2011 Chevrolet Equinox: won't start

Filed Jul 9, 2023 · Electrical, Engine · TN

Just got a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox from a dealership that I trusted. Only had a few weeks and it just stalled on me while driving in traffic!!! 😱 Would not start back ! It was terrifying!!! Thank God it wasn’t rush hour! A nice man helped push it out of road into a parking lot! Now I find out there are safety issues and recalls that I was not aware of! Faulty oil piston rings caused it to jump time! They want over 7,000$ to fix but I do not have that kind of money!!!Its a death trap and shouldn’t have been allowed to re sale!!!

Filed Jun 9, 2023 · Engine · ME

The vehicle started rocking during regular errands but displayed no error codes. Turned it off and left for a few minutes, when returned it would not start just the engine spinning. Had it towed to a local mechanic chain where they said it was likely a major issue and that there was no compression. They wouldn't be able to fix it so towed it to a dealer. Once the dealer had a look they determined the piston ring was blown/etc and the Equinox would need a whole new engine to get working again. The dealer also stated there was little to no oil in the system, and no light or warning of any sign had alerted. The vehicle had under 3000mi since the last oil change and only 69000mi in total use. Apparently there is TSB/warranty and major known issue in regards to oil consumption but not that I was made aware of before looking into since this issue. I have also been told that there are no active recalls on my vehicle and the VIN says everything that needed to be addressed has been.

Filed Mar 15, 2023 · Electrical, Engine · CA

The key can be removed although drivetrain is not in Park? Also, a week ago while picking up my grandkids from school, my car would not start. It was parked. Everything was dead and the key could not be removed from the ignition which was quite odd even if it was a dead battery, the key should come out of the ignition? It was in Park. The key could be turned but not taken out of ignition?

Filed Dec 12, 2019 · Electrical, Engine · 125,000 miles · IL

At red light,my car cut out. Wouldn't turn over. Had it towed and my mechanic said it was timing chains, which affected engine. Checked 8 of 16 valves that were bent, along w/8 rocker arms cracked and torn off. $4000 to fix this issue, money I do not have. Mechanic said gm knows about these issues and refuses to do a recall on this issue that has been going on for ten plus years.

Filed Aug 16, 2019 · Driver assistance, Electrical · 78,000 miles · PA

Car will throw codes p0700/u0073/u1000 - looses engine power, check stabilitrak lights up, check engine light comes on. Car will buck, odometer/RPM gauge/temp gauge will become erratic. Took to the chevy dealership, unable to replicate problem. Unsafe to drive. Doesn't happen daily - sometimes car will not start/unable to drive.

Filed Jun 18, 2019 · Engine · 180,000 miles · NE

I have had all recalls done on this car. Have had basically everything but the engine replaced. It runs like it is a semi. Stalls at stop lights. Has died twice while driving it - and would not start again even in neutral. I am afraid to drive it because it could stall out when going through an intersection. I keep the oil changed regularly. I don't know what else to do. I can not afford to replace the engine - I still owe on my car loan on this car. In all the 40 plus years I have driven cars, I have never had this much trouble with a vehicle. I can understand having to do something every once in awhile - like transmission, etc. I have spent over $3000 on different "fixes" that havn't fixed it. I am usually a chevrolet person, but I am not going to buy a chevrolet again.

Filed Dec 26, 2018 · Electrical, Engine · 97,000 miles · DE

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 chevrolet equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start and an abnormal clicking noise was heard. In addition, the check engine indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to 1ownercar (410 w oak ln, glenolden, pa 19036, (610) 915-3417) where it was diagnosed that the battery was dead. The contact mentioned that the alternator, starter, and battery were replaced, but the failure recurred and could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The VIN was not provided. The failure mileage was 97,000.

Filed Aug 2, 2018 · Engine, Transmission · 83,655 miles · MA

Vehicle has been meticulously maintained. Engine started to stall while driving, then would not start. Warning lights did not appear until after the vehicle would not start. Said engine underpowered. Had it towed to mechanic, who found there was no oil in the engine, even though no lights came on and we checked the oil 3 days earlier. Had the car towed to the dealer. The dealer said the engine needed to be replaced, but repairs should be covered under a special coverage warranty issued by gm. Gm denied coverage with no explanation sent to me. I called customer service to file an appeal, and was given a file number and told someone would contact me within 2 business days. Despite almost daily follow up calls by me for a month no one has called me back. Each time I am told it the case is being handled by a senior advisor and that the operator was not able to contact them and they would call me back. I asked for the case to be escalated to a supervisor, and after 4 times was told it had been, but when I called back to see why no one had called me back was told that the senior advisor was still assigned to the case. This is a very serious safety issue, with the engine stalling while still in motion, with no warning, and is caused by a known manufacturer's defect and should be part of a recall, not "special coverage".

Filed Jun 10, 2018 · Engine · 119,818 miles · PA

The vehicle was parked and I went to start it and it wouldn't start, so I got it towed to the garage. They found a lot of noise coming from the engine so they checked the compression and found 0 psi on all cylinders. They found the valves bent and top of pistons smashed. Excessive engine oil consumption due to piston ring wear caused the engine to fail. The consumer stated the manufacturer would not provide a reimbursement for the vehicle's repair costs.

Filed May 17, 2018 · Engine, Transmission · 73,000 miles · DE

Car stalled out while stopped at a stop light. Was able to restart and drive home. Was scheduled for an oil change the next day, went to drive the car and made it three houses down before it stalled out while driving. Engine light came on and would not start back up. Had it towed to a repair shop and they said it jumped time, and the timing chain broke and made a mess of the engine. Engine needs to be replaced. Failed at 73k miles. Bought the car certified used at 36k two years ago and have had it serviced regularly. Don't have money for repairs and chevy dealer won't fix....

Filed Jan 11, 2017 · Engine · 97,000 miles · WY

I've not had any complaints about my 2011 chevy equinox until friday when it just wouldn't start. The dealership said the timing chain slipped off and bent valves and now expect me to buy a brand new $9000.00 engine. I looked up recalls and there is one for this exact issue for my model of vehicle but the dealership says it's VIN specific and my VIN doesn't count for the recall. This needs to be looked into to see if the recall needs to expand out and include more vehicles.

Filed Oct 24, 2016 · Engine · 49,000 miles · NY

My 2011 equinox suddenly lost power while driving and could not control the vehicle in traffic. The vehicle would not start, but would turn over. Fortunately I was able to push it off the highway and tow it home. I then had it towed to dealership in brockport ny (spurr gm dealership). It took 3 weeks to diagnose and repair. The root cause according to the mechanic was that the original factory tensioner to the timing chain failed and the engine went immediately out of time - causing immediate failure of the vehicle and hence control on the road. The engine needed costly repairs of $2600 which is fine (my families life is worth way more) the factory original tensioners evidently fail regularly because they are hydraulic and the intake holes to the tensioner plug easily - chevy evidently repairs with an improved part that has a wider intake port to prevent clogging. This is a safety issue as control of the car can be lost immediately, without warning and it is difficult to control a car with such a failure causing injury or death of the driver occupants or anyone in other nearby locations to such an event. Chevy does not consider the common failure a "safety" problem rather a "mere" mechanical problem. It is worthy to note the vehicle was otherwise in good shape, well maintained and used synthetic mobil-1 oil - changed 2 weeks prior to such event. The dealer repairs noted no other mechanical issues to the vehicle related to poor or unperformed maintenance.