NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost automotive power and failed to properly accelerate. Additionally, the check engine warning light illuminated before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the fuel pump drive control module had failed and needed to be replaced. The fuel pump drive control module was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact stated that an extended warranty coverage was issued by the manufacturer related to the failure, but the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was 85,000.
Multiple times (Friday, March 27, Monday March 30, 2026) we have had the 2020 Equinox fail to accelerate at green lights. The gas pedal is pressed to the floor and car is VERY slow to accelerate. It takes multiple depressions of the gas pedal to accelerate more than 10 mph. There are open recalls on certain vin numbers from the NHTSA but mine was not on list yet appears to have many of the same concerns. Our local mechanic believes the details of recall bulletin 20V668000 should apply to our car as well.
One morning, in an attempt to start my car, it would not start. Instead, it lit up the check engine light. The engine was turning over and attempting to start, but would not start. I know someone with a code reader device that I asked to come hook up to my car and read what code was causing my check engine light to pop up. The reader displayed the code U18A2 which indicates a "Lost Communication with Fuel Pump Control Module (FPCM)". This commonly causes a no-start or stalling condition due to a broken CAN bus wire, corroded harness, or faulty FPCM ground. Key fixes involve repairing wiring along the frame rail. Many versions of the 2020 equinox have already been recalled for a fuel pump control module problem, and I was trying to inquire whether or not my vehicle qualifies as part of the recall for the fuel pump module.
The brake booster vacuum pump, in the words of Meineke, massive failure. The pump locked up and exploded, there are parts of at least under the valve cover. The failure resulted in the ruining of the camshaft, as this pump is controlled by the camshaft. The end of my camshaft looks like a mushroom head. This failure is currently in the investigation part of a class action law suit in which I am adding my name to the hat. My wife was driving at the time and fortunately was not injured during this catastrophic failure with what seems like planned obsolescence. I am also glad the kids weren’t in the car when this happened. We had just crossed 100k miles.
the car has a grinding that i am not sure where it is coming from, it maybe coming from the wheel and it also has a battery problem
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was temporarily restarted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with PCV failure. The vehicle was not repaired and was sold due to the cost of the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 74,400.
I keep loosing power and get the message "Engine Power Reduced" and the car stops while driving down the road, sometimes it just stutters and won't maintain speed without the warning. I've had 2 shops check it out and can't find anything wrong. This vehicle has had all required maintenance done by the dealer since it was new.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that after coming to a complete stop, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the front wheel drive transmission assembly, flushed the transmission fluid, and updated the transmission control module. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving approximately 58 MPH, the message “Engine Power Reduced” was displayed, and the vehicle unintendedly decelerated to 30 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the nearest exit and to the nearest gas station. The contact waited for a while before driving to the residence, while not exceeding 30 MPH. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, who diagnosed that the Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve, bypass tube, the injector seal set, an unspecified plug, and the vacuum pump seal had failed, and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the rear tire treads were prematurely worn. A mobile independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle at the residence, and the mechanic determined that the brakes were dragging. The brakes were replaced. The vehicle was taken to a tire dealer, where the rear tires were replaced. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the defective tires were inspected. The service manager associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V704000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that no assistance would be provided because the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 48,800.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the turn signal flashed two or three times and then stopped. In addition, the doors independently locked and unlocked, and the TPMS sensors were inoperable. The contact stated that when the failure occurred, the front headlights flashed off and came back on. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 32,050.
While driving, my engine light came on. After taking it in, it turned out that I had water/oil freezing in the intercooler. This could have been very dangerous when I was driving. I have had the GM Wrap put on it. I am hoping that this will not be a problem again.
turbo/superchargers malfunctioned, and I had to have it replaced back up sensors do not work properly. Say backup, assistant, malfunction.
I would like to formally file a safety complaint regarding my Chevrolet vehicle and to express concern over Chevrolet’s handling of a known defect. On January 22, while driving to work in cold weather conditions, my vehicle experienced a sudden and dangerous malfunction. The engine unexpectedly revved to approximately 4,500 RPM, the check engine light illuminated, and the dashboard displayed an “Engine Power Reduced” message. Despite removing my foot from the accelerator, the vehicle did not slow down as expected. I was able to pull over to the side of the road and bring the vehicle to a stop. I immediately contacted my local Chevrolet service department and was advised to bring the vehicle in six days later, the following Friday. Due to the safety risk, we did not use the vehicle during this time out of concern for a potential accident. When the vehicle was inspected by the Chevrolet dealership, we were informed that Chevrolet had identified this issue as being related to cold weather operation and that a custom shield had been designed to address the problem. We were also told that Chevrolet vehicles were not adequately designed for cold weather conditions, which led to this failure. Despite this acknowledgment and the fact that Chevrolet has engineered a corrective part, we were informed that the repair—costing approximately $1,600—is not covered under our extended warranty, as the shield was not installed on the vehicle at the time of purchase. The vehicle remains unsafe to drive. When accelerating, engine RPMs surge from approximately 2,500 to 4,000 RPM, and the vehicle can suddenly decelerate, creating a serious risk of rear-end collisions if a following driver is forced to brake abruptly. This issue represents a significant safety hazard. Chevrolet has acknowledged the defect by creating a corrective part, yet is declining to cover the repair cost, leaving the responsibility with the customer for a known design issue. Please let me know my next step
Vehicle lacked power to accelerate. Took vehicle to Christian Brothers Automotive where it was diagnosed with a bad transmission, Christian Brothers replaced the transmission.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle shook and vibrated abnormally. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V704000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the VIN was associated with the recall. The contact later replaced the rear brakes independently. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
My son was driving the car the Service Brake Assist message popped up on the screen, and the brake pedal went stiff. He was coming to a red light and had to swerve to the right to avoid hitting the cars in front of him as he had no brakes at this point. We had the vehicle towed to our house, had the vehicle looked at by our mechanic. The Diagnosis was the brake vacuum pump, part number #12684050 exploded. It is available for inspection, at this point we don't know if the metal pieces have fallen into the engine compartments and we would rather not replace the engine as well. We had contacted the Local Chevy Service dept. who said we can pay $1500.00 to for them to take apart the top of the engine to look for broken pieces, but the best option is to trade it in as soon as possible.
I bought the equinox with 30,000 miles on it. It's at 67,000 now and I maintain the vehicle regularly. So why have I replaced the throttle body already because it gets dirty fast? And now I'm getting a check engine light for P2099 TurboCharger Underboost. When the vehicle is not old it's 5 years old, hasn't been driven hard. So why are you using a crap 1.5L engine with a turbo that is notorious for these issues??? And what's worse the engineering is horse s$*t, because the air inlet hose is only one time use. But the part is underneath it where you can't reach. Why has this not been recalled yet????????? It's not but a scam to make you take it to a dealership. I'll continue to write complaints this is not right. And I'll never buy one again.
The gas tank was leaking without any warning or incident. The car was not involved in any incident that would have caused damage to the gas tank. The smell of raw fuel was very strong one morning. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer and inspected. Same model and year was under a recall for the gas tank but our particular vin was not included in the recall. There were no warning signs or symptoms.
See attached document for complaint.
Forward collision system dint notify of an object infront , also breaks locked up when used .Air bags didn’t go off while a forward collision with a bus happened
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the message "Engine Power Reduced" was suddenly displayed. While attempting to stop, the brake pedal was extremely difficult to depress, and the braking distance was extended. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the brake vacuum pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact was also informed that metal shavings from the vacuum pump might have entered the engine and that an engine diagnostic test was needed. No further information was available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 55,000.
The power brake booster failed suddenly causing the brake petal to become hard. Almost caused an accident as I suddenly lost the ability to brake. There was no warning prior to the failure. After the failure a service warning for brake assist appeared. The vehicle was been inspected by an auto service provider.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The message “Reduced Engine Power” was displayed. The vehicle did not require a restart to resume operation. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the wastegate actuator had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the coolant inside the actuator had frozen due to the local low temperatures. The dealer advised that precautions were needed to prevent future coolant-related failures. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 103,000.
This issue has happened to me twice now. Dec 19th 2024 I Driving on a highway at about 60mph, traffic slowed, I tried to stop and instantly had no brakes at all. There was a light that came on as I was applying the brakes, "service brake assist". Had it towed to a mechanic and they replaced the brake vacuum pump. We ordered this part from a Chevrolet dealership so we knew it was the proper part. Most recent was two days ago, Nov 10th 2025, NOT even a full year later. Driving about 55mph, tried to stop and no brakes again with the same service message. It is currently at the shop being repaired. The part is under warranty but of course labor isnt. Both times this happened, I had to drive over on to the shoulder to avoid causing an accident. Prior to this, there was no warning that there was anything wrong with the brakes. The only place that can confirm this issue is the mechanic shop as they are the ones doing the work. Attached is a copy of the receipt from the first time.
The Engine Power Reduced Sensor came on and the gas pedal was hard to push so we took the car to a Chevy Dealership. We were told the code po299 was showing and that the turbo needs to be replaced ($4000). This is a VERY common problem and Chevy even acknowledges that but they are doing nothing about it.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle lost power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Neither an independent mechanic nor the dealer was contacted. The contact waited thirty minutes, and the vehicle started to operate as intended. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several different occasions. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer to be diagnosed. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
Infotainment center is not operable. Had a diagnostic test completed by certified dealership and it is found that the infotainment center and radio is not operable. Contacted General motors corporate office. $47 was offered to go towards the $950 to fix it It. They did not offer any reimbursement for the $204 paid out of pocket for diagnostics fee that I they advised me to get after filing complaint. Due to the malfunction of the infotainment center and radio other safety issues have stopped working. Such as the onstar safety feature, the phone In case of emergency, the turn signals and also the safety features on the rear and side view mirrors, car length warning, and back up camera. Was advised from the dealership that all of these functions have ceased working due to the failure of the infotainment center and the radio. Unable to hear any warnings. Made a complaint with Ohio Attorney General's office and General motors' response was only to provide me 5%, which is the $47 towards the dealership invoice. There reason was that due to the mileage they cannot assist further than that. Its not about entertainment of the radio. I feel this is a safety hazard on so many levels, and it is not caused by simple wear and tear or any fault of the driver. This is a safety issue that I want addressed. This should not be a financial burden that the consumer should carry by themselves.
Some kind of malfunction with the sunroof caused the sunroof to open without me knowing. Only the glass part opened. The top part of the car on the inside right above the door was wet down toward the side near the brake pedal fuse box that was filled with water. Sunroof will not close. Was told we needed to replace motors
Rear spear tire compartment full of water. Sunroof drains leaking into rear fuse box. Fuel pump and fuel pump module failing when driving. Turbo locking up from oil seal failure.
Brake vacuum pump has failed. my brake pedal I had to put my full weight on to stop my car. I almost crashed into the person in front of me. It was my full weight and all the way to the ground in my car wasn’t stopping.
I bought this car 1 1/2 yr ago.. Thursday I was driving down the road no warning lights no sounds, it stalled.. I got it home by a friend towing it, and when I went to try to start it, I then had the check engine light come on, and it threw 3 codes.. P0017, P0089, P228D. I was told that the ecm was replaced but after researching this there has been multiple sites stating others are having same issue.. and some stating that their problem was fixed but it broke down again every time. I just want my car fixed. And the company should have to pay for it...
Pulling into traffic car stalled without warning. Went from about 25 MPH to a complete stop in approximately in less than 100 feet. Car sputtered with transmission grabbing intermittently as it jerked to a stop. Restarted about several times with similar behavior. (Covered under 60,000-mile warranty (actual mileage ~55,000)). Replaced fuel pump driver control module to correct. No accident due to distance to on-coming traffic, but easily could have caused an accident during high traffic conditions.
My passenger seat belt light on can you let me know what to do
In the middle of rush hour traffic and my car just stopped and wouldn't start. After having it towed to the closest auto repair shop I was advised that the Fuel Pump Module was bad and needed to be replaced. Cheverolet was aware of this defect which is why they recalled it in 2021.
With the vehicle around 73,000 and while driving on the highway, the brake system failed to fully function. Using extreme pressure to compress the brakes the vehicle finally slowed and came to a stop with out injury or vehicle accident. After getting the vehicle moved to an independent service center, and further inspection it was found that the vacuum pump exploded. After researching it appears the problem is consistent with other reports but no resolution has been made until it's too late. The component is not currently being inspected by the manufacturer and has only been inspected by independent service center. No warning lights or other symptoms displayed prior to the failure and the only time it first appeared was on the highway at high speeds.
Fuel pump driver control module went out in my car while trying to drive forward in my drive way. My car will not start again.
Getting off the highway and brake pedal is just hard can barely push it. It stopped but barely.
The vacuum pump seized and broke and sent debris into the camshaft
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power and was unable to accelerate. Afterward, the message "Low Power Mode" was displayed. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway; however, the failure persisted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the Turbocharger Control Valve (TCV). The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 18-NA-020. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.
Check engine light came on got code P1005 and code P1029. Shop had to change out fuel level sensor code came back so they had to change out fuel pump. Car has 55,000 miles on it.
On August 3rd, while driving on the freeway at 55mph, my vehicle's brakes became extremely stiff, and I could not press them down to engage the braking system. I was about to collide with the vehicle in front of me, so I quickly veered right without looking because I had no time. After moving to the right, the brakes finally slowed the vehicle to around 40mph. Luckily, the traffic light turned green, allowing me to continue moving with the remaining momentum. As I attempted to take a turn on a bridge above the freeway, the steering wheel became stiff. At this point, I was unsure whether I could turn the car at that speed with the steering not responding. I need General Motors and Chevrolet to take action on the severity of the situation and make the necessary and appropriate restitution to me for the traumatic and physical injuries sustained during the incident. For the amount of time I've been without a vehicle, I am now running high risk of loosing my job. $3,700. is what they are charging me, which is conveniently not under warranty. When consistently stating that no one really sure what's covered and what's not covered.
I was driving just got off the freeway and went to hit the brakes and the brake pedal was hard as a rock I had to use force to slow down to safely get over from the left lane to the right lane to get into a parking lot was a pretty scary experience, called AAA had it towed to the dealer they said the vacuum pump failed which I suspected because of the other complaints regarding the same thing, there was no recalls on my car dealer fixed it under warranty and they said there was no damage to the camshaft. The dealer was amazing and would reccamend them, I also had to pay 100 deductible. As others have stated theres a recall on the vacuum pumps but certain Vin #s are not included. Gm needs to included all Vin #s for the equinox in the recall whats it gonna take somebody to get killed!
I’ve had the 02 sensor, maf sensor and a system update and my check engine won’t clear I’ve been dealing with this for over 5 months now. A Chevy dealership has had my vehicle and never informed me of warranty or recall issues.my check engine is throwing random code relating to the 02 sensor, lean code and multiple components having communication issues. Check engine will be lit and then clear on its own then return almost immediately
We were in a 9car pile up. Front and back and drivers side were hit and severely damaged. Airbags did not deploy. After the accident smoke was seen coming from the sides of the car where the seat belts come out of. Both front and back were white puffs of smoke from all four seatbelts. The front passenger seatbelt failed to tighten on impact as all the other seatbelts did. Passenger was thrown about the front area, hitting multiple parts of the body. Car is currently in a tow lot. Insurance is going to inspect it.
My car won’t stay started as if the gas is not going through the engine. I was told it might be the fuel control module or fuel pump
•Initial incident: July 2, 2025 •Recurring occurrences: August 8, 2025 Vehicle Issue Description: Several months ago, the vehicle’s check engine light came on. A diagnostic scan was performed at O’Reilly Auto Parts, but no error codes were detected. The vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop for further inspection. The shop found no mechanical issues and confirmed the vehicle was operating normally at that time. On August 6, 2025, the “Service Brake Assist” warning appeared briefly on the dashboard but turned off shortly afterward. The parking brake warning light also came on that same day, then went off. These warning lights reappeared intermittently on August 8, 2025. No repairs have been made as there are no active recalls related to these issues. However, it is noted that there are consumer complaints reporting similar problems. This raises concerns about potential intermittent or undetected safety system faults, particularly involving the brake assist system and parking brake functionality. Checked brakes again no issues determined per Bridgestone and Mavis.
I am experiencing a recurring issue with my vehicle where the Park Assist system keeps activating unexpectedly, and the Check Engine Light (CEL) also comes on. I have taken the vehicle to O’Reilly Auto Parts for a diagnostic scan, and they reported no repairable codes present. Additionally, I visited Tires Plus, and their assessment was that if the light goes off on its own, then no issue is present that requires repair. Despite the temporary disappearance of the warning lights, the issue keeps returning, which raises concern. The Park Assist activation is not being manually triggered and appears without warning, often accompanied by the CEL. This inconsistent behavior suggests there may be an intermittent or underlying issue with the vehicle’s sensors, wiring, or onboard systems that may not register a permanent diagnostic code. At this time, no repairs have been performed due to both locations stating that no actionable codes or faults were detected. However, the issue continues to happen periodically, and I would like further inspection or documentation of the problem, especially if it worsens or begins affecting vehicle safety or drivability.
While driving on the freeway at 75 mph my vacuum pump seized and shattered, causing me to loose all breaking power, damaging my engine beyond repair and endangering my life and numerous other drivers on the road. There is a current recall on the particular year, make and model for this issue but my VIN is not included so the dealership refuses to fix the issue.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the check engine, traction control, and stability control warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local Advance Auto Store and was diagnosed with a fuel injector failure. The fuel injectors were replaced, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 92,080.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026