2017 Chevrolet Equinox

I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious safety defect involving a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox that experienced a sudden and complete loss of engine power while the vehicle was in motion. While traveling approximately 50 mph in active traffic, the engine abruptly shut off and the vehicle immediately lost all ability to accelerate. The loss of propulsion was total and occurred without warning. There were no warning lights, alerts, or indicators of a low oil or engine condition prior to the failure. Moments before the shutdown, the engine began making an abnormal mechanical noise. A video was recorded during the incident while the vehicle was still operating in traffic. The recording captures the engine failure in real time, including the vehicle decelerating from approximately 50 mph to a complete stop as the engine shut down. I was able to coast into a breakdown lane and then into a nearby parking lot, narrowly avoiding a collision. A sudden loss of propulsion at this speed and in these conditions presents a severe and immediate safety risk to vehicle occupants and surrounding traffic. This vehicle has been regularly serviced by authorized Chevrolet dealerships and maintained according to the manufacturer’s recommended schedule. At no point was I advised that the vehicle required frequent manual oil checks between scheduled oil changes, nor did the vehicle provide any warning prior to engine shutdown. I routinely operate this vehicle at highway speeds and regularly transport my child. Had this failure occurred on a highway or in heavier traffic, the risk of serious injury or fatality would have been significant. The exact cause is UNKNOWN at this time. The vehicle is available for inspection, and I can provide maintenance records and video documentation upon request.

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of oil. The contact was adding one quart of oil weekly. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled while driving at 25 MPH, but was able to restart. While at a stoplight, the vehicle stalled. There was an abnormal knocking and rattling sound coming from the engine. The engine warning light was illuminated. The reduced engine power message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.

The 2.4L engine is experiencing significant issues, including power loss and rapid oil consumption. The power loss has been observed while driving on both expressways and city streets. The oil burning commenced less than a month after an oil change, resulting in an oil level of zero. This situation poses a risk of accidents and endangers the occupants of the vehicle. An independent service center has confirmed the problem. The center determined that a new engine is necessary as the issue cannot be resolved. There have been no inspections by manufacturers, law enforcement, or other relevant authorities. Additionally, there was no warning about the oil being low to the point of being absent from the engine. The code for the power failure, P0303, was obtained from the service center. It is imperative that this issue be addressed promptly. Either the engine should be recalled or the vehicle should be repaired. Otherwise, I will be compelled to purchase a new engine or a new car.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - 2.4L engine failure. PCV system froze Dec 05 2025. Crankcase pressure increased and caused the rear main engine seal to fail, which inturn allowed all the engine oil to leak out. Due to oil starvation the timing chain components failed. Additional internal engine damage is possible, but not yet confirmed. Failed parts will be available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Engine failure while driving with no notice. Happened on a day with sub zero wind chill. Stalled vehicle poses a safety risk to occupants and other drivers. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? UNKNOWN Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? UNKNOWN Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? UNKNOWN

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at 10 MPH, there was an abnormal odor entering the cabin of the vehicle while the air conditioning system was activated or turned off. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that there was a leak in the exhaust pipe, and that the exhaust pipe needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.

Driving on the highway, nothing unusual or out of the ordinary. Within a 30 second span of time, the car started making a horrible rattling sound, followed by a loud snap sound, then smoke, then I was off the road with oil pouring out of the bottom of the car. Towed home, car was dropped off at the Chevrolet dealership mechanic. As far as I can tell, it fits the description that others have had with this car, namely that some apparent oil consumption issue that never came up on warning lamps resulted in the catastrophic engine failure that nearly launched me off the highway. The vehicle is currently awaiting diagnostics from the mechanic, and I have yet to hear back from them over a week later. There were no warning lights of any sort, and the oil life meter said there was 38% oil life remaining before it would need an oil change. If I had known about this issue before I bought the car, there is a 0% chance I would have bought it.

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that while accelerating from a stoplight, the engine seized without any warning lights illuminated. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 147,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, there was an abnormal sound and odor coming from the engine. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that pistons needed to be replaced and that the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000.