2018 Chevy Equinox problems range from broken powertrains, intermittent electrical systems, unreliable engines, and other lacking areas.
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The 2018 Chevy Equinox is an amazing compact SUV that attracts tons of customers every year. Quickly the vehicle became one of the most popular on the road over a couple of years only.
However, while General Motors promised “all about the journey,” drivers had a different opinion and, in some scenarios, they described it as a miserable journey. The vehicle was plagued by tons of mechanical issues ranging from the powertrain, issues with an intermittent electrical system, problems with engine reliability, and other lacking areas.
If you plan to purchase a used 2018 Chevy Equinox or a current owner of this vehicle, you need to be familiar enough with all due mechanical problems that you might face and at which mileage.
This article summarizes our detailed study to customers' reviews about their experience with the 2018 Chevy Equinox problems. We gathered information from larger platforms like carcomplaints.com.com, commarepairpal.com, and more.
We’re hoping that this article will provide you a good idea about what to expect when in terms of mechanical problems, expected repair costs, and expected repair options. This way, you'll be ready to deal with any mechanical problem, and you can determine when it's the right time to sell your 2018 Chevy Equinox.
2018 Chevy Equinox Overview
The 2018 Chevy Equinox is a great option for those shopping for a new or used compact as UV. The vehicle is featured on many websites for the comfortable right, roomy space, user-friendly infotainment system, and great fuel economy.
According to cars.usnews.com, this vehicle was ranked as #9 in the best 2018 affordable compact as UV category. It received a ranking of 8.1 out of 10.
The 2018 Chevy Equinox is equipped with either a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder, 1.6-liter 4-cylinder diesel, or 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine. This engine is associated with either A6 or 9-speed automatic transmission.
With this combination, your vehicle can achieve a towing capacity ranging from 1500 to 3500 pounds. The 2018 Chevy Equinox is expected to achieve up to 28 miles per gallon on city roads and 39 miles per gallon on the highway.
Despite all the amazing features of the 2018 Chevy Equinox, drivers quickly realized some significant issues in this vehicle's mechanical components, ranging from problems with the powertrain, issues with the electrical system, and problems with the engine.
2018 Chevy Equinox problems
While the 2018 Chevy Equinox has not been on the road for a long time, reported complaints are fair enough to say that the vehicle is plagued with tons of mechanical issues that any driver should be aware of.
Although some of the 2018 Chevy Equinox problems were associated with minor components, many reported complaints about significant problems with major issues in the engine and the baking system, which affects the passenger’s safety.
According to automotive experts, “Owners of the Chevy Equinox know far too well the trouble that this SUV can bring. Between faulty powertrains, glitchy electrical systems, and unreliable engines, this crossover lacks in several areas. Many Equinox models suffer from vehicle movement while in a park and a false illumination of the malfunction indicator lamp.”
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2018 Chevy Equinox Powertrain problems: vehicle moves slightly after parking!
When you purchase a modern vehicle, the first thing you're imagining is that this car will not have any safety problems because it has a long feature of options to help keep the drivers safe all the time.
Unfortunately, this was not the case with the 2018 Chevy Equinox. A good number of customers indicated dealing with the vehicle moving slightly after sending it to park. This happens mostly when the vehicle cools down, and you're trying to start it.
In some scenarios, the Chevy Equinox powertrain might make some clunking noises which are very weird for drivers of a brand new 2018 Chevy Equinox vehicle. Owners indicated that after starting the 2018 Chevy Equinox with the auto starts, they might experience some vehicle movement without intention.
Customer complaints #1
“While the vehicle was parked, it independently rolled away and rear-ended another vehicle. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. [Repair shop] was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 17V516000(power train) and advised the contact to use the emergency brake when parking the vehicle.”
Customer complaints #2
“my 2018 chevrolet equinox has not been shifting into high gear (6th) for several weeks now. I brought it into a chevy dealer near me, and they informed me that this is a normal condition for this vehicle, when the ambient temperature is below 14 degrees.. The service manager cited a gm tsb #18-na-035. This tsb instructs the dealer to inform the owner that the vehicle is operating normally, and instructs the dealer not to attempt any repairs.”
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2018 Chevy Equinox Electrical system problems: malfunction indicator lamp illuminating!
When you buy a modern vehicle, you can get very nervous immediately after seeing any warning light on the dashboard because that is not expected.
Unfortunately, several 2018 Chevy Equinox customers indicated that the malfunction indicator light illuminates the dashboard Without any clear reason.
Surprisingly, even the manufacturer indicated that drivers might experience the malfunction indicator lamp illuminating without going wrong.
General Motors released a bulletin to address the issue in the malfunction indicator lamp. The manufacturer suggested that technicians need to test the brake vacuum and ensure no leak in the braking system. If there is any leak, technicians need to reprogram the ECM and use the newest calibration.
While this might be an easy fix, if the malfunction indicator lamp issue was not resolved, drivers might not know what's going on with their vehicles, and skipping it does not always mean the vehicle doesn't have any problem.
Customer complaints #1
“I purchased my vehicle October 31, 2017, and within the first two months, the check engine light came on at 1,400 miles. I took my vehicle into the dealership it was purchased from immediately and was told nothing was mechanically wrong and it was okay to continue driving with the light on. It eventually went out on its own just to come back a month later. I again took it to the dealership this time to be told I needed a new vacuum brake booster pipe. After the part was replaced, the dealership then told me I needed to have the brake booster pressure sensor replaced. Three days after the sensor was replaced, the check engine light was back on at this point the dealership had no more answers and was reporting my issue to GM and having one of their technicians look at my vehicle. I brought my vehicle back in for a fourth time because the light continues to turn off and on intermittently and due to my knowledge of the law on a brand new vehicle GM is now interested in purchasing my vehicle back.”
Customer complaints #2
“when driving at night, if you put the car in reverse then put it back into drive the radio display is real bright, light is in daytime mode. As long as you don’t put it in reverse the display in in night mode. The light is real annoying when driving at night.the dealer said there is nothing they can do about it. Gm tech say i will have to live with it. It is like someone shining a light in your eyes. Would like to see if something can be done about it. They said all 2018 equinox with 7 inch screen is that way.”
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2018 Chevy Equinox Engine problems: Fuel overconsumption and smoke coming out of the vehicle!
Unfortunately, the third most reported problem about the 2018 Chevy Equinox has to do with the diesel engine's major issues. Customers complained about significant overconsumption of fuel, hoping for better fuel consumption in the 2018 model year.
While fuel consumption issues occur in colder environments, some people in warmer areas indicated that they might see smoke coming out of their Turbo diesel engine.
Some customers indicated that their check engine light might illuminate suddenly without any previous warning signs. Other customers had to deal with significant engine failure in cold environments. Oil pressure also fluctuated in some of the 2018 Chevy Equinox vehicles.
One complaint indicated that the engine in the 2018 Chevy Equinox might race without stopping, which could cause some safety issues.
Although most diesel engine complaints indicated that problems occurred in colder environments, General Motors updated their service document pointing to some diesel engines leaking due to improper alignment in the gasket clamp. Thus, even those driving in warmer environments might deal with the problem, but they might see it as smoke coming from the engine, as we mentioned earlier. Thus, dealerships were asked to replace the turbocharger with a catalytic converter clamp gasket.
Customer complaints #1
“Traveling on a very cold night to a small town in Saskatchewan, turbo freezes, mother-in-law tenses and we limp the last 40 km to her house. Had to change plans and stay a couple of days until we could get a tow to the city. GM wanted to tow to another small town because it was closer but the dealership wasn’t going to be open until the 27th. Had to pay for extra mileage to get to a dealer that was open. Left vehicle there and took a loaner (also an equinox). Returned home 400 km from the dealership.Had to return a couple of days later to pick up my vehicle where they explained that the turbo had frozen. Interesting thing is that about 200km in to the return trip with the loaner, the loaner Equinox also froze up. Limped the last 200 km to the dealership on a double lane highway. Vehicle is not designed for very cold temperatures.”
Customer complaints #2
“car engine light is coming on now on 3 separate occasions once on highway once in. Side street and then in after just starting car . Has been service now all 3 times and emu system was fully replaced . It will go into safety mode and there is a very strong smell of gas. The engine then runs high and car locks up. The car is feels like it is stressing at even 35 miles before the engine light appears. I have service paperwork from the first two services and pictures of the car in safety mode. It is currently in the service department again for the 3rd time now. Purchase the car only 5 months ago . Onstar picked up on highway 5.30.18 , picked up from service then on 6.2.2018, had car for 2 hours car went back into service same day 6.2.2018 back to dealership, picked backup 6.5.2018 and then back in dealership 6.6.2018 for on going issues and still there with no resolution at this point.”
Are there any recalls on the 2018 Chevy Equinox?
Yes, Chevy decided to recall a good number of vehicles from the 2018 Chevy Equinox model year. There were a total of four recalls focusing on the front driveshafts, the passenger front door window, the fuel pump, and the breaking system.
Here's a closer look at the released recalls regarding the 2018 Chevy Equinox:
- On August 25th, 2017, Chevy decided to recall about 2905 vehicles from different model years, including those from Chevy Equinox. The problem was focused on the intermediate drive shaft issues that might be fractured and couldn't separate during driving. As a result, drivers might experience some lack in their vehicle's propulsion. All affected vehicles were invited to visit the nearest Chevy dealership to resolve, fee or charge.
- On May 15th, 2018, Chevy also recalled 379 vehicles from the 2018 Chevy Equinox model due to problems with the front driver door windows glasses. They indicated that these windows might not temper properly, which could cause some injuries due to glass breaking. All affected vehicles were also invited to visit the nearest Chevy dealership to resolve the favor charge. According to the NHTSA website, “General Motors LLC (GM) recalls certain 2018 Chevrolet Equinox vehicles. The driver and front passenger door window glass may not be properly tempered. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 205, “Glazing Materials.”
- On July 2nd, 2018, Chevy also recalled 895 vehicles due to a fuel pump problem. She indicated that the fuel pump might detach from the mounting, resulting in very high pressure in the fuel pump leading to a fuel leak. Affected vehicles got the problem resolved free of charge at the nearest Chevy dealership.
- On October 11th, 2018, Chevy recalled 210,628 vehicles due to problems with Caliper Pistons' brakes. It should be indicated that these Pistons were not coded properly, and guess might be released to that rear hydraulic circuit. Thus, drivers might experience some reduction in the braking system performance.
How to avoid purchasing a 2018 Chevy Equinox with mechanical problems?
Investing in 2018 for Equinox is a great deal; however, you want to make sure that your money is going to the right vehicle.
Automotive experts suggest that while you can buy a vehicle and rely on your test drive, it is recommended that you plan to purchase a used 2018 Chevy Equinox to hire an experienced mechanic who can tell if there are any major issues with this vehicle.
By investing in bringing your mechanic, you prevent dealing with complicated mechanical problems that might cost you tons of dollars down the road.
However, if you decided to go with your test drive, you need to be aware of all symptoms of faulty components. For example, keep an eye for any bad engine symptoms, symptoms of a bad transmission, symptoms of a bad electrical system, etc.
If you have realized any weird sounds or noises coming from the vehicle, this is a red flag, and you should not proceed with buying this car. Also, when the vehicle has some major problems, it doesn't necessarily make weird noises; it might have strange smells or might generally behave differently. Thus, keep an eye for anything that doesn't feel normal and think twice before purchasing a used 2018 Chevy Equinox.
Also, test the minor components that you are planning to use on your daily basis. For example, try turning on and off the radial, air conditioning, etc. Although these components are considered minor, it can cost you good hundreds of dollars to get them to work when dealing with their problems.
Is the 2018 Chevy Equinox reliable?
According to the JD Power dependability study, the 2018 Chevy Equinox has a reliability rating of 3.5 out of five, considered above average.
Although the vehicle itself is considered reliable, some automotive experts indicated that the engine is unreliable, and customers might experience some significant mechanical issues in the engine.
Thus, if you're planning to purchase a used 2018 Chevy Equinox, you need to make sure to do a pre-purchase inspection to prevent purchasing a vehicle with some major problems that will cost you thousands of dollars in a very short time.
According to experts, “The average annual repair cost is $537, which means it has lower than average ownership costs. While repairs tend to be more severe than average, these issues occur less often, so major repairs are infrequent for the Equinox.”
The bottom line
The 2018 Chevy Equinox is one of the most popular vehicles attracting hundreds of customers every year. Unfortunately, after a couple of years of ownership, owners of this vehicle indicated significant issues that might question this vehicle's reliability.
According to automotive experts, “Between faulty powertrains, glitchy electrical systems, and unreliable engines, this crossover lacks in several areas. Many Equinox models suffer from vehicle movement while in the park and a false illumination of the malfunction indicator lamp. Also, diesel models are prone to a turbo exhaust leak.”
Thus, before making a final decision on purchasing a used 2018 Chevy Equinox, it is recommended that you spend time and effort inspecting this vehicle to ensure that you're not going to buy a car with major mechanical problems.
Also, if you're a current owner of a 2018 Chevy Equinox, it might be the right time now to think about whether it's worth continue driving this car or selling it instead of wasting your time, money, and energy dealing with significant problems. Note that some of the mentioned 2018 Chevy Equinox problems have to do with safety issues.
If you are looking for someone to purchase your 2018 Chevy Equinox, even if it has to measure mechanical problems, we advise you to reach out to Cash Cars Buyer, who guarantees to buy your vehicle despite its condition.
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