NHTSA Complaint #11093565 — 2015 CHEVROLET EQUINOX

ABOUT 4-6 MONTHS AGO, MY CAR STARTED TO JOLT EVERY NOW AND AGAIN, WHILE DRIVING IT, BUT IT NEVER SHUT OFF. LAST WEEK, WHEN I WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT, THE CAR DIED WHEN I SHIFTED IT INTO DRIVE TO LEAVE. IT TOOK A WHILE TO TURN BACK ON, BUT DID START UP AGAIN. ON MY WAY HOME, IT SHUT OFF AGAIN WHILE IN MOTION. ONCE I GOT HOME, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT POPPED ON AND I DID NOT DRIVE IT AGAIN UNTIL THE NEXT DAY. I WENT TO WASH IT, AS I DO WEEKLY, AND FILL UP THE GAS TANK. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED OFF. THE NEXT MORNING, I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND THE CAR CUT OFF AGAIN WHILE IN MOTION. ONCE I WAS ABLE TO GET IT RESTARTED, I DROVE IT TO THE CLOSEST MECHANIC IMMEDIATELY. THEY ATTEMPTED TO LOOK AT THE CAR AND DIAGNOSE IT FOR THE GREATER PART OF THE DAY. THE MACHINE WAS READING A CAM SHAFT ISSUE; HOWEVER, WHEN THEY INSPECTED IT, THERE WAS NO ISSUE WITH IT. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT HE HAS SEEN THIS ISSUE WITH THE CHEVY EQUINOX SEVERAL TIMES AND THAT CHANGING THE INTAKE/OUTTAKE VALVES GIVES A TEMPORARY RESOLVE; HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM TYPICALLY COMES DOWN TO THE ENGINE/MOTOR HAVING TO BE REPLACED, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY A $6000 REPAIR BILL, OR TAKE A COMPLETE LOSS ON THE CAR., BECAUSE METAL SHARDS AND OTHER THINGS GET TRAPPED IN THE ENGINE/MOTOR THAT CAN'T BE REMOVED. THEY DID REPLACE THE VALVES, WHICH COST ME $400+, TOLD ME TO KEEP DOING WHAT I DO, IN TERMS OF KEEPING MAINTENANCE UP, AND HOPE THAT SOMETHING IS DONE BEFORE THE ENGINE/MOTOR NEEDS REPLACING. I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR MY TRANSPORTATION AND THAT OF MY TWO CHILDREN (AGES 1 & 11). I CANNOT HAVE MY CAR STOP, IN THE MIDDLE OF ME DRIVING IT, AND HAVE THAT RESULT IN A FATAL LOSS OF ME AND/OR MY CHILDREN. A SIMPLE INTERNET SEARCH SHOWS THAT MULTIPLE YEARS OF THIS MAKE/MODEL CAR HAVE THE SAME ISSUE AND IT IS ALARMING THAT NO RECALL IS IN PLACE. THE CONSUMER IS BEING LEFT TO COVER THE COST OF SAFETY IN FAULTY VEHICLES.