2014 Chevrolet Equinox Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2014 Chevrolet Equinox most often describe engine trouble tied to oil — excessive oil consumption, a failed PCV valve or manifold, a blown rear main seal and, in some cases, a damaged engine or timing chain. The other frequent theme is windshield wipers that quit in the rain, which is the subject of a recall. Most reports in the sample arrive between roughly 50,000 and 130,000 miles, and many engine reports come from cold-weather starts or highway driving.

1. 1
   Engine

   Excessive oil consumption and oil-related engine damage

   • 252 complaints (46%)
   • median 89,000 mi at 5.9 yrs old (142 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,500 (median of 22 quotes)
   • filed 2014–2026

   Owners describe the engine using or losing oil quickly, sometimes a quart or more between checks, with no visible leak underneath. They report rattling or knocking noises, the low oil pressure light or check engine light coming on, stalling or losing power while driving, and in several cases a shop finding a stretched or loose timing chain or recommending engine replacement. Dealers are described as testing oil consumption and then quoting repairs for timing chain, pistons or a whole engine. Mostly reported between about 60,000 and 150,000 miles, often after a recent oil change, and several are tied to very cold starts or highway driving.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the oil level on the dipstick and ask for service records showing how often oil was added between changes; a consumption test at a shop is the usual way to confirm it. Listen for chain rattle on a cold start.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Due to it happening to me and from what I have seen researching now my cars engine was blown due to the lack of oil and this particular engine is prone to have an excessive consumption of oil. I was driving the car and started hearing a knocking sound I parked the car. Took the plastic stuff off the top and found no oil in my engine after having a oil change not to long ago. So I had to get my car towed and I still owe on the car”

   NHTSA complaint #11307096, filed 2020-02, 147,000 miles

   “Vehicle has 55000 miles and check engine light is on. In scanning the car I was told that p0010 the intake positions actuator circuit and p0013 exhaust camshaft position actuator circuit needed to be serviced to the tune of between 1200.00 and 1500.00 dollars which is normal for these cars I. Think this is bs I have oil changed every 2000 miles or 3 months with castrol dexos 5w30 and lucas oil stabilizer. Sounds like this should be covered by yhe manufacturer.”

   NHTSA complaint #11403341, filed 2021-03, 55,933 miles
2. 2
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Windshield wipers stop working in rain

   • 163 complaints (30%)
   • median 79,250 mi at 5.8 yrs old (134 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $392 (median of 12 quotes)
   • filed 2016–2025

   Owners report the wipers quitting without warning in heavy rain, sometimes mid-sweep or pointing straight up, with the motor still clicking but the blades not moving. Shops are described as finding worn wiper linkage bushings or a failed wiper motor, and the repair is sometimes repeated when the failure returns. Many complaints mention the recall for this issue and say the replacement part was not available at the dealer. Mostly reported between about 55,000 and 130,000 miles, often during heavy rain or storms.

   Recall 22V165000

   What to check: Confirm with a dealer whether recall 22V165000 has been completed on the vehicle, and test the wipers on high speed and intermittent before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My wipers stopped working in the middle of a downpour. I took my car to be fixed and was told that the ball bearing in the wipers was completely worn out. I got that fixed. Now 1 month later the exact same thing happened. I read that there was a recall on 2013 and older. I think there needs to be a wider recall to fix this problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #11297375, filed 2020-01, 82,345 miles

   “During heavy rain, windshield wipers flew past straight up, and stopped working without warning. This caused a very dangerous situation because we were driving on an expressway after dark and could not see enough to continue moving. We had to inch along the shoulder for a mile to the nearest exit.”

   NHTSA complaint #11338537, filed 2020-07, 82,500 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   PCV valve or manifold failure with oil blowing past seals

   • 197 complaints (36%)
   • median 95,000 mi at 5.9 yrs old (104 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $3,000 (median of 21 quotes)
   • filed 2014–2026

   Complaints describe the PCV valve or PCV manifold failing, with crankcase pressure building and oil pushing out past the rear main seal or front crankshaft seal. Owners report oil pouring out underneath, smoke, a knocking or rattling engine, and the vehicle stalling or refusing to restart; some say a dealer diagnosed the PCV and quoted a seal, manifold or engine repair. Several of these reports specifically mention very cold weather. Reported from roughly 78,000 to 150,000 miles, with several occurring on freezing or near-zero-degree days.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the PCV valve or manifold has been replaced, and look for oil residue around the rear of the engine and the bellhousing area. A cold-weather start is worth watching for smoke or oil smell.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving on the interstate and the low oil pressure light flashed, followed by the oil light and then it started alarming, I pulled over immediately and had my vehicle towed. This happened on one of the frigid chicago days. It was diagnosed pvc valve froze which caused vacuum pressure that caused rear main seal to have major oil leak. My engine was ruined.”

   NHTSA complaint #11397533, filed 2021-02, 90,962 miles

   “While driving on the highway, the rear engine seal blew out and within a few minutes (unknowingly my engine drained completely of oil) and by the time I was able to get over 2 lanes the damage had been done snapping connecting rod and damaging an entire cylinder. There was no warning of this issue and I fear that if my wife had been driving with my two children under 4 that it could have been a huge safety concern. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11298327, filed 2020-01, 111,286 miles
4. 4
   Engine

   Stalling, no-start and power loss

   • 102 complaints (19%)
   • median 81,535 mi at 5.4 yrs old (77 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $900 (median of 7 quotes)
   • filed 2014–2026

   Complaints describe the vehicle losing motive power or stalling at speed or at a stop, sometimes with no warning light and sometimes with the check engine light on. Owners report failed restarts, fluctuating gauges, and shops finding problems ranging from low oil to a fuel injector sensor, a resonator or a catalytic converter. Several say the dealer could not duplicate the problem or found no stored code. Scattered from about 60,000 to 160,000 miles, with several occurring at highway speed.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for any stored diagnostic codes and whether throttle body or fuel pump diagnostics have been done; a test drive that includes a stop-and-go stretch can help reveal hesitation or stalling.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle failed to restart and was later towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11548677, filed 2023-10, 106,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop, the vehicle loss motive power with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the fuel injector sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11415460, filed 2021-05, 67,000 miles
5. 5
   Steering

   Power steering assist loss

   • 38 complaints (7%)
   • median 65,477 mi at 5.5 yrs old (28 state mileage)
   • filed 2014–2026

   Owners describe the steering wheel becoming hard to turn or failing to respond while driving or turning, with a message to check the steering displayed. Shops are described as tracing it to the power steering control module or sensor, and several complaints note the stabilitrak or power steering light coming on at the same time. Reported mostly under about 60,000 miles.

   What to check: Ask whether the power steering module or sensor has been replaced, and note whether the steering or stabilitrak warning lights come on during a test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The stabili track is messed up. When u give it gas it just boggs the stabili track lighy check engine light and traction control light came on. This all happen driving down the highway at high speed which made the car just about uncontrollable. Needs to be addressed. It has been on other models”

   NHTSA complaint #11378192, filed 2020-12, 75,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a left turn, the steering wheel seized and a warning message was displayed on the instrument panel to check the steering wheel. The vehicle was diagnosed by a mechanic and the contact was informed that the power steering sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 53,000. The VIN was not available.”

   NHTSA complaint #11485471, filed 2022-09, 53,000 miles

Buying note. Have any 2014 Equinox inspected for oil consumption and seal or PCV-related leaks before buying, and confirm the wiper recall was completed. Service records showing regular oil checks and any steering or stalling repairs are worth asking for.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.