Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2014 Chevrolet Equinox owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My vehicle has all symptoms of the timing chain slipping or being loose. Just as millions of others who owns a chevy equinox with a 2.4 motor. Drives like crap, stalls out unexpectedly, which is very dangerous, exhaust fumes enter cabin of vehicle, toxicity to lungs. Extreme fuel intake consumption, erotic idle issues, extreme oil consumption all these issues have progressively gotten worse. This is very much a safety hazard in more than ONE way! GM needs to be held responsible and FIX THEIR problem selling such faulty and pitiful parts to their customers. After this I will NEVER own a chevy again. HIGHLY disappointed! Fixing a timing chain issue is NOT cheap, nor should it be the responsibility of any chevy equinox owner seeing as how there are so many other people who share the SAME issue, like duh. obviously, this is a manufacturer defect. HOW HAS THIS NOT BEEN RECALLED YET??????? …
The contact owns 2014 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while his daughter was driving 65 MPH, the vehicle started shuddering. Additionally, the vehicle stalled while at a complete stop at a traffic light. The contact stated that his daughter verified that the vehicle had sufficient fuel. The contact's daughter was able to restart the vehicle and continued driving; however, the vehicle stalled while at a complete stop at another traffic light. The low oil pressure warning light was illuminated, and there was smoke entering the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated that his daughter exited the vehicle and went to a Police Station for assistance. The vehicle was pushed to Police Station. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under Technical Service Bulletin Number: 14882. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. …
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle made an abnormal popping sound and lost motive power. The contact was able to coast the vehicle to the side of the roadway. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the timing chain link had fractured due to low oil pressure, and the engine needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the dealer had completed an oil change on the vehicle a month prior to the failure. The dealer also informed the contact that there was no oil sign of an oil leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the dealer to cover the labor fee while the contact would cover the cost for the engine repair. …
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving or while the vehicle was idling, the vehicle made an abnormal grinding sound and shut off on several occasions. The contact turned the ignition key, and the vehicle restarted. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to AutoZone, where it was determined that the oil level was low. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, where an oil change was performed; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to the used car dealer where it was purchased. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the timing chain had failed. The dealer determined that the timing chain, the tensioner, and the tensioner guide needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that only the timing chain was covered under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the contact noticed that the tachometer was elevated to 4,200 RPM. The contact had not depressed the accelerator; the contact removed her foot from the accelerator pedal and heard an abnormal sound like air rushing into the vehicle coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the instrument cluster needles went to zero and then started fluctuating. The contact stated lost motive power with the accelerator pedal being depressed. The contact stated that the check engine, stabili-trak, and service power steering warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. …
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was stopped, and the vehicle was parked at a local shopping center while shopping. Upon returning to the vehicle, the contact's wife attempted to start the vehicle, however the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed timing chain. The contact was informed that the timing chain needed to be replaced. The contact also stated that on several occasions while the contact was driving, the vehicle stalled and lost motive power. The contact stated that he was able to restart the vehicle and drive to his destination. The failure had been reoccurring for approximately six months. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000. The VIN was unavailable.
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The blank warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the Camshaft Position Actuator Solenoid Valve. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 17-NA-098; but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 135,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. Additionally, there was a ticking sound occasionally coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the cam shaft solenoid sensors needed to be replaced. The camshaft solenoid sensors were replaced but the failure persisted. The local dealer and manufacturer were not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 72,000. Gm stated the warranty is not active as the time expired to be under warranty. The 6 year, 100,000 miles for the power train warranty,(which ever comes first expired) and the Bumper to Bumper warranty 4 years or 36,000 miles expired.
The contact owned a 2014 Chevrolet equinox. The contact stated that while driving and turning into her driveway, the check engine warning light illuminated an abnormal sound was heard coming from the vehicle. The contact turned off the vehicle. The following day, the contact's mother inspected the vehicle and noticed that there was no oil in the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the timing chain had a fracture and the engine needed to be replaced. The local dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The vehicle was not drivable. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 169,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH in cold weather, the vehicle was shuddering. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the work garage, where the contact noticed that a significant amount of oil had leaked onto the ground. A mobile mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the main crankshaft seal had failed because the PCV system had frozen. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance in covering the repair under Technical Service Bulletin: Bulletin No: PIP5093B. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.
Engine complaints in other Equinox years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2014 Chevrolet Equinox?
NHTSA has 229 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2014 Chevrolet Equinox, 42% of the model year's 548 complaints. The component named most often is exhaust system › emission control › crankcase (pcv) (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2014 Chevrolet Equinox engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2014 Chevrolet Equinox, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2014 Chevrolet Equinox engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 96,000 miles, and 4% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 1 injury to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.