2019 Chevrolet Equinox Electrical Problems

On multiple occasions my vehicle (2019 equinox LT) that I bought just over 30 days ago has falsely activated the forward collision feature and slammed on its own brakes followed by “service ESC” and “service brake assist” with traction control lights and stability control lights illuminating. Dealership has confirmed that 4 computer modules are out of date on programming/updates. This is a critical safety issue and I am unsure why it hasn’t been recalled as I have read multiple instances of this. Unfortunately because it has not it is a hefty repair bill. When this happened the last time before heading into the dealership, there was a vehicle behind me that could’ve rammed into my rear due to the sudden and excessive braking at highway speeds when I was pressing on the gas.

NHTSA ID

11722202

Incident

Feb 20, 2026

The instrument cluster and driver information center is completely blank, and none of the steering wheel controls are operating. Vehicle starts and runs normally, but no indication of speed, turn signals, headlights, gas level, etc.

NHTSA ID

11720907

Incident

Feb 27, 2026

In FMVSS 138, it says that the tire pressure monitoring system will warn drivers of under inflated tires. My TPMS system failed on my MY19 Chevrolet Equinox around 49,000 miles and no longer warns me of underinflated tires for all four tires. To fix it I would have to pay out of pocket costs starting at $732, per the dealership, on a safety critical system that should not fail at 6 years/49,000 miles. There is no recall issued after a check of my VIN. Since 1974, the OEM has had a responsibility to provide a free remedy for safety defects and noncompliance. In 2015, the free remedy was changed from 10 years to 15 years by the FAST Act.

NHTSA ID

11704660

Incident

Dec 12, 2025

Vehicle experienced derating. Check engine light on. Called mobile repair service. 20 year mechanic. Replaced Pedal Sensor. Fail. Second visit replaced Throttle Body. Fail. He advised better to take it to a reputable shop. Did. Shop worked on it for 2 months and ended up replacing ECM. I finally had the unit towed to an Electrical Specialist in Longmont Colorado. They replaced Wiring loom between pedal sensor and car worked again. Drove car to Kansas and after about 300 miles, loud boom and messages on display. ECM engaged electric emergency brake hard at 79 MPH. WAS on cruise. At 20 mph car stopped messaging, and resumed normal operation. Pulled over, checked car. 50 miles from nearest city. cautiously drove about 20mph, then 30, then more until up to speed limit again. Worked fine 140 miles (needed a population center to get car fixed)) and it happened again. Limped car a few miles to repair in Salina, Kansas. ECM erased all miles, messages, etc. They could find nothing. my research showed the 2025 Equinox EV recall (We had replaced ECM and reprogrammed). I went to get car and risked driving, but without cruise. Warnings would come up, but car ran. No more emergency stops, but plenty of warnings. $3K in repairs and still problem. I believe current problem is electrical that Equinox is known for. The ECM/Reprogramming problem that activated the Brake is the issue here and previously reported by many. Extremely dangerous! Car has 50K miles. Was flawless driver until now. Note: Unit was Rebuilt Salvage. I bought at 1460 miles. Hit right rear, Replaced right rear sheet metal, Rear driveline on right side (Genuine GM parts), Replaced Hatch door. Inspected by state of Michigan. Reputable Rebuilder. Zero bad reviews. Hundreds of excellent reviews. P.S. Cannot take to Chevrolet - they universally refuse to work on car - not to even change oil.

NHTSA ID

11684213

Incident

Apr 5, 2025

I was driving one day and my radio shut off, screen black and no sound. Came back on like it rebooted. Worked fine. The next day it did the same thing but only the screen went out but for longer this time. I work at a collision center and used our scanner to see what the problem might have been. It was giving a bunch of codes for radio and onstar. The next day it was perfectly fine. So I scanned it again just to see if the codes were still there. They weren't, but instead had 2 codes for brake control module in my engine and my transmission. My fan in the front has also been making slowing down and speeding up randomly.

NHTSA ID

11668263

Incident

May 15, 2025

To Whom It May Concern, I'm writing to formally report a critical failure of the Auto Start-Stop system in my 2019 Chevy Equinox that occurred today, resulting in a hazardous situation during rush hour traffic. While stopped in the northbound left turn lane of Route 202 at the intersection with Baltimore Pike, the vehicle’s Auto Start-Stop feature engaged as expected. However, upon releasing the brake to proceed, the engine failed to restart, and the vehicle remained completely inoperative — engine off, no power, and unresponsive to ignition attempts. This failure caused the vehicle to become stranded in a live intersection during heavy traffic, posing a serious safety risk not only to myself but also to other motorists. A Pennsylvania State Police officer arrived on the scene and assisted by pushing the vehicle across three active lanes of traffic while in neutral, performing a battery jump with a brand new battery of five months, and escorting me home to ensure I was safe. This situation was both dangerous and unacceptable, especially considering that the failure stemmed from a system designed for emissions/fuel efficiency, not safety. The Auto Start-Stop feature in this vehicle clearly introduces critical failure points without adequate redundancy or reliability, particularly in real-world driving conditions. Additionally, I contacted my local Chevrolet dealership and spoke directly with a technician in the service department. He confirmed that they have had multiple customers reporting similar failures with the Auto Start-Stop system. According to him, this is not an isolated incident, and in several cases, it has placed drivers in equal danger. I am formally requesting: An investigation into this incident, Information on any existing Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) or recalls related to this failure, A full inspection of the vehicle at GM’s expense, And a report on what steps GM is taking to prevent similar failures from putting other drivers in harm’s way.

NHTSA ID

11656633

Incident

Apr 24, 2025

Started off with my computer on my dashboard randomly turning off I called the dealership they told me it was because I was not using an iPhone Apple chord. Another instance I was driving down the road close to home and my car started stalling and flashing engine codes on my dashboard, I managed to make it home and park. The next day I tried to start my vehicle and it sounded like the battery was dead. I called a tow truck. The car had enough power for me to put it into neutral and get it onto the flatbed. My mechanic is less than 10 minutes away by the time they got it there they couldn’t do anything to move the vehicle. It had to be jacked up on the flatbed and rolled off because the car would not do anything My mechanic spent two weeks going through the computer system only to find out that I needed a software update and that my computer software had major glitches and electrical issues. Sometimes when I get into my vehicle to start it, it won’t start. I’ve learned that I need to put both feet on the brake. Push it all the way to the floor wait a second and then it will start otherwise my break seizes up and I’m locked out of my vehicle for at least an hour. This has happened to me on the side of highways in public parking lots in front of my home at the grocery stor. This past week I’ve had to get my car jumped 2 different times because when I turn my car off and lock it, my brake lights do not turn off and it killed my battery. I’ve had nothing but issues with the computer since day one from what I’ve googled this is a known issue with my make and model of vehicle. I contacted the dealership and they want to charge me thousands of dollars for something that was a factory defect.

NHTSA ID

11647614

Incident

Mar 1, 2023

I was driving down the road and my engine stopped. It stopped so suddenly that I did not have time to get out of the road and my safety was put at risk. When I took it to a certified Chevrolet dealership, they told me that the vacuum pump failure caused extensive damage to the motor and I needed to have my entire motor replaced. When I asked them what I could have done to prevent such catastrophic failure, they stated that there was nothing to prevent it. I did not have any warning on my dash at the time of the incident. This was at least the 2nd vacuum pump failure on this vehicle since I've owned it. I got it replaced at a certified Chevrolet dealership in 05/2022 when my brakes went out. In 05/22, the brakes went out but I was in a driveway and I did not feel my safety was a concern at that time. Now it's not even been 3 years and the vacuum pump failure risked my safety and caused catastrophic damage to engine to be replaced.

NHTSA ID

11643717

Incident

Feb 10, 2025

I JUST PURCHASED A 2019 CHEVY EQUINOX PREMIER AND I FOUND WATER IN THE SPARE TIME WHEEL WELL. AFTER SOME INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THERE IS A WATER LEAK CAUSING WATER TO SPILL ON THE FUSE BOX LOCATED IN THE BACK PANEL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THIS IS CERTAINLY A SAFETY ISSUE IF THE FUSE PANEL SHORTS OUT, ESPECIALLY IF IT HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

11626969

Incident

Nov 22, 2024

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing an unintended opening and closing of the sunroof. The contact stated that the sunroof was opening and closing independently while driving and while the vehicle was parked and turned off with no keys nearby. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure could not be replicated. The dealer contacted the manufacturer and was instructed on how to correct the failure. The dealer followed the manufacturer's instructions; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle remained at the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 57,500.

NHTSA ID

11618164

Incident

Sep 25, 2024

Mileage

57,500 mi

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while at a complete stop at a traffic light, the engine Auto START/STOP feature engaged, and the engine turned off; however, upon depressing the brake pedal to resume driving, the vehicle failed to respond, rolled backward, and nearly struck another vehicle. The contact depressed the brake pedal several times and the vehicle stopped. There was a message indicating a power brake assist failure displayed. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was inspected, and the dealer confirmed that the vehicle was not designed with a button or switch to manually deactivate the engine Auto START/STOP system. The contact was charged a fee for the diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.

NHTSA ID

11618157

Incident

Sep 13, 2024

Mileage

88,000 mi

While driving the car cuts completely off while driving. Everything blacks out. No lights will come on, not even the emergency lights. It starts back up in about 15 to 20 minutes, lights come back on. And it starts back up. This has happened at least 3 times, almost causing me to get hit because when it shuts off it want roll or do anything else

NHTSA ID

11610313

Incident

Aug 19, 2024

The power liftgate (trunk) opens and then immediately closes, and tries to open again. I was in the back trying to get something out and the trunk started closing on me without me having pressed any buttons!! I tried to attach a video but it won’t let me.

NHTSA ID

11600779

Incident

Jul 9, 2024

UNKNOWN Shift to park after pulling to into parking spot and coming to complete stop. Car would not register it was in park on the dash or the gear shift and kept prompting to “Shift To Park”. Check engine light, TC system light, TC light, and park assist light all popped on at once. Car would not turn off. Car had no power going to transmission upon tow. Car would still not turn off after tow. While E-brake was on and waiting for tow, car kept idling and would make a “clunk” noise and then the RPM would jump.

NHTSA ID

11583944

Incident

Apr 16, 2024

My car is leaking oil and stalling just other cars in NHTSA ID: 20V668000 my car is 2019 Chevy equinox and is leaking oil stalling and a message comes on the street say my steering may might be impacted

NHTSA ID

11574955

Incident

Jan 1, 2024

As stated per Chevrolet of Flemington, “ Both rear door latches have actuators that are failing tested operation of rear door locks and found both rear door locks to be INOP preformed circuit checks and found to be ok. Found inside latches that the lock actuators have failed.” Basically, a few months back, the doors started to malfunction, and would either not lock, or not unlock. When I would put my car in drive and accelerate, the doors would not lock, which is a serious safety concern. When I tried to lock the doors, they would not lock, leaving the whole car accessible to stranger, and could have been stolen or hijacked by someone. The problem was confirmed by dealer and was fixed for $1500 dollars which is completely absurd as it is a safety hazard produced by their own car that is not even 5 years old. The vehicle was not inspected by the manufacturer or anyone else besides the dealership which eventually found and fixed the safety hazard. No, there were no warnings or other symptoms, and the problems first occurred back in October of 2023.

NHTSA ID

11572629

Incident

Oct 10, 2023

My 2019 Chevy Equinox with 30,000 miles will not start due to a "Shift to Park" error. This is a common issue with other models of Chevrolet in that same time frame 2017 - 2019 Malibu, Traverse, and Volt. The dealer wants to charge over $1500.00 for an issue that appears to be related to a failing sensor. The vehicle will turn on (power) but will not start. Once power is on, you can not shut off the power as it believes that the vehicle is in gear. This causes the battery to drain. This should be a recall by GM as this is a common issue that the manufacture chooses to ignore.

NHTSA ID

11567776

Incident

Jun 1, 2023

LCD screen as part of the infotainment system blanks out then repeatedly restarts. This goes for the entire drive. The GPS is not picking up the correct temperature and reports in Celsius not Fahrenheit. I'm not able to use any of the infotainment features including not being able to use the phone feature. Also the radio volume increases and decreases on its own. All of this is very distracting as I drive.

NHTSA ID

11555527

Incident

Nov 3, 2023

While traveling a message appear "power reduced" a noise was heard like whistle (air whooshing). The time Car was started the engine light was on. The car was serviced by GM/Chevrolet dealership service. They found water in the spare tire compartment, but didn't not agree that it was the cause of malfunction. The asked if the car had been in a flood. I did my own research and found that this water leak problem is a known issue in litigation.

NHTSA ID

11546079

Incident

Aug 31, 2023

The car has constantly been stalling. The engine light comes on and goes off. These lights has come back on. This has been a reoccurring issue since the car was purchased in 2019. I just got the battery fixed this tear from them saying it was the battery. GM keeps offering me $2500 dollars but saying if I take it I can’t take action against them. That further let’s me know that they know something is wrong with the car.

NHTSA ID

11545809

Incident

Sep 7, 2023

Outside mirrors keep changing position. Almost got into crash because suddenly could not see while merging. This issue has been ongoing and many people are discussing the same issue on an Equinox forum.

NHTSA ID

11540877

Incident

Aug 25, 2023

Something is wrong with the brake assist system. The car was serviced literally towards the end of may and the brake assist service light keeps turning on. It is now causing the vehicle to have a check engine light that comes and goes as it pleases and the car now thinks that it is a bucking bronco at times with how hard it runs at times now. We have spoken and seen now multiple others complaining about the fueling system which does not alloe you to fill the gas tank up all the way. The tank holds 14.9 gallons and if the car is empty and on its last drop the car will only allow 12 gallons at best and that takes nearly 20 minutes of fighting with the car at the pump. The electrical in the vehicle is unstable. Multiple times while driving the radio and power to the car just turn off. I have also seen the recalls for the brake problems but when I enter my VIN it comes back all clear. We had a 2017 Chevy Malibu with multiple issues and spoke to Chevrolet about the issues and it wasn't until we traded it in that we started to receive the recall notices. This vehicle has some of the same problems and we have a toddler that we need to keep safe.

NHTSA ID

11528228

Incident

Apr 16, 2023

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that both side view mirrors would not retain the adjusted settings upon start of the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure obstructed his vison while driving at various speeds. A local dealer was initially notified of the issue; but could not diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was then notified of the failure and referred him to another dealer. The vehicle was taken to White-Allen Chevrolet (442 N Main St, Dayton, OH 45405) on two separate occasions where both the actuator and the driver side arm rest switch were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

NHTSA ID

11512331

Incident

Jan 5, 2022

Mileage

40,000 mi

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle was able to be started without the key fob inside the vehicle. The key fob was at the contact's residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 23,071.

NHTSA ID

11507268

Incident

Feb 14, 2023

Mileage

23,071 mi

The car keeps shutting off at the light. I had to have it towed home. I have videos that I can’t upload here

NHTSA ID

11503734

Incident

Jan 25, 2023