11/10/2025
WARNING to all Chevy Equinox drivers OR any other vehicles that have timing chains instead of belts. Which I learned the extremely expensive way! 😦
The Chevy Equinox uses a timing chain that needs to stay lubricated using oil to do so. Some sites say it uses oil fed tensioners for the chain, but either way it uses more oil than cars with a timing belt. Because of this design the oil needs to be changed every 5,000 miles or every 6 months, whichever comes first.
Our 2016 Equinox with only 89,000 miles on it apparently went too long between oil changes before we knew about the issue allowing timing chain to jump some teeth on the gears destroying the engine. This is what the report from the mechanic that checked it said.
Attempted to start vehicle, the vehicle does not have compression and spins freely. Checked oil, oil level OK, oil has exhaust smell and is dark. Removed valve cover and found almost all exhaust rockers broken, lifters damaged, cam damaged. Cams spin with engine starter, vehicle jumped timing or stretched chain and valves met with pistons. Engine replacement required.
These engines are known for stretched chains and jumped chains due to high oil consumption and infrequent oil changes; engine has large amount of sludge build up. Nothing was found that is not a common failure for these engines.
We have been taking it to Meineke for oil changes and the check oil light did not come on and there were no warning sounds that is supposed to have been heard if the chain is “stretching” which makes no sense, a chain stretching! It drove fine over to the body shop where we were having some work done and one time when they drove it into the shop it stopped and clearly jumped timing. The mechanic at the dealership said they would have just heard a short loud sound because it happens so fast and a new engine is going to cost us $10,500. The problem was more common on the early 2012-2014 models, but it can happen to any model. It seems like Chevy should have fixed this problem by now even if they just make the oil light come on sooner.
