BOUGHT NEW 2006 EQUINOX WITH THREE ORIGINAL MILES. 1) RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT LOCKED UP, RATCHET TIGHTER AND WOULD NOT RELEASE UNTIL REMOVED AND FULLY RETRACTED. SIX OCCURRENCES, THREE TIMES TO DEALER WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE. 2) LEFT REAR SEAT BELT LOCKED UP, RATCHET TIGHTER AND WOULD NOT RELEASE UNTIL REMOVED AND FULLY RETRACTED. FOUR OCCURRENCES, THREE TIMES TO DEALER WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE. 3) ENGINE FALTERS WHEN IN REVERSE. THREE OCCURRENCES, DEALER HAS NOT LOOKED AT THIS ISSUE. 4) INSTRUMENT CLUSTER / GAUGES NOT WORKING. THREE OCCURRENCES, TWO TIMES TO DEALER WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE. 5) ENGINE WILL NOT START. SIX OCCURRENCES, ONE TIME TO DEALER WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE. 6) ENGINE WILL HESITATE TO START / EXTENDED CRANK. FIVE OCCURRENCES, ONE TIME TO DEALER WHO REPROGRAMMED PCM BUT ISSUE STILL EXISTS. 7) IGNITION SWITCH GRINDING OR WILL NOT TURN. DAILY OCCURRENCES, ONE TIME TO DEALER, ISSUE STILL EXISTS. 8) NO ONSTAR DATA COMMUNICATION. ONE OCCURRENCE, ONE TIME TO DEALER WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE. 9) ONSTAR UNABLE TO DETECT SERVICE LIGHT IN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. ISSUE NOT BROUGHT TO DEALER AT THIS TIME. 10) ENGINE COOLANT EXTREMELY LOW WITHIN 5000 ORIGINAL MILES. ISSUE NOT BROUGHT TO DEALER AT THIS TIME. 11) ENGINE COOLANT BROWN AND FOAMING. ISSUE NOT BROUGHT TO DEALER AT THIS TIME. 12) ALARM SYSTEM DEACTIVATED ITSELF, INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS ON, DOORS WERE STILL LOCKED. ISSUE NOT BROUGHT TO DEALER AT THIS TIME. *NM
2009
TIRES
ON THANKSGIVING MORNING IN PREPARATION FOR A THREE HOUR DRIVE I BEGAN TO PUT AIR IN THE RIGHT REAR TIRE OF MY CHEVY EQUINOX BECAUSE THE PRESSURE SENSOR WAS SHOWING IT A FEW POUNDS LOWER THAN THE OTHER TIRES. WHEN I REMOVED THE FILL HOSE, THE ALUMINUM (CAST I THINK) VALVE STEM END BROKE OFF WITH THE VALVE MECHANISM ITSELF AND THE TIRE RAPIDLY DEFLATED. NO UNUSUAL FORCE WAS APPLIED TO THE VALVE WITH THE PORTABLE AIR PUMP I HAVE USED NUMEROUS TIMES ON THIS AND OTHER CAR TIRES. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE VALVE FAILED WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY (SOMETHING ELSE TO BE THANKFUL FOR THAT DAY!). I JUST READ WHERE A SIMILAR VEHICLE (FORD ESCAPE I BELIEVE) EXPERIENCED A VALVE STEM FAILURE THAT APPARENTLY CONTRIBUTED TO A ROLL OVER AND FATALITY. ALTHOUGH A RUBBER VALVE STEM CRACKED IN THE FORD CASE, THE RAPID DEFLATION WOULD BE THE SAME IN MY CASE HAD I BEEN DRIVING - AND THE POTENTIAL DRASTIC RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN THE SAME. I HAD THE VALVE REPLACED FOR $156.00. ALTHOUGH I PREFERRED TO REPLACE IT WITH A RUBBER ONE, I WAS TOLD THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND INSPECTION WOULD FAIL SINCE THE ABSENCE OF THE REMOTE SENSOR WOULD CAUSE A DASH-BOARD WARNING LIGHT. THE TECHNICIAN SAID THE VALVE CRACKED DUE TO CORROSION - IN A FOUR YEAR OLD CAR! *TR