35 complaints reported

2019 Chevrolet Equinox Brakes

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
35
Crashes
5
Fires
1
Injuries
1

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Oct 2026 Crash Injury

My wife and I were in our car driving on [XXX] on [XXX] at about 4:30 in the afternoon. I was about three car lengths behind the car in front of me and I was doing 30-32 miles per hour. The brake lights in front of me went to red and I immediately stepped on my brakes but my car would not stop nor slow down causing me to hit the person in front of me. It was a matter of seconds passing but when I hit the back of that car in front of me I had both feet on the brake pedal. My car would not stop. My wife was injured, the young lady that I hit hurt her leg and the back end of her car was destroyed. Our car was totaled. The vehicle is now in possession of AAA auto insurance where I was told the brakes would be looked in to. I will be placing a call to the General Motors customer service to lodge a complaint. There were no warning signs of any type prior to this accident. This car is a 2019 model with only 30,200 miles on it. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: May 2026
Dec 2025

Repaired a friend's vehicle that had a total brake failure. Vehicle only has 50k miles and no brake repair history. Blew all of the brake fluid out of the stainless braided line coming from master cylinder rear brake channel to abs module. Found the line coming from the front channel to master cylinder also starting to fray and come apart as well. Did not blow out yet. No evidence of brake lines rubbing on any components or that anything has been apart or touched before. Line looks to have failed from the inside out.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2025
Jul 2025

I was driving and all of a sudden my brake assist light and engine light come on and then when I tried to brake, the brake pedal was very hard to push and it was very hard to stop.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2025
Jun 2025

I own a 2019 Chevy Equinox LT 1.5L and am experiencing the exact symptoms described in GM recall 18V576000. After 1–2 hours of driving, the rear brakes begin to drag, creating hesitation during takeoff. The issue resolves after the vehicle cools down. Both my mechanic and independent research confirm this is the same safety defect described in that recall, but my VIN is not included.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Aug 2025
Jun 2025

I was driving brake pedal went causing me to use emergency brake to stop. Took and got it diagnosed. The brake vacuum went out. The repair bill was $680 that have to pay tomorrow 6-19. I had someone in my car that I was transporting. This could end very card if I was an experienced CDL driver. My car 2019 Chevy Equinox only has 107,310 miles. I am so frustrated this is not on the recall list for the same problem other GM owners were having

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2025
Jun 2025

Break assist break vacuum pump

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Mar 2025
May 2025

Vehicle Information: 2019 Chevrolet Equinox VIN: [XXX] Mileage: [Insert your current mileage] Engine: 1.5L Turbo ⸻ Complaint Summary: Sudden and complete loss of brake assist while driving. Brake pedal became extremely hard to press, making it difficult to stop the vehicle safely. A warning message appeared on the dashboard stating “Brake Assist”. This happened without warning and made braking unpredictable and dangerous. If I had been driving downhill or in the mountains, I could have easily lost control or crashed. I was lucky to be on a relatively flat road when it happened. I inspected the vacuum hose and brake fluid level — both were normal. After researching, I discovered this is a known issue in 2019 Equinox models with the 1.5L turbo engine, related to vacuum pump failure or loss of vacuum supply to the brake booster. There are service bulletins and limited coverage programs (N192268490 and N182202780), but my VIN does not show an open recall. I believe this is a serious safety defect that could affect many vehicles not yet covered by the recall or service campaigns. GM needs to expand the recall and properly warn drivers before someone gets killed. Please investigate this problem and hold GM accountable for fixing this safety-critical issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Feb 2025
Mar 2025

The vaccum pump for the braking system exploded in the cam shaft. Check system brake assist came up on the dash. The power brakes were non operational making it incredibly difficult to stop and increasing the distance by at least double. This is a 'known' issue with chevrolet but they have chosen NOT to issue a recall.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2025
Jan 2025

I was driving on the freeway way and during rush hour at 65 miles per hour the brakes completely stoppped working the peddle wouldn’t press I had to swerve to avoid an accident and slowly exited the freeway when it was safe to coast over from the number one lane to the exit. The vacuum pump failed which exploded inside my engine which in turn makes the engine stop functioning and destroys the whole engine with out warning

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2025
Dec 2024

The vehicle vacuum system and the power brake booster has caused the vehicle brake to fail in motion the second incident was almost fatal

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Aug 2024
Nov 2024

The brake vacuum booster failed, causing the brake assist system to malfunction. Yes, the component is available for inspection upon request. While merging onto the highway, the brake pedal became extremely tight, making it difficult to slow down or stop, creating a hazardous situation. Yes, the issue was confirmed by a service center, and the brake vacuum booster is being repaired. No, the vehicle and component have not been inspected by these parties, but the service center is addressing the repair. Yes, a “Service Brake Assist” warning appeared immediately before the brake pedal tightened. Afterward, the check engine light came on.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2024
Jul 2024

I was traveling at expressway speeds (70 mph) when traffic in front of me hit the brakes quickly to avoid an object in the road. At this time, I hit my brakes relatively hard and fast in what I would describe as a panic brake. I avoided incident here. About a mile further up the road, traffic in front of me hit the brakes once again. At this time, I also hit my brakes, but I could not. My brake pedal was hard as a rock, and it would push down only about 2 or 3 inches with little to no effect. I was afraid I might break the pedal arm. I was able to maintain my lane until about 40 mph at which time I was forced to hit the shoulder to avoid colliding with the cars in front of me which were now stopped. I pressed the brake pedal hard and coasted along the shoulder of the expressway for about 40 or 50 yards, rolling past the stopped traffic. A few minutes after my car came to a complete stop, the information panel on my dashboard read "service brake assist". My car was towed to a GM dealership local to where I came to a stop. The documentation from the dealership, as well as what I was verbally told, indicates that there was an internal failure of the vacuum pump. According to the service manager, there was nothing I could have done to prevent this. Obviously, I was extremely lucky. If this would have happened in two-lane city traffic, or approaching a stop light I would have been forced to veer into oncoming traffic or simply barrel into those in front of me. I know this, because for the last month, as I'm driving, I constantly analyze what would happen if my brakes were to go out like that at various points along my drive. Often times, my only option would be to brace for a major accident or land my car in the front yard of a business. This catastrophic failure could have easily killed me, and/or other drivers on the road. Other people will not be so lucky, and I know this. For that reason, it's time for NHTSA to finally take action on this matter.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2024
Jul 2024

I was driving on the highway in traffic when the brake pedal became hard as a rock I was unable to stop causing a major safety concern for myself and baby. Turns out the vacuum pump was faulty causing my brakes to fail.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2024
Jul 2024 Crash

I was driving down a driveway with a slight incline. I pressed the brakes and they were very hard to press and vehicle would not stop until I collided with a wall. This is the fourth time that this has happened in the last two years. Each time it has been the brake booster vacuum pump which my mechanics have said is a common problem with this vehicle. One of the previous times my daughter was driving on the highway when the brakes failed and she ended up in a ditch off the shoulder. This is very dangerous and someone is going to get killed if it hasn't happened already.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: May 2024
May 2024

Our 2019 Chevrolet Equinox had a sudden Brake Vacuum Pump failure causing loss of braking power by about 80%. The only reason we did not have an accident is it was early morning and there was no traffic when we exited the highway. I was not happy to realize that GM has no recall on this. They apparently knew this was a problem and in more recent years have changed the design. The other flaw is this pump is attached to the wall of the engine and shrapnel can fall into the engine compartment and that debris could lead to total engine failure if it travels to the combustion area. This is not only dangerous but financially ruining.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: May 2024
Apr 2024

Engine light came on. Said (reduced engine pressure). Started jerking then breaks went out.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Apr 2024
Mar 2024

Driving 70mph on the interstate with moderate traffic. Came up on a slow down and tried to brake but my brake pedal would not move. It took both feet pushing as hard as I could to stop my car. Luckily I didn't hit anyone. Had to trailer the car home. Had the code read at O'Reilly auto parts and it is the failure of the brake booster vacuum pump. My car has a little less than 70,000 miles on it. There were no warning lights, NO NOTHING up to this point. Luckily I leave plenty of room between me and other cars or this could have been a really bad turnout.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Mar 2024
Feb 2024

The vacuum pump exploded and caused issues with the cam.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Mar 2024
Feb 2024

Vacuum pump failed at 39,000 miles causing little to no brake boost.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2024
Jan 2024

Vacuum pump failure resulted in greatly reduced braking ability

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2024
Jan 2024

Failure of Brake Vacuum Pump. Oil intake screen of brake vacuum pump became clogged. (Have been diligent in regular oil changes) clogged intake caused pump to not receive lubrication, which resulting in it seizing. Pump is mechanically driven by exhaust cam shaft. Failure caused brakes to become almost impossible to engage. Even worse. The metal parts that were connected to the cam shaft were shattered, and the pieces ended up directly in the crankcase. This seems like a dangerous and potentially very expensive design flaw Pieces in picture had to be removed from crankcase..

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2024
Jan 2024

I have 2019 chevy equinox I purchase the car last year with 61 miles. On March 12, 2024 I was 5 minutes away from home after driving an hour from work, try to stop at the stop sign the car didn't stop I tried several time to stop finally put it in neutral for the car to slow down to be able to pull over to stop thank God I wasn't hurt. After taking it to the dealership to get look at now the telling me my camshaft broke to pieces which will cost with the vacuum booster $24000 with only 70 miles.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2024
Sep 2023

While driving from a short trip when we got back home we stopped to get something to eat and when backing out of our parking space I put on the brakes but the peddle was really hard and it was very hard to stop. I went the next day to a parts store and used their scanner and came up with code for brake assist vacuum pump. I had a very hard time finding a replacement and it had to come from Kansas city. I replaced it myself and had problems with it too. The original one the drive connector disintegrated where it connects to the cam shaft. The replacement one went on fine but oil ran from it due to the outer faceplate being warped. Every part store in town says they can't get it.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Apr 2023
Aug 2023 Crash Fire

The contact owned a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 55 mph, she began to smell a burnt odor inside the vehicle. The contact saw white smoke entering from the windshield defroster and decided to continue driving to her destination. The contact stated the check engine warning light was illuminated and black smoke began to enter the windshield defroster. The contact depressed the brake pedal but failed to stop the vehicle and caused her to crash into a guard rail on the front driver side. No air bags deployed. The contact was not able to open the front driver side door due to being blocked by the guard rail. The contact climbed into the back of the vehicle and exited the rear driver side door, while the flames were inside the front of the vehicle. The fire department extinguished the fire. A fire report was not filed. The police report was filed. The contact did not sustain any injuries but sought medical attention the following day. The vehicle was not drivable. The insurance company deemed the vehicle to be a total loss. The vehicle was towed to the towing lot. The vehicle was not diagnosed. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2022
Jul 2023 Crash

I was approaching and intersection with a red light and I put my foot on the brakes. The car slowed down but then bucked forward three time until I hit the vehicle in front of me. Been driving for 44 years and never experienced anything like it.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2019 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2023

Trend Over Time

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Quick Summary

The 2019 Chevrolet Equinox has 35 Brakes complaints on file. 5 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.