We were in our pharmacy drive thru pick up lane when our car suddenly died, and would not restart. No engine light came on prior. We waited three hours for our tow truck in 99 degree weather to take it to the nearest dealership. Had the fuel pump power control module and also the fuel tank fuel pump module replaced. Now back at dealership, as the fuel gauge is being repaired. Our car evidently didn't show up as needing the fuel pump module recalled. $2000 later, I wonder why not?
Chevrolet Equinox fuel gauge problems
35 of the 9,236 owner complaints about the Chevrolet Equinox describe wrong fuel gauge reading, most of them for the 2007 model year.
- owner complaints
- 35
- worst model year
- 2007
- typical repair cost reported
- $500
- typical mileage
- 66,729
Is there a fix? There are 4 recalls for this area of the car. See below
By model year
Often reported together
Fuel pump 9Check engine light 8Won't start 3Fuel smell 3ABS 3Water leak 1Won't shift 1Stalling 1
Trouble codes mentioned
P1029 1P1005 1
What owners say
Check engine light came on got code P1005 and code P1029. Shop had to change out fuel level sensor code came back so they had to change out fuel pump. Car has 55,000 miles on it.
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. In addition, the contact stated that once the fuel gauge displayed that 1/4 tank of gasoline was available, the vehicle jerked, and there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the pistons had failed, and the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the federal safety agency Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
The speedometer does not operate. The gas gauge does not operate. The odometer does not operate and is not tracking miles driven. The blinkers work but no blinker sound occurs. Head lights must be turned on and off manually. The radio must be turned off manually. I ran out of gas on the freeway and Highway Patrol had to close the freeway to remove me safely under quite dangerous conditions. There is no way to monitor my speed. The milage is not being reported to reflect the miles put on the engine.
This vehicle starts glitching after exposure to rain. All of the gauges start going up and down, and every action required message pops up one after the other stating "Fuel Level Low, Shift to Park, Park Assist Off, All Wheel Drive System, Service Power Steering, ESC". The vehicle does this while driving at low to high speeds, even on the highways it has happened, the brakes are hard to push in while this is happening. This puts me and others in high danger if I cannot control the vehicle while driving. I have taken the vehicle in over 6 times to the service department of GM and not one time has anything been done. They have been unsuccessful in duplicating the problem every time I've brought it in even when it is occurring.
Gas gauge will not go all the way to full. It stops just over 3/4 of a tank, no matter how much fuel you put in the tank. There is no way to accurately determine how much fuel is in the vehicle at any point and time. This is a safety hazard because we could be stranded on the side of the road, not knowing the vehicle would run out of fuel. Also, occasionally when you crank the vehicle, you get a strong odor of fuel in the cabin, when running the A/C. There is nothing specific that is being done differently, and it does not happen every time. We bought this vehicle on 9/18/22 with 27,602 miles on it and as of today, it has 28,594 miles on it. After purchasing it, we noticed the fuel gauge issue and I researched it online, finding out it is a common issue and GM claims to have no idea how to fix it.
My 2007 chevy equinox instrument panel has been acting up here recently and the speedometer goes to 120mph and stays there. You can't tell how fast you are going. That is a safety issue. The gas gauge n temperature gauge will go to the top like full or hot or not move at all. Could burn an engine up or run out of gas. Recall was done I heard but not on all 2007equinox vehicles and it should have included all. There are a lot still on the road. I am asking for safety reasons to include all 2007 chevy equinox vehicles to be recalled and fixed by gm. It is very expensive to have repaired at a shop or at the dealer. If I was able to do myself I would but I'm not a mechanic or do I know electrical so I'm not doing it. I want it done by a professional and I am pleading that all 07 chevy equinox vehicles be included and a new recall be sent out to all 2007 owners. That is before someone gets hurt. Not knowing the speed you ate going is unsafe. It gas been going on now since december 2019 and now its everyday. The gauges might work one day then not work for 3 days then work again for one day. It needs to recalled asap. Doesn't matter if vehicle is moving or parked. It will ho up 120mph and stay there for days.
Had my equinox for couple years without any problems. Just recently ABS light came on along with traction control. Suv slides to the side when applying breaks. A month before this started engine light kept turning on and off. Didn't stay long enough to see whats wrong. Gas gauge does not show correct amount of fuel 1 out of 5 days.
Tl* the contact owns a 2015 chevrolet equinox. The contact stated that the entire instrument panel and electrical system malfunctioned. The backup camera, speedometer, odometer, fuel gauge, and cruise control failed to work. The failures were especially problematic during nighttime driving. The contact took the vehicle to two dealers. On of the dealers, graff chevrolet okemos (1748 w grand river ave, okemos, mi 48864), stated that the parts needed for the repair were backordered and were not currently being manufacturer. The manufacturer was contacted, repeated what the dealer stated, and provided a case number. The manufacturer stated that they would speak with the dealer and informed the contact to call back in a week. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 56,826.
The vehicle has stable track link error and will not go away! Parts have been replaced, both aftermarket and swapped for genuine gm and still the service engine soon light is on. The fuel gauge doesn't work properly and will just at random show over the full mark or under the empty mark when I have purchased fuel on the same day. The throttle body had to be replaced at 45,000 miles when the vehicle suddenly lost power and just sat on a busy road.
Related recalls
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump: control/drive module
- What is wrong
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Chevrolet Equinox and 2022 GMC Terrain vehicles. The fuel pump module may not consistently provide sufficient fuel to the engine, resulting in an engine stall.
- Risk
- An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 5, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020 or GMC customer service at 1‑800‑462‑8782. GM's number for this recall is N222372310.
Recall number 23V013000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Equinox all-wheel drive vehicles. The fuel tanks may have been manufactured with an improperly sealed seam, possibly allowing fuel to leak along the seam near the fuel inlet.
- Risk
- A fuel leak in the presence of the ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank, free of charge. The recall began October 24, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1‑586‑596‑1733. GM's number for this recall is N192271870.
Recall number 19V667000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.
- Risk
- A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1‑800‑521‑7300, Cadillac customer service at 1‑800‑458‑8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020, or GMC customer service at 1‑800‑462‑8782. GM's number for this recall is 18188.
Recall number 18V358000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
- What is wrong
- General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007 Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent vehicles originally sold or currently registered in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas; model year 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, Pontiac G5, and Saturn ION vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arizona, California, Florida, Nevada, or Texas; model year 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arizona; and model year 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5 vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oklahoma, or Texas. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which the plastic supply or return port on the fuel pump module may crack, which could cause a fuel leak.
- Risk
- Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Notification to owners began on on November 21, 2012. Owners were instructed to not bring their vehicles in for repair until January 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1‑800‑521‑7300.
Recall number 12V459000 · Recall details
Questions about the Chevrolet Equinox fuel gauge
Which Chevrolet Equinox years have wrong fuel gauge reading problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2007 (13 complaints), 2018 (5 complaints) and 2005 (4 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix wrong fuel gauge reading on the Chevrolet Equinox?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $500 (median of 5 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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