Chevrolet
Equinox

TCM shift issues

Windshield wipers mechanism popped on my Chevy equinox.

This 2010 Chevy Equinox has the 2.4 liter motor that is recalled in similar vehicles by Chevrolet due to the piston rings having “blow by”. We have had to carry a quart of oil because of the constant consumption of oil, which led to the catalytic converter getting clogged. Most recently while traveling to Denver cylinder 3 lost compression and put the vehicle into “limp mode” on [XXX] (XXX) with traffic traveling at 75MPH and our car doing 20 MPH trying to exit. I spoke to Chevy customer service several years ago and was told “Yes we know the issue however your VIN isn’t part of our recall, we’ve satisfied the NHTSB call for action”. In my research loss of compression due to “blow by” can be direct correlation to engine failure. Oil was checked as I always do before any road trip, no engine lights or warning signs were present, we were 210 miles from home when this happened, and had to rent a car to continue our trip to Denver and return home to retrieve a truck and trailer to pick up our broken down vehicle located in Silverthorne. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at 25 - 30 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss of automotive power. No warning lights illuminated. However, after the failure, the low engine power warning message would display. The vehicle was able to restart however the failure would recur. The failure occurred on 4 separate occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that there was no oil, although the panel showed the vehicle had 40% oil, transmission, and a high-pressure fuel pump. The vehicle was repaired but the failures persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 115,000.

The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 50 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the vehicle coasted off to the side of the road. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent dealer where the vehicle was purchased. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that later while driving approximately 55 MPH and going left around a bend, there was an abnormal sound like metal snapping coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact stated that the driver's side rear tire had stopped rolling. The contact stated that an unknown warning light was illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to the same dealer where it was purchased. The vehicle was diagnosed and determined that the rear subframe and suspension had collapsed due to extreme rust. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired; however, another failure occurred. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle failed to start. The contact had the vehicle towed back to the same independent dealer. The dealer was unable to repair the vehicle and informed the contact that the vehicle was to be auctioned off. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000.

The climate controls, including the seat warmers, located on the control panel directly below the radio/stereo controls on my 2010 Chevy Equinox stopped working. As a result, the ability to control the temperature and direction of heated/cooled air was lost. I tolerated the conditions for several seasons, winter being the toughest due to temp and the need for defrost, until buying a new car (as an addition, not a replacement vehicle). As my oldest child became of age to begin driving, I've attempted to prepare the car for his driving and safety. In researching how to repair this malfunction, I came across a recall that addresses this exact problem; however, upon taking my Chevy Equinox to my local Chevy dealership, I discovered that my VIN is not on the list for this repair. The coincidence that my car falls in the category of vehicles included for this recall (Bulletin No.: 09298C), but is not included is confusing, to say the least. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to this failure that began in 2019.

The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated to approximately 75 MPH. The contact stated that upon depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The vehicle stalled, and the contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer it was purchased from. The dealer informed the contact that there was no oil in the vehicle even though an oil change had been performed on the vehicle. The dealer replaced the upper part of the engine; however, the failure recurred while driving. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle started shuddering, made abnormal sounds and stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the lower part of the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for the VIN to be added in an unknown related recall. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the engine was consuming one quart of oil every 1,000 miles driven. The contact stated that the check engine warning light had remained illuminated since becoming aware of the oil consumption issue. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 107,000.