2018 Chevrolet Equinox — Known Issues & Recalls

Your car's fuel pump failed while you were trying to stop, causing the engine to stall and the car to shut off. The vehicle wouldn't restart and had to be towed home. Your VIN should have been included in a fuel system recall (Campaign 18V358000), but wasn't. The fuel pump will need to be replaced to restore engine operation.

Your check engine warning light came on while driving. A dealer diagnosed the problem as a failing high-pressure fuel pump and other fuel system components that need replacement. This issue appeared around 75,000 miles and may be related to a known manufacturer recall. The repair will involve replacing the fuel pump and associated fuel system parts.

Your car's engine sputtered and failed to accelerate when you pressed the gas pedal, and then shut off completely at a stop light. You noticed a strong fuel smell inside the car, and both the traction control and check engine warning lights came on. The dealer diagnosed the issue but didn't share the results with you. This problem may involve fuel system components like the fuel pump, fuel injectors, or fuel filter that need inspection and possible replacement.

While driving, your brake pedal suddenly became hard to push, making it difficult to slow down. You managed to coast into a parking lot and stop safely. When you tried to restart the car, it wouldn't start. The dealership found broken pieces from the vacuum pump and metal debris inside the engine, requiring a full engine replacement. This cost $6,225 even after GM provided a discount.

Your 2018 Chevrolet Equinox displays an "engine power reduced" warning message and suddenly loses power, slowing down to under 40 mph on highways. You took the vehicle to a Chevrolet dealer who diagnosed transmission slipping, then spent $6,000 at AAMCO for repairs, but the warning light and power loss issue persist. The fix may involve diagnosing the underlying cause of the engine power reduction error—which could be related to transmission function, engine sensors, or the vehicle's onboard computer system.

While your wife was accelerating onto the highway, she heard a loud thumping noise from underneath the car. The driveshaft had broken completely in half. The repair shop found that the driveshaft had significant rust damage that weakened it, and the metal itself was unusually thin—thinner than typical muffler pipes—which caused it to fail under the stress of acceleration.

Your check engine light is on and showing a transmission-related diagnostic code, even though you haven't noticed any actual transmission problems while driving. The code is flagging an issue that may or may not indicate a real malfunction. A mechanic will need to read the specific diagnostic code to determine if it's a sensor issue, a minor glitch, or an actual transmission problem that needs repair.

Your brake system is losing all power assist, making the brakes harder to press and reducing stopping ability. This is a serious safety issue that requires immediate inspection and repair of the power brake system components.

Your car's brake system has failed, and a "Brake Assist Service" warning appeared on your dashboard. You've taken it to two different repair shops, and both confirmed this is a known issue affecting this vehicle model. The repair will likely involve diagnosing and repairing the brake assist system, which may include replacing sensors, hydraulic components, or the brake control module.

Your car has shut off while driving four times since November 2025, accompanied by a strong gas smell and check engine/traction control warning lights. The turbo and fuel injectors have already been replaced, but the problem keeps recurring—your vehicle enters limp mode and gas leaks out, creating a potential fire hazard. This likely points to a failing fuel system component that needs proper diagnosis and repair.

Your car is having trouble starting and stalls while driving, sometimes refusing to restart. You're seeing a reduced speed warning and noticing a strong gasoline smell with fluid leaking underneath the vehicle. Your brakes fail periodically every few months, and your radio cuts out intermittently. These issues suggest problems with the fuel system, engine, electrical system, and brake system that need professional diagnosis.

Your transmission became stuck in reverse and wouldn't shift into drive or park while you were backing out of a parking space. The dashboard warning told you to put the vehicle in park, but you couldn't, and you had to keep your foot on the brake to prevent the car from continuing to reverse. Even after turning off the engine, the shifter remained stuck in reverse. The fix will likely require professional transmission diagnosis and repair or replacement of transmission components.

Your car doesn't come to a complete stop when you apply the brakes. After you press the brake pedal, the vehicle creeps forward about an inch before stopping. This has been happening since you purchased the car, and it doesn't occur in other vehicles. The issue likely involves adjusting or replacing brake components to ensure proper stopping pressure.

Your transmission slips and shakes when you accelerate or start from a stop, making it difficult to drive long distances because the problem gets worse as the engine heats up. Despite having the transmission rebuilt, the issue continues and has been getting progressively worse over the past year, even though no warning codes or sensor problems are showing up. The transmission may need further diagnosis or replacement to resolve the slipping and shaking.

Your mechanic found that the camshaft is leaking oil and the fuel injector retainers are loose and leaking. Your engine went into safe mode as a precaution to prevent potential engine fires. The repairs will likely involve resealing the camshaft and fuel injector retainers to stop the leaks.

Your car is leaking coolant excessively, which may cause the engine to overheat and produce squeaking or rumbling noises from the water pump area. You might also notice your cabin heater isn't working properly or see engine warning lights on your dashboard. Additionally, your lights are turning on and off intermittently due to electrical pulses in the wiring—a software coding issue that requires dealership repair to resolve.

After a software update to your engine control module, your car has experienced multiple issues: when shifting into reverse, the vehicle sometimes won't move backward and instead feels like it's trying to go forward, requiring you to manually push it to reverse. Additionally, the ignition button sometimes requires multiple presses before the engine starts, and you're seeing a "Parking Brake Release" message on the dashboard even when the parking brake isn't engaged. These issues likely stem from the software update and may require a reprogram or reset of the engine control module and electrical system.

Your 2018 Equinox has been experiencing multiple issues: a strong fuel smell coming from the vehicle, brake pads wearing out much faster than normal, a "speed reduced" warning message on the dashboard, and the engine warning light staying on. These problems started around 150,000 miles and haven't been diagnosed or repaired yet. A mechanic will need to scan the engine computer for fault codes, inspect the fuel system for leaks, and check the brake pads and related components.

Your vehicle failed to communicate with the diagnostic system during state smog inspections. A mechanic found that a module responsible for emissions needed to be replaced. This is covered under a manufacturer recall, and your dealer can perform the repair at no cost.

Your engine may feel sluggish or not be producing normal power when you accelerate. This could be caused by an electrical system issue affecting how the engine operates. You should have this checked out to avoid potential performance problems or breakdown.