2013 Chevrolet Equinox Power Train
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
While driving in November of 2022 my truck started to make some really horrific noises. Got it into a shop who proceeded to tell me that my transfer case basically exploded. While trying to research my options for repair ( which this & extensive oil burning and consumption seem to be very common on this year, make, and , model) I learned through GM that my truck also has a branded title which wasn't disclosed to me at purchase from a dealership, because they said they didn't klnow. I don't know if this all ties into the branded title, but I feel like there needs to be a recall to address the faulty transfer case and the excessive oil consumption.
Issue started appx 2015-2017, loss of oil in between oil changes but would only happen every 6-9 months, took it to Chevy dealership for inspection because there was no oil anywhere. They did 2 free oil changes 3 months apart and said nothing wrong with vehicle, even when I explained it wasn't long enough. But miracously it stopped for about 3-4 years and started slowly again, had mechanic look at it and he didn't see oil anywhere but found that the Equinox has had piston ring issues about the same time I took to dealership. Now in 2023, I cannot drive my car any further than 30 miles without it starting to jerk all over because it is out of oil. I literally stalled on the highway a few times putting myself and my family in danger, I called the dealership and service dept. told me nothing they can do unless I pay for it because they checked it back in 2015-2017 so claim is closed. in the meantime, my family's safety is at risk, I take extreme care of my vehicle so I check my oil daily and if it starts to jerk, I know it's lost the oil again. I carry oil in my car for this reason, but there was a recall and now it won't be honored because it took so long to fully arise.
No prior symptoms or warning lights the transfer case in my equinox went upon further research tons of equinox’s and similar gm cars have had the same issue where a part inside the transfer case cause the case to crack and fluid to leak out if this happens when driving the car will become inoperable creating a safety hazard gm made a replacement transfer case without the issue but never issued a recall a quick look online and you will see a ton of consumer complaints related to this issue I do believe gm knew about it and instead of doing the right thing just made a replacement and left it at that.
84,000 MILES, TRANSFER CASE HOUSING CRACKED. DEALER STATED THAT THE SIDE WAS "BLOWN OUT" DUE TO INTERNAL DAMAGE. CAR STARTED TO LOSE POWER, AND STRONG SMELL OF BURNT FLUID. DROVE STRAIGHT TO DEALERSHIP. NEW TRANSFER CASE INSTALLED FOR $2,600. OF COURSE, THE 100,000 MILE DRIVETRAIN WARRANTY WAS ONLY FOR 5 YEAR. THIS CAR IS 7 YEARS.
CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR PISTON RING OIL FAILURE RESULTING IN HIGH OIL CONSUMPTION. CHEVY ARBITRATOR IS DENYING CLAIMS LEAVING CUSTOMERS TO DEAL WITH THEIR PROBLEM. ANT KNOWLEDGEABLE MECHANIC KNOWS WHEN THE ENGINE IS NOT HOLDING OIL, MULTIPLE THINGS CAN BREAK AND BLOW, BUT CHEVY DENIES THESE THINGS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT COVERED IN THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.
WHILE TRAVELING LESS THAN 2 MILES FROM HOME AT ABOUT 40 MPH ON A SMOOTH STRAIGHT ROAD THE VEHICLE MADE A SUDDEN JERK LIKE SLAMMING ON BRAKES. MADE CONTROL DIFFICULT MOMENTARILY
THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAKING STRANGE NOISE AND BURNING OIL FOR THE PAST YEAR. WE HAD IT TO THE DEALER IN MAY 2019 AND THEY INFORMED US THAT IT WAS SOMETHING WITH THE MUFFLER THAT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. FAST FORWARD TO TODAY, AND THE DEALER TOLD US THAT THE TIMING CHAIN AND THE PCV NEED TO BE CLEANED FOR A TOTAL OF 2100. BUT NOW THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED, AND THE REASON FOR THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION WHICH WILL LEAD TO FURTHER PROBLEMS. I AM EXTEMELY DISSATISFIED WITH CHEVROLET AND THEIR SERVICE.
OUR 2013 EQUINOX HAD ONLY 36,000 MILES AND IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH OIL CONSUMPTION BUT RECENTLY IN THE COLD WEATHER THE OIL STARTED LITERALLY RUNNING OUT BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE STARTED JERKING ON THE HWY AND THE OIL LIGHT WENT ON. THE CAR HAS REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND WE COULD NEVER IMAGINE A 5YR OLD ONE OWNER VEHICLE WITH 36,000 MILES WOULD HAVE OIL LEAKING OUT OF THE REAR MAIN SEAL. ENTERED THE VIN NUMBER TO SEE IF OUR VEHICLE WAS LISTED UNDER RECALL 14882 AND NOTHING IS COMING UP. WE WERE TOLD BY OUR MECHANIC FRIEND THAT THERE WERE 5 OTHER EQUINOX'S WITH THIS ISSUE DURING THE CRAZY COLD WEATHER WE HAD RECENTLY. $1,400 LATER. OTHERS APPEAR TO BE REPORTING SIMILAR ISSUES AT HTTPS://WWW.EDMUNDS.COM/CHEVROLET/EQUINOX/2013/CONSUMER-REVIEWS/PG-4/?SORTING=CREATED%3ADESC
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND TOWED TO DIANE SAUER CHEVROLET (700 NILES RD SE, WARREN, OH 44483, (330) 373-1600) AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR MAIN SEAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE AS LISTED IN TSB NUMBER: 14882. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.
NOISE STARTED TO COME FROM UNDERNEATH CAR, THEN IT WOULDN'T MOVE. WAS TOWED TO DEALER WHO IDENTIFIED PROBLEM AS TRANSFER CASE BURNED OUT. CAR HAS 80,000 MILES, RECOMMENDED SERVICE IS AT 150,000 MILES. COST $2,000 TO REPLACE!
TRANSFER CASE WENT OUT AT 36595.. THEY CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW IT HAPPENED
HAD OIL CHANGE ON FEB 5, 2019. FEB. 9, 2019 HAD SOMEONE ASK IF I HAD AN OIL LEAK. I SAW A TRAIL OF OIL UP MY DRIVEWAY AND INTO MY GARAGE. THERE WAS A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL UNDER MY VEHICLE. LUCKILY IT WAS STATIONARY IN THE GARAGE. IF I HADN'T HAD SOMEONE SEE IT BEFORE I DROVE IT AGAIN MY ENGINE WOULD HAVE SEIZED UP. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS THAT CAME ON. WEATHER CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN BAD THIS YEAR WITH RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES, SNOW AND ICY ROADWAYS. IF I HAD DRIVEN THIS WITH, MY NINE-YEAR-OLD SON AND HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY OR INTERSTATE I DRIVE EVERYDAY IT COULD HAVE BEEN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. MY PCV CLOGGED FROM THE ACCUMULATED MOISTURE GETTING FROZEN. CHEVY HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN (#14882) ON THIS, HOWEVER MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM THAT ARE ALSO NOT INCLUDED IN THE SERVICE BULLETIN.
DIFFERENTIAL TRANSFER CASE CRACKED AND SPRAYING OIL ON ENGINE ACCORDING TO MECHANIC. ALSO, ACCORDING TO MECHANIC THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE REGARDING THIS VEHICLE. CONSIDERING THE OIL IS SPRAYING ON THE ENGINE THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS A RECALL ISSUE.
JUST PURCHASED VEHICLE AMD TRANDMISSION IS SLIPPING IN 3RD THRU 5TH. NO WARRANTY SEEMS LIKE THIS HAPPENS IN ALOT OF EQUINOX. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN IN WHICH GM IS NOT TAKING SERIOUS.
INTAKE PCV PORT FROZE-INTERNAL OIL PRESSURE IN MOTION SLOWED THEN STOPPED THEN I WOULD RESTART CONTINUALLY.
THESE VEHICLES HAVE A PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSIONS. THEY SEEM TO LURCH FORWARD WHEN DOWN SHIFTING. HAVE BROUGHT IT TO SEVERAL DEALERS,THEY SAY THIS IS NORMAL REALLY. THIS IS NOT SAFE. CALLED GM THEY ARE NO HELP!!
MY CAR ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON LAST WEEK AFTER I HAD PICKED IT UP FROM CHEVY DEALERSHIP AFTER THEY HAD REPAIRED MY VEHICLE. SINCE THE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON I AM UNABLE TO USE MY REMOTE START. MY ENGINE SEEMS LIKE IT WANTS TO CUT OUT. MY CAR DOES NOT RUN PROPERLY.
I JUST RECENTLY REPLACED MY ENGINE THAT BLEW UP. I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM A DOCTORS. APPT WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY SUV WENT FROM DRIVING THE SPEED LIMIT TO BARELY MOVING. I HAD TO TURN IT ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES TO BE ABLE TO PARK IT IN A SAFE PLACE.I HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD MY TRANSMISSION DIED. SO IN LESS THAN TWO MONTHS I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE BOTH MY ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION ONCE I HIT 100,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE RECEIVED ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND THERE IS NO REASON FOR BOTH TO COMPLETELY DIE BACK TO BACK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE IT WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. WHILE DRIVING UP AN INCLINE, THE VEHICLE SHOOK SEVERELY AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000.
TRANSMISSION DOES NOT UPSHIFT WHEN ACCELERATING...ALWAYS AND EVERYDAY (V6 ENGINE MODELS) CADILLAC HAS ISSUED A RECALL # 14132 FOR THE SAME POWERTRAIN IN THE 2013 CADILLAC SRX! CHEVROLET SHOULD DO THE SAME! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED BUT THERE WAS NO PROGRAMMING INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED BUT THERE WAS NO PROGRAMMING INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200.
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Quick Summary
The 2013 Chevrolet Equinox has 23 Power Train complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.