2016 Chevrolet Equinox engine problems

ENGINE

In February of 2025, while driving my 2016 Chevy Equinox home from work, I heard a loud pop and loss of engine power a block from home. The weather conditions at the time were below freezing and light snow. After getting my vehicle home, my neighbor, who works for GM looked under my Equinox and discovered the rear main oil seal had blown and informed me this was a known issue with the GM 2.4L Ecotec engine. The GM 2.4L Ecotec engine contains a non‑serviceable Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) system that uses a fixed orifice built into the intake manifold instead of a replaceable PCV valve. In cold weather, moisture and vapor inside the crankcase can freeze or accumulate as sludge within this orifice. When the orifice becomes obstructed, the PCV system can no longer vent crankcase gases properly, causing internal pressure to rise significantly. This condition is most common in sub‑freezing temperatures and is documented in multiple GM technical bulletins. When crankcase pressure increases beyond normal operating limits, the pressure seeks the weakest escape point, which is often the rear main seal. As pressure builds, the rear main seal can rupture suddenly, resulting in an immediate and severe oil leak. This failure can occur without warning and may lead to rapid oil loss, environmental contamination, and potential engine damage if the vehicle continues to operate. The defect is inherent to the PCV system design and is not related to owner maintenance practices. General Motors has been aware of PCV system obstruction issues in the 2.4L Ecotec engine since at least 2013, when internal service bulletins first documented rear main seal failures caused by crankcase over‑pressurization in cold weather. GM issued additional bulletins in 2014, 2016, and 2019, each reiterating the same failure mechanism. In 2014, GM created Special Coverage Adjustment 14882 but many vehicles equipped with the same engine and PCV design were not added, including mine.

NHTSA complaint #11758784 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

: "I live in my car. The 2016 Equinox 2.4L burned all its oil in 2 weeks with no leaks, failed to give a dashboard warning, and the engine is now knocking, threatening to leave me unsheltered." This ties my vehicle's specific failure to the federal database for future legal payouts.

NHTSA complaint #11750405 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I started up my car on a cold winter morning and I heard a loud popping noise. I backed up my car minutes later and discovered puddles of oil in front of me in my driveway. I asked my husband to come out and look. He got under the car and said my oil blew out of the rear seal. I was unable to drive my car as the seal was blown. After some investigating I discovered it was the PCV valve that froze and blew out the rear seal. I discovered that Basil Ford was sent this Bulletin and told to clean the PCV valve when people brought their car in. They never reached out and told me to bring the car in to have this done. It could have been an easy fix. I also discovered by researching that people had this happen to them when they were driving on the highway and it caused them accidents. I called GMC and they are telling me my 2016 isn't in the class action suit. Basil wanted way too much money so I took it to Pep Boys and it cost me $3,000 to have the PCV valve replaced with the kit that prevents it from freezing up again and I had to replace my manifold and my rear seal

NHTSA complaint #11738059 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Around 100,000 miles car started burning through oil. Have to check oil weekly. No warning lights come up when the oil is low. Patiently waiting for them to put a recall on it.

NHTSA complaint #11735031 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Excessive oil consumption with no warning light, loss of power, and stalling. Also caused the master seal to leak and plugged the PCV valve. I have records for the repairs. It continues to excessively use oil and is not a reliable vehicle. When it stalls, power steering is lost as well as the stabilitrack.

NHTSA complaint #11729651 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

engine constantly eats oil, no oil leak

NHTSA complaint #11723180 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Engine failure. There is a class action that has been filed for this exact make, model, and engine size. There were no lights indicating an issue and the car had recently been serviced with an oil change and oil filter change and was being regularly maintained on oil changes. When it was brought to a mechanic, they told me the entire engine had failed and there was no power to one of the spark plugs anymore. I reached out to GM regarding this and they acknowledged the failure

NHTSA complaint #11719424 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Transfer case and front differential failure. No warning lights came on beforehand

NHTSA complaint #11716209 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CRANKCASE (PCV)

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while reversing the vehicle on a cold, snowy day, there was oil on the driveway. There was a fuel odor inside the vehicle, and the engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the failure was related to the PCV system. The mechanic stated that the PCV valve was clogged, causing the gasket to fail. The vehicle was partially repaired. The mechanic later informed the contact that other repairs were necessary. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that there were no recalls associated with the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by the dealer. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that there was no recall coverage associated with the VIN for the repair. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 113,000.

NHTSA complaint #11715924 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I am writing to formally document a series of catastrophic mechanical failures regarding the aforementioned vehicle. Despite rigorous maintenance and significant financial investment, the car remains non-drivable, posing a severe safety risk. Chronology of Failures: October 2024: Four months post-purchase, the timing chain failed on I-94. Atwater Chevrolet replaced the component; however, this did not resolve the underlying engine instability. December 3, 2025: Following a dashboard warning light, a Northland Chevrolet dealer replaced the solenoids. At this time, the windshield wiper motor also required replacement. Late December 2025: Shortly after these repairs, the vehicle suffered a major failure of the rear main seal and engine block during sub-freezing temperatures. This caused a total loss of oil and left the driver stranded in hazardous conditions. Maintenance and Disclosure: We have invested over $4,000 in preventative maintenance, including oil changes every 2,800 miles to mitigate known oil consumption issues. At the time of sale, there was no disclosure regarding the inherent engine defects common to this model. Current Status: The vehicle is currently at a dealership and is inoperable. A $10,000 loan balance remains. Current diagnostics suggest a frost plug failure triggered the event. I have contacted GM regarding Bulletin 14882, which addresses identical issues in similar models, but was informed it does not currently attach to this VIN. Furthermore, the extended warranty provider has denied the claim following an inspection, despite the documented manufacturing issues known to affect these engines for several years.

NHTSA complaint #11711299 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The wiper blade motor is gone out. The tire pressure sensor is off : the oil seems to disappear faster than the sensor

NHTSA complaint #11708723 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Clogged PCV caused engine pressure resulting in failure of rear main seal

NHTSA complaint #11707541 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I just got this used car in seemingly great shape, was told it was garage kept and well cared for. Dealer had oil changed before I drove it off the lot. I only had it about one month, had driven about 1,000 miles so far, I check the oil, and dipstick was nearly dry. I threw oil in it and took it for an oil change just in case. No oil leaks, etc. No indication, no oil light, nothing to alert me to low oil level. I saw here on NHTSA that these cars burn through excessive amounts of oil, and I definitely saw that firsthand. I’m wondering why no recalls exist when this is a well-known issue with these cars, and so many of them are dead at 50-70k miles…? The last two cars I had (Ford Escapes), had over 218k or 185k miles and they were still drivable when I got a replacement vehicle. Now I buy this used Equinox with almost 70k miles and I’m wondering if it is going to break down within the first year. I expect I will be buying lots of oil and checking/changing it often. This is not just an inconvenience, it can cause major safety concerns! I will not be a repeat Chevy customer!

NHTSA complaint #11706231 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that two weeks after the vehicle was purchased, while the vehicle was being serviced, the contact was informed that the engine was very low on oil. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that an oil change was performed on the vehicle. Two weeks later, the contact took the vehicle back to be checked and was informed that the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. However, no cause for the failure was found. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact had to check the oil level weekly. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA complaint #11703026 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the vehicle vibrated and idled abnormally. The contact depressed the brake pedal, and the vehicle jumped unintendedly. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact continued to drive to the residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the timing chain had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The independent mechanic advised the contact not to drive the vehicle. The failure became a recurring failure, and the contact parked the vehicle, and the vehicle was no longer driven due to safety concerns. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.

NHTSA complaint #11689002 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The high pressure fuel pump leaking into crankcase and leaking gasket the fuel in the oil was so much it lit on fire.

NHTSA complaint #11688131 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

oil consumption is bad. according to mechanic it has now caused problems with timing chain and tensioner. I have to get that replaced ASAP before engine ties up. There is a class action lawsuit in Missouri for same reason with cars like mine. My car has not even hit 114,000.

NHTSA complaint #11687779 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that one and a half quarts of oil needed to be added every two days. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed and it was determined that the failure was caused by the timing belt sagging, and the piston being burned. The dealer stated that the gasket kit, timing chain, tensioner, sensor, guards, actuator, and bolts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and filed a claim. The failure mileage was approximately 148,000.

NHTSA complaint #11675983 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The concern is the oil consumption. The car looses a quart of oil a month. I average only 620 miles per month. There is no leak. A mechanic has been keeping track of it every month since April 2025. No warning lights alerted me of the problem. This has been an ongoing problem with the Chevy Equinox. My last one had the same problem but it was fixed thru a recall. It is frustrating for me to have to bring my car in every month to have it checked, because I am a caregiver for my husband and its hard for me to get away. I also use the car for his doctor appointments. I need a dependable car and can't afford a different one.

NHTSA complaint #11673587 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that there were no warning lights illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine oil pump had failed and caused the engine to seize. The contact was advised that the engine and oil pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

NHTSA complaint #11664784 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard a loud sound coming from the vehicle with a gasoline odor coming from the engine compartment. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the exhaust manifold had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.

NHTSA complaint #11659501 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I was driving my vehicle on the highway when all of a sudden I started to lose speed and my car wouldn’t accelerate. When my vehicle wouldn’t accelerate it started to shake significantly and the check engine, abs, traction control, and service stabilitrak light came on all at once. I was able to pull over and get my car towed to the dealership. Once it was at the dealership it was diagnosed that my car had jumped time causing a misfire in cylinder 4. My dealership stated this was due to low oil and my piston had become warped due to making contact with my valve. My car had no check oil warnings or any indication that vehicle was low on oil prior to this happening. My vehicle drove perfectly fine until that point. My vehicle also had no oil leaks (confirmed by myself not seeing any leaks under my vehicle as well as the dealership when they did the diagnostics). Before I bought my vehicle I did research and knew this model vehicle had oil consumption issues, so I made sure to routinely check my oil levels. Even with getting oil changes approximately every 3,000 miles and checking my oil levels and topping off my oil whenever it got less then 5 quarts I still had to get a total engine replacement. This was a huge safely issue since there was no warning that my oil was low and my car lost speed on the highway and was trying to stall out before I had a chance to pull off to safe place.

NHTSA complaint #11658734 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

In Feb 2025, I was driving, a day after a snow storm, on the highway when without warning my car stopped accelerating, and just shut down. The mechanic said my oil was all over the ground. He also stated that there's a defect in the 2.4l ecotec motors and the pistons broke on my vehicle. Now I have to pay $3500 to rebuild my motor. He stated that the vehicle has a higher oil consumption rate/ leaks and you will never know

NHTSA complaint #11658343 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and then stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to coast the vehicle to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 117,583.

NHTSA complaint #11654945 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The 2016 Equinox is not keeping oil in the engine. Therefore, the engine is unsafe and extremely dangerous - there is no warning! It will just stop in traffic! Life threatening to driver, passengers and other vehicles on the road.

NHTSA complaint #11654211 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle started making a ticking noise. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the mechanic informed the contact that the engine was low by two quarts of engine oil. On another occasion, the vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic for an oil change, and the engine was low by two quarts of engine oil. The following month the vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic, due to the vehicle hesitating to accelerate, the vehicle was diagnosed with excessive oil consumption. The vehicle was not repaired after the most recent failure. The dealer was not made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,690.

NHTSA complaint #11646732 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Engines rear main seal failed and was replaced Freezing weather-15 degrees car will not run GM dealer that car was towed too Just a shutter no dash or any lights ever came on Repair by GM dealer said pcv valve froze resulting in dramatically increased oil pressure

NHTSA complaint #11646546 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving on a rural road at 55 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact entered a nearby parking lot, where the vehicle was parked and inspected. The contact stated that there was an abnormal amount of oil leaking from underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and informed the contact that the vehicle had experienced engine failure and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.

NHTSA complaint #11644608 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.