There are 109k miles on my 2013 equinox, all put on by me. The last few years it has become apparent that my vehicle blows through oil. I have to add at least 4qt between oil changes. I keep an extra quart in my glove box just in case. On sunday, july 8th, the SUV would not start upon leaving the store. I checked the oil and naturally the dipstick is clean. Please note, none of the indicators (check engine, low oil pressure) were lit on the way to the store. My oil life was still registering 73%. My car was subsequently towed to a gm dealership where it was diagnosed with a broken timing chain. I have opened a claim with gm as this seems to be an issue that they are aware of in the 2013s and have not addressed.
2013 Chevrolet Equinox engine complaints
Page 13 of 15: complaints 341 to 370 of 420, newest first, as owners wrote them.
In january 2018 I took my 2013 equinox in to the dealer for an engine knocking noise. I was told the noise was caused by the engine oil being 3 quarts low. The oil was changed and the dealer suggested an oil consumption test. I went back in every 500 to 1,000 miles. I was due for an oil change and took it to the dealer on 6/21/18. The dealer said it was confirmed that the engine was consuming too much oil and that "major heart surgery" for the engine was needed. The piston rings were carboned causing excessive oil consumption. This required piston, connecting rod and bearing replacement. They quoted $2,400 for the repair and said it was out of warranty. I asked if anything could be done and they said they would check. I was called the next day and told they would only cover 30% because I was 281 days out of warranty as of 6/21/18. The issue started 150 days prior in january. The car has only 89,000 miles on it. I did some research and found that this is a very common issue with 2013's. It also appears to be an issue with 2011 and 2012 model years. Why is gm not extending the warranty for 2013's when this is a known issue? I contacted gm directly and was told that 30% off was the best that they can do. The repairs were completed 7/5/18. Gm needs to address the issue with some kind of recall or extend the warranty for this issue so that I can recoup the $1,700 that I paid for this repair.
My 2013 chev equinox began having issue with oil consumption shortly after I bought it used 6-11-16. It was completely out of oil.this involves having them check my oil every 500 miles. They ran me a little over 12,000 miles doing this test not once but twice!!! I was advised by dealer huffman chev frankfort ky that this was an issue with equinox and to get gm to take care of would have to do oil consumption test. The car ran out of oil several times. Was knocking and not safe to drive but the dealer made me do the test twice and then after my car stopped in the middle of the road and took it in was advised I need new engine. Now gm says my car isn't part of the engine design flaw..which they acknowledge there is a design flaw...even though what happened is exactly what they describe as problem. Stopping in the middle of the road was a big deal to me and the knocking and banging when trying to stop when I was going thru "oil consumption" tests was a concern. Everyone now says it is not there problem it is someone else's. There are a lot of complaints against gm for this issue if you look on web. I put may 26 2018 as start but been going on for over year that was the date it stopped in road
Intake cam solenoid - cam actuator sticking. Needs actuator and solenoid replaced01/
I was turning on to central avenue from bristol street in duluth minnesota when my car died in the intersection I brought it to a local chevrolet dealership and they wanted to replace the entire engine for a timing chain not seating properly and would jump off if put on properly when and if car would start
The engine does not consume oil properly and uses an excessive amount of oil. The car has had regular and on time maintenance and oil changes. There is no warning or notice when the oil is low and this can cause engine failure while driving and I would have not notice. The chevrolet dealership says they have seen this a lot in these cars. The dealership said the solution is the car needs new pistons a $2,000 repair. The car has only 72,000 miles on it. The car also needs new timing chains and the dealership said they also see this a lot. Another $2,000 repair. The timing chain problem caused the car to shake violently when braking.
While at red light or slow moving, the car stalls out. The check engine light turned on when 1st happened. Mechanic said either cam shaft sensor or crankshaft sensor.
The vehicle uses an excessive amount of oil which has ruined the pistons and cylinders. It is only a matter of time before the engine dies while driving. It has had problems with stalling out while idle or starting to go due to this issue as well as rough idling. It is the same issue the 2011 and 2012 models had and they received a replacement/recall.
While driving to work (approx. 50 miles) the engine just stopped while making a left turn across traffic leaving me in a position of having to push it out of traffic on a major street to help avoid causing an accident/road closure delay. Just thankful this did not happen earlier in the commute on the interstate! After having it towed and speaking with 6 mechanics and 3 dealerships, we were told by every one of them that these engines are known for this problem and rebuilt engines are so backordered because of this problem, that we were looking at least 4-6 weeks minimum to try and replace it at a cost of $7600 out of pocket and still have 2 years to pay the car off before this even happened and there was no recall or gm assstance with this repair...unbelievable! If this would have happened on the interstate or highway, it had potential for a major accident, because once the car shut off, the power steering and everything also went as well!
I had my vehicle oil change on april 8, 2018 ,as of april 30, 2018 there was no oil in the engine no oil on the ground my sensor inside the vehicle stated I had over 50% of oil left could not get over 35 MPH the car was shaking immensely and rattling as well when you started the car it sounded like it was going to explode. I could not get on the highway I had to stay in the back roads
Burns through oil! I am constantly having to keep an eye on the oil level way before it is due for an oil change. Also, dies if you are slowly taking off. I was told due to oil issue this is the result. Why is there not a recall on oil issues. I have seen to many complaints not to look into it more.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 chevrolet equinox. The contact stated that the service engine and stability warning indicators illuminated. While driving at unknown speeds, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but failed to respond. The accelerator pedal traveled to the floorboard and the vehicle lost power. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that there was carbon build up within the air port and exhaust manifold, and a higher grade of fuel was needed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified and opened case number: 8-4115305233. The contact was referred to the federal safety agency. The failure mileage was 114,000. *tt consumer stated the service engine light has come on april20,21,23,28; may 3,4,13,17,26,27,31. Each time it will shut off on own. Sometimes engine will sputter when shutting off and at next start engine light will come on, was told to use higher grade of gas. Have been using 93 since march 2018.
The 2013 chevy equinox burns so much oil in between oil changes that I am constantly dumping oil in. Chevy will not include my year in any service bulletins, making me responsible for repairs that may or may not work and buying oil every week. Also, the oil consumption problem is ruining the engine, leading to a crack in the exhaust manifold, which allows exhaust fumes to leak into the cabin. Especially if I use the heat or air conditioning, the windows have to be cracked for fear that I would gas myself to death.
Engine started making a loud tapping noise over 3 weeks ago, I made an appointment to firestone to check the noise . They are stunned to find out that I have no oil left on my engine but no leaks was found. They suggest to get the oil fast as they refuse to inspect further. They don't want to be responsible for my engine. I hurried to a close grocery store and get a 5w-30 synthetic oil.I made an appointment to midas since firestone refuse there service. They did an oil change and suggest that I might need a new engine due to loud noise and metal pieces that came from oil change. I was driving with my kids for a week with a dried up engine oil. That could have been a big disaster. They are saying to get a new engine, a money that we don't have right now.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 chevrolet equinox. While the contact's wife was driving 15 MPH, an abnormal noise was heard. While attempting to drive back home, the vehicle stalled. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle and heard a clicking noise. The contact mentioned that the vehicle underwent an oil change approximately three weeks ago. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that there was catastrophic engine failure and the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer and the manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000. The VIN was not available.
Engine is using 3 quarts of oil every 1000 miles. When low on oil the car dies due to the timing being off. I have 107,000 miles on the car. It started at 92,000 miles. No engine oil light has come on to notify me of low oil issues. It has died on me at stop lights in heavy city traffic and at low idle speeds. Chevy is aware of the problem with 2011 and 2012 engines and is working one on one to fix the issue at no cost. 2013 owners are offered a portion paid on the customer loyalty program to fix the cars. This is a very serious issue. The car is not safe on the road due to the possibility of the engine dying while driving. I took this car to chevy dealerships many times to have the oil changed. Never was informed that my oil level was very low. The rings and pistons are shot they are keeping this problem quiet and it's going to cause serious injury is not addressed.
Oil consumption timing chain
I was driving my equinox on my way home from work, a 30 minute commute. My engine started making some ticking noises when I was 5 minutes from home. I made it about another mile and my engine started clanking, I tried to pull over to the side of the road as my engine shut off. It was bitterly cold and I had to pick up my girls from daycare, so I had the vehicle towed to the nearest mechanic and found a ride. Turns out, my engine had a hgh oil consumption problem due to plugged pcv/intake system caused engine to run dry of oil during operation. No engine pressure warning light illuminated. No other warning signs. The engine was damaged at rear crankcase seal/rear main. It had 97,000 miles at the time of the incident. I have been told this is common in some gmc/chevy vehicles, however my VIN isn't specifically covered. I have tried to talk to chevy regarding my complaint, however they are of no help. I'm aware of special coverage adjustments due to this same issue (#14882, document id 4098165), but without my VIN being included, I am getting no assistance from chevy regarding a known issue in some of their equnioxes. Please help. This is a serious problem effecting their engines, and without a warning light telling of the oil pressure/level problem. There's a chance many more drivers will be left stranded at the side of the road.
On 12/25/2017 my engine failed at 60 MPH on the highway. I was almost re-ended by the vehicle behind me due to the rapid deceleration of my vehicle but managed to safely pull to the side of the highway where we waited for roadside assistance in -20 windchills. The engine failure was caused by a frozen pcv valve orifice which pressurized the crankcase and blew the main seal. After replacing the main seal it was discovered that the engine was damaged beyond repair and had to be replaced at my expense. My vehicle engine and year matches the group covered by special service adjustment 14882 but my VIN, like so many listed on this site, was not included in the special coverage despite the fact that my engine failure was due to the exact defect defined in bulletin 14882.
Excessive oil consumption issue . I had to have the dealer check the oil consumption every 1000 mi for 3000 mi for documentation. At the end of that 3000 mi the car was low 4.5 quarts of oil. Per gm that is within their 'specs' and will not pay for the repairs needed ie; pistons and piston rings at this point.. Even though this is a known gm issue on this vehicle. The car shakes and dies when stopping and idling. Runs terrible and you can hear the rattles in the engine. No oil light has ever come on in the car even though there were times it was checked and there was no oil in it. See the attached documentation of service documentation below. I also have a service request number of sr 8-355-8368066 within gm which has been escalated and closed. I called gm again and was given a new service request to be assigned to a new sr service adviser, 8-391-1491891. #13-06-01-003h: excessive oil consumption ' perform oil consumption test and/or install piston and piston ring kit ' (feb 9, 2016)
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 chevrolet equinox. While driving approximately 60 MPH, a loud clicking noise was present coming from the engine and the warning flash displayed to "shut engine off due to no oil". The vehicle stalled and was towed to the local dealer (matthew hargreaves, 2000 e. 12 mile rd, royal oak mi) where it was diagnosed that the rear main engine seal and cylinder head were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The VIN was invalid. The failure mileage was 118,000. *tt
On a cold winter day approximately 20 degrees, I exited off of the highway. Upon coming to a stop at the toll plaza, the car began making a horrible clanking noise, the 'engine reduced power' notification appeared as well as the traction activation. The car died but started back up to get it off the road to safety. Had it towed to the nearest chevrolet dealership and discovered the pcv system froze up and blew the rear main seal. The car had 103k miles on it at the time and was purchased new. Never had a single problem with it and always we'll maintained. Ended up having to replace the motor to the tune of $5,575. Less than 24 hours after picking it up from the dealership, it would not start. The stabilitrack and power steering lights came on and had to be towed back to the dealership.
Pvc valve froze. Blew rear main seal. Was driving at the time. Pulled over right away,warning lights did come on. Car has only 35,000. Miles on it.
I car is consuming excessive oil. My car was completely out of oil 2 weeks after an oil change, the car was making a loud noise and hesitating when you stepped on the gas. The piston rings and seals are bad. I am 19,000 miles over the warranty. Gm is covering the 2011&2012 model up to 120000 miles. I took it to the dealer and the did an oil consumption test. They called chevy and they would not cover it. They offered to pay 10% of the repair. I owe a lot of money on this car, it is a known failure and there should be a recall.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 chevrolet equinox. While driving approximately 60 MPH, the traction control and low power warning indicators illuminated and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to lou lariche chevrolet (40875 plymouth rd, plymouth, mi 48170) where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 77,400. *tt
I changed my oil when there was 5% left on the oil life gauge on 12/17/17. The used oil was black and thick and only 2.5 qts came out. I put in 5 qts high mileage full synthetic oil and changed the filter. There had been no prior signs that anything had been going wrong and my usual mechanic hadn't told me that he saw anything wrong last oil change. The car started making rough noises, grinding and lurching the week of 1/15/18. I took it into the auto shop 1/22/18 since it started to sound like really rough grinding and started lurching hard while stopped. They told me that I had no oil in any part of the engine. They flushed the engine and did an oil change and said that they didn't see any leakage from anywhere. On 2/2/18, I was at a stop light, my car did a short jerk and made a short grinding sound, but then proceeded to drive fine. While stopped, I would start to smell an oily scent, but it would go away when I started driving again. Roughly 13 miles later, I was driving at approx. 70 MPH when my RPM went from hovering above 2 to just above 3 and started deaccelerating. I didn't hear any gear shifting. I put on my hazards and took off cruise control and started for the shoulder of the high way (all without using my brake). The car jerked a few more times before the engine stalled completely. I parked it and turned off the car and went to check my oil level. After taking out the dip stick, I noticed smoke coming out of the opening. I wiped and replaced the dip stick and it came out clean, no oil. I moved to the rear of my vehicle and noticed fresh drips. I dropped down and looked under my car with a flashlight and saw oil everywhere. I got it towed to an auto shop and they informed me that the rear seal was busted and that I would need a whole new engine. My car has 114,465 miles on it.
Cold weather caused the pvc vent line to freeze shut. This freezing causes excess crank case pressure. This pressure blew the rear main seal of the engine. We were driving a short distance when this happened. We caught it before the engine seized from lack of oil but no engine lights or low oil pressure indicators came on. Within seconds of parking the vehicle all of the oil in the engine had drained out. If this had happened on the freeway or at highway speeds the engine would have seized. If this had happened in traffic it would have created a dangerous situation immediately. Gm is aware of this issue with the 2.4l ecotec motors and has a bulletin out for it. There are no fixes for the issue and if drivers are unaware of it they will blow up their motors. This should be a recall for vehicles that are driven in cold climates. Not just a bulletin that you will only find out after the engine has seized. Attached is a picture of the oil leaking from the rear main seal.
My vehicle currently has 117k miles. The rear main seal has failed causing the engine to lose excessive amount of oil. Ultimately, this will end in a $1000 repair. The rear main seal has worn prematurely and should be reviewed as a potential recall. Jerry haag, a gm dealership in hillsboro ohio, stated that this is an issue gm is having with the chevrolet equinox. When I contacted gm, they advised that they have no known issues with this part. At this point, I am willing to pay for the repair as I need my vehicle. However, I want this to be noted as a complaint for this part. I have researched this issue online. What I have found is very alarming, gm has significant issues with the equinox and oil loss from the rear main seal and excessive oil consumption. However, they will not acknowledge this as their issue? I have contacted gm customer service via email and phone. What I get is deflection to my questions and a general lack of concern.
While driving home from work 1/16/2018 on the interstate, my equinox started to make a knocking noise. I made my way to the far right lane and it shut down on me as I was pulling to the side of the road. There were no warning lights that came on. I was very cold as I waited for help and did not feel safe as I had the guardrail on one side and cars flying by on the left. A local mechanic gave us a bulletin on the issue and, after calling around to several other mechanics and dealerships, found out of 17 others that had come in after breaking down the same night that I did.
Driving along on a city street all the sudden engine light comes on, running on low power mode light etc acted like it wanted to die (which eventually it did) took it to the garage where he told me the real seal is gone and pvc froze there was a lot of fluid in between engine and transmission and due to the sub below zero weather / called gm they say my VIN # is not covered which is bull. I read bulletin #14882 (per my repair man ) that is exactly what is wrong with my car. I have 78,000 miles on this piece of crap that I will never buy another one of if not rectified. There are a lot of other people saying the same thing "there VIN number is not covered". If your car fits into the model and year of the bulletin then it should be covered. Very disappointed in gm.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 2013 Chevrolet Equinox?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its history