently this is a very common problem with other chevy equinox owners. First it starts idling rough, then it starts stalling out, some people have even had it stall out while on the highway, and then one guy even had the engine catch on fire. He luckily jumped out of his vehicle just in time to avoid his own death. All of them describing the same issues my equinox is having. The mileage seems to be irrelevant as far as this goes. Some of them had 30,000 miles, some had less than 5,000 miles. Some had 100,000 miles. Some of them took it to the dealer, and the dealership replaced cam shaft stuff. That sometimes fixed the issue, sometimes not. It just seems like there is definitely something wrong with this vehicle. Like something was wrong in production. Please help!!! I have children. What should I do?

Filed Feb 2, 2015 · Engine · 74,000 miles · NJ

This car has been burning oil and I have had on three separate occasions in the past few months experienced the car stalling, or near stalling while driving or sitting idling in traffic at traffic light or stop sign. I have complained to the dealer and an independent mechanic both of which told me I hardly had any oil in the engine when checked. (I change my oil as recommended my car is maintained as it should be) my most recent experience was the most dangerous, I remote started my car on 1/31/15, I came outside to get in it and I could smell oil burning, the inside cabin smelled of burning oil/ fire like smell. I witnessed smoke coming from under the car at junction of pipe coming from engine area and muffler. I had my father come and check the car out with engine off my father popped the hood and when pulling the dipstick out to check the oil, the oil shot 2-3 feet in the air onto him and down the driver side wheel well of the car. My father could have been severely burned or had eye damage had in been any closer or standing on side of car when checking. I took the car to the dealership on 2/2/15 I told them what happened they kept the car and checked it, I got a call the same day telling me that the car had to have the pistons, valve cover and time and chain replaced, all covered by my power train warranty (thank god). I feel compelled to tell you this b/c it is very dangerous both for those driving and anyone on the road. I have read numerous complaints about this engine (4cyl) and it seems nothing is being done. I believe chevrolet should have a massive recall, because obviously something is very wrong! I do believe this has been part of another problem that have complained about early on when I first purchased the car it would, and continues to decelerate while driving, completely on its own and very randomly. This is an obvious safety concern.