2025 Chevrolet Equinox transmission problems

Filed Oct 10, 2026 · Electrical, Fuel system · CA

Electric Drive Unit and 12V battery have failed 3 times in less than 6 months. The vehicle will not shift into drive, reverse, or neutral. It is stalled/stuck and can't be driven.

Filed Sep 20, 2026 · Transmission · CT

The transmission failed while driving on about 11/2/2025, with myself and a child in the car. It was since fixed at a dealer and is not available from me for inspection. I lost the ability to accelerate normally. I stopped at a stop light then when I accelerated to enter the intersection it did not accelerate as predicted and I got stuck entering the intersection. There was a burning smell. Another motorist helped push the car to the side and there was a large transmission fluid spot on the ground and leaking. The dealer confirmed a sudden transmission leak occurred, and transmission components were damaged by lack of lubrication and associated heat. There was no warning. My research revealed this is a known problem with this car and other GM models with this transmission and there is an internal service advisory about bolts that loosen and sudden transmission failure. I confronted GM Customer service on this and they reimbursed less than my cost for rental and gave an extended warranty on rebuilt transmission. I had asked for a new one.

Filed Sep 17, 2026 · Transmission · CA · crash

My vehicle is a 2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV equipped with a stalk-mounted electronic shift selector. On multiple occasions, when shifting from Reverse(R) to Drive(D), the transmission has failed to actually engage Drive despite the shifter indicating the D position had been selected. In most instances this resulted in the vehicle to unexpectedly move backward, requiring me to re-select the gear. This defect caused a collision. I was attempting to Dirve out of a parking space and needed to move quickly. I shifted the stalk to Drive, and — consistent with normal driving behavior — did not look at the instrument panel to visually confirm the gear had engaged before accelerating, as drivers do not typically re-verify gear selection after shifting. The vehicle had not actually engaged Drive. When I applied the accelerator, the vehicle did not move as expected, and I struck a vehicle behind me. The collision caused damage to my vehicle's rear hatch requiring full hatch replacement, estimated at approximately $4,000. There was no visible damage to the other vehicle. This is not an isolated occurrence for my vehicle — the shifter has intermittently failed to register a gear change from R to D on other occasions, typically resulting in only a few inches of unintended travel in the wrong direction rather than a collision. I reported this issue verbally to my dealership's service department, and was told they have received other reports of similar shifting problems with this vehicle, though I have not yet had a formal repair order completed for this specific issue. I am filing this complaint because a shift selector that does not reliably engage a gear is a safety defect: drivers reasonably rely on the shifter position without independently verifying engagement via the instrument cluster before applying the accelerator, and this can result in unintended vehicle movement in the wrong direction, including collisions, which it did in my car

Filed Sep 3, 2026 · Transmission · TX

The contact owns a 2025 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated with the transmission hesitating while changing gears. Additionally, the contact stated that the timing chain was rattling abnormally. The vehicle was not diagnosed to determine the cause of the powertrain and transmission failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was scheduled to be diagnosed.

Filed Aug 30, 2026 · Transmission · CA

I've noticed several times that my '25 Equinox LT AWD doesn't shift gears correctly, like it gets stuck on a certain gear. When it gets stuck, I slowly take my foot off the accelerator, it often helps, but this needs to be fixed. I had one scary incident when I was getting on the freeway and accelerating of course and the car automatically shifted to Neutral. Thank goodness there was no cars behind me, I had to pull over and switch it to drive. This is one of the times I took it to the dealership. I've taken it to the dealership several times for this issue, but they say since they can't duplicate that issue there is nothing they can do. I'm in an Equinox group and there's quite a bit of people that are having this same issue.

Filed Jul 18, 2026 · Transmission · TX

On XXX while traveling near the posted speed limit and entering [XXX], my 2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV FWD suddenly lost propulsion and no longer responded normally to the accelerator. My friend was driving. The vehicle coasted to a stop but remained partially in the travel lane, creating a serious risk of being struck from behind. I immediately activated the hazard flashers and contacted OnStar SOS. There were no warning chimes, and neither of us noticed any warning message. I did not think to check the dashboard gear-selection indicator during the event, so I cannot say whether it continued to show Drive or had changed to Neutral. After the vehicle stopped, I instructed the driver to place it in Park so it would not roll. After waiting several minutes for assistance, I attempted to restart the vehicle. It started immediately and subsequently operated normally. When I first asked my friend to move it, I initially failed to remind her that the brake pedal had to be pressed before shifting out of Park. Once the brake was applied, the vehicle shifted normally. I then drove it completely onto the shoulder and continued to our hotel without further incident. OnStar later performed remote diagnostics and reported no faults. The MyChevrolet app showed all vehicle systems as normal. OnStar also reported that the vehicle software was fully up to date and that there were no open recalls. The vehicle has continued to operate normally, but the cause of the sudden loss of propulsion remains unknown. No collision or injury occurred, but the event presented a substantial safety hazard because the vehicle became disabled at road speed and stopped partially in an active traffic lane. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jun 15, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · FL

The vehicle lost acceleration/propulsion while traveling at highway speed on a major bridge with limited safe shoulder space. The vehicle suddenly stopped providing power needed to maintain speed in fast-moving traffic. Passengers included an infant, young child, and other family members. This created a serious safety risk because there was little room to safely pull over while traffic continued around the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an authorized Chevrolet dealer and is available for inspection. The cause has not yet been confirmed. The vehicle has about 15,000 miles. Shortly after the lease began, the check engine light came on intermittently and then turned off the next time the vehicle was driven. There have also been prior concerns with unexpected automatic emergency braking behavior. This complaint is being filed because sudden loss of acceleration/propulsion at highway speed on a bridge creates a serious crash risk.

Filed May 27, 2026 · Acceleration, Engine · CT

While driving my 2025 Chevrolet Equinox, the vehicle experienced a sudden power and drivability issue. The vehicle began to decelerate on its own while in motion, even though I was actively driving. A warning notification appeared on the driver dashboard, and shortly after, the vehicle power shut off. This creates a serious safety concern because the vehicle can unexpectedly lose speed and/or power while driving in traffic. The issue appears to involve the transmission, powertrain, or vehicle electrical/power management system. The loss of acceleration and sudden deceleration could increase the risk of a crash, especially at highway speeds or in heavy traffic. This incident occurred while the vehicle was being driven, not while parked. The warning message appeared on the dash before or during the power loss. I am reporting this because the vehicle’s sudden deceleration and power shutdown while driving could be a safety defect. I am requesting that the federal safety agency review whether this issue is related to a known defect, recall, transmission issue, powertrain control issue, or electrical system failure affecting the 2025 Chevrolet Equinox.

Filed May 19, 2026 · Transmission · 24,000 miles · TX

The contact owns a 2025 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission independently shifted into neutral. No warning light illuminated. The vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that the vehicle stopped in the middle of a busy road. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle started. In addition, the contact stated that the failure was persistent. In addition, the contact stated that later the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, however the vehicle had not been inspected. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000.

Filed May 15, 2026 · Steering, Suspension · AR

This vehicle makes a noise that sounds like your driving over rumble strips. The front end shakes and there is a hard vibration. I purchased this vehicle used on 5/5/26 and it’s been in the dealership twice already. The Onstar module is defective and now this noise and vibration. The shaking starts upon accelerating. The dealership, Central GMC/Buick of Jonesboro, AR. told me that GM knew about the problems and that their Engineers did know the fix yet. They say it’s not a safety issue but This is an unsafe vehicle and GM knows it’s unsafe. I’m afraid to drive it.