2013 Chevrolet Equinox Engine
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE; CAR HAD NO OIL IN IT AND STALLED. OIL CHANGE WAS GIVEN BUT NOW ENGINE POWER REDUCES WHILE DRIVING AND STALLS WHEN COMING TO A STOP.
SEEMS TO BE USING EXCESS AMOUNT OF OIL. HAVING TO ADD OIL A COUPLE OF TIMES BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH ANOTHER 2013 ECONOMICS AND IT WAS RECALLED AND REPAIRED A WITH WIND SHIELD WIPER MOTOR.
DRIVING WHEN THE CHECK EGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK TO THE MECHANIC HAD NO ENGINE OIL. NOT DUE FOR OIL CHANGE EITHER. O2 UPSTREAM REPLACED AND PISTONS FILLED OF CARBON . MECHANIC ADVISE TO GET RID OF CAR B/C BAD OIL CONSUMPTION, WILL CRACK ENGINE EVENTUALLY. CAR ONLY HAS 70,000 MILES
YET ANOTHER PERSON WITH THE 2013 CHEVY EQUINOX 2.4L ENGINE WITH THE EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE. MY WIFE (WHO DRIVES THIS VEHICLE) CALLED ME IN TEARS TODAY, STATING THAT THE EQUINOX STARTED MAKING ALL KINDS OF NOISE, AND DRIVING HORRIBLY, SO SHE WENT TO A NEARBY GARAGE, AND THEY DISCOVERED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD ALMOST NO OIL - AND THAT THIS WAS THE 2ND OR 3RD EQUINOX THAT THEY HAD SEEN IN THE LAST 2-3 WEEKS THAT CAME IN WITH ALMOST NO OIL. THIS VEHICLE HAS 69,075 MILES ON IT, AND WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS. ALL SERVICE (OTHER THAN TODAY'S) HAVE BEEN HANDLED AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN GM, AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE, AND FINDING THAT SO MANY OTHERS WERE HAVING THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE. GM NEEDS TO STEP UP AND FIX THIS!!
THE CAR IS HAVING OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEMS AND MAKES VERY LOUD NOISES WHEN STARTING UP AND IDLING. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT PROBABLY HAD PISTON RING WEAR AND WILL PROBABLY NEED A NEW ENGINE DUE TO OIL BLOCKAGE. THE CAR ONLY HAD 61000 MILES AND HAD ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED BY THE DEALER FOR ALL MAINTENANCE ON TIME. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH ACTION FROM CHEVY ON THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE CAR HAD BEEN VERY WELL TAKEN OF AND WE LIKE THE CAR OVERALL. I JUST CAN'T AFFORD TO REPLACE ENGINES DUE TO POOR MANUFACTURING. MY DEALER HAD BEEN NO HELP AND JUST ACTS LIKE IT'S NORMAL TO REPLACE A ENGINE DUE TO OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEMS,. I HAVE RESEARCH A FEW FORUMS AND HAVE FOUND ALOT OF EQUINOX OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS. I ALWAYS LOVED CHEVY BUT IF I HAVE A CHOICE I WILL NEVER BUY AGAIN. THANKS
2013 2LT EQUINOX 2.4L FWD 67000 MILES ISSUES: OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUES, USES 2 QTS + BETWEEN OIL CHANGES, STARTED AT 50K MILES, QUOTED OVER $2000 TO REPLACE PISTONS, RINGS, AND TIMING CHAIN (KNOWN ISSUE ON 2.4L ECO-TEC MOTORS, OIL AND FILTER ALWAYS CHANGED ON OR BEFORE TIME DUE WITH DEXOS 1 VALVOLINE OIL AND AC DELCO FILTER). POSSIBILITY OF BREAKDOWN, ENGINE FAILURE. RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT OF CLOGGED CATALYTIC CONVERTER DUE TO OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE: $800 FAULTY EXHAUST MANIFOLD STARTING AT 55K MILES, CRACKED, LEAKING FUMES INTO PASSENGER AREA, QUOTED $600 TO REPLACE PLUS RECOMMEND REPLACING ENGINE MOUNTS TO PREVENT FUTURE FAILURE: $1000 (KNOWN ISSUE ON 2.4L ECO-TEC MOTORS). FREQUENT HEADACHES ALL WINTER FROM BREATHING IN EXHAUST. FAULTY TRANSMISSION SHIFTING STARTING AT 50K MILES, CLUNKY SHIFTING AT LOW SPEEDS, QUOTED OVER $600 FOR FLUSH, INSPECTION, SENSORS AND SEAL REPLACEMENT. FAULTY FRONT AXLE SEAL REPAIRED AT 55K MILES FOR $300. GETTING NO WHERE NEAR THE ADVERTISED AND PROMISED 32MPG (AVERAGE OF 22 MPG ON HWY TRIPS WITH ECO MODE ON, 14 MPG IN TOWN). LEMON LEMON LEMON LEMON LEMON LEMON LEMON LEMON LEMON!!!!!!!!!
I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH. THEN AT THE STOP LIGHT IT COMPLETELY CUT OFF AND DID NOT START. WHEN I TOWED IT TO THE MECHANIC HE SAID THERE WAS NO OIL IN MY CAR. I AM VERY GOOD AT MY OIL CHANGES.THE ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT GIVE ME WARNINGS. I HAD TO REPLACE THE GASKET RINGS AND OTHER PARTS. $1900. NOW THE INTAKE SENSOR HAS TO BE REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF. THE MECHANIC SAYS IT IS THE SAME CODE AND THESE ENGINES ARE PROBLEMATIC. MY CAR STILL CUTS OFF VERY FREQUENTLY AT STOP SIGNS AND LIGHTS. I I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO NOTE THAT I HAD TO REPLACE THE MANIFOLD. IT CRACKED
ENGINE FAILURE NO OIL IN ENGINE REAR SEAL DEFECTIVE NO WARNING LIGHTS OF NO OIL IN ENGINE GM COVERING UP MULTIPLE ENGINE OIL FAILURES THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT DOESNT GO FAR ENOUGH SHOULD EXTEND WARRANTIES AND ISSUE RECALLS MY WARRENTY EXPIRED 8-31-2018, ENGINE BLOW OUT APROX 12-24-2018, ALMOST 4 MONTHS AFTER WARRANTY PERIOD MY ENGINE BLOW OUT ENGINE IS DAMAGED WAS NO OIL IN ENGINE I GET REGULAR OIL CHANGES NO WARNING LIGHT I TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY VEHICLES NEVER KNOWN A VEHICLE TO BURN OFF ALL THE OIL , AS WELL AS THE REAR SEAL WAS DEFECTIVE. I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICHILE ENGINE OIL PRESURE DROP JUST GOT OFF OF THE HIGHWAY LUCKY MY ENGINE DIDNT BLOW OUT WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. NO EGINE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON THE OIL FILTER WAS CRUSHED. THESE ENGINES ARE DEFECTIVE AND DANDERIOUS NO WARNING PRIOR TO CASTERAPHIC ENGINE FAILURE DO TO MANUFACTURE DEFECT ALMOST 4 MONTHS AFTER POWER TRAIN WARRANTY EXPIRED. VEHICLE IN MOTION JUST PULLED OFF OF HIGHWAY ,TO OFF RAMP GOING ONTO CITY STREET MAIN ENGINE SEAL FOUND DEFECTIVE BY MECHANIC I HAVE THE PART AND PROOF.
THE VEHICLE HAS HAD A RANDOM BUCKING MOTION (AS IF YOU RAN SOMETHING OVER) SINCE I PURCHASED. THE GARAGE SAYS THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING. IT HAS MANIFESTED TO A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, THE VEHICLE RANDOMLY SHUTTING DOWN, OIL CONSUMPTION BEYOND (2.5 QTS) IN TWO WEEKS. ALL I AM TOLD IS THAT THIS IS KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE EQUINOX AND IT IS PROBABLY THE PISTONS, THE CAM SENSOR AND LIKELY $3-4,000 TO REPAIR. HOW IS IT, THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND WE AS CONSUMERS HAVE TO PAY TWICE TO OWN THEIR PRODUCT? SHUTTING DOWN WHILE DRIVING, WITHOUT ANY WARNING LIGHTS, OIL LOW WITHOUT WARNING LIGHTS... NOT A SAFETY ISSUE??? GM, WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU? NO INTEGRITY, THAT'S FOR SURE. FROM THE VOLUME OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS, WHY IS THIS NOT A RECALL. GM CLEARLY MESSED UP ON THIS ONE. DONE VENTING AS THIS WON'T PAY FOR A NEW CAR. DON'T BUY AN EQUINOX!
ENGINE CUT OUT IN MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION WOULD NOT START AGAIN HAD TOWED TO DEALER MECHANIC SAID THERE WAS METAL SHAVINGS IN OIL AND IT NEEDED AN ENGINE SWAP
I TOOK MY CAR INTO MY LOCAL CHEVY DEALERSHIP DUE TO A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT MY EXHAUST MANIFOLD IS CRACKED. AFTER DOING RESEARCH ONLINE, THIS HAS BEEN A LONG-TERM, ONGOING ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL. AS EXHAUST FUMES CAN LEAK INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT THROUGH THE VENT SYSTEM (AS I WAS INFORMED BY THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN WHO TOLD ME OF THE PROBLEM), AND IT HAS APPARENTLY BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR YEARS, I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD MERIT A RECALL. MY FATHER, WHO HAS BEEN AN AUTOMOTIVE MECHANIC FOR MOST OF HIS LIFE, HAS TOLD ME THAT THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN IN A CAR THAT IS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD. THERE WOULD SEEM TO BE EITHER A MATERIAL, OR DESIGN, FLAW THAT IS CAUSING THIS TO HAPPEN.
ON 2.25.19 WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT MY CAR STALLED TWICE WHEN I GAVE IT GAS TO GO, THAN WHILE TRYING TO BACK INTO A PARKING SPACE IT STALLED TWICE. ON MY WAY BACK TO WORK THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AFTER A DAY OR TWO IT WENT OUT. TODAY 3.5.19 ON MY WAY TO WORK I WAS DRIVING AND THE LIGHTS DIMMED AND THE RADIO TURNED OFF FOR ABOUT A MIN. OR SO AND WHEN IT CAME BACK ON IT WAS LIKE I HAD JUST STARTED THE CAR. AFTER GETTING GAS I STARTED MY CAR AND BEFORE I PUT IT IN GEAR IT STALLED OUT, RESTARTED IT AND IT KEPT STALLING ABOUT 6-8 TIMES THAN FINALLY I TURNED IT ON AND IT DIDN'T HESITATE OR THE DASH LIGHT DIM SO I PUT IN GEAR AND IT DROVE OK BUT I WAS WORRIED THAT IT MIGHT STALL WHEN I WAS MAKING A TURN OR IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION IF YOU ARE DRIVING AND YOUR CAR JUST STOPS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 2011 EQUINOX FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM AND IF SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS ON OTHER YEARS 2010-2016 NOTED THEN THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON ALL THESE YEARS AND GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED. I NOTICE THAT UNLESS THERE A NUMBER OF DEATHS INVOLVED THESE DEALERS/MANUFACTORS DON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT FIXING THESE PROBLEMS. WE SPEND LOTS OF MONEY ON THESE CARS AND WE SHOULD'T HAVE TO WORRY IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT IN THEM WITH OUR FAMILIES. THE TIMES THIS HAS HAPPENED IT HAS BEEN IN GEAR OR WHILE I AM PUTTING IT IN GEAR. THE 2011 RECALL 11195A.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE OIL WAS LOW. ADDITIONAL OIL WAS ADDED, AND THE CHECK ENGINE AND OIL INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PINEGAR CHEVROLET IN REPUBLIC (769 U S 60, REPUBLIC, MO 65738, (417) 233-0206) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MAIN SEAL WAS BLOWN AND THE PVC NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REPAIRS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER TSB NUMBER: 14882. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT AN ADJUSTER WOULD VERIFY THE DIAGNOSIS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
A SEAL LEAK ON THE TVC VALVE LEAKS OIL BIG TIME LEAKING ENGINE OIL. I KNOW OF ONE OTHER VEHICLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. GM HAS SENT OUT NOTICES TO DEALERSHIPS ETC.. ABOUT THIS. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE IF SOMEBODY WAS ON THE ROAD AND THIS HAPPENED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. EVER SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE OIL CONSUMPTION WAS VERY HIGH (APPROXIMATELY ONE QUART PER WEEK). THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE TO HENNESSY GMC/CHEVROLET (7261 JONESBORO RD, MORROW, GA 30260) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL PRESSURE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 167,522.
WHILE DRIVING MY 2013 CHEVROLET EQUINOX IN SINGLE DIGIT TEMPERATURES, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WITHIN TWO MILES, THE CAR STALLED. IT WOULD NOT RESTART. THE CAUSE WAS A DEFECTIVE PCV SYSTEM THAT GM HAS DOCUMENTED IN SERVICE BULLETIN 14882 DATED MARCH 2015. DURING COLD WEATHER OPERATION, CONDENSATION FREEZES AND PLUGS THE PCV (POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION) SYSTEM. THIS CONDITION CAUSES AN IMMEDIATE INCREASE IN THE CRANKCASE PRESSURE AND BLOWS OUT THE REAR SEAL. ONCE THE REAR SEAL IS LOST, OIL IMMEDIATELY PURGES OUT OF THE ENGINE. THIS KNOWN DESIGN FLAW CAUSED $8,500 IN DAMAGES. I HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE, INTAKE MANIFOLD, SEALS ON THE INJECTOR RAIL, SPARK PLUGS, FLEX PLATE, BALANCER, THERMOSTAT HOUSING AND TUBE ASSEMBLY. THIS 5.5 YEAR OLD CAR ONLY HAD 54,500 MILES ON IT WHEN THIS FAILURE OCCURRED. IT ALSO LEFT THE DRIVER STRANDED IN SUBZERO WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES.
BURNS EXCESSIVE OIL WHICH CAUSES CATALYTIC CONVERTER TO CLOG AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD TO CRACK AND FUMES DEVELOP IN CABIN
VEHICLE IS USING EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. THE VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND ONLY HAS 85,000 MILES ON IT. THE VEHICLE NOW DIES OR STALLS AND IS INOPERABLE. I HAVE NOTED HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND A PRIOR RECALL FOR EARLIER MODEL YEARS. A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS PUBLISHED BUT VEHICLE OWNERS WERE NEVER INFORMED OF THE WELL KNOWN ISSUE. I NOW HAVE A VEHICLE THAT IS WORTHLESS AFTER BUYING IT NEW IN 2013.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE UNINTENTIONALLY SHUT OFF AND THE TIRE TRACTION AND ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED CONSISTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT METAL SHAVINGS WERE FOUND INSIDE THE OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR, FUEL PUMP INTAKE EXHAUST, AND CAMSHAFT ALL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000.
MY 2013 CHEVROLET EQUINOX STARTED CONSUMING EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL. MY CAR WAS AT THE RANDY REED GM DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND I WAS ADVISED THAT THERE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE EQUINOX REPORTED REGARDING THIS ISSUE. I WAS ADVISED THAT I WOULD NEED TO HAVE MY VEHICLE UNDERGO AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST AT 1000 AND 2000 MILE INCREMENTS BEFORE GM WOULD PAY FOR THE REPAIR. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR BACK AT THE 2000 CHECK, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT IT WAS USING OIL. IT WAS 3 QUARTS LOW. I WAS THEN ADVISED BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT ONLY THE 2012 EQUINOX MODEL WAS COVERED FOR THIS PROBLEM. GM PAID FOR THE SAME REPAIR ON THE 2012 MODEL BUT HAS NOT ISSUED ANY SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE FOR THE 2013 ALTHOUGH THEY ARE AWARE THAT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES ON THE 2013 MODEL. THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED THAT THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS GETTING THE PARTS DUE TO THE NUMBER OF DEFECTIVE PARTS NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. I SPOKE WITH GM CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS ADVISED ALTHOUGH SHE "SYMPATHIZED WITH ME" GM WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR. IT IS A KNOWN DEFECT IN THE VEHICLES BUT GM IS CHOOSING TO IGNORE THE OTHER MODEL YEARS. THE VEHICLE WILL CONTINUE TO USE OIL AT AN EXCESSIVE RATE AND IS SUBJECT TO CAUSING THE ENGINE TO FAIL OR CATCH FIRE IF THE REPAIR IS NOT PERFORMED.
EXTREME COLD TEMPS (-20BELOW), WHILE DRIVING HEARD POPPING SOUND, 2 MILES LATER, CAR STARTED TO RUN ROUGH WENT BACK HOME, OIL WAS DRAINING OUT. CAR WAS PARKED, PUT MORE OIL IN, DRAINED RIGHT OUT. MECHANIC STATED THE CRANKSHAFT REAR OIL SEAL GASKET HAD BLOWN. THIS IS REFERENCED IN GM SB14882. MY VIN WASN'T COVERED EVEN THOUGH WHAT HAPPENED WAS EXACTLY AS STATED IN THE SB. SB WAS UPDATED ON FEB 4, 2019 (#19-NA-021) , AGAIN I WAS STILL NOT COVERED. I HAD HEARD OVER 200 MICHIGAN EQUINOX CUSTOMERS WERE IN SERVICE DUE TO SAME ISSUE AND THE COLD TEMPERATURES WE WERE EXPERIENCING IN MICHIGAN. THE AMOUNT OF OIL I HAVE TO PUT IN, 2 QRTS EVERY 2 WEEKS IS ALSO A CONCERN.
TAKATA RECALL. DRIVING CAR TO WORK, STARTED MAKING A CLINKING SOUND ABOUT 3 MILES DOWN THE ROAD I ARRIVED AT WORK. PARKED THE CAR AND OIL STARTED POURING OUT OF THE REAR MAIN SEAL. GOT THE CAR TOWED HOME. CALLED GM THEY STATED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND HAVE FIXED OVER 7 THIS YEAR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE OIL CONSUMPTION LEVELS WOULD LOWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO ADD OIL IN THE VEHICLE FOUR TIMES, WHICH RESULTED IN THE OIL LEVELS STAYING THE SAME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BILL HOOD CHEVROLET (69020 HWY 190 SERVICE RD, COVINGTON, LA 70433, (985)-590-4102) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS ABNORMAL OIL CONSUMPTION LEVELS AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.
"TAKATA RECALL" MANUFACTURE DEFAULT PART CAUSE RUBBING ON TIMING CHAIN. THEN THREW THE ENGINE.
DRIVING ON X-WAY AT POSTED SPEED (70 MPH) FAINT BLUE SMOKE FROM REAR OF CAR (REARVIEW MIRROR) OTHERWISE DRIVING OK (NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT); FEW MILES LATER ON 4-LANE AT 50MPH CLATTERING SOUND FROM ENGINE; VEHICLE STALLED AT STOP LIGHTS AND WAS DIFFICULT TO START; NURSED IT TO CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP; AS DRIVEN INTO SERVICE DEPARTMENT VEHICLE WAS TRAILING A STEADY STREAM OF ENGINE OIL; TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSIS: THE PCV (POSITIVE CRANKCASE VENTILATION VALVE)WAS FROZEN SHUT THUS ALLOWING CRANKCASE PRESSURE TO BUILD UP ULTIMATELY BLOWING OUT ENGINE REAR MAIN SEAL; LACK OF ENGINE LUBRICATION CAUSED TIMING CHAIN FAILURE AND METALLIC DEBRIS WAS FOUND THROUGHOUT ENGINE INDICATING TOTAL FAILURE AND RE-MANUFACTURED ENGINE INSTALLATION REQUIRED ($7651.87 CHARGED). BACKGROUND DATA: CAR PARKED OUTSIDE IN BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES WITH WIND TOWARD GRILLE OF CAR; SOAKED FOR ABOUT 20HRS BEFORE STARTUP AND DRIVEAWAY WHICH WENT OK; ODO MILES ARRIVING AT DEALERSHIP 81,986; VEHICLE SERVICED REGULARLY AT CHEVY DEALERSHIPS; VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN BY MY WIFE AND DID NOT HAVE ANY HARSH DRIVING CIRCUMSTANCES. THIS WAS A SAFETY RISK FOR MY WIFE WITH THE ENGINE STALLING INTERMITTENTLY AND DIFFICULT TO RESTART; FORTUNATELY COMPLETE FAILURE DID NOT OCCUR AT 70 MPH ON EXPRESSWAY. THERE WAS A GM SERVICE BULLETIN (14882) COVERING THIS SAME FAILURE SCENARIO (PCV FROZEN LEADING TO SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE) BUT GM SAYS MY VIN # IS NOT COVERED, NO EXCEPTIONS! THIS IS A PCV SYSTEM DESIGN PROBLEM NOT PROPERLY VALIDATED IN PRE-PRODUCTION TESTING; I AM A RETIRED GM ENGINE CALIBRATION ENGINEER AND CAN DISCUSS IN MORE DETAIL IF NEEDED; THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT COST ALMOST AS MUCH AS THE TRADE-IN VALUE FOR THIS VEHICLE (WITH AN OPERATING ENGINE) HTTPS://GM.OEMDTC.COM/RECALL/SB-10057977-8108.PDF
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Quick Summary
The 2013 Chevrolet Equinox has 299 Engine complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.