Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2018 Chevrolet Equinox submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 15 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Got word from the mechanic at the dealership that the cam shaft is leaking oil as well as the fuel injectors retainers are out and need to be sealed as they are also leaking. the engine went into safe mode to prevent any engine fires.
Engine power low
On many occasions while driving at highway speeds the steering wheel sticks causing me to use extra force to move the wheel. It's bad enough on dry pavement but on wet or snow covered roads it's worst. I have spun out 2 times already even while being cautious, luckily no one was around at the time. This needs to be addressed. There have been a few times that the blind spot monitoring stayed lit when there was no car around as well as at times the light never came on while I was being passed
the vacumm pump grenaded and sent metal chunks into the camshaft knocking the reluctant wheel out of position causing the car to shut down and lose brakes and power steering. There were no prior engine codes or warning. multiple mechanics verified this and it is a known issue. Gm needs to deal with this and should put out a recall. such a new vehicle should not need motor work at 70k miles!!
Auto stop caused Service Brake Assist warning to pop up on dash. Resolved on its own. A week later, steering assist disabled message pops up while driving and car didn't start after coming to a stop. Service ESC, Traction off, service brake assist messages, all pop up. Car did not restart. Vehicle is currently at Cooley Chevrolet in Irving, TX awaiting results of tests. Obviously, this is a common issue judging from the number of complaints on the Internet about it.
at stop signs, when autostop/start re engages the vehicle jerks and shows several warnings on the dash saying service brake assist, parking break released, forward collision reduced. the steering wheel locks up for under 3 seconds before it releases and can be steered again
After auto stop/ start system engages messages on dash appear “ service brake assist”, “service steering assist”, “service parking brake”, “service stibilitrac”, Failure at 55,400 miles Dealership found a loss communication error to the muddles due to low battery voltage. Fix: replaced battery at 55,436 miles Battery has been replaced 3 times in 4 years starting at 18, 500 miles, then at 32,562 miles, now at 55,436 miles due to the same issue with the auto stop start operation. Car is out of warranty as of 58,300 miles or October 2022
When I lift my foot off brake the car Stop/Start feature engage causing lurching jerks forward or roll backwardson hill I fear the roll back on inclines praying vehicles are to close behind and rolling backwards into another vehicle, censors lights take turns coming on each time I lift my foot off the brake pedal. All of the following, service brake assist, service stabilittrak, park brake released, service hill start assist action not working, car locks unlock and relock by themselves. I have had these issues since. These issues have been occurring since around 16,000 miles and keep getting worst everyday. GM claim not to have a fix for these issues. They offered a few thousand to buy back the vehicle claiming drastic depreciation for milage and wear. At that time owed over $25,000 balance for the vehicle. No one stood to benefit but the lemon law attorneys.They did not consider the milage when these issues started and this is my only source of transportation to use which I told the lemon law attorneys. The lemon law attorneys were going to charge their fee from me if GM refused to pay their fees. I told them I felt in my best interest I should wait for GM's recall for this vehicle as I'm sure I wasn't the only consumer that was having these same issues. My problem is my vehicle is becoming dangerous to drive due to the rolling back and, jerking of the steering wheel, engine cutting off, locks unlocking and relocking and unstable steering. These issues were hit and miss now happens every time I drive which is daily. These issues started 2020. Last correspondence with GM they still claim they did not know how to fix these issues. I question why they are making vehicles and are not able to fix these issues. I have given my family a list of these issues because they create a safety hazard and in case I, a passenger or someone in another vehicle is injured or killed due to GM's negligence, lack of concern and greed.
62 k Miles car completely shut down and power steering became useless making it extremely hard to even move out of traffic. There were no warning lights Car has always been fully serviced at dealership. Vac pump failed causing camshaft to break , bending pistons New engine required. Car at dealership going into 3 weeks now
MESSAGE: I OWN A 2018 CHEVROLET EQUINOX, 4 CYLINDER WITH ELECTRONIC STEERING, THE VEHICLE HAS APPROX 27500 MILES RECORDED. WHILE DRIVING I SENSED A SLIGHT DELAY IN THE STEERING, IT APPEARS TO BE ONLY A MILLISECOND DELAY AND DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. IN ADDITION THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO WONDER LEFT OR RIGHT WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS NOT HELD FIRMLY. I REPORTED THE ISSUE TO BLAIZE ALEXANDER PHILLIPSBURG PA SERVICE MGR. AND ASKED IF THERE WAS A REPORTED ISSUE WITH THE STEERING. THEIR RESPONSE WAS NO. BUT SUGGESTED TO SCHEDULE AN APT. AFTER ARRIVING HOME I SEARCHED THE ISSUES ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND SEVERAL REPORTS OF STEERING PROBLEMS WITH 2018 CHEVROLET EQUINOX CAUSING NEAR MISS ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL FAILURES. AFTER CONSULT WITH INDEPENDENT GM CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN IT WAS LEARNED THAT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT ISSUES WITH ELECTRONIC STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE DEALER THIS DAY, THE RESULTS OF THE INSPECTION WAS THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AS ALL PARAMETERS WERE WITHIN SPEC. THIS CONDITION SO FAR HAS BEEN SPORADIC IN NATURE,HOWEVER DUE TO THE SERIOUSNESS OF POTENTIAL HAZARDS DESERVES MORE ATTENTION DIRECTED TO IT.
I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ONE MORNING. WHEN I GOT INTO A CAR ACCIDENT AND HIT A CAR ALMOST HEAD ON. AS MY TRAFFIC LIGHT TURNED RED I STARTED TO BREAK BUT MY BRAKES LOCKED UP ON ME. WHICH FELT LIKE A BRICK. I TRIED TO PUMP THE BRAKES BUT IT WOULD NOT PUMP IT JUST STAYED VERY HARD LIKE A BRICK. I START TO SLIDE WHILE NOT REALLY REDUCING SPEED I TURNED MY STEERING WHEEL A LITTLE BIT TRYING TO AVOID THE ON COMING TRAFFIC WHEN MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AS WELL CAUSING ME SLIDE RIGHT INTO A CAR. *TR
I WAS ALMOST IN A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT ON OCT 7, 2019. I WAS TRAVELLING ON STATE HIGHWAYS FROM AUBURN, PA TO HERSHEY, PA AT APPRX 930AM. ROADS WERE DAMP/WET BUT RAIN HAD STOPPED. SINCE I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE, I HAD ALWAYS ENGAGED ALL SAFETY FEATURES INCLUDING LANE KEEP ASSIST (LKA), COLLISION ALERTS, ETC. THIS WAS MAIN REASON I UPGRADED FROM MY 2014 EQUINOX. ON RT 183, HEADING UP A WINDING MOUNTAIN ROAD, I ALMOST LOST CONTROL SEVERAL TIMES, DESPITE DRIVING WELL UNDER SPEED LIMIT. **NOTE: MY BF AND I HAD PREVIOUSLY COMPLAINED TO DEALER, AND EVEN HAD IT IN FOR SERVICE, BC WE BOTH FELT CAR PULLED TO THE RIGHT ON ITS OWN. WE ARE BOTH EXTREMELY SAFE, EXPERIENCED, NON-DISTRACTED DRIVERS AND THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS QUITE ODD/OFF. DEALER FOUND NOTHING. CLOSER TO HERSHEY, I WAS COMING AROUND A BEND IN THE ROAD ON I BELIEVE RT 743 WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR PULLED ME SEVERELY TO THE RIGHT AND ALMOST OVER AN EMBANKMENT, WHICH WOULD HAVE LED TO A ROLLOVER CRASH AND POTENTIAL SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. BY THE GRACE OF GOD, AND GREAT DRIVING, I JUST MISSED A STONE WALL, AND MY ?1/4 MILE SWERVING SKID BACK AND FORTH PING-PONGED ME ALL OVER THE ROADWAY, BARELY AVOIDING MAILBOXES, FENCES, AND A HOUSE. LUCKILY ONCOMING TRAFFIC DID NOT APPEAR UNTIL I STRAIGHTENED OUT OF MY SKID. I CALLED THE DEALER AND SAID "MY CAR JUST TRIED TO KILL ME." AFTER RESEARCH, THEY CALLED ME BACK AND SAID TO TURN OFF THE LKA. I HAVE, AND CAR NO LONGER PULLS TO THE RIGHT, EVER. I READ THE MANUAL, AND BURIED AROUND PAGE 254 IS A SMALL BLACK BOX WARNING THAT SAYS TO DISENGAGE LKA ON WET, CURVING ROADS OR COLLISIONS MAY OCCUR. REALLY???? PEOPLE CAN DIE, AND THE WARNING IS BURIED ON PAGE 254??? I HAVE TALKED TO OTHER NEWER CAR OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES IN OTHER CARS/BRANDS. I THINK THESE "SAFETY FEATURES" ARE A DOUBLE EDGE SWORD AND NEED FURTHER RESEARCH. I ALMOST DIED.
KINHOOK TIRES. THIS VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED TO ME WITH THESE TIRES, EVERY TIME THAT I DRIVE THE CAR AFTER IT HAS SAT OVERNIGHT IT BUMPS FOR THE FIRST QUARTER MILE. THS IS A PREMIERE VEHICLE SUPPOSEDLY. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO GM BUT WAS TOLD THEY MET GM MOTRS SPECS.
WHILE DRIVING, WHEN TRYING TO CENTER THE CAR IN THE LANE I AM DRIVING IN, THE STEERING WHEEL STICKS. IT IS FOR JUST A SPILT SECOND BUT NONETHELESS, IT IS STICKING. ALSO, THE CAR DETECTION LIGHT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE MIRROR (CAR IN YOUR BLIND SPOT) STAYS ON. ALSO GET A MESSAGE THAT SAYS "SERVICE SIDE DETECTION SYSTEM" DEALER SAYS NO ERROR SHOWS UP FOR THEM.
WHILE DRIVING WITH TWO CHILDREN IN THE CAR PLUS MYSELF THE DRIVER ON THE FREEWAY STRAIGHT. THE VEHICLE STARTED PULLING TOWARDS THE RIGHT AND ALMOST CAUSING A COLLISION. THEN THE WARNING SCREEN STARTED BRINGING UP WARNINGS OF MULTIPLE ISSUES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN IMMEDIATELY AND SO THEY TRIED TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUES AND PUT 200+ MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND THE THE WARNINGS DID NOT COME BACK ON SO A FEW DAYS LATER THEY SAID THE VEHICLE IS FINE AND TO BE PICKED UP. WHILE DRIVING A WEEK LATER WITH THE KIDS IN THE VEHICLE THE CAR STARTED PULLING AND THE WARNINGS LIGHTS AND SCREEN WARNINGS SHOWED UP AGAIN AND WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN BACK IN AND THEY HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE SINCE. THEY ESCALATED THE ISSUES TO GM, THE PARTS ARE DEFECTIVE IS WHAT WAS TOLD AND THEY COULDN'T GIVE A ETA ON HOW SOON THEY COULD GET THE PARTS. THEY SAID THEY WOULD NEED TO GET THE PARTS DIRECTLY FROM THE ASSEMBLE LINE AND IT WAS OUT OF THEIR CONTROL. THE TECH FOUND THAT THE "ELECTRICAL STEERING GEAR AND ELECTRICAL MODULE" PRONGS WERE BENT AND BEING A BRAND NEW OF THE LINE VEHICLE THEY FOUND THE PRONGS WERE BENT AND THE ELECTRICAL STEERING GEAR AND ELECTRICAL MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE. GM WANTED THE PART BACK AND SINCE HAVE BEEN IN A RENTAL. WHEN IT WAS BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTENTION THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUES AND IT WAS A HAZARD THE SERVICE DEPT. REPRESENTATIVE WAS DEFENSIVE AND UNPROFESSIONAL AS WELL AS DEFENSIVE WHEN STATED THIS IS AN ISSUE OF SAFETY AND HAZARDOUS. ONCE THE CONCERN WAS BROUGHT UP THAT IT WAS UNCOMFORTABLE AND WE WANTED ANSWERS OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN AND WHAT ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE KIDS WHILE DRIVING BEING UNCOMFORTABLE EVEN IF FIXED, HE HUNG UP. MY SPOUSE WENT IN TO TALK WITH THE MANGER AND THEY COULDN'T GIVE ANY INFO BUT TO CALL GM AND TAKE IT UP WITH THEM AND THAT THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING BUT ESCALATE THE ISSUE TO GM MANUFACTURER AND GAVE THE NUMBER TO MY SPOUSE AND CLOSED THE DOOR ON HIM.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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