The 2018 Equinox is the launch year of the 3rd gen and shows it. The 1.5L turbo has timing chain stretch and turbocharger failures, the 6T40 6-speed shudders, and the AC condenser leaks. The 1.6L diesel was discontinued after only one year.
The 1.5L turbo (LYX) had elevated turbo wastegate failures and timing chain wear early in production. GM TSB PIP5602 addresses chain stretch. Diesel 1.6L was recalled for emissions and discontinued.
Wastegate actuator sticks; check engine light with P0299 or P2261. Limp mode and power loss. Requires turbocharger replacement on early units; revised turbo from 2019+.
P0299 Diagnosis →Torque converter shudder under light load at 30-50 mph. GM TSB 18-NA-355 calls for Mobil 1 LV ATF HP fluid flush. Severe cases need TCC solenoid or rebuild.
P0700 Diagnosis →Condenser cracks at the inlet pipe. Common on 2018-2020. Replace with revised part to reduce recurrence.
Run an AI diagnosis →P0008/P0017 indicating chain wear. GM PIP5602 covers diagnosis and replacement procedure. Use OEM tensioner.
Cam Timing Diagnosis →AGM auxiliary battery for start/stop fails early. Symptom is start/stop disabled message. Replace with GM-spec AGM battery.
Run an AI diagnosis →MyLink display freezes or randomly reboots. Hold power button 10-15 seconds or perform reset via dealer. Updated firmware in 2019.
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2018-2019 Equinox 1.6L diesel was recalled for emissions non-compliance. GM discontinued the diesel option. Owners offered buybacks and reimbursement.
Replace transmission fluid with Mobil 1 LV ATF HP and re-evaluate. If shudder persists, replace torque converter.
Diagnosis and replacement procedure for elongated timing chain on LYX 1.5L turbo, including updated tensioner part numbers.
If your Equinox is throwing a check engine light, these are the codes most commonly tied to the problems above. Click any code for full diagnosis steps and typical repair costs.
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Below average. Launch-year issues with the 1.5T turbo, 6T40 transmission, and AC condenser hold this year back. 2020+ refresh resolved some concerns.
Wastegate failures and timing chain stretch are common. P0299 underboost and P0008/P0017 timing codes are frequent in the 60K-100K mileage band.
Yes. NHTSA 20V-080 covers a defeat-device emissions issue on the 1.6L diesel. GM discontinued the option and offered buybacks.
The 6T40 6-speed shudders due to torque converter clutch issues. GM TSB 18-NA-355 calls for a Mobil 1 LV ATF HP flush, which resolves most cases.
Only if the turbo, chain, and AC condenser have been addressed, and priced accordingly. 2020+ is a better used pick.
With proactive repairs to the known issues, 150K-200K is realistic. Long-term durability is mid-pack compared to the RAV4 and CR-V.