2020 Chevrolet Equinox

Vehicle began sputtering suddenly while driving 40mph. "Reduced Engine Power" warning appeared on dash. While trying to limp it home, the vehicle died in the middle of a turning lane. Pushed vehicle to the side of the road and had it towed to a shop. Their notes attached below. Technician Notes: Customer concern verified with DTCs P0014 (Exhaust Camshaft Position System Performance) and P0017 (Exhaust Camshaft Position Not Plausible). Upon removing the exhaust cam position sensor, metal buildup was found. The vacuum pump failed, breaking the keyed driveshaft on the cam and causing the metal buildup. Recommendation: Replace the vacuum pump and exhaust camshaft with timing chains, or consider replacing the engine. Same catastrophic failure as many others have reported due to the vacuum pump seizing up. Metal shavings throughout motor now, likely ruining the whole motor.

While operating my vehicle, I experienced a sudden, catastrophic failure of the power-assisted braking system. The brake pedal completely lost hydraulic pressure, plunging effortlessly all the way to the floorboard. The vehicle failed to respond to normal foot-pedal application. Emergency stopping power was only achieved by pushing the pedal into the absolute floorboard, which engaged an emergency mechanical override and forced the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) pump into a violent stutter/pulsation to halt the vehicle. No dashboard warning lights, diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs), or fluid level sensors illuminated prior to or during the braking failure. A certified automotive repair facility diagnosed the root cause as a total internal seizure and mechanical failure of the engine-driven brake booster vacuum pump. Because the vacuum pump is driven directly by the engine, its sudden lockup sheared and severely damaged the drive slots on the exhaust camshaft, necessitating an intensive engine teardown, camshaft replacement, and secondary component repair totaling $2,390. This design poses an extreme, life-threatening safety risk. The total loss of braking assist occurs without warning, and the mechanical failure simultaneously compromises internal engine timing components while moving at speed.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that occasionally while at a red light or while stopped, the vehicle hesitated for approximately 10 to 15 seconds to move while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The vehicle then accelerated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to retrieve a fault code. There was no warning light illuminated. The manufacturer was contacted by phone, and an email was sent to the president of GM. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.

Car failing to accelerate properly when pushing gas peddle to floor, delay for couple seconds/ longest was 30 seconds before car registered need to move. No defined time its happening intermittently, no warning or codes populating for issue. Recent issue Car was only registered 5 mph after pulling into street from a parking lot with pedal to the floor. After 30 ish seconds car jerks speeding forward at the expected force with pedal to floor. Car Basically was not moving and risked being hit by cars not realizing we are having acceleration issues. Luckily no cars coming and other traffic was stopped by red light. Took to repair shop they had it for 2 days and confirmed issue but all tests were cleared and areas check passed. Research showed known issue but no fix found. Issue started within last 2 weeks. Note current heat wave and online forms says other with same issue on 2020 Chevy equinox seems to notice issue more often when extreme heat weather and ac on high in car. Repair shop had no options for repair unless it happens and codes for them to read, recommend trading in car due to safety issue.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start as needed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who replaced the fuel pump and fuel pump control module. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V013000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 38,451.

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving 80 MPH, the message “Service Brake Assist” warning light illuminated twice. The contact stated that while attempting to depress the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed, causing the contact to engage the parking brake and manually shift the gear shifter to a lower gear to get the vehicle to come to a complete stop. A dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred twice. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the brake booster pump needed to be replaced. The brake booster pump was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 94,000.

While driving, my 2020 Chevrolet Equinox suddenly lost power and shut off without warning while I was pulling into traffic. The vehicle would buzz not crank afterward but would not restart. This created a safety hazard because the unexpected engine shutdown occurred while the vehicle was in motion. This is the second brake vacuum pump failure I have experienced with this vehicle. In 2022, the brake vacuum pump failed and was found shattered internally. At that time, the engine continued running, and the pump was replaced. During this most recent incident, the brake vacuum pump failed again, and the internal end of the pump broke apart. I replaced the vacuum pump and removed the broken pieces I could access, but the vehicle remains in a crank/no-start condition. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by a dealership or independent repair facility. However, after seeing the shattered pump components, a couple of mechanics I know expressed concern that the broken pieces may have affected the engine timing. That has not been confirmed. The failed pump and replacement parts are available for inspection.