2012 Chevrolet Equinox Other Problems

Your vehicle was brought in for a recall repair involving the oxygen sensor and tailpipe emissions. During the repair, the dealership discovered that the recalled part had damaged your catalytic converter, which they said would be covered under the recall. The dealership released your vehicle on 2/14/2025 before the repair was fully complete, stating it was drivable and they were only waiting for a harness. When you attempted to start the vehicle the following Monday to return it for the remaining repair, it made unusual noises, shut off, and won't restart. The repair will require diagnosis and completion of the outstanding work, including harness installation and addressing the engine startup issue.

Your engine suddenly went into limp mode at 76,000 miles, limiting acceleration to 24 mph and causing loud valve rattling. A mechanic found the oil level was completely empty and added 5 quarts to restore normal operation. The owner reports that 2012 Chevrolet Equinoxes are known for excessive oil consumption due to faulty pistons, which wasn't addressed in any recall.

Your car had an open recall for the oxygen sensor after the catalytic converter. When the dealership investigated, they discovered a cracked exhaust manifold that could leak toxic fumes into the cabin of your vehicle. This is a safety concern that requires repair of the cracked manifold and replacement of the faulty oxygen sensor.

Your driver's side wiper blade has stopped working while the passenger side still functions normally. You've also noticed your engine is consuming oil too quickly—the oil level drops significantly between regular oil changes—and your catalytic converter has been damaged as a result. While recalls exist for both issues for your vehicle's make, model, and year, they don't apply to your specific VIN number. Fixes would likely involve replacing the wiper linkage assembly and addressing the underlying oil consumption problem, which may require engine gasket replacement or valve seal repair.

In May 2024 there was an open recall regarding o2 sensor which was "fixed" by the dealer in July 2024. On September 22, 2024 the check engine light was triggered and diagnostics revealed o2 sensor failure. It could be a safety issue.

My car just died, stopped, immediate dead car in full on rush hour traffic on the highway main road, me and my two grandchildren sitting in a car not able to move at all, not able to get restart. In review this is happening to 2012 and other years Chevrolet Equinox with no one knowing what the true actual engine problem is. it had to be pushed off the main hwy before we could have been injured or worse. When will the first death occur Chevrolet. This needs to be RECALLED, or BOUGHT BACK CARS BEFORE DEATH LAWSUITS BEGIN.

A knocking nose fm the back passenger side it's heard every time I drive

Timing belt front cover is bad, the car is constantly leaking oil and fuming dark smoke. I had to stop driving immediately to avoid a fire. The oil was changed 3 weeks ago and today, there’s no oil in the car.

2012 CHEVROLET EQUINOX. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A TICKING SOUND COMING FROM VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING.

ON DEC 9TH I TOOK MY CAR TO A CERTIFIED CHEVY DEALER TO HAVE MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER RECALL DONE. AS I WAS DRIVING HOME, THE CAR STARTED TO VIBRATE AND IT WAS DRIVING RUFF. I WAITED A WHILE TO SEE IF IT WOULD GET BETTER AND AFTER A DAY OR SO IT WAS BACK TO NORMAL. THEN IT STARTED, IT WOULD VIBRATE WHILE IDLE ON A STOP LIGHT, OR EVEN GETTING STUCK ON A STOP LIGHT. FIRST IT WAS JUST ONES WHILE OUT, NOE IT HAPPENS QUITE A FEW TIMES. I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND TALKED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY ANALYZED THE PROBLEM IT SEEMED AND DID SOMETHING TO THE CAR, WHAT I DO NOT KNOW, BUT THE ATTENDANT TOLD ME IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS THE AIR INTAKE. IT DID NOT WORK. I HAVE THE FEELING SOMETHING HAPPENED WHILE WORKING ON THE CONVERTER?

THE DRIVER WINDSHIELD WIPER CAME OFF AND MOTOR BROKE BY JUST TURNING THEM ON. THE DRIVER WIPER STOPPED WORKING AND THE PASSENGER ONE IS THE ONLY ONE WORKING.

THE SUV SOUNDS LIKE ITS TRYING TO START ITS SELF. WE LEAVE OUR KEYS IN THE RIG. DURING THE DAY WE CAN HEAR THIS CLICKING SOUND. WE GO OUT TO THE RIG AND THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON AND MUSIC PLAYING IN THE RIG. THE SOUND THAT IT MAKES SOUNDS LIKE WHEN A RIG IS ALREADY STARTED AND TRYS TO START AGAIN. WE ARE NOT SURE WHAT IS CAUSING THIS. FOUND NO INFO ONLINE ABOUT OTHER RIGS HAVING THIS PROBLEM.

IT HAS BEEN BURNING OIL SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT. IT ALSO SHAKES REAL BAD WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. I HAVE BOUGHT NEW ROTORS AND PADS AND IT STILL SHAKES NO MATTER THE SPEED I'M GOING.

CAR SHAKES PRETTY ROUGH WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF. IT TAKES ABOUT 5-10 SECONDS FOR THE MOTOR TO COMPLETELY STOP AFTER THE KEY HAS BEEN REMOVED. IT HAS BEEN DOING IT FOR ABOUT A MONTH OR 2 AND WHEN THE CAR IS TAKEN IN TO BE SERVICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNS OFF AND NO CODE CAN BE GENERATED. *TR

ON TUESDAY FEBRUARY 4, 2020 1:09PM MY 2012 EQUINOX VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE 10 MINUTES AFTER REACHING MY DESTINATION IN A PRIVATE DRIVEWAY. THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF, AND LOCKED WITH THE KEY BEFORE ENTERING THE RESIDENCE. SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY WITH FLAMES. MY CONCERNS: 1) I HAD MY PASTOR WITH ME AND THIS COULD HAVE OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING; 2) MY NEXT DESTINATION WAS PARKING IN MY GARAGE AND I WOULD HAVE HAD A HOUSE FIRE. GOD WAS WATCHING OVER US.

WE PURCHASED A 2012 CHEVROLET EQUINOX 08/24/2017. IT HAS AN EXCESSIVE OIL USAGE, THE CHEVY GARAGE SAID IT WAS 1/4 OF A QUART FROM BEING COVERED. THE RINGS ARE BAD, REAR MAIN HAS OIL RESIDUE. THE CHEVY GARAGE MONITORED IT EVERY 1000 MILES AND ADDED OIL WHILE DOING SO. WE DID THIS FOR 4000 MILES. THEN WAS TOLD NO COVERAGE. BOUGHT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND IT'S A PREEXISTING PROBLEM. WE STILL OWE A LOT OF MONEY FOR A VEHICLE THAT MAY BLOW A REAR MAIN GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. ENGINE BLOWS, LOSS OF OIL ALL OVER, AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY WIPERS FELL APART AND THE WIPER TRANSMISSION STOP WORK AND I HAD NO WIPERS AT ALL. I WAS TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED OF 60 MILES AN HOUR DURING A WINTER STORM. I HAD NO VISIBILITY AT ALL. I WAS ALMOST KILLED BY A TRACTOR TRAILER WHO WAS TRAILING ME FROM BEHIND.

MY WIPERS STARTED DOING INTERMITTENT OPERATING AND IT WAS RAINING AT NIGHT ON HIGHWAY. I WAS TRAVELING AT 55 MILES PER HOUR. THIS WAS THE SECOND INCIDENT.

MY 2012 EQUINOX JUST DIES FOR NO APPARENT REASON. AT STOP LIGHTS I HAVE TO SOMETIMES JUST PUT IT IN NEUTRAL TO AVOID IT DYING. SOMETIMES IT STILL DOES. THEN IT TAKES FOREVER FOR IT TO GET BACK TO NORMAL ONLY TO EVENTUALLY DO IT AGAIN.

TAKARA RECALL, TIMING CHAIN IS LOOSE CAUSING A LOT OF NOISES AND SHAKING IN MY CAR. RECENTLY THE CAR HAD STARTED SHUTTING OFF WHEN BARELY MOVING OR SITTING STILL (WHILE PARKED, WHILE AT A STOP SIGN) AND THE ENGINE WANTS TO KEEP GOING.

CHEVROLET HAS SINCE FIXED THE ISSUE ON MY VEHICLE HOWEVER I TRULY FEEL THE ISSUE I HAD SHOULD HAVE A RECALL BECAUSE IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN & WOULD CERTAINLY HATE THIS TO HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED IN DEC. 2015 & IT OCCURRED A COUPLE OF TIMES. I CONTACTED OUR NEAREST CHEVROLET DELEARSHIP A FEW TIMES AND THEY NEVER FOUND ANY ISSUES. I THEN SUBMITTED A BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU COMPLAINT BECAUSE I WAS VERY CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF MYSELF & MY FAMILY. I EMAILED GM DIRECTLY ON 12/23/15. GM THEN GOT INVOLVED AND SENT A GM PROFESSIONAL TECHNICIAN TO INVESTIGATE OUR VEHICLE. THE GM TECHNICIAN THEN CONCLUDED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH OUR VEHICLE AND REPLACED SOME PARTS. SINCE THEN WE NO LONGER HAD THAT ISSUE. ONCE WE WERE ON A RED LIGHT OUR VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF. WE HAD TO TURN OUR KEY TO REMOVE IT, PUT IT BACK IN. NOW I DON'T REMEMBER IF WE PUT THE GEAR ON PARK DURING THIS TIME. BUT ONCE WE PUT THE KEY BACK IN, OUR VEHICLE THEN STARTED BACK UP. I CONTACTED COLONIAL CHEVROLET, THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. LEFT & HOPING IT WAS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN. SECOND TIME WE PUT THE VEHICLE ON REAR, THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF. WE THEN DID THE SAME THING BY TURNING THE KEY TO REMOVE IT AND THEN PUTTING IT BACK IN. IT THEN STARTED AFTERWARDS. FROM THOSE 2 INCIDENTS THAT IS WHEN I HAD TO SUBMIT A BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU COMPLAINT BECAUSE THIS SAFETY CONCERN. I DRIVE THIS VEHICLE WITH OUR YOUNG CHILDREN IN THIS VEHICLE SO SAFETY IS MY CONCERN. I HOPE THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED TO ANY ONE ELSE BUT I WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE OTHER'S TO BE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO FORWARD THE EMAILS I EMAILED GM PRIOR ABOUT THIS RECALL & THE COMPLAINT. UNFORTUNATELY I CAN NOT LOCATE THE PAPERWORK FROM THE DEALERSHIP OF WHAT WAS THE ISSUE AND WHAT PARTS THEY REPLACED BUT I AM VERY SURE GM & THE DEALERSHIP HAS A COPY OF THIS.

FROZEN PVC SYSTEM FORCING REAR MAIN SEALS TO BLOW OUT. THE CAR STARTED FINE BUT SOON STARTED TRYING TO CUT OFF...BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. CAR SOON CUT OFF. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 84,596 MILES ON IT.

THE TIMING CHAIN HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 140,000 MILES. ($2,000) [OCCURRED JAN. 2018] THEIR IS AN ISSUE CAUSING WITH LEAKY PISTONS CAUSING OIL TO EVAPORATE. MY CAR WAS LOW ON OIL (THOUGH THE "LOW OIL" INDICATOR HAD NOT GONE OFF) AND THE PRESSURE INSIDE THE ENGINE CAUSED THE REAR MAIN SEAL TO BREAK. (REPLACEMENT OF REFURBISHED ENGINE + LABOR EST. $4,000) [OCCURRED JAN 2018 AT 170,000 MILES) NOT TO MENTION THAT THE BACK,LEFT DOOR IS CLOSED, THOUGH A SENSOR SAYS IT IS AJAR. THE SENSORS IN THE TIRES ARE ALWAYS WAY OFF, TEMPTING ME TO OVER-INFLATE TIRES. [INFINITY.]

OIL LIGHT DON'T COME ON WHEN THERE IS KNOW OIL IN THE ENGINE THE P V C FROZE AND BLOWN OUT THE BACK SEAL . THE OIL SYSTEM DO NOT WORK RIGHT. THEY SAY IN 2013 THEY FIX THE OIL SYSTEM BUT WE NEVER TOOK IN TO THE DEALERSHIP SO HOW THEY FIX IT. WE BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2012 AND HAVE HAD PROBLEM SINCE. MY WIFE BROUGHT THE EQUINOXE FROM KELLEY COURTESY MOTORS IN DECATUR IN 46733 . THEY SOLD MY WIFE A LEMON.

I HAVE A 2012 CHEVY EQUINOX WITH UNDER 76,000 MILES ON IT TELL ME IT NEED A NEW TIMING CHAIN. THE CRAMSHAFT POSITION HAS ISSUES. I TURNED THE CAR ON ONE DAY TO GO TO WORK AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAN ON I'M BEING TOLD THAT'S THE ISSUE. I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING HOW A CAR 6 YEARS OLD NEEDS ENGINE WORK TO THIS EXTENT!?

STARTS OCCASIONALLY

THE WIPER BLADE MOTOR STOPPED WORKING SUDDENLY WHILE WE WERE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN HEAVY RAIN. IT CREATED A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED, FIRST TIME WE HAD IT REPAIRED WAS IN 2015 AND NOW AGAIN IN 2018.

I WAS DRIVING IN A HEAVY RAINSTORM AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED MOVING. I WAS ALMOST IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. I HAVE OWNED 10 OTHER VEHICLES OLDER THAN THIS VEHICLE THAT IS 6 YEARS OLD AND NEVER HAD AN ISSUE LIKE THIS. GM SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS.

"TAKATA RECALL" WENT TO GO SOMEWHERE GOT IN STARTED THE CAR, WENT TO PUT IT IN REVERSE IT STALLED. PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND STARTED IT AGAIN, IT STALLED WHILE STILL IN PARK. WAITED A MINUTE OR SO STARTED CAR AGAIN IT WAS OK UNTIL I PUT IT IN REVERSE. STALLED AGAIN. IT WILL START BUT STALLS.

WAS ALL DAY WITH MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKING THEN I WENT TO THE MOVIES AT NIGHT TIME AND WHEN I WAS LEAVING IT STARTED POURING AND MY WI DAGWOOD WIPERS WORKED FOR 20 SECONDS THEN CUT OFF. I HAD TO DRIVE 20 MILES ON THE HIGHWAY WITH NO WINDSHIELD WIPERS WHILE IT WAS PORING DOWN RAIN.

CAR ENGINE STUMBLED 5 TIMES THIS YEAR WHILE DRIVING IN THE CITY WHILE IN MOTION 35-45 MPH. WOULDN'T ACCELERATE. FEELS LIKE IT STAYS STUCK AND WONT MOVE. LAST INCIDENT 1 NOV 2017.

MAJOR OIL CONSUMPTION CAUSING PARTS TO BREAK IN VEHICLE AND ENGINE TO GO. WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THAT WHEN IT GOES YOU CAN BE STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND UNABLE TO MOVE VEHICLE AS IT WILL NOT RUN AT ALL. SPECIAL SERVICE VEHICLES ONLY GOOD FOR VEHICLES UNDER 120,000 MILES, BUT MANY PEOPLE RECEIVED LETTERS AFTER THAT MILEAGE. WAS TOLD TODAY BY A CHEVY DEALERSHIP IT WAS UNSAFE TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE UNLESS IT WAS FIXED. FIX IS OVER 1200 UNLESS IT TOTALLY RUINS YOUR VEHICLE OR GETS YOU KILLED WHEN THE VEHICLE STOPS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN LONG BEFORE PROBLEMS ACTUALLY OCCURRED, BUT WAS TOLD BECAUSE IT WAS A LITTLE OVER MILEAGE IT COULD NOT BE FIXED.

MY APP SENSOR GOING OUT AND WHEN I DRIVE I HEAR A NOSE AND MY CAR FEEL LIKE SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY TIRES. THANKS [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION HAS HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS. 2012 EQUINOX 130K MILES CAR SHUTS OFF AT STOP SIGNS OR PULLING OUT. I'M NOW REPLACING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND CAMSHAFT ACTUATOR. SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE BEFORE THIS PROBLEM IS TAKEN SERIOULY. NOTHING BUT ISSUES SINCE I PURCHASED 3 YEARS AGO!

JULY 10, 2015: I TOOK MY 2012 CHEVY EQUINOX LT (2.4 L 4 CYL) TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP IN KY. THE VEHICLE WAS AT 100,505 MILES AND I WANTED IT CHECKED BEFORE DRIVING ON VACATION DUE TO THE HIGH MILEAGE, A ROUGH IDLE AND BECAUSE IT HAD RECENTLY SHUT OFF WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING LOT. A GM GOODWRENCH MULTI-POINT VEHICLE INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED. I WAS TOLD THE CAR SHOWED NO SIGN OF ANY ISSUES BUT I WOULD NEED TO PURCHASE NEW TIRES BEFORE WINTER. BY DEC 2015 THE ROUGH IDLE HAD GOTTEN MUCH WORSE, THE VEHICLE WAS LOUD (ALMOST SOUNDING LIKE A DIESEL), WOULD JERK AND FELT LIKE IT MAY SHUT OFF ANY TIME I HAD TO STOP OR DRIVE SLOWER SPEEDS. ADDITIONALLY, THE CAR WOULD "SLIP" AS IT WAS SHIFTING GEARS SO I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP ON DEC 8, 2015. THE CAR WAS AT 115,720 MILES. THE TRANSMISSION, #2 CYLINDER, SPARK PLUG AND COIL WERE REPLACED AND A THROTTLE BODY CLEANING SERVICE WAS PERFORMED. SINCE THEN, THE CAR HAS IDLED HIGH REVVING TO 4,000+RPM AT TIMES BEFORE IT WILL SHIFT INTO HIGHER GEARS (PARTICULARLY WHEN DRIVING 70+MPH ON THE INTERSTATE). DOWNSHIFTING TO LOWER GEARS DOESN'T ALWAYS GO SMOOTH EITHER. THE ROUGH IDLE HAS RETURNED AND PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE. THE CAR ALMOST SHUT OFF WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING LOT ON FEB 13, 2016. YESTERDAY (FEB 15, 2016), THE CAR SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING! THERE WERE NO LIGHTS ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO IT SHUTTING OFF. I COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, RE-STARTED THE CAR AND FINISHED THE FINAL (~3) MILES TO WORK. I HAD THE CAR TOWED FROM WORK BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THERE WAS NO OIL ON THE DIPSTICK (THE OIL LIFE SENSOR SHOWED ~25% LIFE LEFT ON OIL) AND I WAS TOLD THE CAR WAS 2 QTS LOW ON OIL. THE CAR REMAINS AT THE DEALERSHIP AS OF TODAY, FEB 16, 2016. THERE ARE A LOT OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ON WWW.ARFC.ORG. THIS VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR DIES!

VEHICLE LOUDLY IDLES WHEN STARTING. WHEN STOPPED VEHICLE IDLES IN A JUMPING MOTION.