2014 Chevrolet Equinox: ball joint or control arm failure

Filed Jun 15, 2022 · Visibility · MI

2014 chevrolet equinox. Consumer writes seeking reimbursement for safety recall related to ball joint in the windshield wiper modules. The consumer stated the engine failed while being driven and needed to be replaced. The consumer was driving in a rain storm and, operating the windshield wipers when the left front wiper flew off of the vehicle. The consumer requested to be reimbursed for the cost of repairs for both the engine and the windshield wiper module.

Filed May 23, 2022 · Visibility · NJ

On Sunday, May 15, 2022, my daughter was driving on the NJ Turnpike Northbound from Rutherford, NJ when it began to rain. She was traveling 65 mph when the windshield wiper on the driver side stopped working. She explained that it became hazardous to drive as cars were splashing water on the windshield and it was raining and she had to lean over to the passenger side window in order to see. SHE WAS UNABLE TO MAKE IT HOME. She got off at the next exit and thought the blade needed replacement. She took the car to a mechanic at Sunoco who tried 6 different wiper blades but it was not the blade but the motor which was faulty. The recall letter that was received in April 2022 details that the ball joint in the windshield wiper modules of these vehicles may experience high corrosion and wear that could result in the separation of one or more ball joints from their sockets during wiper operation.This could limit the driver's visibility and may increase the risk of a crash. The part had failed prior to a part becoming available. THANK GOD SHE WAS NOT INJURED. We have been unable to have this part repaired or replaced and we are without a safe vehicle. We had an appt. with Lester Glenn in Freehold, NJ on May 19, 2022 and Anthony has been the representative we have been in communication with regarding this repair. We have been told that the wiper module is not available at this time. What are we suppose to do with an unsafe vehicle? Communication with Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center has not remedied this situation. A loaner car was requested by Freehold Lester Glenn said he had none available. I have spent several hours on the phone without remedying this matter. It was suggested by Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center supervisor that I take the car to a third party to repair. The third party repair that we attempted to take the car too said they did not have the part and so we are now left without a safe vehicle to drive. The car is at the dealership. HELP

Filed Apr 1, 2022 · Visibility · IL

My wife was driving our 2014 Equinox on the highway at night in the rain, and the wipers just stopped working. The wiper motor would still whine, but the wipers were not moving. I found the larger arm that connects the wiper motor to the wipers had fallen off - both ends. I tried snapping it back in, but the plastic ball joints were really loose. I checked for active recalls, and there wasn't one for our VIN, but there were for similar models, so I replaced the wiper transmission myself for $121.99 plus tax. The car has 64,000 miles. Now, 2 weeks later, there is a recall. The letter says "corrosion". There is no corrosion. The plastic socket just wore out (prematurely). Maybe bad type of plastic or the lube was too abrasive.

Filed Jul 8, 2020 · Engine, Visibility · 89,000 miles · PA

Windshield wipers failed twice in the last six months, most recent repair was june 20, 2020, both during a rain event. Replaced plastic ball joints twice, failed today july 8, 2020. Second complaint, excessive oil consumption, 3 quarts low and never set a check engine light, this has happened 3 times, vehicle has 98k miles

Filed Feb 18, 2020 · Visibility · 90,000 miles · OH

Vehicle: 2014 chevy equinox note:3 incidents, all from windshield wiper transmission failing incident #1: 5/19/2019,driving @55mph on highway(with my family in the car!) pouring rain, windshield wipers on high & the wipers stopped working! No visibility at that point! Truck behind me had to veer off almost hitting us because I had to slow so quickly!! Had to stop,my husband was able to pop the ball joint on the wiper transmission back in place. Extreme safety issue!!!! Incident #2: november 15,2019, driving 35 MPH close to home, using wipers due to rain.windshield wipers on constant low.they stopped working.(3 year old grandson in car.) replaced the windshield wiper transmission the next day. (have receipt but it wont download.) incident #3: february 13, 2020, it had snowed,car was parked,started the car to warm it up, wiped all the snow from windshield and below wipers so there wasnt an unforeseen issue with the wipers again.went back in the house with heater on defrost,about 10 minutes later returned to the car (with 3 year old grandson), got in the car, turned on the wipers and the 3rd swipe,the windshield wipers stoppped working again!! Same issue.my husband replaced the ball joints two times since feb.13th and they keep doing the same thing, swipe 2 or 3 times and stop working. Today is february 18, 2020 and ive still no use of wipers.husband's gone for work all week and home on weekends. I am now using rain-x and a squeegee to keep my windshield clear due to having to take my grandson to preschool & back daily & 1 vehicle. My vehicle wasnt included in the prior recalls.someone needs to change this because it's apparent that its a huge safety issue! This needs addressed asap with some changes! This has gone on far too long and too many complaints not to put out a recall! Why wait for deaths to occur to recall this serious malfunction!

Filed Nov 1, 2019 · Visibility · 137,000 miles · IN

The plastic cap that connects the wiper ball joint to the wiper control linkage on my 2014 chevrolet equinox broke during a rain while driving out of state. I was able to finish the last 10 or 12 miles of the trip by stopping every mile or two and operating the wipers by hand. Ridiculous and dangerous. Upon returning home I repaired the defect only to have it break again almost right away. I repaired it again, checking to be certain the repair parts were correct, they were, and this time it worked correctly for aprx a month, then a different cap and ball joint on the same mechanical part suffered the same failure. Once again I repaired the damage, which this time worked for a couple of months, until this morning, 11/01/2019, when it again malfunctioned before I left my driveway. I see there have been a number of other people reporting this same issue, and there was a recall for this problem on the 2013 model; I feel this is a manufacturing issue as I have only ever had to address this malfunction one other time in my life on a 20+ year old vehicle. But even that time it may have been my fault as I was working in this area of that vehicle and I believe I inadvertently stressed that mechanical connection. I'm an auto manufacturer retiree and have worked around cars, including a few years doing final line repair at the manufacturer, and feel quite convinced this is a manufacturer defect that needs to be addressed. As of now I'm left with little recourse except to replace the entire wiper assembly; something I am highly unsatisfied with bearing the expense and responsibility of doing.

Filed Aug 26, 2019 · Visibility · 78,000 miles · VA

Windshield wipers quit functioning car was bought used w/ approx 65k miles. Currently has 78k miles. In a heavy downpour, the windshield wipers quit functioning due to linkage bushing falling off the motor ball joint connection. Luckily was close to home. Can not order just the bushing from the dealer, entire linkage must be replaced. Dealer would not cover cost of replacement.

Filed Mar 26, 2019 · Visibility · DE

2014 equinox 4dr. Consumer writes in regard to rusted ball joint that caused wiper module to malfunction. *as

Filed Jan 7, 2019 · Visibility · 75,000 miles · IL

While driving down the highway in a rain storm the driver side windshield wiper suddenly stopped working forcing me to find a safe path off the road and pull over until the storm stopped. Upon inspection it seems the ball joint popped off the plastic bushing causing the driver side wiper to not move.

Filed Dec 24, 2018 · Visibility · 116,000 miles · MI

Driving in very heavy rain around 5:30am, so also very dark out. Windshield wipers on auto, medium-high speed. Going around 30mph and hear a moderately loud "clunk" come from area in front of dashboard and steering wheel. Suddenly my wipers no longer worked, and within seconds it was impossible to see out of my windshield. I had to litterally stick my head out of my driver side window and look for a side road/driveway to pull over at, not easy in the dark with heavy rain. Turns out the sound came from just under my wiper arms, which became disconnected from the wiper motor, as the linkage arm popped off at one of the plastic bushing ball joints. I was driving on a well-paved city street, with no harsh bumps or pot-holes, linkage arm disconnected just from use of the wipers. Thankfully I wasn't going 75mph on a highway or this could have been far worse. I had to sit on the side of the road and wait for a friend to come pick me up, car was left there until that afternoon when it was daylight out and had stopped raining. After inspection, I was able to manually move my wiper arms, my first sign that they were no longer connected to anything. I've tried a couple different plastic bushing replacements, none of which lasted longer than a day before the linkage arm fell off again. I am currently being "forced" into buying a whole new wiper transmission. Not pleased, this massive safety issue is costing me money to fix, and not even permanently as a new wiper transmission will likely have the exact same issue. And, the only time this linkage issue will occur and cause a failure, is when I need the use the wiper to actually see.

Filed Nov 7, 2018 · Visibility · 72,000 miles · NY

My wife was driving my 2014 equinox during a heavy rain storm when the wipers suddenly stopped. She was on i90 heading back to new york from a conference in massachusetts. She is lucky she did not get in an accident traveling at highways speeds in a heavy down pour. The vehicle was brought home on a flatbed as it continued to rain. Once the car was home I removed the wiper transmission cover and found that the ball joint that connects the motor to the transmission fell apart. Since I need the car I purchased a replacement wiper transmission from a local auto parts store. I called gm to report the problem and they said it is not covered and that there is no recall...

Filed Sep 15, 2017 · Visibility · 86,000 miles · TN

Ball joints on the wiper mechanism corroded and broke, making the wipers inoperable during a monsoon on the interstate traveling at 70 miles an hour which was very dangerous at night. But the gm corporation will not recall it but they recalled 3680000 equinoxes with the exact same problem from the year before. But not mine thanks gm for nothing!! I wonder if ford or dodge will back up thier product ???