2019 Chevrolet Equinox — Known Issues & Recalls

Your brakes stopped working while you were driving on the highway, requiring a tow to a repair shop. The mechanic found that your vacuum pump had failed and needed replacement. This is apparently a known issue affecting multiple Chevrolets. Fixing this will involve replacing the brake vacuum pump.

While driving at 30-32 mph with normal following distance, your brakes failed to slow or stop the car when you pressed the pedal, even with both feet applied. This caused you to hit the vehicle in front of you, resulting in injuries to your wife and the other driver, and totaling both vehicles. Your insurance company is investigating the brake system, and you should follow up with GM customer service to document the failure.

Your brake lines may fail prematurely even with low mileage and no prior repair history. The stainless braided line from the master cylinder to the ABS module can rupture and expel all brake fluid, causing total brake failure, while other brake lines may simultaneously begin fraying and deteriorating from the inside out. This appears to be a manufacturing defect rather than damage from rubbing or external wear. Fixing this issue will require replacing the affected brake lines and refilling the brake fluid system.

Your brake system's vacuum pump failed, causing your power brakes to stop working. You'll notice a "Check System Brake Assist" warning on your dashboard, and stopping the car will require significantly more pedal pressure and longer distances. The repair will likely involve replacing the vacuum pump and inspecting the brake system for any related damage.

Your engine is shutting off unexpectedly without warning, especially when starting up or driving on the highway, and the vehicle shakes and loses power when this happens. You're also hearing a strange gulping sound from the rear of the vehicle that suggests a fuel system problem. This creates a serious safety risk because the engine could die at any time while you're driving in traffic, and the dealership hasn't been able to identify the cause yet. The fix will likely involve diagnosing the fuel system (pump, fuel filter, or fuel injectors) and the engine's fuel delivery and ignition systems.

You notice a gas smell and see gasoline dripping onto your driveway from under the car, appearing to come from the top of your fuel tank. The leak only happens when your tank is full and the outside temperature drops below 20 degrees. The fuel system likely has a cracked or damaged seal that expands/contracts with temperature changes, and the repair will involve inspecting and replacing the faulty fuel tank seal or filler neck component.

Your car lost the ability to accelerate while driving. The mechanic found that the high-pressure fuel pump that sends fuel directly into the engine had snapped off, with a broken bolt in the cylinder head and a leaking steel fuel line between the pump and fuel injectors. This prevented fuel from reaching the engine properly. The repair will likely involve replacing the fuel pump, bolt, and fuel line.

Your car suddenly lost engine power while driving, forcing you to pull over. The check engine light came on, and the dealer found that your camshaft failed and damaged the engine, requiring a complete engine replacement. This is a serious issue that left your vehicle unable to run.

Your air filter box housing top came off while driving, causing a loss of power and reduced fuel economy. The housing uses screws instead of a latch system, and these screws were over-tightened during your last oil change, which cracked the plastic screw housing and allowed the filter cover to come loose. This let excess air and dirt enter the engine air intake. The fix will likely involve replacing the cracked plastic air filter housing and ensuring the screws are properly torqued during reinstallation.

Your instrument cluster and driver information center display are completely blank, and the steering wheel controls aren't responding. Although your vehicle starts and runs normally, you can't see your speed, fuel level, or other gauges, and features like turn signals and headlights controlled from the steering wheel won't work. This likely requires diagnosis and repair of the instrument cluster wiring or the cluster itself.

Your tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) stopped working at 49,000 miles and no longer alerts you when your tires are underinflated. The dealership quoted $732+ to fix it, but there's no active recall for your vehicle. Since this is a safety system required by federal law, you may want to contact Chevrolet or NHTSA about potential repair options. The fix will likely involve replacing the TPMS sensors or the TPMS control module.

Your car's forward collision warning system has repeatedly triggered false alarms and slammed on the brakes without any actual danger present, even while driving at highway speeds. When this happens, you also see warning lights for "service ESC," "service brake assist," traction control, and stability control. Your dealership found that four computer modules have outdated programming and need updates to fix the issue. This creates a serious safety risk since other vehicles behind you could hit you during the unexpected hard braking.

Your 2019 Equinox was involved in a crash on an icy road where it hit both guard rails after losing control. Despite significant front-end damage, the airbags did not deploy during the collision. Both occupants sustained injuries including whiplash, concussion, and rib injuries. The airbag system should be inspected by a dealer to determine why it failed to activate during this impact.

Your brakes failed to respond when you pressed the pedal while driving at 25 MPH, even after pressing it a second time. Your car slowed but didn't stop, and you rear-ended the vehicle in front of you. The airbags deployed and you sustained minor injuries; your car was declared a total loss. The brake system may need inspection for hydraulic fluid loss, failed brake components, or issues matching a known recall.

Your car is displaying a "Reduced Engine Power" warning and entering a protective mode that limits performance. This is usually caused by a dirty throttle body, a loose air intake tube, or a faulty sensor. When this happens, your remote starter won't work. You've confirmed the issue with a diagnostic scanner showing code P0299 (turbo underboost). The warning sometimes clears on its own, temporarily restoring remote starter function. A mechanic will need to inspect the throttle body, air intake connections, and engine sensors to identify and fix the root cause.

While driving at 80 mph, your vehicle suddenly lost power and wouldn't accelerate above 35 mph. A mechanic diagnosed a failed turbocharger as the cause. This happened at around 70,000 miles. Fixing this will require replacing the turbocharger assembly.

Your car is having trouble shifting gears while driving, delayed starts when stopped on an incline, and stalling during acceleration on the highway. A mechanic diagnosed a bad accumulator that has damaged your transmission and recommended a full transmission replacement costing over $7,000. You've discovered that many 2019 Equinoxes were recalled in 2022 for this same issue, but your vehicle was not included in that recall despite now having transmission failure at 150,000 miles.

You noticed a strong fuel smell coming from the driver's side of your vehicle while driving, with no warning lights appearing on your dashboard. A mechanic diagnosed a failed sealed seam on your fuel tank, which needs to be replaced to stop the leak. This repair will involve removing and replacing the fuel tank.

Your seat and side mirror positions won't stay saved after you turn off the vehicle. Every time you restart the car, you have to reprogram the seats and mirrors using your key fob, even though you've programmed them multiple times before. This is likely an electrical memory storage issue with the seat and mirror control modules.

Your seat back won't recline even though it still raises up and down. This is likely caused by a faulty seat control switch, a jammed recline mechanism, or a broken wire in the seat adjustment system. A mechanic will need to diagnose and repair or replace the faulty seat component to restore the recline function.