The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power upon depression of the accelerator pedal. The contact coasted the vehicle into a parking lot as the instrument panel displayed the message: "Shift the transmission into Neutral (N), then turn the key or press the engine Start/Stop button to restart the engine." After several unsuccessful attempts to restart the vehicle, the vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the fuel pump had failed and needed replacement. The contact researched the failure and discovered the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V013000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline to file a safety complaint. The vehicle remained unrepaired in the dealer's possession. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
Chevrolet Equinox start-stop problems
19 of the 9,236 owner complaints about the Chevrolet Equinox describe start-stop system problems, most of them for the 2018 model year.
- owner complaints
- 19
- worst model year
- 2018
- typical mileage
- 88,000
By model year
- 20262
- 20231
- 20224
- 20212
- 20192
- 20188
Often reported together
Jerking 3Fuel pump 3Won't shift 2Stalling 2Harsh shifting 2Won't start 1Steering lock-up 1Loss of power 1
What owners say
The contact owns a 2026 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while at a complete stop, the automatic engine Start/Stop system engaged, and the vehicle shut off completely. The message "Please Hit The Start Button Again" was displayed, and several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact press the start button, but the vehicle failed to start. Additionally, the gear shifter was stuck in park(P), forcing the tow agency to drag the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 5,900.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the engine Auto START/STOP system intermittently failed to restart the vehicle while at a complete stop, requiring the driver to shift to park(P) to manually restart the vehicle. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormally strong fuel odor entering the vehicle from the A/C vents. The message "Reduced Engine Power" was displayed, and the vehicle went into LIMP Mode and failed to exceed 10-15 MPH. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and the failure was associated with GM Customer Satisfaction Program: N242489010 (Possible Leak at Fuel Injector Rail Assembly). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under the program. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
Within the past two months, I have experienced multiple significant mechanical failures that raise serious concerns about the reliability and safety of this vehicle. First, the air conditioning compressor failed at approximately 55,000 miles. This was an unexpected and costly repair for a vehicle that is only two years old and has been properly maintained. Shortly thereafter, the fuel pump failed. I became aware there was a recall related to the fuel system; however, when the dealership ran my VIN, it did not populate under the recall campaign. Despite this, the component still failed. Now, I am experiencing continued stalling and drivability issues, particularly when coming to a stop or when the automatic start/stop system engages at traffic lights. Based on the symptoms, I believe the secondary fuel pump may also be malfunctioning. A vehicle stalling in traffic creates a clear safety hazard. I rely on this vehicle daily, and repeated fuel system failures at this mileage are unacceptable. I am requesting the following: A full diagnostic review of the fuel system under manufacturer oversight Consideration for coverage or reimbursement of recent repairs Investigation into whether my vehicle should have been included in the applicable recall Assurance that this vehicle is safe to operate I have maintained this vehicle appropriately and did not expect major component failures at 55,000 miles. I am extremely concerned about both reliability and safety moving forward. Please advise on next steps and how Chevrolet intends to address this matter.
Hello, since I purchased the vehicle on October 1, 2025, there have been issues regarding collison system and adaptive cruise control. When driving down the road it will try to come to a complete stop with no reasoning. It happens more often when it is rainy and night time. I believe the collision system is conufsed with oncoming traffic and it thinks they are on my side of the road but they are not. I also get alerts with side mirrors and shaking of my seat when no one is beside me. It triggers to say someone or a vehicle is approaching from the side, but there is no one or nothing there. The issue that is most troubling is I almost hit someone in the rear end on 02-03-2026. I went to slow down for a traffic light, and it started slowing down, but then got a surge and would not allow me to stop any more. It kept going. I had to remove my foot from the brake and hit it again harder. It has happened a few times, but not in a situation like this. Thankfully I was following a safe distance or I may have hit the vehicle stopped in front of me. Similar situation happened a few times, one when I was pulling into an Applebees to eat, the brake did not want to stop the vehicle. It was like a surge of power again. This time was not as bad as no one or a vehicle was not in front of me. I have also noticed it a few times driving and when I go to stop the surge, but it seems to be escalating. I do not have the auto start stop on, I switch it off as soon as I start the vehicle. I do not have the auto hold on when it happens either. I have an appointment on the 16th of February to hopefully get it looked at, but will see.
The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, the accelerator pedal was depressed when the light changed, and the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that the STOP/START fuel saver mode was engaged. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle several times but was unable to restart the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel pump module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V013000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 2,983.
To Whom It May Concern, I'm writing to formally report a critical failure of the Auto Start-Stop system in my 2019 Chevy Equinox that occurred today, resulting in a hazardous situation during rush hour traffic. While stopped in the northbound left turn lane of Route 202 at the intersection with Baltimore Pike, the vehicle’s Auto Start-Stop feature engaged as expected. However, upon releasing the brake to proceed, the engine failed to restart, and the vehicle remained completely inoperative — engine off, no power, and unresponsive to ignition attempts. This failure caused the vehicle to become stranded in a live intersection during heavy traffic, posing a serious safety risk not only to myself but also to other motorists. A Pennsylvania State Police officer arrived on the scene and assisted by pushing the vehicle across three active lanes of traffic while in neutral, performing a battery jump with a brand new battery of five months, and escorting me home to ensure I was safe. This situation was both dangerous and unacceptable, especially considering that the failure stemmed from a system designed for emissions/fuel efficiency, not safety. The Auto Start-Stop feature in this vehicle clearly introduces critical failure points without adequate redundancy or reliability, particularly in real-world driving conditions. Additionally, I contacted my local Chevrolet dealership and spoke directly with a technician in the service department. He confirmed that they have had multiple customers reporting similar failures with the Auto Start-Stop system. According to him, this is not an isolated incident, and in several cases, it has placed drivers in equal danger. I am formally requesting: An investigation into this incident, Information on any existing Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) or recalls related to this failure, A full inspection of the vehicle at GM’s expense, And a report on what steps GM is taking to prevent similar failures from putting other drivers in harm’s way.
Ever so often my check engine will pop on and everything will go haywire. The park assist will cut on and off periodically as well as the automatic high beams and also the infotainment system will connect to my phone and randomly make phone calls at any time. I'm usually alerted of this malfunction when I start the vehicle. Also, the auto stop/start will be active but will continue running when brake is applied. And the final issue is one of the majors, my automatic remote start only works periodically. I'll use this feature from my window which is about 55 ft from my car and the lights will come on but when I get to my car it's not running and everything is off. There is definitely an electrical issue in the vehicle. I have only had the vehicle 3 months and the issue persist more and more frequently. I have informed the dealership and they seem to can't find any issues which is beyond me but they just keep getting worse. I need some sort of help on this matter.
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while at a complete stop at a traffic light, the engine Auto START/STOP feature engaged, and the engine turned off; however, upon depressing the brake pedal to resume driving, the vehicle failed to respond, rolled backward, and nearly struck another vehicle. The contact depressed the brake pedal several times and the vehicle stopped. There was a message indicating a power brake assist failure displayed. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was inspected, and the dealer confirmed that the vehicle was not designed with a button or switch to manually deactivate the engine Auto START/STOP system. The contact was charged a fee for the diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.
I was at a red light and my car has the auto start/stop when your on the breaks for a bit. Light turned green and my car break pedal locked, all the gear lights started flashing. Car then stalled when turning on and off. I was in the VERY busy intersection and lucky no one plowed into me as I was trapped in the middle lane.
Related recalls
Electrical system: ignition
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
- Risk
- If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020, Buick 1‑800‑521‑7300, and GMC 1‑800‑462‑8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.
Recall number 16V502000 · Recall details
Questions about the Chevrolet Equinox start-stop
Which Chevrolet Equinox years have start-stop system problems problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2018 (8 complaints), 2022 (4 complaints) and 2019 (2 complaints).
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