One of the most common issues with the 2nd generation Chevy Equinox is a stalling problem. The most challenging part of the problem is that they are known to stall at any time.
Before troubleshooting any automotive issue, including stalling issues with the Chevy Equinox, make sure that you check the vehicles trouble codes with an OBD2 scanner. Trouble codes are always a great place to start diagnosing problems on today’s modern computer controlled vehicles.
These codes are vital to a proper diagnosis. They are often specific enough to get you all the way to the problem, or pretty darn near.
Using a scanner is easy. Here’s a great video that can get you started if you’ve never done it before.
Equinox Stalling Problem Causes
Here are some of the issues that cause the 2010-2016 Chevy Equinox to stall out.
- Oil Consumption– These vehicles are known to stall out when the oil levels get really low. It’s the precursor to the engine locking up, so be careful.
- Bad Gas– While there are many things that can cause your Chevy Equinox to stall out, that are related to the vehicle specifically you still shouldn’t over look bad gas. Bad gas can cause an engine to stall out. Water in the gas tank can also cause gas to be bad. If there were no other symptoms and suddenly you find that the vehicle is running very rough, bad gas could certainly be the problem. Here’s a good article on all the symptoms of bad gas.
- Throttle Position Sensor– The throttle position sensor is typically located on the gas pedal. This sensor is responsible for telling the engine how much air and fuel to allow in. Long gone are the days when you were actually directly controlling the amount of fuel and air entering the engine. These days the computer handles all of that.This serves two purposes. The first is that by limiting the amount of torque when you push the gas pedal for a second or two, the engineers at GM were able to increase engine life by reducing the stress on it during takeoff. The second is improved fuel economy.
When the throttle position sensor fails, it defaults to idle speed. Otherwise, the vehicle could take off on you and cause an accident. So, if the Equinox loses signal from the Throttle Position Sensor for a moment, it’ll feel like a stall.
Here’s a great article on diagnosing a bad throttle position sensor from cars direct.
- VVT Problem– The variable valve timing associate with the 2.4L engine can cause the Equinox to stall.It’ll throw trouble P0010 or P0011. This is often the cause of the stalling. The code is for Intake Camshaft Position Actuator Solenoid Valve Control Circuit. What a mouthful!If these trouble codes have been thrown, than there’s a good chance this is the problem. Here’s a great video on the problem.
Good luck with fixing your Equinox stalling issues!