2020 Chevrolet Equinox — Known Issues & Recalls

While your son was driving, a "Service Brake Assist" warning appeared and the brake pedal became stiff, causing a sudden loss of braking ability. He had to swerve to avoid hitting other vehicles at a red light. Your mechanic diagnosed a failed brake vacuum pump (part #12684050) that exploded internally. There's concern that metal fragments from the pump may have entered the engine compartment, potentially requiring extensive engine inspection or replacement. The repair will likely involve replacing the brake vacuum pump and inspecting the engine for debris.

Your brake booster vacuum pump failed catastrophically and locked up, with parts scattering under the valve cover and damaging your camshaft. The pump is mechanically linked to the camshaft, and the failure deformed the camshaft end. This occurred at 100,000 miles, and you're concerned this may be a design defect affecting other vehicles. Repair will likely require replacing the brake booster vacuum pump, camshaft, and related engine components.

Your brake pedal feels like it's shaking or vibrating when you press it, even though no warning light appears on your dashboard. The dealer couldn't figure out the problem, but your vehicle is tied to a safety recall (campaign 19V704000) for hydraulic brakes. You fixed it yourself by replacing the rear brakes, which should involve inspecting and replacing worn brake pads and potentially resurfacing or replacing brake rotors.

Your rear tires wore out prematurely due to your brakes dragging on the rear wheels. A mechanic found the brakes were sticking and replaced them, and the tire dealer replaced your worn rear tires. Your dealer identified this as potentially related to a brake system recall, but Chevrolet won't help because your vehicle identification number (VIN) wasn't documented with the recall claim.

Your car won't start and displays a check engine light. A diagnostic scan revealed error code U18A2, indicating lost communication with the fuel pump control module. This is typically caused by damaged wiring, corrosion in the electrical harness, or a faulty ground connection along the frame. The repair will likely involve inspecting and repairing the wiring and connections to the fuel pump control module.

Your car's gas tank started leaking fuel without any warning signs or accident damage. You noticed a strong smell of raw fuel one morning, and the dealer confirmed the leak during inspection. Although the same model and year is subject to a recall for gas tank issues, your vehicle's VIN wasn't included in that recall. The repair will likely involve inspecting the tank for defects and either sealing the leak or replacing the tank entirely.

Your car has repeatedly failed to accelerate normally at traffic lights on multiple occasions. When you press the gas pedal all the way down, the car accelerates very slowly and requires multiple pedal presses just to reach 10 mph. Your mechanic believes your car may have the same issue covered by recall bulletin 20V668000, even though your VIN isn't currently on the recall list. The fix would likely involve a powertrain software update or inspection of the fuel delivery and throttle response systems.

Your car hesitated when accelerating from a complete stop, even though no warning light appeared. A mechanic diagnosed the issue by replacing the front-wheel-drive transmission assembly, flushing the transmission fluid, and updating the transmission control module software. The fix involved a complete transmission overhaul and software reprogramming.

Your engine stalled while driving at 45 MPH, and the check engine light came on. The dealer diagnosed a failed PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) system, which can cause your engine to shut down unexpectedly. Fixing this issue typically involves replacing the PCV valve and related components.

While driving at 58 MPH, your car displayed an "Engine Power Reduced" warning and automatically slowed down to 30 MPH. A mechanic found that the PCV valve, bypass tube, injector seals, a plug, and vacuum pump seal had all failed and needed replacement. After these parts were replaced, the vehicle operated normally again.

Your throttle body has become dirty and required replacement at 67,000 miles despite regular maintenance. You're now seeing a check engine light for turbocharger underboost (P2099 error code), and you're frustrated because the vehicle is relatively new and hasn't been driven hard. The air inlet hose underneath the engine is a one-time-use part that's difficult to access for replacement.

Your engine light came on while driving, and the dealer found water and oil freezing inside the intercooler. This is a potentially dangerous condition that could affect engine performance. GM installed a wrap on the intercooler to help prevent this issue from happening again.

Your infotainment system and radio have stopped working, and because they're not functioning, several safety features have also stopped working—including OnStar, emergency phone, turn signals, backup camera, and mirror warning systems. A dealership diagnostic confirmed the infotainment center failure is causing all these issues, with a $950 repair bill. GM offered only $47 toward the repair and won't reimburse your $204 diagnostic fee, citing mileage as the reason. The repair will likely require replacement or reprogramming of the infotainment control module and its wiring connections.

Your engine unexpectedly revved to 4,500 RPM in cold weather, displayed an 'Engine Power Reduced' message, and didn't respond normally when you lifted off the accelerator—forcing you to pull over safely. The dealership confirmed this is a known cold-weather issue and has designed a protective shield to fix it, but the $1,600 repair isn't covered under your extended warranty. You're still experiencing engine surging and unexpected deceleration when accelerating, which creates a collision risk. The fix involves installing a custom engine shield designed by Chevrolet to address the cold-weather malfunction.

Your car is making a grinding noise that you're not sure where it's coming from—it may be related to the wheels. Additionally, your car is experiencing a battery problem. A mechanic should inspect both the brake system and wheels for wear, and test your battery to determine if it needs replacement.

Your back-over prevention system (the feature that helps detect objects behind your vehicle when backing up) may not be working properly. You should have this safety feature inspected and repaired by a technician to ensure it functions correctly.

Your car is losing power while driving and displaying an "Engine Power Reduced" warning message. Sometimes the engine cuts out completely, and other times it stutters and won't maintain speed even without the warning. Two repair shops have checked it but haven't found a cause, despite all your maintenance being up to date. The issue may require diagnostic testing of the engine control system, fuel delivery, or ignition components.

Your vehicle wasn't accelerating properly and felt like it lacked power. A mechanic diagnosed the problem as a faulty transmission, which was then replaced to restore normal acceleration.

Your turbocharger failed and needed to be replaced. Additionally, your backup sensors are not working properly and may not alert you when backing up. Repair will likely involve replacing the turbocharger unit and diagnosing or replacing the backup sensor system.

Your turn signals stopped working after flashing only two or three times while driving. At the same time, your doors kept locking and unlocking on their own, your tire pressure monitoring system stopped working, and your headlights flickered off and back on. This happened around 32,050 miles on your 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The issue may involve checking your vehicle's electrical system, door lock actuators, and tire pressure sensors for proper function.