2012 Chevrolet Equinox: steering wheel locks up

Filed Sep 17, 2021 · Electrical · MS

When the alternator stopped working everything on the car locked. The doors locked, the steering wheel locked, the key wouldn't come out of the ignition, the windows wouldn't come up or down. I couldn't even physically pull up the door locks. If the driver's door hadn't been slightly open(I was attempting to back out of my driveway on a dirt road where the visibility is poor) I would have been trapped inside with no way to get out without busting the window. I didn't have my phone with me and I was by myself in a very isolated location and no one would have missed me for over 48 hours since my husband works out of state. The temperature here was in excess of 95° even after 4 pm and the vehicle was under no shade. I'm a disabled person also so I truly am scared of the vehicle now. There was no warning about the alternator failing. The car never even showed a warning light. Even after replacing the alternator the battery will not stay charged and now the seatbelt and Airbag warning lights refuse to turn off. The way everything locked up and the fact that I couldn't even physically pull up the lock and the hatchback in the back wouldn't even come open when I pulled the handle is extremely dangerous and concerning

Filed Aug 23, 2019 · Engine, Transmission · PA

At the start of vehicle is fine but once put in gear reverse and go to put back up it cuts off it does this several times before it's ok then while driving it is ok once stop at red light or just stop in traffic it cuts off once it's cuts off the steering wheel locks up and hard to put back in park once it stops the engine light comes on but once car is back on engine light sometimes goes back out I have taken it to several different shops and the told me to contact manufacture because all codes are good

Filed Nov 21, 2018 · Engine, Steering · 102,000 miles · IL

The vehicle burns oil and the gas pedal occasionally stops working while driving and the steering wheel locks. I was driving on a street downtown in a city and the gas pedal stopped working in the middle of the street and the steering wheel would not turn. I had to restart the car to get it to work again.

Filed Feb 20, 2018 · Engine, Steering · 82,000 miles · LA

I purchased a 2012 gm equinox on sept. 6, 2017 sept 9 my check engine light came on and vehicle was low on oil ' we added oil sept 13 I had a tire claim due to tires being 'dry rotted' per dealership. Oct 19 car started driving funny, stalling ' stopped in middle of road with my 18 month old son and my 8 year old disabled daughter. Had to call someone to come. When checked vehicle had almost no oil in it again. Oct 29 ' bringing disabled daughter to school when car stalled in middle of road. Checked and there was almost no oil in it. We have had to add oil to vehicle at least once a week since just to make sure I didn't break down taking my daughter to school. We did this every monday just as preventative maintenance because obviously there was a problem with the motor. Feb 6 ' even after keeping oil in vehicle weekly my car wouldn't start this morning. Checked oil etc. It finally started up later that day and I went to get my step daughters. When we got ready to leave and tried to crank car it made a loud whiny kind of sound and it smelled like wires or something burning. Steering locked up and it wouldn't turn over again and I couldn't remove key from ignition. The vehicle wouldn't crank back. Called someone to come. They checked battery, fuses, etc. I ended up having to leave my car where it was overnight believing it was an ignition problem. Feb 7 ' mechanic was called to check car. Rear main sealed was busted, timing chain had broken and severely damaged entire motor. Entire engine was completely shot and had numerous broken pieces! I was told there was no warranty on this and dealership couldn't do anything about it. I decided to do some research. There are literally hundreds of complaints with details very similar to my own and end results the same as my own.

Filed Feb 19, 2017 · Steering · 114,555 miles · GA

Purchased this vehicle used in april 2016, I got a error reading last night saying service your power steering system and my steering wheel locked up momentarily. I was stopped at a red light and put the car in gear when this happened

Filed Oct 28, 2016 · Steering · 66,770 miles · MO

On 3/31/15, chevy dealer that sold us the car replaced the steering gear subject to bulletin 14232, because we got a letter from gm advising us to get it done. On 10/17/16, power steering failed during a turn on city street, causing emergency braking and near miss. The power steering froze up, and the wheel would not turn. This happened near the end of a 10-mile commute. On 10/18/16, this scenario was repeated near the end of a 10-mile commute. The car was towed at this time to the same dealer. On 10/25/16, dealer returned car to us un-repaired, saying they could not duplicate the problem, the car is out of warranty, and that the problem is a new one. They offered to repair the car for $400. We told the dealer this is a known problem, that they replaced the steering gear that is currently failing, and that there is a ten year non-warranty window on this type of safety repair. On 10/26/16 we called chevrolet customer service to complain. They got back to us on 10/27/16 and offered to fix the car for $400. This is a dangerous if intermittent problem that is known to gm, and they are obliged to fix it. There is at least one other case (the federal safety agency id #10689932) of steering failing after steering gear replacement pursuant to bulletin 14232.

Filed Jan 10, 2015 · Steering · 36 miles · TX

I was driving and needed to turn my steering wheel locked in place, I was unable to turn the wheel and almost run into a brick wall. I received a letter in the mail from gm about two weeks after the incidence that stated the steering will lock in place. I contacted gm only to be told that there is not anything that they can do to assist me with this issue.